At a glance
Underground boat journey through slate caverns at Corris, southern Gwynedd — Arthurian legends brought to life through storytelling and special effects. Ages 4+. Book ahead in summer. Corris Railway Museum adjacent. Adult ~£14.50. Open March–October. SY20 9RF.
About King Arthur's Labyrinth
King Arthur's Labyrinth is an underground family attraction in the Dyfi Valley at Corris — a former slate mine beneath the village converted into a theatrical journey through Arthurian legend. The experience begins at a waterfall crossed by boat, then continues into a series of caverns and tunnels where each chamber presents a different story from the Arthurian and Mabinogion cycle: tales of Excalibur, the Round Table, and the Welsh mythological traditions that formed the earliest stratum of Arthurian legend, brought to life through costumed guides, dramatic lighting, and the natural acoustics of underground slate chambers.
The attraction is part of the Corris Craft Centre complex — a converted Victorian slate works that also houses the Corris Railway Museum (telling the story of the narrow-gauge horse tramway that once served the quarries), working craft studios, a café, and retail units. The combination of the underground experience, the railway museum, and the craft workshops makes the Craft Centre a satisfying all-weather half-day destination in what can be wet upland country.
Corris sits at the southern edge of Gwynedd, 5 miles north of Machynlleth and 10 miles south of Dolgellau. Cadair Idris (893 m) is 8 miles north — the closest major Snowdonia mountain for visitors based in the Dyfi Valley or approaching from mid-Wales. The Talyllyn Railway, the world's first preserved railway, begins 6 miles south-west at Tywyn on the Cambrian Coast.
Find it on the map
Frequently asked questions
The tour begins at the entrance to an old slate mine at Corris, where visitors cross a waterfall by boat before venturing into the caverns beneath. The labyrinth is a series of underground chambers and tunnels carved from the slate, with each chamber presenting a different Arthurian legend through a combination of costumed storytelling, sound effects, and dramatic lighting against the natural rock. The stories include tales from the Mabinogion — the medieval Welsh collection of myths that forms the oldest source for many Arthurian legends — alongside the better-known stories of Excalibur, Merlin, and the Round Table. The tour takes approximately 45 minutes and is led by a guide in character throughout.
The recommended minimum age is around 4 years. The underground setting — dark tunnels, dramatic lighting, and the sound of underground water — can be overwhelming for very young or sensitive children. Older children (7 and above) typically find it genuinely exciting rather than frightening. The Arthurian storyline is told in an accessible way, but the content (medieval legends including battles and magic) is pitched at children who can follow a narrative. The boat crossing adds to the adventure. In school holidays, the attraction is very popular — booking ahead is strongly advised to secure a specific time slot.
Corris is a small village in the Dyfi Valley in southern Gwynedd — approximately 5 miles north of Machynlleth and 10 miles south of Dolgellau. It is at the southern edge of what is generally considered the North Wales tourism area, and the Dyfi Valley marks the approximate boundary between North and Mid Wales. The village sits in a steep valley of slate quarrying, and the Corris Railway — a narrow-gauge tramway that once served the quarries — is the subject of a museum and an active restoration project at the Corris Craft Centre. Cadair Idris, the 893-metre mountain, is 8 miles to the north.
The Corris Craft Centre houses a collection of craft workshops and studios alongside the Labyrinth and the Corris Railway Museum. Working craftspeople — including a glassblower, a candle maker, and craft retailers — operate from the site. The Railway Museum tells the story of the Corris Railway, the original narrow-gauge horse tramway from the 1880s, and the ongoing volunteer restoration project that has reopened a short section of the line. A café and facilities are on site. The Craft Centre makes a good all-weather day destination combining the underground adventure with craft shopping and the railway museum.
King Arthur's Labyrinth is at the Corris Craft Centre on the A487 at Corris, approximately 5 miles north of Machynlleth. The car park is free. By public transport, Machynlleth has a station on the Cambrian Coast Line with connections to Aberystwyth and Birmingham, and to the Barmouth-Pwllheli coastal line; buses run from Machynlleth to Corris (check local timetables). Most visitors arrive by car. Booking ahead online is strongly recommended in summer and school holidays — the timed entry system means arriving without a booking may result in a wait or, at busy times, no entry on the day.