Snowdonia National Park

Understand

Covering much of northwestern Wales, 2,142 km² (840 square miles) of the Snowdonia region, the park isn't all about wilderness but also features towns and villages and scenic roads and railways. Still, the park's highlight is Snowdon, the highest mountain in Wales at 1,085 m (3,560 feet). Local signs are often both English and Welsh and many aspects of traditional Welsh life, including food, clothing, and crafts, are still to be found. It is an area steeped in history and legend as the natural fortress for the Princes of Gwynedd and for Llewellyn, the last true Prince of Wales.

History

Snowdonia National Park was established in 1951 as the third national park in the UK, and the first in Wales. In 2022 the official English name was changed to Eryri National Park but the old name has stuck.

Landscape

Dominated by Snowdon, Snowdonia National Park is to Wales what the Lake District is to England. An area of considerable natural beauty, this National Park is set in northern Wales and visitors can paddle their feet on a sandy beach in the morning and be sitting atop the highest peak in England and Wales that same day. Lakes are almost as much of a feature of Snowdonia as the peaks, so much so that several hydroelectric schemes have been built to harness the potential energy stored within them. The water sports that feature so prominently in this region are fed from the high rainfall in the park and this in turn feeds into the rivers and lakes. Much of this water is exported to England; Liverpool's water comes from here. Much of the world's slate came from this region and the landscape is dotted with the scars of slate pits, some of which are still active today. The casual walker needs only to bend down and pick up a handful of shale to see where much of the local industry came from.

Getting there

By train

Mainline train services in North Wales are run by Arriva Trains Wales.

The North Wales Coast Line links Manchester, Crewe and London (in England) with Llandudno Junction (change here for the Conwy Valley Line), Conwy and Bangor. The Conwy Valley Line stretches from Llandudno Junction along the Conwy Valley to Betws y Coed and Blaenau Ffestiniog, and connects with trains on both the North Wales Coast line and the Ffestiniog Railway. The beautiful Cambrian Coast Line runs from Shrewsbury (in England), across Mid-Wales through Machynlleth, and through the coastal towns of Tywyn and Barmouth, through the south part of Snowdonia, Harlech and Porthmadog, and along the south coast of the Lleyn Peninsula to Pwllheli.

By bus

Traws-Cymru cross-Wales services converge at Dolgellau, from Bangor in the north-west, Wrexham in the north-east and Swansea and Cardiff (via Brecon or Aberystwyth) in the south.

Getting around

Towns and villages

Below are the principal towns and villages within and around the National Park. All the places listed have a variety of accommodation and other services.

By train

(See also Get in above for details of lines into and across North Wales)

The narrow-gauge Ffestiniog Railway connects the Cambrian Coast line at Porthmadog with the Conwy Valley line at Blaenau Ffestiniog Another narrow gauge line, the Welsh Highland Railway connects Porthmadog to Caernarfon via Beddgelert, Rhyd Ddu and Waunfawr.

See

Industrial heritage

1 Llechwedd Slate Mines, Gwynedd LL41 3NB (at Blaenau Ffestiniog), ☏ +44 1766 830-306. 9:30AM - 5:30PM. One of the most popular attractions in North Wales. Two underground tours describe the lives of the 19th-century miners. Plenty to see on the surface too. It's all done very well - this is a great place to spend a half day. £14.95 (adults).

Steam Railways

2 Snowdon Mountain Railway, ☏ +44 844 493 8120. Departs from Llanberis. This spectacular 4 miles (6.4 km), roughly 2½-hour train journey climbs 3,500 feet (1,100 m) up Mount Snowdon and is the only rack-and-pinion railway in the UK, dating to 1896. Trains depart first at about 9AM. There is a 30-minute stop at the summit; the train leaves again promptly, so make sure you are back on time! It costs £60 for a roundtrip, discounted if the first train of the day is taken, or if you go one way. Open mid-March to October, several trains a day, more in summer. Be prepared to wait several hours after buying your ticket. £60 adults. (updated Jun 2025) 3 Bala Lake Railway (Bala.). A 600 mm gauge railway along the shore of Lake Bala, interestingly built on the place of a standard-gauge railway dismantled in 1969. 4 Corris Railway (Near Machynlleth.), ☏ +44 1654 761-701 (museum), enquiries@corris.co.uk. A short (less than a mile) 686 mm gauge railway in Corris, this is only a small section of the Corris Railway which closed in 1948. £6 adults, £3.50 children. 5 Ffestiniog Railway, ☏ +44 1766 516-000. 10:10AM–12:55PM (departures). Runs from Blaenau Ffestiniog to Porthmadog. The trip is about 13 miles (21 km) long. 6 Llanberis Lake Railway (Llanberis.). Running along the northern shore of Llyn Padarn. 7 Talyllyn Railway, Tywyn, Gwynedd LL36 9EY, ☏ +44 1654 710-472 (Booking), Enquiries@talyllyn.co.uk. Tywyn. The world's first heritage railway and inspiration for the Ealing comedy film The Titfield Thunderbolt. Features in the popular Railway Series of children's books by Rev W Awdry as the "Skarloey Railway". 8 Welsh Highland Railway. Connecting Porthmadog, Beddgelert and Caernarfon, as such it crosses the northwestern peninsula of the park.

