St Dwynwen’s Day: A Welsh Valentine’s Escape for Two

While much of the world waits for mid-February, Wales celebrates love a little earlier. St Dwynwen’s Day, held each year on 25th January, is Wales’ own Valentine’s Day, rooted in legend, landscape and a gentler, more thoughtful idea of romance.

It’s a celebration that feels perfectly at home in winter: long walks wrapped in scarves, fires crackling as dusk falls early, and places that invite you to slow down together. A day not about grand gestures, but about choosing time, space and stillness.

Who was St Dwynwen?

St Dwynwen is the Welsh patron saint of lovers, often described as the Welsh equivalent of St Valentine. She lived in the 5th century and, according to legend, was one of the many daughters of Brychan Brycheiniog, a Welsh king.

Dwynwen fell deeply in love with a prince named Maelon Dafodrill, but her father had already arranged her marriage to another. Heartbroken, she prayed to God to help her forget Maelon. That night, an angel appeared with a potion that erased her memory of him and turned Maelon into a block of ice.

God then granted Dwynwen three wishes: that Maelon be thawed, that the hopes of true lovers be fulfilled, and that she herself would never marry. All three wishes were granted. In gratitude, Dwynwen devoted her life to God and founded a convent on Llanddwyn, a small tidal island off the west coast of Anglesey.

After her death in AD 465, a well near her church became a place of pilgrimage. Visitors believed the sacred fish and eels living there could foretell the future of their relationships, whether love and happiness lay ahead. Today, the ruins of St Dwynwen’s Church can still be visited, windswept and beautiful, looking out across the sea.

In recent years, St Dwynwen’s Day has grown in popularity, with cards, spoons and small celebrations marking the day, a distinctly Welsh way to honour love.

A different kind of Valentine’s Day

St Dwynwen’s story is not one of fairytale endings, but of compassion, selflessness and emotional depth. Perhaps that’s why her day feels so aligned with the idea of escaping somewhere quiet, meaningful and grounded in nature.

Instead of busy restaurants and fixed expectations, St Dwynwen’s Day invites something simpler: a shared walk, a view worth pausing for, a fire-lit evening with nowhere else to be.

For couples looking to celebrate, North Wales offers boltholes for two that feel made for this moment, places where romance is found in the details.

Willow Cottage | Anglesey

With far-reaching views across Malltraeth Marsh and the sea beyond, Willow Cottage is a hideaway that feels deeply connected to its surroundings. Tucked away on a smallholding where alpaca graze nearby, it’s a place where nature quietly sets the pace.

Days begin with light pouring through the French doors and end by the Morsø wood-burning stove, curled up together as the weather moves outside. The conservatory is made for slow reading mornings, while the log-fired hot tub, housed in its own cabin, offers a wonderfully indulgent way to warm up under winter skies.

Peaceful, private and gently romantic, Willow Cottage is ideal for couples who want to switch off and settle in.

Plas Madoc Lodge | Conwy Valley

Steeped in history, Plas Madoc Lodge is a newly renovated bolthole for two, tucked away on the private Plas Madoc Estate in the Conwy Valley. Surrounded by ancient woodland shaped by centuries of history, it feels wonderfully removed from the everyday.

Inside, soaring ceilings and a large picture window flood the sitting and dining space with light. There’s time here to linger over a slow breakfast at the table, a long soak in the bath, or a cosy evening by the wood‑effect stove. Outside, a sheltered garden with a private hot tub invites stargazing on clear nights, with no light pollution to interrupt the moment.

Footpaths radiate directly from the garden into the estate itself, making it easy to wander hand in hand through woodland alive with birdsong. It’s a place where time softens, perfectly suited to a St Dwynwen’s Day escape.

The Stable Loft | Anglesey

Set within the grounds of a private country estate, The Stable Loft is intimate, characterful and charming. Once stables for a grand house, it has been transformed into a cosy bolthole for two, with woodland walks and lakeside paths right on the doorstep.

Inside, the space is light and simple, with a vaulted ceiling, wooden floors and a super king bed that invites long lie-ins. There’s a sense of being tucked away here, perfect for couples who love walking by day and retreating somewhere warm and calm by night.

It’s a place to slow down, explore gently and enjoy each other’s company without distraction.

Hebog | Anglesey

Named after the Welsh word for hawk, Hebog is a beautifully converted barn near the wild coastline of north-west Anglesey. Light-filled and spacious, with French doors opening onto a private patio, it’s a wonderful spot for couples who like to balance comfort with fresh air and sea views.

After coastal walks and blustery beach days, return to a warm, welcoming space where you can cook, relax and watch the changing skies. The king-size bedroom opens directly outside, making it easy to step into the morning air with a cup of coffee in hand.

It’s an easy, unfussy hideaway that lets the landscape, and the moment, take the lead.

Celebrating love, the Welsh way

St Dwynwen’s Day is a reminder that love doesn’t have to be loud. It can be quiet, thoughtful and deeply rooted in place. Whether you’re wandering the tidal paths of Llanddwyn, soaking in a hot tub under winter stars, or simply sharing a view that makes you both pause, North Wales offers space to celebrate togetherness in its own gentle way. This January, take a lead from Wales’ patron saint of lovers. Choose time over tradition, place over performance, and let St Dwynwen’s Day be about being somewhere that feels right, together.