Snowdonia or in the more colloquial language Eryri is situated in northwestern and northern wales.
It is a national park, surrounded by mountains, and is stretched 823 sq miles or about 2130 sq km in area.
The foundations of the national park Snowdonia were laid in 1951 and were claimed to be the third largest in the whole of England, followed by the peak district and lake district. The countries of Gwynedd and Conwy also fall within this national park.
Snowdonia national park is also home to over 26,000 people who live, work, and spend their life in this park.
This park is blessed with a vast expanse of natural beauty and proved to be the adventure capital of Wales.
Though the land is covered by rocky mountains, the local people carry on a significant amount 0f agricultural activity and livestock developments.
Snowdonia is heaven for adventure lovers, photographers, and nature enthusiasts. The mountains cover slate landscapes with a maze of walking tracks that curl over steep slopes along pristine lakes.
The hills appear to be vanishing in the distance from where Ireland disappears into the distance and Ireland seems to be a far mirage across the sea.
Snowdonia is among the wettest places in all of the UK. Crib Goch in particular is the wettest spot in the entire country.
This mountain place gets an average rainfall of around 4473 millimeters a year.
Apart from hiking, or roaming around exploring in the lap of nature, Snowdonia national park has a lot to offer any visitor or tourist coming its way.
It is also a land of great historical importance as seen from the ancient castles, buildings, railways, beaches, and medieval towns spread far and wide around the spectacular landscape here.
When Should you Visit Snowdonia?
Now, if you had made up your mind to visit the national park Snowdonia, the question arises of when should you visit it.
According to Snowdonian authorities, the best time of the year to visit Snowdonia is from May to early July.
These two months are long and dry and are before the preset of monsoon. Flowers bloom, plants grow and nature rejuvenates during this phase of the whole year.
The second best time of the year to visit Snowdonia is during September and October at the offset of monsoon during the pre-winter time.
The best time to hike around Snowdonia is from mid of July to the end of August when the weather is pleasant and soothing.
During this period, the movement of visitors in this region is at its peak. The villages and towns and places of tourist interest stay incredibly busy during this time.
Winter months are good for photography as the sites and scenes get extremely photogenic with white snow on the mountains and frozen lakes and meadows.
Adventurous Things to do in Snowdonia National Park
Although Snowdonia national park is hands-down among the best places to spend your holidays, it also has much to offer so visitors can spend quality time with their friends, family, and partners.
In this article, there is a shortlist of the best adventurous things you can experience in the national park Snowdonia to make your journey memorable.
1. Explore the Medieval Castles Around North Wales
The first thing that must be done when visiting a place of interest history, is to gather knowledge about the history and the important history of the place.
As already mentioned, National park Snowdonia is a place of history of great historical importance history.
It has massive, medieval fortifications spread far and around all around the place. The grand Harlech Castle is located on the west-hand side and stands on its sheer grandeur over the rocky landscape overlooking the vast dunes and the open sea in front of it.
This massive castle was built by Edward I and is the most beautiful coastal fortress that one can find with mountains guarding its back.
Another such castle is the Caernarfon Castle located on the north coast of the Menai straits coastline.
It is said that Edward took around 47 years to construct this castle and the town halls around it. Another such castle is the Castle of Conway lying on the northeastern side coast.
2. Betws-y-coed Riverside
Considered the gateway to the national park Snowdonia Betws-y-coed is a pretty town in the lands west of the national park.
Though visitors and tourists might encounter some traffic during peak season, apart from that the drive on this mountain road is pretty enjoyable.
The fun lies in the leafy trails along the river banks and through the Gwydir Forest. Visitors and tourists will get a chance to witness various elements of nature like waterfalls, carpets of bluebells, and some lovely spots for a picnic.
3. Stargazing
The pollution of the city makes it difficult for star-gazers to look around the night sky and search for constellations in the sky.
Light and visual pollution are among the major factors responsible for disturbing the site of star-gazers and illuminating the night sky or entirely covering it with bright lights.
