Long before Edward, Caernarfon was Roman, and before that it was legend. The Roman fort of Segontium stood on a hill above the modern town, a garrison post guarding the Menai Strait and the copper of Anglesey, and its foundations can still be seen, with a small museum beside them. The Mabinogion, the medieval Welsh story collection, tells how the emperor Macsen Wledig, the historical Magnus Maximus, dreamed of a beautiful maiden and a fortress at the mouth of a river, and travelled across the world to find them. The place he found, in the tale, was Caernarfon. Whatever the truth, Welsh tradition ties the town to a sense of ancient dignity.
The reason a rider comes here, though, is the road to Betws-y-Coed. From Caernarfon the route climbs inland toward Llanberis, where the pass squeezes between Snowdon and Glyder Fawr in a deep, dramatic cleft, with bends tight enough to keep you busy and a view of cliffs and boulders on every side. Beyond lies Capel Curig and the A5, a handsome road that runs through the heart of Snowdonia, with rocky ridges and long lakes. The surface is generally good, but rain is frequent and the stone walls give no run-off, so take it steady in the wet. Early morning gives the best light and the emptiest road.
Betws-y-Coed itself is a Victorian tourist village among woods and waterfalls, where the Llugwy and Conwy rivers meet, and it is crowded in summer but friendly out of season. The Swallow Falls, a short ride west, are a favourite stop. Caernarfon has nearly ten thousand people, so fuel, cafes and shops are easy, and you should fill up before climbing, since petrol in the mountains is scarce and expensive.
The town walls are worth a stroll, and you can walk much of their circuit. Listen for Welsh in the streets, because this is one of the strongest Welsh-speaking communities in Wales, and the language is very much alive. Order a Welsh rarebit or a bowl of cawl, a lamb and vegetable broth, and enjoy the warmth after the mountain air.