North Wales

Built Attractions

The built attractions in North Wales can be broken down into four main groups. These are:

  1. The unique village of Portmeirion
  2. The attractions in Llanberis at the foot of Snowdon
  3. The attractions in the seaside towns
  4. The castles, which are heritage attractions

One of the most spectacular built attractions in North Wales is the village of Portmeirion.

Portmeirion is a purpose-built tourist village overlooking the coast. The village was built from 1925 onwards and is made up of a number of very interesting buildings in an Italian architectural style. The village also incorporates accommodation.

Activity

Log onto www.portmeirion-village.com

Summarise the products and services available at Portmeirion under the following headings:

  • Accommodation
  • Visits
  • Restaurants
  • Gardens
  • Conferences
  • Pottery

Another unique attraction is the Snowdon Mountain Railway which takes visitors to the top of the mountain from the village of Llanberis. At the summit of the mountain is the new Hafod Eryri visitor centre, opened in the spring of 2009. The new centre has a range of facilities offering visitors the chance to learn more about Wales’ highest mountain and its environment.

Also in Llanberis is the Electric Mountain attraction which is built around the Dinorwig Power Station, Europe's largest pumped storage scheme.

“For a truly electrifying day out, you can visit the power station on a tour from the Electric Mountain Visitor Centre, by the side of the lake. You'll discover the amazing powers of pumped storage hydro-electricity in a totally entertaining and educational environment. Admission to the Centre is free and there's heaps of interest for visitors of all age groups.”

Along the coast of North Wales, the seaside towns have a range of attractions. The resorts of Llandudno, Rhyl and Prestatyn have a number of attractions, associated with seaside destinations such as piers and funfairs.

One of the major attractions in Prestatyn is the Sky Tower, a 76 metre high tower, a visitor attraction giving panoramic views of the coastline. Although the coastal resorts offer a wide range of attractions, there is not a major theme park or similar attraction in the area.

There are a number of castles and other heritage attractions in North Wales. These appeal to a number of visitors who want to discover more about the history of the area. Conwy Castle is several hundred years old and is preserved as a UNESCO World Heritage site, as is Caernarfon Castle. Both castles are operated by CADW, which is the Welsh Assembly Government's historic environment division. CADW aims to protect and sustain the historic environment of Wales.

Activity

Plan a four-day short break to North Wales for a group of 10 young adults who love the outdoors. They will want to visit the famous Portmeirion village while in North Wales. The group will be travelling from Manchester, by minibus.

Research

Log on to the UNESCO World Heritage Sites website to find out more about Conwy and Caernarfon castles.