Base Camp Snowdonia
Betws-y-Coed, Eryri
Gwersyll Cyntaf Eryri
Our flagship hostel
We sit above the river in Betws-y-Coed, a Victorian village tucked into the Gwydir Forest, with Yr Wyddfa an hour’s walk from the door and the station ten minutes the other way.
Where you’ll stay
Rooms at Base Camp Snowdonia
Bed in a shared dorm
Travelling alone or keen to meet people along the way? Our mixed and female-only dorms give you a bunk and clean linen, with the choice of either a shared or an en-suite bathroom depending on the room.
Book a dorm bed
Private room
For groups, couples, or anyone after a quieter night, we have four to six private rooms that sleep small parties with either en-suite or shared bathroom options.
Book a private roomUnder the same roof
What’s here
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Waypoint Cafe and Bar
Coffee, beer, porridge pots and grab-and-go for the morning, all on the ground floor.
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Drying room
Somewhere warm to hang kit on the days the weather wins.
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Bike rack
A covered rack at the side of the building so the bike has somewhere out of the rain at the end of the day.
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Brew up and warm through
Kettle, microwave, fridge and a long shared table — the basics for a proper cuppa or warming through a meal at the end of the day.
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Lounge
Sofas, slow mornings, and strangers who end up friends by Sunday.
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Satellite WiFi
Fast enough to work from, which is rarer than you’d think out here.
Accessible by public transport
Getting here
By train
Direct services reach Betws-y-Coed from London, Liverpool and Manchester, and the station itself is a ten minute walk from our front door.
By bus
Hourly direct buses run from the village to Yr Wyddfa, so you can reach the mountain, and a good few of the trailheads, without ever needing a car.
Twenty-eight of Wales’ thirty highest peaks sit within half an hour of our front door.
On your doorstep
Explore Eryri
Hiking
Eryri
The Welsh name for Snowdonia, home to twenty-eight of Wales’ thirty highest peaks, every one of them reachable within half an hour of the hostel.
Cycling
Gwydir Mawr and Bach, the Marin Trail
Two classic forest loops on the doorstep, a red-graded singletrack network that starts yards from the bike rack and runs deep into the woods.
Underground
Go Below
Disused Victorian slate mines run for miles beneath the hills around Betws-y-Coed, and guided trips take you into abseils, zip lines and vast lamplit caverns.
Walking
Llyn Elsi
A gentle loop up through the Gwydir Forest to a quiet hill-top reservoir, an easy half-day walk that starts and ends on the village high street.
The village
Betws-y-Coed
Betws-y-Coed is a tranquil Victorian Welsh alpine village in the heart of the Gwydir Forest, home to 486 people and to Base Camp Snowdonia. Betws is the Welsh word for "prayer house" and coed means "forest," so the name translates literally as the prayer house in the woods, and the village began life as a sixth century Celtic monastery before becoming an independent Victorian artists’ colony many centuries later.
These days its high street plays host to independent pubs, pizzerias and purveyors of Gore-Tex, with walking and cycling trails starting in the heart of town and hourly direct bus services running to Yr Wyddfa. You will not be short of things to do.
A good meal nearby
Pub
Pont-y-Pair
A proper village pub a stone’s throw from the hostel door, where a pint and a plate round off the day.
Breakfast
Caban-y-Pair
Welsh breakfast served the way it should be served, the kind of start that powers a morning on the hill.
Pizza
Hangin’
Wood-fired pizza so good that most of the village ends up queuing for a slice sooner or later.
Tea house
Tu Hwnt I’r Bont
A tea house on the far side of the old stone bridge, where afternoon cake is essentially non-negotiable.
A note on language
What’s in a name, what’s in a language?
Welsh is woven through every corner of Eryri, and through every corner of Base Camp, so here is a little of what you’ll hear while you’re with us.
Eryri (eh-ruh-ree)
The Welsh word derives from eryr, meaning "highland" or "upland." In English it is known as Snowdonia.
Gwersyll Cyntaf Eryri
This is our Welsh name, carrying the same meaning as Base Camp Snowdonia, and you’ll see it on all of our signage.
Y Welsh Not
Welsh was banned in schools across the length of the Industrial Revolution, and children who spoke it were made to wear a wooden sign called a "Welsh Not," hung around the neck as a punishment.
Diolch
Over half of Eryri’s population speaks Welsh today, a remarkable thing given the history, and so we say diolch am wrando, which means thank you for listening.
Good to know
Frequently asked questions
Is there parking at Base Camp Snowdonia?
On-site parking is limited; Betws-y-Coed has village parking nearby. The hostel is designed for car-free travel — the railway station is about ten minutes on foot.
What is the nearest train station?
Betws-y-Coed station is about a ten-minute walk from our front door, with direct services from London, Liverpool and Manchester.
What rooms do you offer?
We have mixed and female-only dorms (with shared or en-suite bathrooms) plus a handful of private rooms that sleep small parties, also with shared or en-suite options. Dorms suit solo travellers and groups; private rooms suit couples or anyone after a quieter night.
Is there a kitchen guests can use?
Yes. The self-catering kitchen is properly equipped — hobs, oven, fridge-freezer, pans and crockery — with a long shared table to eat at. Waypoint Cafe and Bar is also on the ground floor for coffee, beer and a hot breakfast.
Is bed linen and towels included?
Bed linen is included on every bed. Towels are available — check your room type at booking; we can also confirm by email if you contact us at hello@basecamphostels.com.
Is there secure bike storage and a drying room?
Yes — a lockable bike store and a heated drying room are both on-site, included with every stay.
How do I reach Yr Wyddfa (Snowdon) from the hostel?
Hourly direct buses run from the village to Yr Wyddfa, so you can reach the mountain — and most of the trailheads — without a car.
How do I get the best rate?
Book direct on our website for the best available rate (no booking-platform commission). Free cancellation policies are shown at the time of booking on the Mews booking widget.
Come and stay
Ready to pack the boots and come north? Check availability, pick your room, and book direct for our best available rate.
Book direct on this site for our best available rate — no booking-platform commission.