Take a high level stroll on... Conwy Town Walls

The town walls of Conwy are a major tourist attraction for the town, and with good reason: they are regarded as one of the most impressive and most intact walled circuits in all of Europe. Dating back to the late 13th century, they are as old as the town itself, and constructed by Edward I to pair with the equally impressive Conwy Castle, they form a foreboding defensive installation.

These days, there are fewer attacks from Welsh princes, and the site is maintained by Cadw, the Welsh historic tourist and culture group. The walls and the castle are part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site: the ‘Castles and Town Walls of King Edward in Gwynedd’.

The walls themselves stretch for almost a mile around the town, and include three gatehouses and 21 separate towers. They have a rather colourful history, with many battles and sieges taking place until around the 1600s, by which time large defensive walls such as these were not as necessary. Made mostly from local sandstone and limestone, the walls cost a staggering £15,000; this is estimated to be more than £10 million in today’s money, but is likely significantly higher (potentially hundreds of times larger) when things such as the average wage of the time are taken into account.

The walls make for a perfect jaunt around the city. At less than a mile, the walk is not too taxing, although at parts the steps can be rather steep, making it unsuitable for wheelchairs and difficult for pushchairs. The views along the walls are spectacular, allowing you to see out across the town and the castle. From the highest point on the walls the best direction to look is out onto the estuary of the River Conwy, which makes for a great photograph on a clear day.

However, the most impressive view is from the turrets. Look to the west and you will be able to take in the imposing Conwy Mountain, while all around you are the towns of Llandudno and Deganwy, and even the edges of the Snowdonia National Park. This latter beautiful part of North Wales is well worth a day’s visit or two to itself, and as it’s not far at all from Conwy, it’s easy enough to reach. Even without a car you’ll be okay as the public transport services in the area are excellent.

Click here and you can find out more about our options for self-catered accommodation in the Conwy area. It’s the perfect way to start your North Wales discovery.