Updated: 24th August 2026
Written by John Durkin — 30-year motorhome enthusiast & founder of Motorhome Stopover Club. Learn about John’s story & experience →
A motorhome weekend in North Wales works best when the route is short enough to leave time for the places you have driven to see. This Friday-to-Sunday plan links Llangollen, the Dee Valley, Betws-y-Coed and Conwy, using two genuine Motorhome Stopover Club locations and the main A5 and A470 rather than a string of narrow mountain shortcuts.
The touring route is roughly 70–80 miles, excluding your journey to North Wales and home. Friday night can be free when you eat and drink at the pub; Saturday uses a bookable campsite with proper facilities near Betws-y-Coed. Overnight terms and prices below were checked on 24 August 2026, but hosts and councils can change arrangements, so confirm again before setting off.
Your North Wales motorhome weekend at a glance
| Day | Route | Approx. touring mileage | Suggested overnight stop |
|---|---|---|---|
| Friday | Arrive near Llangollen | Depends on your starting point | Sun Trevor, Sun Bank |
| Saturday | Llangollen – Corwen – Betws-y-Coed – Rhydlydan | About 44 miles, plus local detours | Y Giler Arms |
| Sunday | Rhydlydan – Betws-y-Coed – Conwy – optional Llandudno | About 24–34 miles | Home, or extend the trip |
Best for: a first North Wales campervan weekend, couples or families who prefer villages and short walks to a summit day, and owners who want a scenic route without making the weekend a test of mountain-road nerve.
Book before leaving: Sun Trevor requires an advance booking and allows one night only. Y Giler takes full payment on booking. Keep a legal backup, particularly on summer and bank-holiday weekends.
Friday: arrive near Llangollen and settle in
The sensible Friday plan is to get parked, check in and stop driving. Sun Trevor at Sun Bank, just outside Llangollen, is in the MSC database and gives the weekend a useful starting point beside the A5 corridor.
Friday-night MSC stopover: Sun Trevor
- Current overnight arrangement: free for a fully self-contained motorhome when you eat and drink at the pub on the night of your booking.
- Booking: essential; telephone 01978 860 651.
- Length of stay: one night only.
- Arrival and departure: check-in from 2pm and check-out by noon.
- MSC database location: Sun Bank, Llangollen, Denbighshire, LL20 8EG.
These terms come from the venue’s current motorhome page as well as the MSC record. Do not treat the pub car park as a turn-up-and-hope stop: the host specifically says booking is essential.
If daylight and energy remain, the canal is the easiest first taste of the area. The Canal & River Trust’s signed route between Sun Trevor Bridge and Llangollen Bridge is about two miles each way. A short towpath stroll is enough after a long drive; save the full return walk for Saturday morning if you arrive late.
For an earlier Friday arrival, Pontcysyllte Aqueduct is the bigger excursion. Use the official car parks signposted from the A539. The World Heritage Site’s parking guidance advises drivers not to use the limited spaces at Froncysyllte Basin off the A5, where parking is prioritised for residents.
Saturday: follow the A5 from Llangollen to Betws-y-Coed
This is the heart of the North Wales motorhome route and the most scenic part of the motorhome road trip. From Llangollen, stay on the A5 west through the Dee Valley, passing Glyndyfrdwy and Corwen before the road climbs gradually towards Pentrefoelas and drops into Betws-y-Coed. Llangollen to Betws-y-Coed is about 32 miles; allow an hour in a motorhome before stops and weekend traffic.
The attraction is not a single dramatic pass but the steady change in landscape: wooded river valley, open upland and then the forested approach to Eryri. The A5 is a main through-road and a more practical touring choice than allowing a sat-nav to shave a few minutes via minor lanes.
Keep Saturday flexible. Llangollen, the drive and Betws-y-Coed can easily fill the day. Trying to add Pontcysyllte, a long hill walk, Swallow Falls and Capel Curig usually creates more parking searches than enjoyment.
