Llŷn Peninsula
Criccieth Castle and the Shore
A Welsh castle on a headland between two beaches, with the whole sweep of Cardigan Bay and Eryri behind it.
- Distance
- 3.4 mi / 5.5 km
- Time
- 1 hr 50
- Ascent
- 130 m
- Difficulty
- Moderate
- Shape
- Circular
Where it is
The circle shows the general area, not the exact start. Use the directions link below to get to the car park itself. Contours and paths shown are OpenTopoMap, drawn from OpenStreetMap data.
The route
From the town, walk the shore and climb to the castle, continuing along the coast path east towards Black Rock before returning by the lane.
Worth knowing
- The castle was built by Llywelyn the Great and later taken and strengthened by Edward I, so it is both Welsh and English work.
- Cadwalader’s ice cream in the town has been made here since 1927.
- The view of Eryri from the castle on a clear evening is the reason to time it late.
What you’ll see
The twin-towered gatehouse, both beaches, and the mountains across the bay.
Background
Llywelyn ab Iorwerth built the castle around 1230. Owain Glyndŵr took and burned it in 1404 and it was never rebuilt.