Key facts
- Operator
- Cadw
- Condition
- Partial ruin
- Access
- Free, open access
Pinpoint
A4086, Caernarfon LL55 4UB
Telephone 01443 336000
Website cadw.gov.wales/visit/places-to-visit/dolbadarn-castle#opening-times
Possible Opening hours
Opening times change. Always check the official website before you travel.
| Monday | 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM |
| Tuesday | 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM |
| Wednesday | 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM |
| Thursday | 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM |
| Friday | 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM |
| Saturday | 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM |
| Sunday | 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM |
A single round tower built by the Welsh princes of Gwynedd to guard the pass into Snowdonia, standing above Llyn Padarn on the edge of Llanberis. It's small and free to visit, but the tower still has its spiral staircase intact, so you can climb to the top for a view down the lake and out over the old slate quarries.
Worth the trip
The view from the top of the tower over Llyn Padarn and the Dinorwig quarry — reviewers rate it among the best free viewpoints in Snowdonia.
Before you go
The path up can be slippery and muddy, so wear proper shoes; parking is close (about 100m) and reviewers say it's rarely crowded even midweek.
Reviewers consistently praise Dolbadarn Castle's setting in the Snowdonia foothills, with the lake and mountain views from its spiral staircase tower cited repeatedly as the highlight, all while noting it's free to enter and rarely crowded. One visitor mentions the walk up can be slippery and muddy, so appropriate footwear is worth bringing, but otherwise the sentiment is uniformly positive.
Welsh princes' round tower overlooking Llyn Padarn, Llanberis; free
“Wonderful place. The castle ruin is impressive, the views are fantastic and the surrounding forest is stunningly beautiful.”— Frank D. J. Eriksen-Miller, visitor review
