The much loved North Wales village that truly is a winter wonderland as Christmas moves closer

Let's face it, Betws-y-Coed looks wonderful at any time of year, especially in the glorious height of summer. But what's it like on a cold, November day? Well, it truly is a winter wonderland.

I drove down to this enduringly attractive and even charismatic village - named as the UK's best - to see what it was like as the mercury plummets. I thought I'd take a walk then head towards the festive shops.

I started off at Swallow Falls but the access is closed for repairs. So I came back and parked by Pont y Pair bridge for a walk along the Afon Llugwy riverbank.

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I took the boardwalk along the Coed Tan Dinas animal discovery trail. There were still swathes of snow on the hillsides and the planks were icy and slippery in places.

But the sunshine glinted off the golden leaves and the water babbled alongside me. It's always a therapeutic experience to walk by this river and on my way back a couple told me a heron was on a rock nearby.

I duly spotted this impressive bird, looking like it was scrunching up its shoulders into its plumage to keep warm. Then it was on into the village where snow covered the playing fields.

The shops were looking festive with gaggles of visitors wandering along Holyhead Road. Red and gold baubles were stretched underneath windows outside The Royal Oak and festive lights were festooned on the Anna Davies shopfront.

The mannequins were clothed in cosy fleeces and Yuletide jumpers - the kind covered in rows of snowmen which are incongruous at any other time of year - and blankets were on sale in a cart.

On this chilly day, with the temperature only a few degrees above zero, I must say the cakes in Popty Tandderwen Bakery in the Spar looked appetising if calorific: Mint Aero flapjacks were £2 for a very decent square.

I walked over to Betws-y-Coed Station but only the hardy were out. Piles of snow still covered the picnic style tables outside Cadwaladers, which sells coffee and food as well as ice cream.

The festive spirit was in the air though although I was surprised to see that several huge Christmas trees were made from recycled bottles. They hinted at heartwarming days to come.