Snowdonia National Park

The stunning mountain backdrop to virtually anywhere in North Wales , Snowdonia covers a vast area and contains some of the most beautiful scenery in Britain.

The vast Snowdonia National Park covers 840 square miles of mountain peaks and ridges, deep forests, lakes and steep river valleys and takes its name from mount Snowdon, which at 1113m is the highest mountain in Wales and England .

The Welsh name for this starfish shaped snowy giant ‘Yr Wyddfa’ rather ominously means Tomb. There are a number of established walking routes to the peak of varying degrees of difficulty. Fortunately there is also the Snowdon Mountain Railway, which takes passengers up the 5 miles of steep ridge, from the little mountain town of Llanberis to Snowdon’s peak.

The southern range of Snowdonia is dominated by Cadair Idris (892m), a fine example of Snowdonia’s horseshoe shaped mountains, which overlooks the Mawddach and Dyfi estuaries. Close by is the high pass through the mountains the Bwlch y Groes road, a fantastic but tricky mountain drive with unparalleled views of lonely summits and forested valleys.

Snowdonia’s isolated and challenging landscape helped the Welsh Princes establish strongholds here during the Middle Ages and many castle ruins stud the hills and some of Britain’s most impressive castles dot the coast. The peaks of Snowdonia were once the headquarters of the Welsh rebel Owain Glyndwr, a figure who is to the Welsh what William Wallace is to the Scottish.

If there is anywhere in Wales worth parking the car and exploring on foot it’s Snowdonia and a walk anywhere in this breathtaking landscape will not go unrewarded.