Other railways

A diesel train can also be taken up Snowdon: for a family of four, this costs £90: three-quarters of the price of the steam train. Be prepared to wait several hours after buying your ticket.

Do

Snowdon

Wales' highest mountain and the highest in the UK south of Loch Lomond, Snowdon is also the most popular mountain in Wales, climbed by an estimated 500,000 people every year. The most spectacular way up Snowdon is via the Crib Goch arete — not for the fainthearted, and not unless you know that the weather will hold up. (This is an exposed scrambling route rather than a regular walk; the BMC guide is a good starting point for you to make an informed decision about attempting it.) If you descend via the Lliwedd ridge then you have done the Snowdon Horseshoe. Start and finish at Pen y Pass at the top of the Llanberis Pass on the Llanberis to Capel Curig road. Easier on the heart is the Pyg track and Miner's track, also starting from Pen y Pass. These are gentle at first before the big climb, and pass by the lakes that sit in the middle of the horseshoe. Other routes include the Llanberis Path, which follows the train track and is rather boring; the Snowdon Ranger Path from the train station (Welsh Highland Railway) and youth hostel of the same name; the Rhyd Ddu path from the village of Rhyd Ddu (also served by WHR trains), and the Watkin Path from Nantgwynant, which starts at only 60 metres (200 ft) above sea level and therefore requires the largest gain in altitude, though fortunately there are several waterfalls along the path which are popular for cooling off in on hot days. Of course you can also get the train to the top, but try to resist standing at the summit looking proud of your "achievement"! Snowdon was used by Sir Edmund Hillary to train for his successful ascent to Mount Everest. Snowdon is considered a very dangerous mountain in winter time, and should not be ascended without proper equipment and knowledge (see stay safe).

The Glyderau

Looking like a giant fossilised Stegasaurus, Tryfan is said to be the only mountain in Britain south of the Scottish Highlands that cannot be climbed without using the arms. At the summit are two large standing rocks known as Adam and Eve, and there is a tradition of jumping between them to earn the "freedom" of the mountain. It's not a physically difficult jump, but you'll need a really good head for heights in order to attempt it. (There is a far bigger drop from the rocks on the east side than the gap between the rocks themselves.) Bristly Ridge links Tryfan to Glyder Fach and Glyder Fawr, the main peaks of this range. Don't miss a great photo opportunity at the famous Cantilever on Glyder Fach.

Cader Idris and the Tarrens

This range is to be found at the southern edge of the national park. The largest (892m/2927 ft) and best-known mountain is Cader Idris (sometimes spelt Cadair Idris), which is the 2nd most climbed mountain in Wales. The most popular and arguably, best route is the Minffordd Path which starts from the hamlet of the same name, near Talyllyn Lake. The mountain can also be climbed from the village of Llanfihangel y Pennant at the head of the Dysynni valley, and there are also a number of paths from the northern side, accessed from Dolgellau. Legend has it that there are only 3 potential outcomes if you spend the night on Cader Idris. Either you will die in the night, you will wake up insane, or you will wake up as a bard (poet). If you want to test this out then there are some excellent wild camping spots on the shores of Llyn (lake) Cau (accessed from Minffordd), or Llyn y Gadair on the Dolgellau side. Check out the article on Leave-no-trace camping before you go. The lower Tarren range of hills between Tywyn and Abergynolwyn provides excellent walking, without the crowds that can sometimes be found on Cadair Idris. Ordnance Survey Explorer Map sheet OL23 Cadair Idris and Bala Lake is essential.