National park Snowdonia provides a great opportunity for nature lovers and star grazers to spend a great time in the national park looking up above the night sky with bare eyes or with a telescope looking for constellations, stars, the venus, the north or pole star, etc.
It also provides a great opportunity for photographers and night lovers to shoot the best shots of the night sky and the stars and galaxies surrounding people.
According to the park authority, this park was announced as the International Dark Sky Reserve in 2015.
4. Hiking
With millions of visitors visiting Snowdonia national park every year, hiking and cycling are among the favorites of all adventurous things for the majority of tourists.
The national park Snowdonia is ladened with numerous hiking routes. The park authority claimed that the view from the peak of Snowdon is voted the best and highest mountain in the UK.
The park also has a maze of interconnected roads that seems to disappear and reappear over the summit along the rough ridges towering over the crystal lakes.
The great arete of Crib Goch drops vertically and guarantees a heart-racing thrill to visitors and adventure lovers.
The Llanberis path with its rich history is easy to access and also a steep and long climb for adventure lovers.
According to the park authority, first-timers with little to no experience can start the walk from the Pyg track.
It is a path that is oddly shaped like a U with a peak in the vision for most of the route and the journey uphill.
For experienced hikers, the Southern edge of the Ridge walk would be their choice of place.
5. The Beach of Llyn Peninsula
It is a fact that the national park Snowdonia is a land of rugged mountains, plateaus, hills, and beautiful landscapes.
But, Snowdonia also boasts an array of beaches at the extreme ends of the national park Snowdonia.
When at the southern and western ends, Barmouth beach is a traditional victorian resort, and on the northern end lays Harlech beach which is a remote and wild beach surrounded by castles and covered by dunes.
On driving the coast a little further north or south from this place you will find Llyn Peninsula, a beach of fine sands.
The Blue Flag is a beach that is covered by a cove by Abersoch.
6. Photography
The best photogenic spot in entire Wales and the most reputed and famous spot photographers, and editors alike, national park Snowdonia is boomed with superb scenarios.
It includes lakes, greenery, vast rock walls, a natural amphitheater, castles, towns, hills, etc.
One doesn’t need to depend on their foot to visit the most difficult places to shoot excellent photos.
A major of the scenery can be experienced from within the comfort of your car while driving along the Llyn Ogwen.
The best spots according to park authority include Bryn Mawr, Tryfan, the south, northeastern, north, and southwestern ends of the lakes, Llyn Idwal, and much more.
7. Swimming
Many tourists might dislike the idea of swimming in lakes and rivers and along the coastline.
But, to get close to nature and make the most out of the journey to Snowdonia national park, one must try this wild sport.
Many lakes cover the hills of the national park Snowdonia guarantees a perfect spot for visitors for a memorable swimming experience.
Swimming could be the best refresher after a long and tiresome hike.
If hiking up Crib Goch via Pen-y-Pass, one may consider taking a refreshing dip into the Llyn Glas.
Another famous spot is that of the Tyn Y Cornel Hotel, situated above the Talyllyn. Finally, the last spot is for Llyn Idwal.
It is a landscape also equipped with beaches and rivers and a climate different from the rest of the landscape of the national park.
8. Riding the Heritage Railway
The most popular means of exploring the national park Snowdonia is through the Snowdon mountain railway.
This rail tracks, station, and rail system was established approximately 200 years ago, Ffestiniog Railway is reputed as the only rail that runs on the world’s oldest narrow-gauge track.
Classic steam-pulled train cars and carriages take passengers through the majestic mountains and hills of Blaenau Ffestiniog and Porthmadog which revives the rich Welsh history.
The tracks cover a total distance of 13.5 miles clinging to the mountainous region and passing through tunnels.
Passengers get to see the forests, wild meadows, pretty lakes, beautiful flower beds, etc. Another popular railway route is the Highland Welsh Railway.
The tracks cover two routes with a total distance of 25 miles starting from Porthmadog and passing Beddgelert up to Caernarfon.
