Aber Falls: Information & Visitor Guide

Straddling the northern edge of Eryri National Park (formerly known as Snowdonia), Aber Falls is my favourite waterfall in North Wales.

The waterfall is stunning, but the walk to reach it through forest and meadows is equally impressive. In this guide, I’ll share everything you need to know to visit Aber Falls.

What is Aber Falls?

Aber Falls (or Rhaeadr Fawr in Welsh) is a waterfall near the village of Abergwyngregyn. The waterfall is formed when the Afon Goch (meaning ‘red river’) plunges 37m (120ft) over the sill of igneous rock in the Carneddau range into a shallow rocky pool.

A second waterfall - when visiting Aber Falls, you’ll also be able to spot its smaller twin, Rhaeadr Fach, around 500m further along the mountain’s edge. This is formed when the Afon Rhaedr Fach, which means ‘small waterfall river’ plunges over the same sill of rock. This eventually merges with Afon Rhaeadr Fawr just after Aber Falls.

When To Visit?

The waterfall is best when visited in the spring and early summer when the river is full of water from melting snow. However, it's open year-round and makes a great activity no matter the season.

When I visited in the middle of summer, the water wasn't flowing too strong but the great weather made up for this.

Where To Park?

Parking for Aber Falls is at Coedydd Aber National Nature Reserve where there is both an upper and lower car park.

The cost is a £5 flat rate via pay and display. The machines have recently been upgraded to accept card payments although there is no pay-by-app service.

The car parks can fill up quickly during school holidays and at weekends during summer, so I recommend that you aim to arrive early to ensure you get a spot.

There is also a free car park in the village of Abergwyngregyn although you will have a much longer walk to reach the waterfall.

How Much is Aber Falls?

There is no fee to visit Aber Falls waterfall, except the £5 parking charge.

About the Trail

The trail is 2.2km (1.4 miles) each way. As it’s not a circular route, you’ll need to return along the same path, so the total distance round-trip is 4.4km (2.75 miles).

Aber Falls is an easy family-friendly walk with no steps and is relatively flat for most of the journey.

The total incline is around 100m (330ft). The trail is well-marked and follows wide paved or gravel pathways all the way to the waterfall.

You don't need hiking boots for the trail as it's gravel and concrete pathways. If you want to go for a swim, water shoes would be a good idea but barefoot is good too.

The signage says that the walk to Aber Falls takes 1hr30 to 2hrs, however, it only took me 1hr15 while walking at a moderate pace.

This included plenty of time to stop for photos at the information centre and the waterfall itself. The walk is easy and mostly flat along well-trodden paths, as you can see in the below image.

Can you swim at Aber Falls?

Yes, there are small pools near the base of Aber Falls where you can swim when the weather allows so pack your swim gear. Although they are quite small so it will be more of a refreshing paddle than actual swimming.

Even when I visited during early spring, there were still people brave enough to take a quick dip.

Visitor FAQ

What facilities are at Aber Falls?

In the car park for Aber Falls, there is a free public toilet which includes a disabled toilet and baby changing facilities.

Although the toilet had toilet paper and working locks, the taps were not working during my visit so I would give it an overall rating of 2 out of 5.

The car park also has adequate litter bins and picnic benches.

There is a visitor centre about a third of the way along the trail. However, there are no visitor facilities here, it is just to provide information about the waterfall, how it’s made, and contains a small model of the valley.

Is Aber Falls suitable for children?

Yes, Aber Falls is a great waterfall to visit with children. The path to reach it is easy and very safe.

Is Aber Falls suitable for pushchairs and wheelchairs?

Yes, the walk to Aber Falls is easy and accessible with no steps, so it’s suitable for pushchairs or wheelchairs. However, you’ll need to join the route from the lower car park as the start of the route from the upper car park goes through a river.

Keep in mind that some sections of the path have loose gravel which can make it harder to push, but it’s still doable.

What To See Along the Way

Here are some things to look out for on your visit to Aber Falls:

Ancient Ruins – This area has been home to human settlements for hundreds of years and was once the stronghold for the Princes of Gwynedd. Along the walk, keep an eye out for archaeological ruins including an Iron Age hut and Bronze Age graves.
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Information Centre – Around a third of the way along the route, you’ll come across Bwthyn y Nant cottage which has been converted into an information centre. Here, panels and a small model will teach you about the area and its history. It’s worth stopping off.

Wildlife – The ancient upland oak woodlands are perfect for spotting birds that migrate here from Africa in the summer, including the Wood Warbler and the Pied Flycatcher. It’s also the perfect climate for a variety of mosses, liverworts, ferns, and lichen, with over a hundred species of the latter being recorded.

Aber Falls Distillery - Although not actually on the trail, I have to mention Aber Falls Distillery which is a short drive from the walk. You can take a tour to see how their Whiskey is made (tours run hourly, on the hour) and you can taste them for yourself at the onsite bar and restaurant.

Aber Falls Circular Walk

Although most people visiting Aber Falls will return back to the car park along the same path, there is a longer circular trail you can follow. This trail also passes the smaller twin to Aber Falls, Rhaeadr Fach.

The Aber Falls circular walk is 6.8km (4.2 miles) and takes around 2hrs15 to complete.

You’ll follow the same route to the waterfall as outlined above. After the waterfall, briefly double back on yourself before taking a left to follow the circular trail. It is well-signposted but here is a route map which you can also view on Alltrails:

Coedydd Aber National Nature Reserve

Aber Falls is found within Coedydd Aber National Nature Reserve, managed by Natural Resources Wales.

Coedydd Aber National Nature Reserve is a beautiful and diverse nature reserve that straddles the edge of Eryri National Park (previously known as Snowdonia).

The reserve covers an area of 1.69 km² (169 hectares) and is mostly woodland consisting of native oak, ash, and alder.

The river running through the reserve, which forms Aber Falls, has three names which can be confusing, so let me break it down:

Afon Goch – This means ‘red river’ and is the name given to the river before the waterfall.
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Afon Rhaedr Fawr – This means ‘big waterfall fiver’ and is the name of the river as it tumbles down the valley. The Afon Rhaedr Fach joins this river.
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Afon Aber – This means ‘river-mouth river’ and is the name of the river from the village until it flows into the sea.