Abergele

Abergele is a relatively new seaside town in the county borough of Conwy in North Wales, located between Colwyn Bay and Rhyl. Abergele is often overlooked due to the popularity of nearby Rhyl, Prestatyn, Colwyn Bay, Llandudno and Conwy. Around 30% of the population speak Welsh. It is surrounded by wooded hillsides and its most prominent landmark is Gwrych Castle.

Get in

By train

• 1 Abergele and Pensarn railway station (is about half a mile from the centre of Abergele and close to the beach at Pensarn, just off the A55.). It is situated on the North Wales Coast line with regular direct trains running from Manchester via Chester and Warrington to the east and Llandudno to the west.  

By bus

• 13 Llandudno - Prestatyn
• 21 Llanrwst - Colwyn Bay
• 43 Llanfair Talhaiarn - Pensarn

By car

Town is off the A55 truck road Chester - Holyhead, also known as the North Wales Expressway (Welsh: Gwibffordd Gogledd Cymru).

See

• 1 Castell Gwrych (Gwrych Castle). Grade I listed 19th-century country house  
• 2 Cefn yr Ogof. highest point with good views of the area. (updated Oct 2016)
• 3 Castell Cawr (Tan-y-Gopa). forested hill above the town, site of Iron Age hillfort. Lesser horseshoe bats inhabit caves on the hill (updated Oct 2016)

Do

Abergele has some fantastic countryside for walking in. Hills include Tower Hill (Bryn Twr) at 179 metres, which as you can tell has a watchtower. Tan-y-Gopa hill is 189 metres high and has a hillfort, Castell Cawr. To the south is Moelfre Isaf 317 metres (1040 feet) which has wide ranging views including Snowdonia and the Clwydian Range. Further west, past Gwrych Castle is Cefn yr Ogof at 204 metres (669 feet) which has caves and a watchtower nearby. South of Cefn-yr-Ogof is another hillfort, Penycorddyn Mawr, which is surrounded by steep limestone cliffs.

Eat

• 1 Rob's Fish & Chip Shop, 56 Marine Rd, Pensarn. (updated Oct 2016)
• 2 The Kinmel Arms, The Village, St George, ☏ +44 1745 832207. (updated Oct 2016)

Sleep

• 1 Pen-Y-Bryn Holiday Cottages, Pen y Bryn Farm, Betws-yn-Rhos (Take the A55 Expressway and exit at the first sign for Abergele. Head into Abergele town centre and proceed to the second set of traffic lights. Turn left into Chapel Street (A548), which is signposted Llanwrst. Drive for Approx. 2 ½ miles then turn right to Betws Yn Rhos (B5381). Drive Approx. 75 metres only, then take first turn on right into a single lane. Drive for approx. ½ mile and turn into our entrance on right hand side. Follow private drive and bear left at top of rise which leads into the courtyard.), ☏ +44 1745 822344, penybryncottages@gmail.com. 
• Henblas Holiday Cottage (Tyddyn Henblas), Henblas Farm, Tan y Gopa Road, Rhyd y Foel, ☏ +44 1492 515250, ej.jacobs@btopenworld.com. A converted Welsh stone farm building, from around 1860. from £375 per week. 
• 2 Ffarm Country House, Ffarm Country House (Around 10 minutes off the A55), ☏ +44 1492 680448, info@ffarmcountryhouse.co.uk. A Gothic Style Grade II listed building from c. 1706. 

Go next

• Conwy: splendid castle
• St Asaph
• Rhuddlan
• Rhyl

Routes through Abergele

Llandudno ← Colwyn Bay ←

W  E

→ St Asaph → Manchester