Barmouth - Open All Year
Like most seaside locations Barmouth can get very busy in the summer months and, like most others, it can feel a little ‘quiet’ at other times of the year. People sometimes think the town closes down for the winter, that there’ll be nothing open and nothing to do if they come in the winter. But they couldn’t be more wrong. For sure some of the summer-oriented businesses close down and many businesses adjust their opening hours to reflect the reduced numbers of visitors. But the truth is that no matter what time of year you choose to visit you’ll find shops open, restaurants and pubs serving terrific food and plenty of things to see and do. Best of all you’ll get to enjoy Barmouth without the crowds. It’s many people’s favourite time of the year here and once you’ve had our glorious beach all to yourself maybe it will become yours too!
This page will help you plan your visit with information about places to visit and things to do as well as which businesses are open through the winter months.
Attractions Open All year:
St John’s Church and Barmouth History Museum:
Barmouth’s ‘cathedral’ sits above the town and was funded by the widow of Mr Perrins of Worcester Sauce fame. The church is open daily for visitors (free entry but donations welcome) and the interior is well worth seeing. Also within the church is the Barmouth History Museum, a fascinating collection of pictures, artifacts and information boards charting the history of Barmouth from its days as a tiny fishing village through to the modern day.
Barmouth Sailors’ Institute:
Overlooked by many visitors this original Victorian reading room is a little gem. The corrugated iron building on the quay looks very unprepossessing but go inside (through the front door and then immediately right) and you’ll find a space that has changed very little in decades. Full of maritime memorabilia along with papers and magazines the Sailors’ Institute is a fascinating time capsule. Open daily.
Ty Crwn:
This little circular jail dates from Victorian times (1833) and was used to lock-up drunken sailors! Information boards tell its story and you can see into the two cells – not an inviting place to spend the night. Open daily.
Dinas Oleu and the Frenchman’s Grave:
The very first piece of land the National Trust ever owned was gifted to it by Barmouth resident and philanthropist Fanny Talbot in 1895. The 4.5 acre site offers spectacular views across Barmouth and Cardigan Bay. Close by is the grave of Auguste Guyard, a Frenchman who fled Paris during the Franco-Prussian war and was instrumental in working with John Ruskin to create a ‘model commune’. He was buried above the terraces he carved in the hillside and his grave is a popular place to visit all year round.
Barmouth Heritage Trail:
This is a wonderful way to visit most of Barmouth’s historical places of interest, and there’s a lot more than you might imagine! Leaflets with a map of the route are available for £1 from the Tourist Information Point at Barmouth Station or else you can access the trail with a lot of additional content online by following this link.
Barmouth Bridge:
Opened in 1867 to carry the railway line across the stunning Mawddach estuary this bridge, recently given a £30million make-over, is an amazing feat of engineering and can be viewed from the footpath that runs across it alongside the railway track. The views from the bridge are stunning at any time of year. A voluntary toll of £1 per person is payable at the ‘Troll House’, (payment by phone accepted).
Barmouth Beach and Promenade:
Stretching for a mile and a half Barmouth’s promenade offers a wonderful walk with far-reaching views across the bay towards the Llyn Peninsular. The beach itself is also wonderful for walking with a variety of landscapes to enjoy at either high or low tide.
The Mawddach Trail:
Barmouth is surrounded by amazing walks but in winter you may prefer this highly accessible but wonderfully scenic trail. Running 9 miles from Barmouth, across the bridge and along the old track-bed of a railway line all the way to Dolgellau it offers amazing views of the Mawddach estuary and river and the surrounding mountains. Take the T3 bus to Dolgellau and walk back, or vice-versa.
Harlech Castle:
One of four that together make up a World Heritage Site Harlech Castle sits majestically above the landscape with incredible views from its walls and towers. With a terrific visitor centre (and a wonderful café) Harlech castle is open all year round apart from December 24th, 25th and 26th, plus January 1st.
Portmeirion:
There really is no-where quite like Portmeirion, a little slice of the Mediterranean in north Wales, and across winter you’ll not only enjoy the lack of crowds but entry is also half the price of the busier season. Open throughout the winter except for Christmas Day and Boxing Day and 13th January to 3rd February.
Cambrian Coast Railway:
One of the most scenic railways in the UK a day trip on the Cambrian railway is a wonderful way to explore the coast. Travel north to Harlech, Porthmadog, Cricieth or Pwllheli, or take the even more spectacular journey south to Tywyn, Aberdovey or Machynlleth. Fares are surprisingly affordable and there are discounts of 30% for groups of 3 or more adults.
Zip World:
Determined to make north Wales the ‘adventure capital of the UK’ Zip World offers three sites within easy distance of Barmouth, all of which offer activities throughout the year. From underground golf and trampolining to exhilarating zip lines, tree-top trails and a forest coaster to an underground ‘via ferrata’ Zip World offers thrills and challenges for all the family.
Corris Craft Centre:
Part of Corris Caverns which includes King Arthur’s Labyrinth and Corris Mine Explorers the centre’s café remains open all year along with a pop-up offering from their Welsh food shop. Some craft units are open on certain days out of season.
Coed y Brenin:
A nationally-renowned centre for mountain biking with some truly exceptional trails open all year round, this site also offers more family-friendly cycling trails as well as a number of marked walking trails which can take you to the remains of old gold mines and some stunning waterfalls.