Eryri (Snowdonia)

The national park around Wales's highest peak, Snowdon, with glacial lakes, waterfalls, steam railways and Edward I's World Heritage castles – a paradise for outdoor lovers.

Eryri National Park (formerly known in English as Snowdonia) lies in north-west Wales. Established in 1951 and covering about 2,130 km², it takes in Wales's highest peak, Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa, 1,085 m), nine mountain ranges, more than a hundred glacial lakes and a stretch of coastline, and is ringed by Edward I's World Heritage castles and the "Slate Landscape of Northwest Wales" World Heritage Site. The area divides into four parts: in the north, Snowdon and Llanberis (the Snowdon Mountain Railway and the National Slate Museum) and the Ogwen Valley (Cwm Idwal and Tryfan); in the east, Betws-y-Coed and the Conwy Valley (waterfalls, forests, Bodnant Garden and the walled town of Conwy); on the west coast, Caernarfon, Porthmadog, Portmeirion and Harlech; and in the south, Cadair Idris. May–Sep has the most settled weather and the mountain railway runs all the way to the summit; spring and autumn are quieter, while in winter the high peaks are snow-covered and require specialist gear. Trains from London reach Bangor in about 3 hours, or change at Chester for the Conwy Valley Line to Betws-y-Coed. Sherpa'r Wyddfa buses serve the park, but driving is most convenient; at popular car parks (Pen-y-Pass, Ogwen) arrive early or book ahead in peak season. Allow 3–5 days. Mountain weather changes fast, so always carry waterproofs and a map when hiking; road signs in Wales are bilingual in Welsh and English.

Top sights

• Yr Wyddfa (Snowdon) – Wales's highest peak at 1,085 metres. Six classic trails lead to the summit, and on clear days you can see Ireland and the Isle of Man.
• Snowdon Mountain Railway – A rack railway that opened in 1896. It climbs about 1 hour from Llanberis to the summit of Snowdon and is the only rack-and-pinion passenge…
• Betws-y-Coed – A gateway village to Snowdonia National Park, surrounded by stone cottages, old bridges, and forest. Outdoor gear shops and cafés line the…
• Conwy Castle – A medieval fortress built by Edward I in the 13th century. Eight massive towers and complete town walls surround the old town. A World Heri…
• Caernarfon Castle – Polygonal towers and striped stone walls modeled on the walls of Constantinople. In 1969, Prince Charles was invested as Prince of Wales he…
• Portmeirion – An Italianate village created by architect Clough Williams-Ellis over half a century. Its colorful buildings and bay-side woodland gardens…
• Swallow Falls – A multi-tiered waterfall where the Llugwy River tumbles through the woods; Betws-y-Coed's most famous sight, already a tourist attraction i…
• Plas Mawr – An Elizabethan town house in Conwy's old town, considered the best-preserved building of its kind in England, with beautifully painted plas…
• Ffestiniog Railway – Founded in 1832 and the oldest surviving railway company in the world, its narrow-gauge steam trains climb from the seaport to the slate to…
• Welsh Highland Railway – The longest heritage railway in Britain, with narrow-gauge steam trains running from Caernarfon past the foot of Snowdon and through the Ab…
• Harlech Castle – A concentric castle perched on a seaside cliff, overlooking Snowdonia and the sea, from which the folk song Men of Harlech comes.
• Beaumaris Castle – A never-completed, perfectly symmetrical concentric castle on Anglesey, surrounded by a moat and hailed as the most technically perfect cas…
• Zip World Penrhyn Quarry (Velocity 2) – The world's fastest zip line, Velocity 2, lets you fly face-down over giant slate pits and lakes at up to around 160 km/h.
• Llechwedd Slate Caverns – A Victorian slate mine in Blaenau Ffestiniog. Ride the UK's steepest underground cable car into the mine, with an underground trampoline an…
• National Slate Museum – A free museum in a former workshop of the Dinorwic Quarry, where you can watch craftsmen split slate and see Britain's largest working wate…
• Dolbadarn Castle & Llyn Padarn – A round tower built by a 13th-century Welsh prince stands alone on the shore of Llyn Padarn, with the famous “Lonely Tree” by the lake.
• Cwm Idwal – A glacier-carved circular valley with Llyn Idwal, Wales' first national nature reserve. The lakeside loop trail takes about 1.5–2 hours.
• Tryfan – A jagged rocky peak beside Llyn Ogwen, one of Britain's most famous scrambling mountains. Two giant stones on the summit, “Adam and Eve,” o…
• Beddgelert – A stone village where two rivers meet, famous for the legend of the loyal hound Gelert. Hike along the river into the Aberglaslyn gorge.
• Conwy Falls – The Conwy River splits as it cuts through rock in the gorge and tumbles down in two streams. Nearby are a 19th-century fish pass for migrat…
• Bodnant Garden – A National Trust garden in the Conwy Valley. Its 55-metre laburnum arch turns into a golden tunnel when in bloom, making it one of Britain'…
• Great Orme & Llandudno – A limestone headland beside the Victorian seaside town of Llandudno. Ride the century-old cable tram up the hill to see a Bronze Age copper…
• Penrhyn Castle – A neo-Norman castle mansion built by a 19th-century slate baron. Inside are a one-tonne slate bed and an industrial railway museum.
• Cadair Idris – An 893-metre peak in the south of the national park. The Minffordd circuit passes the corrie lake Llyn Cau, and legend says anyone who spen…
• Aber Falls – A waterfall about 37 metres high that drops straight down a rock face. It can be reached from the village of Abergwyngregyn in about 40 min…
• Adventure Parc Snowdonia – The world's first commercial inland surf lake, opened in 2015, creates continuous waves with a wave machine. There are also indoor climbing…
• Criccieth Castle – A Welsh prince's castle on a seaside headland. Its twin-towered gatehouse overlooks the beaches on both sides of Tremadog Bay, with wide-op…
• Dolwyddelan Castle – A square stone tower on a hillside in the Lledr Valley, built by Llywelyn the Great and isolated in the wilderness. Climb to the top for vi…
• Llyn Tegid (Bala Lake) – Wales' largest natural lake, about 6 km long, where you can go boating, sailing and stand-up paddleboarding, and ride a narrow-gauge steam…

Where to eat

• Olif – The top-ranked restaurant in Betws-y-Coed, serving Spanish-style small tapas plates made with traceable Welsh ingredien…
• Ty Gwyn Coaching Inn – An old coaching inn beside Waterloo Bridge, known for local Welsh ingredients, generous portions, and its signature she…
• Tu Hwnt i'r Bont – A National Trust tea room in a 15th-century stone house beside the old bridge in Llanrwst. It is known for bara brith…
• Hangin' Pizzeria – A popular wood-fired pizzeria beside Betws-y-Coed railway station, known for its local Welsh rarebit pizza.
• Caffi Gwynant – A family café converted from an old chapel, located beside the Watkin Path trailhead for Snowdon. It is the top choice…
• Pete's Eats – A legendary hangout for climbers in Llanberis, open since 1978. It reopened in 2025 after a renovation, serving breakfa…

Itineraries

• Wales Grand Loop 14-Day Self-Drive Itinerary – A self-drive loop from Cardiff covering the South Coast, West Coast, Snowdonia, and the Borderlands, connecting major n…
• North Wales Castles & Mountains – Round trip from Chester, covering the aqueduct, Snowdon, Anglesey, and Conwy to experience the best of North Wales.
• Wales Scenic Rail & Steam Coast – A car-free journey from Cardiff, traveling north along the Cambrian Coast Line and transferring to narrow-gauge steam t…