Harlech in winter belongs to a different century. The summer tourists are gone; the town above the castle and below the Rhinogydd is left to itself — the castle dark against a pewter sky, the coastal plain stretching south to the Mawddach estuary, the mountains behind snow-capped on a clear day. The quality of light in winter Harlech, low and raking, is a photographer's gift. This is Experience #34 of the Snowdonia 100.
The Castle in Winter
Harlech Castle — Experience #41 — is best appreciated when it is not competing with ice cream vans and summer crowds for your attention. In winter the castle stands alone on its crag, the sea visible to the west, the mountains east, its scale restored to something like what Edward I intended in 1283 when he began its construction. The admission charge is lower in winter, the queues non-existent, and the experience of walking the battlements with a clear view in all directions rather than a crowd in all directions, qualitatively different.
| Castle opening | Reduced winter hours — check Cadw website |
| Accommodation | Castle Cottage (Experience #54) and several B&Bs open year-round |
| Weather | The Rhinogydd catch significant snow — spectacular backdrop after a cold spell |
The Coastal Plain
The flat coastal plain below Harlech — Morfa Harlech — was reclaimed from the sea in the early 19th century. In medieval times, the castle was supplied by sea; boats landed at a water gate built into the Rock of Harlech. Now the sea is two kilometres distant, and the plain between is a National Nature Reserve of dune grassland and wildfowl lagoons, best explored on a winter's day when the skies are active with geese and waders.
Experience #34 of 100 — Places category.
Independently written — Snowdon.com