Castell y Bere

Where is Castell y Bere?

Castell y Bere is ruins of a castle constructed by Llewelyn ab Iorweth (Llewelyn the Great), located upon a hill in the Dysynni valley in Llanfihangel-y-pennant, near Tywyn, Gwynedd, North Wales.

How To Get To Castell y Bere

We found the best way to get to Castell y Bere is to drive along the B4405 and you will see a signpost at the village of Abergynolwyn to turn down Llanegryn Street for the castle (next to the Railway Inn). Drive down Llanegryn Street and continue straight (follow the signposts for Castell y Bere). Following the lanes you’ll eventually come to a T-junction. You’ll see a signpost for the castle again. Turn right at the T-junction and follow the country lane. Keep driving for half a mile until you see a clearing on the left hand side which is the carpark for Castell y Bere. There is a visitor information board at the carpark providing information on the castle ruins, which are just a short walk from this carpark through the adjacent gate. There’s enough parking for up to a dozen vehicles.

Visiting Castell y Bere

Out of all the castle ruins to visit in North Wales, Castell y Bere is one of the most impressive.

Pulling into the carpark, the castle ruins of Castell y Bere are shielded and not visible, but are just a short walk away. After walking through the gate at the carpark, you’ll be greeted by a choice of three paths to take. You’ll want to take the left path. This will lead you round and gradually uphill to Castell y Bere, the castle built for Welsh prince Llewelyn the Great in the 1220s.

Following the winding path, you’ll reach a set of steps and a bridge to what would have been the castle outpost’s drawbridge. This was a well-defended entrance for Castell y Bere with death trap pits ready and waiting for enemies once the drawbridge was raised.

For castle ruins, there’s plenty remaining at Castell y Bere, allowing you to identify rooms that would have existed at this stronghold. You can easily climb up to the different sections of the castle fortress to gaze out upon the spectacular views of countryside. The castle was built at this location specifically due to its panoramic views and high up vantage point so Llewelyn could easily defend his cattle. In the 13th century, cattle were of great worth so Llewelyn had to make sure to protect his investments and land.

In the centre of the castle, there’s the remains of the well, a centrepoint and natural water source for the fortress. There’s plenty to explore around the ruins too with steps leading into various ruined rooms, including the D-shaped tower where Llewelyn would have held court. Cadw visitor boards are dotted around Castell y Bere to provide background on the different parts of the castle and what they would have been used for which I personally found very useful and very informative.

If you enjoy exploring the remains of castles that haven’t been turned into a commercial tourist trap, then Castell y Bere should be high on your list. Its peaceful and quiet surroundings make it a pleasure to explore, allowing you to gain a feel for what it must’ve been like to have been posted there at the time of Prince Llewelyn’s reign.