National Nature Reserve renowned for its well-preserved archaeological sites and wooded former fields and farmland. The culmination of the valley is the spectacular Aber Falls.
T. Driver, RCAHMW, 11th Nov 2009.

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Aber Falls, as this stunning waterfall is widely known, is situated at the head of Aber Valley two miles south of the small village of Abergwyngregyn. The surrounding area is intricately tied to the history of Gwynedd and the princes of Gwynedd had a residence here in the thirteenth century.

Thanks to its location close to the main road through north Wales and the main railway line, together with the valley's great natural beauty, a steady influx of tourists has visited the village and its waterfall since the Romantic period. Perhaps the most endearing descriptions of rambles up and around the valley were written in the 1850s by the German journalist Julius Rodenberg. In 1856, Rodenberg spent, as the title of his famous book indicates, An Autumn in Wales and explored large parts of the area with the help of the children from a nearby farm where he stayed throughout his visit. In his opinion, Aber Falls were the loveliest he had ever encountered in his life, even though they may not compare to the grandeur of much larger and richer waterfalls.

Whereas Rodenberg still scrambled over rocks and walked along wooded lanes, today a well-maintained footpath leads to Aber Falls from a nearby car park.

Record updated as part of the AHRC-funded project 'Journey to the Past: Wales in historic travel writing from France and Germany'.
R. Singer (Bangor University) and S. Fielding (RCAHMW), 2017.