In our quest for some autumn colour, we decided to spend the October half term break in North Wales. Opting to base ourselves in a cosy Airbnb in Ruthin (more info at the end), in more or less central northern Wales, allowed us access to points of interest in all directions. It did mean quite a lot of driving but that was no hardship given the beautiful countryside. We were obstructed by sheep pretty much every journey to and from the cottage! 

Wales is bursting with adrenaline-filled activities and long hikes but here are ten more accessible ideas for little kids, incorporating easy walks (often with a motivating trail sheet to follow), nature, stunning views and quaint towns. When we visited, Tiny had just turned 2 and Small was very nearly 5.

Budget: this trip was done on a very small budget. The accommodation was a little over £100 a night (including a significant discount for booking a full week) but, aside from that and petrol, we spent almost nothing. We got a supermarket food delivery and only ate out a couple of times plus the odd coffee or snack here or there. In terms of activities, almost all were free except where noted below.

PONTCYSYLLTE AQUEDUCT & CANAL

This UNESCO World Heritage Site spans Wales and England with over 11 miles of canal. This was actually our second visit to the aqueduct, the last one having been on our first little adventure as new parents after lockdown lifted. 

It’s a pretty cool place – ‘the stream in the sky’ and ‘a masterpiece of creative engineering’ as its website says. The views are breathtaking, especially coated with autumn colour. Small took A LOT of photos. 

Walking the aqueduct itself is special too – aside from jeopardy of watching your kids tear along the exceptionally narrow one-way path for two-way traffic! 

But the best moments are when something glides past, whether it be a barge or a kayak. Maybe when the kids are a bit older, we’ll have a go ourselves! 

We walked as far as Canal Side. Dean returned to get the car and picked me and the kids up whilst we slowly walked the final part. 

Key information: park in the Pontcysyllte Tea Room (free with a purchase) in Trevor; amenities can be found at the visitor centre; it’s just about possible to push a pram over the aqueduct but we don’t advise it as the path is approximately the same width as the pram; you can take a trip on a canalboat from Trevor or, with older kids, join a kayaking tour; if you’re scared of heights, think twice; allow half a day depending on how far you walk.

LLANGOLLEN

Somewhere over the rainbow, you’ll find the beautiful little town of Llangollen. Arguably still very beautiful even on a grey day like the one we had. A tourist hotspot since Georgian times, it forms part of the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct and Canal World Heritage Site, and is full of twisty little side streets, quaint shops and cafes. 

Standing on the Llangollen Bridge, admiring the River Dee, is a must. Heading past the Corn Mill (perhaps after stopping for a drink), and along the footpath, leads you to a great playground at Riverside Park. It was – just about – warm enough for the kids to deem it ice cream weather! 

There are also loads of lovely walks you can do from Llangollen, which we’ve done in the past.

Key information: expect to queue for popular ice cream shops and bakeries; public toilets available; you can also combine this visit with a horse-drawn canalboat trip which we did on our first visit; allow half a day for the town alone unless your kids (like ours) are not very shop-friendly!

RSPB CONWY

Much of our week in Wales was spent rain dodging and this was probably our least successful attempt! 

The first half of the walk was a delight: we had a decorated pumpkin trail map to follow around a boardwalk and it was mild enough that the kids – as usual – took off all their warm layers. There were loads of bird hides which we enjoyed popping in and out of. Long gone are the days of actually having chance to bird watch though Dean made a valiant attempt!

But then the weather turned big time! Icy cold rain, biting wind and a dense fog made the second half of our walk far less enjoyable and so, heads down, we power-walked our way back to the cafe to dry off and warm up with babycinos and hot chocolate!

Nevertheless, RSPB Conwy left a very positive impression on us. A great visitor centre/shop, a good little cafe with a view, a sand pit and wild play area for the kids and a lovely, accessible walk with plenty of hides and fantastic views! Very family friendly. 

Key information: free to RSPB members like us; non-members – adults are £6 and children £3; all necessary amenities on site; pramable paths throughout; allow half a day.

LLANDUDNO 

The quintessential seaside town and once the retreat of the Victorians, Llandudno is a great place to visit – especially for kids. We only had a few late afternoon hours, but we managed a bakery stop, a play on the beach and a wander along the pier with the obligatory fairground ride! 

With more time, you can ride cable cars or a tram up Great Orme or take Britain’s longest toboggan ride down it! There’s also Happy Valley gardens to explore and Alice in Wonderland statues around the place in recognition of the real-life Alice Liddell spending her childhood summers in the area. Endless cafes and restaurants line the broad streets too.

I loved how the clouds were dark, heavy and atmospheric but then the sun shone over the sea beyond the end of the pier.

Definitely a fun place to be but… BEWARE SEAGULLS!

Key information: free on-street parking available; there are so many cafes so it’s worth doing your research before you arrive; the pier rides require tokens which can be bought from machines or at a kiosk on the pier; allow a full day to embrace the beach, pier and other activities.

SNOWDONIA

Mountains, lakes, autumn trees and a hidden waterfall. What more could you ask for on a road trip? (Well, other than a bit of sunshine maybe!) We pulled over repeatedly to admire views and take photographs.

We drove out into Snowdonia although didn’t make it as far as Snowdon itself. It was so beautiful. The waterfall was a lovely mini-adventure: we pulled up in a lay-by, followed a little trail and there it was! Of course, there are endless walks to be done in the area but this is not the blog post for them as we didn’t do any!

At other times of year, you can take the kids up Snowdon on the train.

Key information: the little waterfall detour is accessed from a layby just south of Cymerau Isaf Farm; allow 30 mins for the waterfall although you could stop for a picnic on a sunny day.