One can also enjoy the delicious Welish delicacies while traveling in the Pullman carriages and enjoying the beautiful scenarios on both sides of the tracks.
9. Visit the Eryri National Park
If you wish to visit a place within the Snowdonia mountains and Snowdonia national park that is a little less crowded and less explored then you may choose to explore the IDYLLIC CEUNANT CYNFAL national parks.
National park Snowdonia provides the best place for picnics and swimming. A 10-minute foot walk from the main street to the beautiful brook babbles flowing through a narrow gorge forms tiny water bodies in between the cascades.
The natural reserve also has a lot of rare species of flowers and is a great spot for bird-watching and insect lovers who wish to dip deep in the lap of nature.
10. Kayaking and Ziplines
A trip to a place with great lakes and rocky mountains is incomplete without Kayaking and Ziplines.
So, after one is done swimming, hiking, and traversing the great peaks, he or she can attempt to experience these two great adventurous sports.
Since the national park, Snowdonia is a ready tourist and adventure spot for tourists from all over the world.
It also has outdoor activities and attracts Ziplines and Kayaking fanatics to experience the great lakes and the high mountains in a unique and unprecedented way.
Tourists can take kayaking tours on the white waters of the National Whitewater Centre in Bala.
One can also go for other adventurous sports such as biking, paddling, and climbing, at the Plas Y Brenin.
Families visiting the national park Snowdonia can keep their kids entertained with a day in the Zip World.
Treetop nets, rollercoaster rides, and underground caverns are other popular places of kid’s interest.
11. Cafe Gwynant
If you are tired of hiking and exploring the mountains and national park Snowdonia and need to munch on something quick and good, then you may consider visiting cafe Gwynant.
Situated on the east side of Beddgelert, overlooking the Glaslyn river, this cafe serves hand-brewed coffee along with some delicious food.
Though the atmosphere and environment around the cafe are rustic, the menu is certainly mouth-drooling.
The favorite of tourists and visitors includes eggs along with short rib benedict, delicious creamy buttermilk, hollandaise sauce, and chicken waffles.
For people preferring vegetarian options, this cafe has a spicy avocado on the toast dish as their vegan option.
The cafe has excellent options for indoor and outdoor dining within pods under glass canopies. The restaurant also has takeaway counters.
12.The Industry of Llanberis and Blauneau Ffestiniog
In the year 2021, UNESCO declared North Wale’s slate industry as a world heritage site. White slate quarrying was started in north wales over 1800 years back.
Wales once is the leader on the world stage of the international importance of the production of slate after the industrial revolution.
Though today in the entire national park Snowdonia, only a small fraction of the glorious past remains, the abandoned and ruined buildings, heaps of slag, and majestic quarries that were left behind remind visitors of the golden past and the industrial boom that happened in the 19th century.
Over the years the rise and the fall of the slate industry affected the working class and the lifestyle of the workers.
The expansive landscape of Snowdon’s summit was left with loads of scars due to the selfish demands of the humans.
To know more about the past of this UNESCO world heritage site and how it affected the national park and its flora and fauna one can visit the Dinorwig slate quarry museum.
Another location of historical importance is that of the Blaenau Ffestiniog. This village is covered by piles of slate instead of the much-expected greenery and green hills and rocky mountains.
Driving through this small village, and the desolate scapes of the industry location gives visitors and tourists an unnatural and weird feeling.
13. The Village of Portmeirion
This village which was built between 1925 and 1975 in the national park Snowdonia was designed to resemble an Italian village.
The beautiful colored homes, massive cupolas, and church spires raises over the flower yards and pretty fountains.
This village overlooking Dwyryd estuaries would remind anyone of the famous film sets of ‘The Prisoner’.
Even several episodes of the Doctor were filmed here. The remarkable views can make visitors awe-struck, and they can enjoy their time strolling the village and enjoying the sceneries.
Many of the homes in the village are now holiday homes so that tourists and visitors can stay and spend a day or night on-site.