Where to stop on Saturday
Choose one Llangollen morning
For an easy start: walk the canal towpath into Llangollen, have breakfast or coffee in town and return to Sun Trevor before the noon check-out. The full return is about four miles.
For a steeper walk: Castell Dinas Brân gives wide views over the Dee Valley, but the climb is exposed and can be slippery. It is not a quick roadside photo stop; allow time, wear suitable footwear and drop it from the plan if the cloud is low.
For industrial heritage: drive to Pontcysyllte Aqueduct and use one of the signed official car parks from the A539. Walking across the aqueduct is free, although parking charges apply. This option adds a short eastward detour before you turn west for Eryri.
Pause in the Dee Valley
Glyndyfrdwy and Corwen break up the A5 without pulling the route far off course. If you need a backup overnight rather than a daytime stop, the Berwyn Arms at Glyndyfrdwy is an MSC-listed pub stopover; its verified terms are covered in the alternatives below.
Do not add Horseshoe Pass simply because it appears on a list of scenic North Wales roads. The A542 is a separate, steeper loop north of Llangollen. It can be enjoyable in a suitable vehicle and good conditions, but it is unnecessary for this itinerary and makes little sense if you already have a full Saturday planned.
Spend the afternoon in Betws-y-Coed
Betws-y-Coed is compact enough for a useful few hours. Park legally in a bay that fits your vehicle, then explore on foot: the village centre, Pont-y-Pair, riverside paths, cafés and outdoor shops are close together. Weekend parking can fill early, so have a second plan and never block the road while waiting for a space.
Swallow Falls lies a little farther west on the A5. It is worth adding only if you have time and can park appropriately. An alternative is a woodland or riverside walk from Betws-y-Coed itself, which avoids moving the motorhome again.
Capel Curig and the mountain views beyond are tempting, but they turn the day into an out-and-back drive before the booked stop at Rhydlydan. Treat them as a weather-dependent extension, not a compulsory box to tick.
Saturday night: Y Giler Arms near Betws-y-Coed
From Betws-y-Coed, retrace the A5 east for roughly eight miles to Rhydlydan. That small amount of backtracking is deliberate: it gives you a verified overnight place with campsite facilities instead of gambling on an Eryri car park or being routed onto narrow lanes after dark.
Y Giler Arms appears in the MSC database as The Giler Arms Hotel. The venue currently operates a campsite on two acres of level pitches.
- Current price: campervans, motorhomes and caravans start from £25 per night.
- Booking: full payment is taken when booking; check the venue’s cancellation terms before paying.
- Season: camping facilities are advertised as open from February to December.
- Facilities: 10-amp electric hook-up points, toilets, hot showers, water points, a washing-up area and chemical disposal.
- Arrival: campsite access is from noon; check in at the bar when it opens.
Do not rely on older references that describe this as free overnight parking. The venue’s current campsite page advertises motorhome pitches from £25, so budget for a paid night and book it before travelling.
Sunday: Betws-y-Coed, Conwy and an optional coastal finish
Leave Rhydlydan on the A5, pass Betws-y-Coed and take the A470 north through the Conwy Valley. Betws-y-Coed to Conwy is about 16 miles and usually takes around half an hour before traffic. From Y Giler, allow roughly 24 miles to Conwy.
Conwy town and castle
Conwy gives the trip a completely different final day: estuary views, medieval walls, the harbour and the castle, all within a small area. Decide before arrival whether you are visiting the castle or simply walking the town and quay, then choose a signed car park suitable for the size of your vehicle. Check current restrictions and tariffs rather than assuming that a daytime parking space permits sleeping overnight.
If the weather is poor, Conwy is the better use of Sunday than forcing a mountain walk. If the streets and car parks are already busy, continue to your next planned stop instead of circulating through the old town in a large vehicle.
Optional: Llandudno and the Great Orme
Llandudno is about five miles from Conwy. The Marine Drive toll road adds a five-mile scenic loop around the Great Orme and is open all year, subject to closures and events. Conwy Council’s Marine Drive guidance states a 9-tonne weight restriction, with the first three and a half miles operating one way. Check the current toll and road status on the day, and skip it in strong winds, poor visibility or if your vehicle exceeds the limit.
