North Wales Pilgrim's Way

[2] Development of the trail started in 2011, and its official opening followed a number of alterations to the original route to suit local concerns.

[3] The route, which is marked by waymarker disks, makes use of existing public rights of way, including sections of the Wales Coast Path, and along the way it visits many small stone churches, many dedicated to key Celtic Saints, which can provide shelter and rest along the trail.

Whilst, historically, pilgrims would have made their way across North Wales to Bardsey Island, known as the legendary 'Island of 20,000 Saints', the trail is a modern interpretation, and does not necessarily follow old routes.

[8] Since the 7th Century pilgrims in North Wales have visited four main sites – Holywell, Gwytherin, Clynnog Fawr and Bardsey Island.

Bardsey Island has been an important religious site since Saint Cadfan built a monastery there in 516, and in medieval times it was a major centre of pilgrimage.

[9] The trail runs from east to west, starting at Basingwerk Abbey (Welsh: Abaty Dinas Basing), a Grade I listed ruined abbey near Holywell, Flintshire, and ends at Aberdaron on the western tip of the Llŷn Peninsula (Welsh: Penrhyn Llŷn) in Gwynedd.

[12] Marketed alongside the Pilgrim's Way in the counties of Conwy, Denbighshire and Flintshire is the 'Sacred Doorways' project (Welsh: Drysau Cysegredig) which features churches and chapels of interest.

The route of the North Wales Pilgrim's Way
Waymarker disc on the North Wales Pilgrim's Way
Basingwerk Abbey, the start of the Trail
Aberdaron, the end of the Trail. Y Gegin Fawr (the white building), built in the 13th century for pilgrims, now serves as a tearoom.
The remains of St Mary's Abbey on Bardsey Island
The Sacred Doorways sign outside St Michael's church, Betws-y-coed
The front cover of the Sacred Doorways Pilgrim's Passport