Butlin's Pwllheli, former holiday camp
Butlin's Pwllheli was a family holiday camp on the Welsh coast, set near the town of Pwllheli on the Llŷn Peninsula. The site had accommodation blocks, entertainment venues, and attractions including a miniature railway to the beach and a roller coaster added in later years.
During World War II the site served as a naval training base known as HMS Glendower, where sailors were prepared for service at sea. Billy Butlin bought the land after the war and opened the holiday camp in 1947, turning a military site into one of his most visited resorts.
The camp drew families from across Britain who came for a week of seaside fun without needing to plan much in advance. Live shows and evening entertainment were a regular part of the stay, and many guests returned year after year.
The site sits near Pwllheli and is easiest to reach by car, with sandy beaches and walking paths in the surrounding area. Most of the original attractions are gone, so visitors today will find a caravan park rather than the entertainment complex of earlier decades.
Ringo Starr performed at the camp before he joined the Beatles, and a postcard he sent from the site later sold at auction. The roller coaster built in 1987 was taken apart in 1997 and shipped to Louisiana, where it was rebuilt as the Rajin Cajun and still runs today.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
