Criccieth Castle and Morfa Bychan Walk
Gwynedd
Criccieth Castle stands on a rocky headland above two long sandy beaches, a thirteenth century Welsh fortress later strengthened by Edward I and now in the care of Cadw. This dog friendly walk follows the Wales Coast Path west from the castle through the village, around the headland of Graig Ddu and along the dunes to the spectacular Morfa Bychan, also known as Black Rock Sands, one of the only UK beaches you can drive a car onto.
The terrain is a mix of pavement, clifftop grass and beach, with one short steep climb above the cliffs. Dogs are welcome at the castle on a lead in the grounds, and Black Rock Sands has dog friendly zones marked with red signs at each access point (most of the beach allows dogs year round, with seasonal restrictions on the central section in summer). Watch the tides on the long return along the shore. Multiple dog friendly cafes in Criccieth. Pay and display parking on the seafront and at Black Rock Sands.
At a Glance
- Distance
- 9.0 km (5.6 miles)
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Duration
- 3 hr
- Walk Type
- Coastal, Historic
- Route Type
- Out and Back
- Off Lead Potential
- Moderate
- Livestock Risk
- Low
- Facilities
- Criccieth has multiple dog friendly cafes and pubs, toilets at Black Rock Sands seasonally.
- Parking
- Pay and display car parks at Criccieth seafront and Black Rock Sands, around 200 spaces total.
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