Also, people touring from Llandudno take a break in this village, and in the Caernarfon castle.
14. The Streets of Dolgellau
Among all the other towns spread around the national park Snowdonia Dolgellau is the most visited by tourists.
Hooded under the Cadair Idris, the street is stretched with around 180 old heritage historical buildings.
Most of the houses are built from slate and greyish dolerite stone, which once again holds the story of the past.
The streets are also a hub for small businesses which include cafes, wine stores, and cheese shops
The major attraction of the street is the pub, The Royal Ship which is also the cutest location in the entire town. Another famous restaurant is of the award- gladdened Cross-Foxes
15. Scrambling up Tryfan
For the brave and wild hearts who wanna try something out of the ordinary in North Wales, Llyn Ogwen on the southern edge of Tryan is their choice of place to visit.
Though there is no easy path to travel to the summit in the national park Snowdonia, the risk-takers do it anyway for the sake of adventure and wild sport.
On the Northern, Ridge Tryfan is a steep ascend of 600 meters. It is the highest mountain also among the continuous routes and the longest scrambles routes in the whole of Wales.
It offers an adventurous route and thrilling mountain adventure and takes almost 3 to 4 hours to finish without any breaks.
Such a journey puts the visitor’s patience and mental and physical strength to an extreme test.
Scrambling up Tryfan is certainly not for the faint-hearted and people who have a phobia for heights.
16. Beautiful Gardens
National park Snowdonia offers a lot of beautiful gardens, and flowery yards, with a collection of rare and endangered species of flowers, trees, etc
One such garden is Bodant Garden in North wales which offers a great experience to nature lovers looking for flowers, fruits, and trees. This garden is run by the Snowdonia authorities.
The 80 acres of the vast garden in the national Snowdonia have included a mix of terraces filled with beautiful flowers, meadows, lawns, and yards.
Another star attraction is the 40+ champion individual trees which are sole members of their native species.
Next to the garden is the Tal y Cafn food center where one can enjoy specifically curated Welsh delicacies and local produce.
A Take Home Message
National park Snowdonia is a world of outdoor activities, fun, historical importance, and cultural heritage.
It is a natural reserve and surrounds a vast expanse of nature and natural beauty including hikes, meadows, coasts, waterfalls, medieval castles and fortresses, towns, villages, beaches, etc.
Any trip to the national park Snowdonia is always incomplete if one does not conquer the grand summit of Snowdon or the other summit of Yr Wyddfa.
According to the national park authorities, in North Wales, six trails are leading to the top of the mountain from the summit.
The little population that is present in the national park Snowdonia is scattered over five towns and 24 villages and towns.
Visitors on their trail to explore the entire land of Snowdonia can enjoy the company of the local Welsh people, their food, culture, music, and the rich history too.
The sole tree present in the national park Snowdonia is Llyn Padarn. It is the most photographed species in the entire nation.
It attracts tourists and visitors alike during sunrise and sunset or during dawn or dusk to capture the magical scenes.
Snowdonia is the best place far away from the pollution of cities, mobile cell towers, internet, TV signals, etc.
Any person looking for peace and tranquillity far away from the daily choirs of city life must visit this national park Snowdonia.
Visiting here will not refresh the brain and mind but will also rejuvenate and improve health.
This place is devoid of any traffic, arguments, loud music, the clattering of daily office equipment, or anything which is a cause of hypertension and stress to humans.
In the glamping accommodations in the lap of nature, one can count on natural sounds, the chirping of birds, the sounds of streams flowing, and water gushing down the rocks.
Whether you want to explore the land and hike in the morning or want to sit back with a telescope and stare at the night sky towards the stars and constellations, the splendid outdoors of the national park of Snowdonia have you covered?
So, lastly, if the call of adventure and the adrenaline rush in your veins is pushing you to get out of your comfort zones to the national park Snowdonia is waiting for your footfalls.
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Last Updated on March 6, 2023 by Dibyesh Das
