Ty Hyll or The Ugly House Wales – How to Visit in Betws-y-Coed

If there was one place I knew I wanted to visit in Betws-y-Coed, it was Ty Hyll or The Ugly House Wales.

Despite its unfortunate name, this historic house is not ugly at all. In fact, it’s enchanting.

But the name gives this house an air of mystery. I simply had to inspect this cottage tucked away near Capel Curig. 

It’s open to the public, and you can visit their Ugly House tearoom or Pot Mel.

Here’s my complete guide to The Ugly House Wales, including its history and why it’s called ugly.

What is Ty Hyll or The Ugly House Wales?

The Ugly House is a traditional rustic home in North Wales in the heart of Eryri National Park. 

It’s located just a few miles from Betws-y-Coed in Capel Curig on A5 Betws Road. But keep an eye out, as it’s a little hidden away.

You’ll know you’ve arrived once you see the Pot Mel tearoom sign.

But the question on any visitor’s mind is: why is it called ugly? Well, it’s a tale shrouded in legend and mystery.

The Ugly House Wales history 

No one really knows who built this house or when. So, these unrecorded accounts always make way for speculation.

One legend says two outlawed brothers built this home in the 15th century.

Back then, Eryri was wild and unruly, with barely any inhabitants. So, it was the perfect hideout.

They decided to build their home according to a Welsh Law called Ty Unos, a concept of a ‘house of the single night’. 

Ty Unos law was that if you could build a rough house with four walls and a smoking chimney by sunrise, you claimed the house and land. 

Furthermore, you could stand at all four corners of your new house and throw an axe outwards from it.

Wherever that axe landed, you got to keep that surrounding land. Great if you’re a good thrower, eh? 

Afterwards, the house remained a meeting place for outlaws and vagabonds.

It had a sinister reputation and became a dark place of disrepute. Highwaymen would remain hidden, waiting to rob coaches.

It contained all sorts of ‘ugly people’ until around the 19th century, when Thomas Telford started building the famous bridge over the Llugwy River.

The Irish labourers used this cottage for shelter. Later, they fortified the structure with Welsh stone from local quarries.

They made it waterproof and plugged it with moss to block out the draught. This made it more inhabitable for families. 

But why is it called ugly?

Well, you could put it down to the ‘ugly people’ who used to live here and gave it a bad reputation.

However, it comes down to how locals interpret the name.

As the stone house sits just over the river Llugwy, it may have gained the name Ty Llugwy. ‘Ty’ is the Cymraeg, or Welsh, word for house.

Because Llugwy was too difficult for English visitors to pronounce, it eventually became ‘The Ugly House’. 

Later, the name was translated back into the local language, Cymraeg, as Ty Hyll. 

‘Hyll’ in Welsh translates to ‘ugly’ but can also mean ‘crude’ and ‘rough’.

So the name may have come from its rustic appearance rather than its ugliness.

It’s actually extremely pretty in its wild woodland setting.

Who has lived in The Ugly House?

Before the 1900s, very little was known about The Ugly House.

Eventually, records show a shepherd named John Roberts lived here with his wife until around 1928. 

They lived a simple life here, with a single room, a fireplace, and a bedroom on top, accessible only by ladder.

After that, Edward and Lillian Riley owned the home. Edward was a gardener at The Towers and then served in the Yorkshire Light Infantry.

They lived here until the 1960s. Then, with various new owners, it became an antique shop and a popular tourist attraction.

Eventually, in 1988, the Eryri Society decided to buy the property after it fell into disrepair.

It was then sensitively renovated and became the new headquarters for volunteers.

In 2012, when the headquarters moved to Llanberis, they reopened the cottage and used the bottom floor as a tearoom.

This upper floor was transformed into a Honey Bee room, dedicated to insights into the lifecycle of resident pollinators.

Why you must visit Ty Hyll

Today, Ty Hyll has been sensitively restored into a popular tearoom.

This scrumptious reason alone should be enough to tempt you in, but there are countless others.

Beyond the tearoom, The Ugly House serves as an educational resource.

Here, you can learn about the wildlife, gardens, and ecosystems of Eryri National Park. 

It also has an educational Honeybee Room and a shop where you can buy jars of local honey preserves. 

Plus, they have a wildlife garden and protected woodlands to explore. You can identify local wildflowers, plants, and wildlife.

There are so many reasons to visit The Ugly House Wales. 

