The main fall
About 37 metres (120 ft) of water off a single cliff, at its best two days after rain.
James@hopgrove at English Wikipedia — Public domain · Clive Giddis — CC BY-SA 2.0 · Photograph by Mike Peel (www.mikepeel.net). — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Photograph by Mike Peel (www.mikepeel.net). — CC BY-SA 4.0
Some thirty-seven metres of white water drop off a single rock lip in one go, and you stand beneath it after a walk of about forty minutes from the car. That is the whole appeal of Aber Falls, Rhaeadr Fawr in Welsh: one of the most accessible big waterfalls in North Wales, sitting on the northern rim of Eryri (Snowdonia) rather than in its rugged heart, just outside the small village of Abergwyngregyn between Bangor and Conwy. No tickets, no turnstiles, no timed slots, which after a week of pre-booked castles feels like a small mercy. The official trail is a compacted-gravel path of about 3.7 km there and back, climbing gradually by some 100 metres; Natural Resources Wales grades it easy and puts the walking time at an hour and a half. Children of seven and up manage it without protest, and a pushchair with proper wheels will reach the viewing area, though a lightweight stroller will fight you on the final stretch. Allow an hour and a half to two hours all in, with time to stare and take photos, more if the children are hopping between rocks. The plunge pool is icy even in August and the wet rocks are slippery, so wear shoes with grip and keep small hands away from the edge. For those wanting more, a smaller fall, Rhaeadr Fach, lies to the west and a rougher path links the two as a loop, but it adds time and effort most families will not want. Driving is the simple way in: leave the A55 at junction 13 for the village and follow the signs to two small car parks by a stone bridge; parking is £5 for the day, card or coins, and free for Blue Badge holders. The reserve is seven miles east of Bangor, a fifteen-minute run, about 25 minutes from Conwy or Llandudno and roughly 40 from Betws-y-Coed at the centre of Snowdonia. The car parks fill fast on weekends and in school holidays, especially July and August, so arrive before ten or after four, or fall back on the free car park on the edge of the village about a mile from the trailhead. The car parks are gated and locked overnight: open 7am to 7pm from April to September and 7.30am to 5pm from October to March, with the toilets in the upper car park, so do not dawdle. Who is it for? Families who want half a day outdoors with no queues and no tickets, and anyone passing along the coast road between Chester and Anglesey. Do not give it a whole day; pair it with Conwy Castle, Llandudno's seafront or Penrhyn Castle in Bangor. The falls are at their best two days after rain, which in Wales is not a rare event; in a dry summer week the flow thins but the cliff still impresses. In winter the path stays open but daylight is short and the track muddy, so start before noon.
About 37 metres (120 ft) of water off a single cliff, at its best two days after rain.
Compacted gravel with a gradual climb, fine for children and big-wheeled pushchairs as far as the viewing area.
A smaller fall to the west, reached by a rougher loop path for anyone with extra time.
Bont Newydd car park, Abergwyngregyn, LL33 0LP
Yes if you have children or want a free, ticket-free break outdoors; two hours covers the walk and time at the falls. But if your plan is the big Snowdonia set pieces, the Snowdon railway or the Betws-y-Coed lakes, do not add it at their expense. It is a handsome waterfall, not a wonder, and in a dry week the flow drops noticeably.
The water is icy all year, the rocks are slippery and there are no lifeguards or facilities. Paddling on a hot day is fine; a proper swim we would not recommend, least of all for children.