Coed Cadnant

A steep woodland walk tucked between Caernarfon and the Menai Strait, Coed Cadnant is one of those places locals know and visitors often miss. The main draw is the waterfall - it's not enormous, but it's genuinely lovely, tumbling down through mature trees with the kind of mossy, damp-earth smell that makes you remember why you came to North Wales.

The walk itself is fairly straightforward, though the path gets boggy in places and the gradient is proper steep on the way down. Allow 45 minutes to an hour return trip if you're not dawdling. Kids aged eight and up will manage it fine; younger ones might struggle with the mud and roots. The real appeal here is the rawness of it - no visitor centre, no souvenir shop, just a functioning bit of woodland that actually belongs to the area rather than being packaged up for tourists.

It's free to access, naturally. Go after rain when the water's actually flowing; in dry spells it can be a bit underwhelming. Early morning is best if you want peace - this spot fills up on sunny weekends with people from Caernarfon.

If you're based at one of the nearby holiday parks - Glan Gwna or Coed Helen are practically on your doorstep - this makes a solid half-morning activity before lunch in town. Pair it with a walk along the Menai Strait or a poke around Caernarfon Castle to make a proper day of it. Worth the detour if you've got the time, but don't expect anything Instagram-worthy.