Snowdonia National Park

Snowdonia National Park (Eryri) covers roughly 2,130 square kilometres of north-west Wales and is the country's best-known upland landscape. Its centrepiece is Yr Wyddfa (Mount Snowdon), at 1,085 metres the highest mountain in Wales and England, reached by six main walking routes. The Llanberis Path is the longest and gentlest, while the Crib Goch ridge is a serious scramble reserved for experienced walkers. Most summit walks take five to seven hours round trip, and the Snowdon Mountain Railway runs from Llanberis to the summit station for those who prefer not to walk.

Beyond Snowdon, visitors find glacial valleys such as Nant Ffrancon and the Llanberis Pass, slate-quarry country around Blaenau Ffestiniog, the Mawddach estuary near Barmouth, and long sandy beaches along Cardigan Bay. Adventure operators run zip lines at former quarries, underground trampolines and surf lagoon sessions at Conwy Valley sites, while Betws-y-Coed serves as a forest-and-waterfall base. Medieval history is represented by the castles at Caernarfon, Conwy, Harlech and Criccieth, several within or beside the park boundary and part of the UNESCO-listed Castles and Town Walls of King Edward in Gwynedd.

A typical visit lasts two to four days: one day for a Snowdon summit, one for a lower valley walk or waterfall such as Swallow Falls, and one for a castle or railway excursion. Early morning starts are the best strategy, as the main car parks at Pen-y-Pass fill by about 7am on summer weekends and the summit path is crowded from late morning. Weather changes fast, with cloud and wind common on the tops even in July, so waterproofs and navigation are essential. The park is free to enter, though car parking is charged, and the Sherpa'r Wyddfa bus links the main trailheads. Quieter alternatives include Cadair Idris in the south and the Carneddau range in the north.