Inn of the Sixth Happiness

The story of Gladys Aylward, a Yorkshire missionary who worked in China during the 1930s and 40s, forms the heart of this modest historic site near Caernarfon. Her remarkable life - particularly the famous trek across mountains with a group of orphaned children fleeing the Japanese invasion - was dramatised in the 1958 film The Inn of the Sixth Happiness, starring Ingrid Bergman. The actual building where Aylward lived and worked still stands, offering visitors a chance to step into her world and understand the determination that drove this unconventional woman.

It's a pilgrimage site as much as a tourist attraction, drawing those interested in missionary history and early 20th-century China. The exhibition space tells Aylward's story chronologically, with photographs, personal effects, and period details that bring her extraordinary courage to life. You'll need around 45 minutes to an hour to do it justice - it's not vast, but the narrative is compelling enough to hold your attention. The real draw is the sense of walking in the footsteps of someone who genuinely changed lives.

From the nearby campsites - Beddgelert Campsite is closest at just over a mile away - this works well as a half-day excursion before heading into Snowdonia proper. Caernarfon itself offers castle-spotting and coastal walks. Admission details aren't widely advertised online, so ring ahead before visiting. It's the kind of place that rewards the effort of finding it, particularly if you're cycling through North Wales or looking beyond the obvious attractions.