Things to do in Buan

It is the peaks of Yr Wyddfa/Snowdon itself that draw the crowds, helped by the easy ascent offered by an obliging train. Around 600,000 people walk, climb or take the train to the 1085m summit each year to take in the splendid views and clear those cobwebs once and for all. Despite the crowds, Yr Wyddfa is the highest mountain in Wales and needs to be treated seriously! Many are caught out by not preparing for the difficulty and the elements in this remote part of the world. The ascent of Snowdon may seem more like a beano than a serious walker’s solitary struggle against the elements, but that is all part of its allure and charm.

It dominates the skyline thanks to a dynamic building style that emphasises sheer scale above all else. Important enough to have been officially designated a World Heritage Site, the castle makes use of large polygonal towers, rather than the standard round construction, and colour-coded bands of stone to create a truly imposing edifice.

The castle was built in the late 13th Century during the reign of Edward I and boasts double walls around its perimeter, four large towers and a robust gatehouse. These fortifications later played a crucial role during numerous blockades. Most famously, in a siege immortalised in the famous Welsh anthem "Men of Harlech", the castle was held for seven years by the Lancastrians in the War of the Roses. It was also the last remaining stronghold of the Royalists during the English Civil War.

Although there’s not a huge amount of the castle left, what ruins there are attract fierce debate over which parts are genuinely Welsh, and which were added by the later English occupiers. Criccieth Castle is considered unique amongst Llywelyn’s castles for its rugged twin-towered gatehouse which wasn’t generally a feature of Welsh castle building during the period. In any case, the main castle would only stand until 1404 when, during an epic siege, the Welsh leader Owain Glyn Dwr captured and burnt the castle almost to the ground. Visitors wanting to really envisage these excitements should inspect the castle walls: the charring from this ancient blaze can still be made out.

Nefyn Beach was once a renowned medieval borough and the place chosen by King Edward I of England to hold a tournament celebrating his conquest of Wales in 1284. Nefyn was also a resting place for pilgrims heading to Enys Enlli at the top of the peninsula. The old church has since been converted into Llyn Maritime Museum, popular with tourists. The museum holds a unique collection of more than 400 artefacts associated with the maritime heritage of the area.