For a two-night weekend, head home from Conwy or Llandudno via the A55. If you have Sunday night as well, use a booked legal stopover rather than extending the trip in a seafront or national-park car park.
Alternative MSC stopovers for this route
These are not interchangeable parking spaces. Each has different terms, and availability can change with functions, staffing and the season. Call the host and say that you are arriving in a motorhome, give the vehicle length and confirm where to park.
Druid Inn, Llanferres
The Druid Inn is a useful Friday alternative for travellers entering North Wales on the A494 between Mold and Ruthin. The venue currently offers free overnight parking when guests dine at the pub. It asks visitors to call ahead, check in at the bar and use the space indicated by staff.
This is for self-contained motorhomes. The pub says its bays are unsuitable for vehicles over seven metres; the car park is slightly sloping, there is no electric hook-up or chemical disposal, and pub toilets are available only during opening hours. Those details make it a genuine free option for the right vehicle, not a general-purpose campsite.
Berwyn Arms, Glyndyfrdwy
The Berwyn Arms sits directly on the Saturday A5 route. North East Wales tourism currently lists three spaces, no overnight charge, pub toilets during opening hours and an expectation that guests eat in the pub. Call ahead before relying on it.
It is a useful fallback if you want to keep the first day in the Dee Valley, but choosing it for Saturday night leaves more driving and sightseeing for Sunday.
Llanberis Arosfan
For a more ambitious mountain version, MSC lists the official Llanberis Arosfan. Cyngor Gwynedd’s current Arosfan guidance sets the charge at £16.50 for the overnight period from 4pm to 10am. Spaces cannot be booked and are first come, first served. Only self-contained motorhomes with an onboard toilet and water facilities are permitted.
The council limits stays to two consecutive nights with no return within seven days. Overnight parking is allowed only in the designated Arosfan bays; outdoor cooking, awnings, tables and chairs are not permitted. This is a low-cost aire-style stop, not a campsite, and reaching it via the A4086 and Llanberis Pass demands more care than the core route.
For a wider choice, compare these places with MSC’s North Wales motorhome stopover guide or search along your approach road with the Motorhome Route Planner. If a pub stop is new to you, the guide to motorhome pub stopovers explains the etiquette and questions to ask.
How to adapt this into a two-day or three-day North Wales motorhome trip
A two-day version
For one night only, stay at Sun Trevor on Friday, spend Saturday morning in Llangollen and drive the A5 to Betws-y-Coed. After a short village or riverside stop, return home by the most suitable main-road route. Drop Conwy, the Great Orme and the second overnight completely. A useful two-day motorhome trip in North Wales is better than a rushed checklist.
A full three-day version
Use the itinerary as written: Llangollen on Friday and Saturday morning, Betws-y-Coed on Saturday afternoon, Y Giler on Saturday night, then Conwy on Sunday. Add only one optional attraction each day. If you also want Pontcysyllte, Capel Curig and Llandudno, book Sunday night and turn the journey home into Monday’s job.
Driving the route in reverse
The route can run coast-to-Dee if that fits your homeward direction. Book Y Giler for Friday, visit Betws-y-Coed and travel east on the A5 on Saturday, then use Sun Trevor for Saturday night. The same booking rules apply, and Sun Trevor’s one-night limit still matters.
Practical advice for motorhome touring in North Wales
- Do not plan to sleep in an Eryri car park. Eryri National Park’s motorhome guidance states that overnight stays in car parks are not permitted and advises visitors not to camp on roadsides or in lay-bys. Use an official campsite or a specifically authorised stopover.
- Stay on the obvious road. The A5 and A470 are the practical spine of this itinerary. A vehicle-aware sat-nav is useful, but compare its suggestions with a map and ignore minor-road shortcuts that save only a few minutes.