The Ugly House Tearoom or Pot Mel Ty Hyll 

The top reason I would recommend stopping here is their traditional Welsh tearoom. 

It’s incredibly cosy, with the low ceilings, exposed beams, and flagged floors.

There’s also a hotchpotch of traditional decor like copper kitchenware and a cast iron fireplace.

Make sure you clock a gorgeous calligraphy piece with the story of Ty Hyll or The Ugly House framed by the door.

The staff here are super friendly and love to chat with you, all while telling you tales of this incredibly charming Ugly House. 

What’s on Pot Mel Ty Hyll’s menu?

The Ugly House tearoom has a delightful selection of traditional Welsh treats.

You could try their traditional ‘secret recipe’ Welsh Rarebit, or a slice of their Bara Brith.

Bara Brith translates to “mottled bread” in Cymraeg, and it’s a spicy-sweet fruit loaf cake.

They also serve up a fully Welsh afternoon tea with a selection of homemade delicacies like Welsh cakes and generous slices of baked goods.

If you’re not feeling too hungry, try a loose-leaf pot of Ugly Home Blend Teas, or their coffees, too.

Ugly Sausage Sandwich

While browsing the menu, I simply couldn’t resist trying their ‘Ugly Sausage Sandwich’ at The Ugly House.

When it arrived, my Ugly Sausage Sandwich was not very ugly at all. It was so prettily presented, I felt bad eating it. 

It was also amazingly tasty and came with a heap of chilli-infused, caramelised onions.

The Ty Hyll Farm Shop

The Ugly House also have a little farm shop tucked in the corner where you can take some produce home with you.

They serve up loaves of Bara Brith, honey from their farms, potted preserves, and even packets of their house blend tea.

They also have souvenirs to take home, like magnets and coasters.

Everything looked adorable and was stamped with Ugly House stickers.

Honeybee Room 

If you head upstairs, you can enter their educational Honeybee Room.

This explains the lifecycle of the bee and why our world and ecosystems depend on pollinators.

Unfortunately, modern farming practices and insecticides threaten bees and other pollinators.

So, The Ugly House has become a bit of a ‘paradise for pollinators’ and aims to educate on what you can do to protect them.

You can also learn about their queen-rearing project where the Eryri Society supply local queen bees for beehives.

Ugly Garden & Woodland

The Ugly House tearoom and Honeybee room are open only from Easter to October, and then only on weekends during the winter season.

But you can visit the Ugly Garden & Woodland year-round. They even have some dedicated trails.

They explain what plants and herbs grow here, what pollinators are in the area, and what wildlife you can spot too.

I found it very peaceful to wander the grounds, and the autumn flowers were so colourful and dewy from the heavy rains. 

Where is the Ugly House in Wales?

The Ugly House is on Betws Road (A5), about 3 miles from the tourist hub of Betws-y-Coed.

It can be a little hard to locate as it’s tucked away in some woodland. So, I would definitely prepare your SatNav or Google Maps with a pin.

It’s easiest to drive, but bus services from Betws-y-Coed to the Ugly House stop right outside.

You can also walk, and the journey will take about an hour from Betws-y-Coed.

The Ugly House opening times

The Pot Mel Tearoom and the Honeybee Room are open seven days a week from Easter to October, from 10.30 am-5 pm. 

I recommend booking a table if you plan to have lunch or afternoon tea, as tables are limited.

After the main tourist season, times vary, so it’s best to check online before you go to avoid disappointment.

However, you can visit the Ugly Garden anytime, year-round.

Tu Hwnt I’r Bont

If you are interested in unique properties and tearooms here in Eryri, you may want to visit Tu Hwnt I’r Bont tearoom next.

It’s another historic property completely covered in a blanket of Virginia Creepers that turn red in autumn.

It’s located a few miles from The Ugly House in the quaint market town of Llanrwst. 

Things to do in Betws-y-Coed

The Ugly House is near the quaint village of Betws-y-Coed, one of Wales’ most charming villages. 

It’s a popular tourist hub with an endless choice of accommodation, facilities and attractions.

You can go shopping, visit the historic Railway Museum, cross the Sappers Suspension Bridge or pop inside one of the art galleries.

My favourite part of the village was the Pont-y-Pair Bridge, which is like something out of a postcard

Around the area, there are plenty of amazing things to do, including the magical Fairy Glen and also the extremely pretty Swallow Falls.

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