Eat

As in the majority of the UK, the focus of most Snowdonia communities is the pub. Rare is the village pub that doesn't offer food, and many of these are very good quality. Most pubs serve lunch from about 12:30PM until 2:30PM, and dinner from around 5:30 to 8PM or 9PM. Where the pub has a restaurant separate from the main bar they may serve later. As well as the pub, most villages have at least one cafe or tearoom, opening from breakfast time until mid-afternoon. The main focus is usually on tea/coffee, sandwiches and cakes, but there may be 1 or 2 more substantial hot dishes available at lunchtime. Larger villages and towns will generally have at least a couple of take-away food shops. Traditional fish and chips is still the most popular, but you will also find Chinese, Indian and kebab. When heading out into the wilderness, bring your own food and drink. There is also a cafe just under the summit of Snowdon.

Drink

As mentioned in eat, most villages and towns in Snowdonia have at least one pub. Generally, pubs in the area open from 11AM or noon and close at 11PM or midnight. Some close for 2 or 3 hours in the afternoon but this is less common than in the past. Nightclubs are few and far between in the area, with the exception of the more commercialised seaside resorts such as Barmouth. The University city of Bangor, just outside the park to the north, is the place to go for nightlife and (relatively) bright lights.

Sleep

See the articles listed in the towns and villages section above for accommodations in the towns surrounded by the park

Bed and breakfast

1 Cae Gwyn Farm, Trawsfynydd, Gwynedd, LL41 4YE, ☏ +44 1766 540-245, enquiries@caegwynfarm.co.uk. A reasonably priced B&B near Coed-y-Brenin with four ensuite rooms which can be either double or twin rooms. 2 Ty'n Rhos Country House, Ty'n Rhos Seion, Llanddeiniolen, Caernarfon. LL55 3AE (between Caernarfon and Bangor), ☏ +44 1248 670-489, enquiries@tynrhos.co.uk. On the open plain, 6 miles from the park. Remarkable views, expansive gardens, a fine dining restaurant (open to both residents and non-residents) and spacious rooms. (updated Aug 2016)

Self-catering

An array of quality-assured self-catering facilities are dotted in and around the area ranging from modern flats, and purposely converted units on farm complexes to fully residential traditional Snowdonia farmhouse cottages.

Local customs

Do not litter, especially as this is a national park. Take your litter with you if you can't find a bin. (See also: Leave-no-trace camping) Do not go onto land you know is private property without permission. If you find out you are on private property, leave. Close gates when going through fields with livestock in: causing animals to escape can waste a lot of other people's time.

Stay safe

Snowdonia presents no exaggerated danger to personal safety on a social front. Locals are well-used to tourists and appear to tolerate them admirably given the heavy footfall. The greatest personal threat comes from conditions on the peaks. These can turn at short notice, often from a clear warm day to heavy cold rain, the latter of which Wales has in a plentiful supply. It is therefore strongly advised that warm clothing and waterproofs are packed for the peaks along with a good supply of water and some food high in carbohydrates. Always carry a suitable map.

The Ordnance Survey 1:25000 scale Explorer series is ideal, covering the whole national park on 3 (double-sided) sheets. Alternatively, there are the 1:50000 scale Landranger series, though these are less detailed due to the smaller scale. Harveys Maps also produces excellent quality maps of the main mountain areas, specifically aimed at hillwalkers. Some 70 people a year are injured seriously in Snowdon alone and around 10 lose their life. Accidents occur mostly on descent where fatigue and speed are greater. Follow the Mountain Safety Code to reduce your chances of becoming part of these statistics: Before you go

Learn to use a map and compass Know the weather signs and local forecast Plan within your capabilities Know simple first aid and the symptoms of exposure Know the mountain distress signals Know the country code When you go

Go next

Llŷn is the tapering peninsula running westwards into the Irish Sea from the northern part of Snowdonia. A designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, its landscape is lower and less harsh than that of Snowdonia, but with spectacular sea-cliffs, quiet sandy coves, and rolling green hills, it has a lot to offer. The island of Anglesey (Welsh: Ynys Môn) lies to the northwest of Snowdonia, connected to the mainland by rail and road bridges. Most of the coastline is designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, while the hinterland is flat and extremely fertile. The Welsh expression Môn Mam Cymru, literally Anglesey, Mother of Wales, indicates the importance of this farmland in keeping the whole country well-fed. As intended by those who named it, the village of Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch is an unashamed tourist trap, if an irresistible photo opportunity (bring a wide angle lens!), while visitors on a romantic break should not miss the mercifully un-touristy Llanddwyn Island, home to Santes Dwynwen, Wales' answer to Saint Valentine. Holyhead, on the far side of Anglesey, is the departure point for fast ferries to Dublin and Dún Laoghaire in Ireland.

More pictures of Snowdonia National Park

From this destination's category on Wikimedia Commons. Each photograph is credited to its own author under its own licence.