- Tell hosts your dimensions. Vehicle length affects pub bays, turning space and access. The Druid Inn, for example, states a seven-metre limit.
- Arrive before dark. It is easier to find the correct entrance, speak to staff and park as instructed. It also reduces the temptation to accept a dubious roadside alternative.
- Separate parking from camping. Unless the host or site rules allow it, keep chairs, awnings and cooking equipment inside. Never assume that paid daytime parking includes permission to sleep overnight.
- Check weather and road reports. Heavy rain, high winds and low cloud can turn an optional scenic detour into a poor use of time. Make the route smaller rather than forcing the timetable.
- Carry a legal backup. A pub may be full, closed for a function or unable to accept your vehicle. Save at least one confirmed alternative before leaving home.
- Plan services, not just scenery. Start with fresh water, enough gas and space in the waste tanks. The Saturday campsite provides services, but free pub stopovers may not.
North Wales motorhome weekend FAQs
What is the best motorhome route for a weekend in North Wales?
For a first visit, Llangollen to Betws-y-Coed on the A5, followed by the A470 to Conwy, gives a varied route without excessive mileage. It combines the Dee Valley, Eryri’s wooded eastern edge and the coast in roughly 70–80 touring miles.
Is two days enough for a North Wales motorhome trip?
Yes, if you choose one connected area. For two days, combine Llangollen with the A5 drive to Betws-y-Coed and leave Conwy for another trip. Trying to cover Llangollen, Eryri, Anglesey and the coast in one night will mean more driving than exploring.
Can I do this North Wales motorhome itinerary in three days?
Yes. Arrive on Friday, tour on Saturday and use Sunday for Conwy and the journey home. It is a realistic three-day motorhome trip because the main Saturday drive is about 44 miles and Sunday’s core route is about 24 miles.
Where can motorhomes stay overnight near Betws-y-Coed?
Y Giler Arms at Rhydlydan is about eight miles east of Betws-y-Coed and currently offers bookable campsite pitches for motorhomes from £25. It is in the MSC database and has hook-up, toilets, showers, water and chemical disposal. Confirm the current price and availability directly when booking.
Can motorhomes stay overnight in Eryri car parks?
No. Eryri National Park’s official guidance says staying overnight in a car park in a campervan or caravan is not permitted. It also says to avoid camping on roadsides and in lay-bys. Use an official campsite or a location with explicit overnight permission.
Are there free motorhome stopovers in North Wales?
Yes, but “free” often comes with a reasonable condition. Sun Trevor and the Druid Inn currently offer free overnight parking when guests eat and drink at the pub, subject to booking, availability and vehicle rules. The Berwyn Arms is listed as no charge with an expectation that visitors eat in the pub. Always call ahead.
What are the best cheap motorhome stopovers in North Wales?
The best low-cost option depends on the route and facilities you need. Pub stopovers may cost nothing beyond supporting the host, while Gwynedd’s official Arosfan sites currently cost £16.50 for the overnight period. A bookable campsite costs more but can provide showers, hook-up and waste facilities.
Is the A5 suitable for a motorhome?
The A5 is a principal road and a practical route between Llangollen and Betws-y-Coed for most motorhomes. Expect bends, gradients, cyclists, changing weather and slower traffic. Suitability still depends on your vehicle and confidence, and the final access to a stopover can be tighter than the main road.
Do North Wales pub stopovers need to be booked?
Treat advance contact as essential. Sun Trevor explicitly requires a booking, while other pubs ask visitors to call ahead. Confirm the date, vehicle length, arrival time, cost or spending expectation and the correct parking area.
Plan the weekend around confirmed overnights
The strongest North Wales motorhome touring route is not the one with the most pins. It is the one that leaves enough time to walk beside the canal, stop in Betws-y-Coed and reach the night’s agreed parking place before dark.
Book Sun Trevor and Y Giler first, save one verified alternative, then decide which optional attraction fits the weather. That gives you a useful weekend even if you never add Horseshoe Pass, Capel Curig or the Great Orme.
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