Snowdonia doesn’t just hold the record for being the largest National Park in Wales; it’s the second largest in England and Wales as a whole, with its boundaries covering Cardigan Bay in the West, Conwy Valley in the East, River Dyfi in the South, and Conwy Bay in the North. Its diverse landscape includes over 100 lakes, 23 miles of coastline, river gorges, forests, and 3 estuaries. Some of the park has designations for conservation areas or sites of Special Scientific Interest, and supports local wildlife such as the Snowdon Lily, Rainbow Beetle, and Gwyniad, a species of white fish.
The natural beauty of Snowdonia National Park is preserved in nine mountain ranges, some of which have peaks that rise to over 3000 ft. Some of the highest peaks include Foel Grach at 3,202 feet, Y Glyder Fawr at 3,279 feet, Crib Y Ddysgl at 3,495 feet, and Mount Snowdon, which has a peak rising to 3,560 feet.
Mount Snowdon is one of the main attractions for walkers visiting the area, and the National Park Authority maintain a train service, and 6 paths up the mountain. Llanberis is one of the longest routes up Snowdon, and this ten mile trip will take around 6 hours. Classed as a ‘moderate’ walk, it has views of the mountain railway and Padarn Country Park, and also takes in the Ceunant Mawr Waterfall, a conifer plantation, and a large rock called Maen Du’r Arddu. Legend has it that anyone spending the night under this rock will awaken as a poet or madman!
Another local legend will come to life if you choose to walk up Snowdon via the Snowdon Ranger Path, as Llyn Coch or the Red Lake featured on the route is said to be the haunt of fairies. This 7 mile round trip will take around 5 hours and also passes a disused slate quarry and the cliffs of Clogwyn Du’r Arddu.
Also among the choices is the Rhyd Ddu Path, an easy but little used route up the mountain. This walk is an 8 mile round trip taking about 6 hours, and will pass through heather and rock terrain, the Hill of Bird Stone, with views of Moel Hebog and Nantlle Hills.
These routes cover just one of 11 walking areas that the National Park Authority manage, with others including Bala area, Ffestiniog area, and Ardudwy also offering varied terrain and features for visitors. There’s also the popular mountain of Cader Idris, which has 3 paths to its summit. These are the Pony Path, a moderate 6 mile/5 hour walk on the Dolgellau side of the mountain, the Minffordd Path, a 6 mile/5 hour hard mountain walk, and the Llanfihangel y Pennant Path, another moderate walk, which will cover 10 miles altogether, and take around 7 hours to complete.
Farmland, valleys, and streams populate the walks up Cader Idris, while the Janus Path in Beddgelert provides both woodland and lake landscapes to explore. A walk here is ideal for families with pushchairs or disabled people and is one of the more tranquil areas in the National Park. The Dogellau area also has a number of accessible paths, including Foel Ispri, a 300 metre path to a viewing platform over the Mawddach Estuary, and the Mawddach Trail that runs alongside the estuary itself. This is a 9 mile trail between Dolgellau and Barmouth and is suitable for both walkers and cyclists. Wheelchair users can join this trail as well, starting from the Snowdonia National Park Authority car park at Pont y Wernddu.
Able bodied walkers also have the choice of six further walks in this area, including the Precipice walk which goes through the 12th century Nannau estate, famous for its diverse range of habitats and views of Snowdon and Moelwyn, and the Arthog walk which combines hillside and sea in a 9 mile/6 hour route.
Those who are more experienced walkers, and can manage steep climbs could head to the Ogwen area instead for something a bit different. The suggested route runs around Llyn Idwal lake and passes by Twll Du, or the Black Hole, which attracts many visitors interested in geology.
Walking isn’t the only way of getting around Snowdonia though, as a visit to Porthmadog will testify. The harbour is home to three narrow gauge railway stations, where you can catch trains on the Welsh Highland to Caernarfon route, the Welsh Highland Heritage Railway, or the Ffestiniog route. The town is also famous for ‘The Cob’ a mile long embankment, and the nearby attractions of Black Rock Sands, the unique village of Portmeirion, and a Maritime Museum.
You can also immerse yourself in the history of the area in the university town of Bangor, which counts a sixth century cathedral, the neo-norman Penrhyn Castle, and Gwynedd Museum and Art Gallery among its attractions. It also has a small claim to fame as being one of the smallest cities in the UK, with one of the longest high streets in Wales, which makes it an ideal stop off for shoppers.
While there are many places to eat and drink throughout the National Park, the small town of Bala is particularly worth a visit for the traditional inn and pub experience. There’s a wide choice of places to stay too, from low budget hostel accommodation right through to guest houses, 4 star hotels, and castle apartments.
If Snowdonia ticks all the boxes for you, then you’ll be pleased to hear it’s easily accessible too. The National Park is well connected with the road networks, with the M56 and A55 running into the area from the North, and the M6, M5, and M1 connecting North Wales with the South of England. North Wales is also connected by air between Cardiff and Anglesey airports, with Manchester, Liverpool and Birmingham airports within 2 hours. National Express and Arriva operate coach services into the area, while there is a choice of rail services to the most popular destinations, and inland connections to various parts of Snowdonia.
There is something to suit every walker, and every visitor in Snowdonia National Park, and as it’s easily accessible, you’ll soon be experiencing all this part of North Wales has to offer.