COED Y BRENIN 

This place was a brilliant find. Although very heavily geared towards mountain bikers (hire shop, trails, guided tours), the forest here was beautiful. We did the very accessible 1-mile Afon Eden Trail (free of bikes) with a great little map (available here) containing clues to about 20 different animals that live there. Many of the creatures’ pictures were very hard to spot (or possibly just not there 🤔!) but that added to the fun. Both kids walked the whole way without complaint which counts as a win in my book!

We also had a wander around the gift shop, a picnic on outdoor tables and finished the day with drinks from the cafe.

Key information: free entry but pay to park; the Afon Eden Trail is pramable; there’s also an audio trail, geocaching, orienteering and, if you’re on bikes, there is a huge number of trails to try; allow 1-2 hours.

BETWS-Y-COED 

This picturesque little town is well-known as a starting point for trails through beautiful Snowdonia. It’s always busy with tourists but is, nevertheless, a lovely place to visit. There are plenty of great cafes, shops and accessible little walks that are amazing in autumn.

We began with delicious pizza and drinks from Hangin’ Pizzeria which does everything imaginable to raise money for orangutans and great apes. The kids especially loved the ape statues! 

Then we did a short woodland trail – just north of the famously picturesque Pont-y-Pair bridge – featuring a boardwalk, beautiful tall trees and the same animal trail with clues that was at Coed Y Brenin (except this time we didn’t manage to spot a map until the end – it’s available here. 

We’ll definitely be coming back to the area when the kids are bigger to go on some longer hikes!

Key information: there are public toilets near Hangin’ Pizzeria; the walk starting with the boardwalk is mainly pramable but bumpy in places; allow half a day to explore the town and do the walk.

FAIRY GLEN, CONWY 

An absolute highlight of our week – this place was stunning! You pull up in an unassuming car park, a few minutes away from Betws-y-Coed, put your donations into the honesty box and off you go. 

The trail is apparently 1.4km through woodland and down to a river. Eventually you reach the fairy glen gorge which has a special magic to it. We had it all to ourselves, clambering over the rocks, sitting to watch the water flow and enjoying the sunlight through the autumn trees. Such a beautiful spot!

I even caught Small on video scrambling over some rocks and, without prompting, turning back to me to shout, “I love exploring with my family!” 

If you’re looking for an easy win for your little legged family members, this is the one!

Key information: no amenities; £1 per car plus £1 per adult and 50p per child; not pramable; allow 1 hour.

DENBIGH CASTLE

We LOVED Denbigh Castle.  Perfect for little kids and fascinating for everyone else too. Remnants of the city wall signpost you to the main event: the castle perched on top of the hill. The views of the Vale of Clwyd from the walls walk are stunning.

After entering via the gatehouse, you head to the shop to pick up a Castle Quest sheet. But what makes it extra special is that you get to choose from three different young characters, with different statuses, who might have lived in the castle. You then follow them around the grounds via the information boards, reading facts about them with comprehension questions. The teacher in me really appreciated this! It would have been perfect for slightly older children but Small (4 + 355 days old) more or less managed to answer by listening and got to practise her writing, filling in the gaps for the answers too. 

The facts were really interesting and helped us understand what we were looking at and brought to life what it would have been like in medieval times.

Tiny may have got less out of the quest but had a whale of a time exploring, clambering and hiding!

There are many more impressive, fancier, pricier castles but Denbigh was a perfect size for us. Return your Castle Quest sheet and receive a badge relating to your chosen character!

Key information: £5.90 adults and £4.10 for ages 5-17; toilets available; not preamble; the gift shop stocks cold drinks and snacks; allow 1-2 hours.

RUTHIN

Park up (for free) at Ruthin Craft Centre and pick up some info about the town’s permanent arts trail. There is a gallery and various artists’ workshops which you may or may not want to brave depending on the age of the kids!

Next, navigator extraordinaire, Dean, led us through the town taking in the period buildings and interesting plaques. There’s Ruthin Castle to explore, the oldest parts of which date back to 1277. It’s now a luxury hotel and spa, complete with roaming peacocks. 

Wales’ oldest timber-framed house – Nantclwyd y Dre – sits proudly on Castle Street. From 1435, it was inhabited continuously for over five centuries: what a lot of history it must hold! The interior can be visited and sounds fascinating but it was closed when we were there.

As for the arts trail, first there are 12 little red figures perched high up on some of the historical buildings. They’re pretty small so can be gratifyingly tricky to spot. 

And then there are the spy holes of which I think there are 10. They’re boxes built into walls containing miniature scenes relating to the history of Ruthin – Rhuthin in Welsh. I’d exercise caution doing this with children – some are fine to view, like the shepherd and sheep and the collection of famous faces; a few are kind of spooky like the ghost, Lady Grey, who haunts the castle and a scary-looking cat; but there was one depicting hangings which I didn’t even really want to look at. Nevertheless, it was still a motivator for the kids to explore! 

All in all, plenty to do, even on a slightly grey afternoon!

Key information: the Craft Centre is a good spot for amenities although there are others around town; information about the trail can be found here; the Gaol is apparently well worth a visit too; allow half a day.

ACCOMODATION

Parlwr Y Cook Airbnb: this converted milking parlour was a great find. Cosy, comfortable and well-equipped, it has two ensuite bedrooms and an open-plan kitchen/living/dining space. Outside, there’s an enclosed terrace with a BBQ, seating area and plenty of room to play. There are woodland walks from the door. If you’re keen to explore North Wales in all directions, this is an ideal place but, without a lot more driving, it’s tricky to get all the way to the west coast and the experience the full extent of Snowdonia.