Snowdonia highlights

2 min summary When to go Map & highlights Things to do Walking Multi activity Families Advice Responsible tourism

Snowdonia map & highlights

Snowdonia itself isn’t a secret, with the highest peak in Wales being placed on every child’s map of Britain at an early age. But there are many secrets lying under it, over it, around it and tunneling through it. Once the heart of the slate quarrying industry, Snowdonia has tapped into its natural resources in 21st century sustainable style. For starters, check out the National Park’s app which helps you unwrap each layer of what feels like a giant pass the parcel of delightfully surprising layers. Here are a few of our favourites:

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Our Snowdonia Holidays

1. Antur Stiniog
2. Bala Lake
3. Cader Idris
4. Coed y Brenin
5. Electric Mountain
6. Harlech Beach
7. Llanberis
8. The Mawddach Trail
9. Mount Snowdon
10. Slate Museum
11. Snowdon Railway
12. Zip World

Antur Stiniog

1. Antur Stiniog

Antur 'Stiniog, Blaenau Ffestiniog has four adrenaline inducing downhill mountain bike trails, not for the faint hearted. The superb Stiniog Special Burger served at their Antur Café is not for wimps either. If you would rather ride your bike than push it, pre-book the uplift that gets you back to the top again; but make sure you don’t miss the town itself at the bottom.

Antur Stiniog

Bala Lake

2. Bala Lake

If you are someone who likes to have water at the end of hike, Snowdonia is lake central. One very popular spot for serious outdoor swimmers and kayakers is Bala Lake (or Llyn Tegid) in the east of Snowdonia. Most activities are available all year round, with Gwersyll yr Urdd Glan-llyn, in Llanuwchllyn, the leading outdoor centre.

Cader Idris

3. Cader Idris

This is Snowdonia's less-sought, but nonetheless rewarding, peak, and one for all aspiring hikers. And there are a handful of hikers compared with Snowdon. Check out the Pony Path to the top. Cader comes from the Welsh for chair, and myth has it that Idris is a giant who used the mountain as an armchair. The summit is a cool resting place for sure. Nearest town is Dolgellau.

Cader Idris

Coed y Brenin

4. Coed y Brenin

Coed y Brenin visitor centre is gateway to Coed y Brenin Forest Park which is, literally, a hive of activities. It also has a state of the art eco visitor centre, and plenty of bikes to hire. Most famous for its pioneering mountain bike trails you can also enjoy orienteering and waymarked walks along the River Eden with waterfalls to while away your time. One big healthy honeypot.

Electric Mountain

5. Electric Mountain

Yep, they put a power station into the mountain. Just like that. This is no hydro hype, but an almost Orwellian marriage of machines and nature. With over 16 kms of underground tunnels - open seven days a week - they have also put a lot of energy into becoming an all-round leisure experience with climbing wall, indoor play for under 12’s, café and gift shop.

Electric Mountain

Harlech Beach

6. Harlech Beach

A beach day is a must, but Harlech isn’t just a beach. The town itself is heaving with history, with a castle as its centerpiece and the famous myth of Branwen ferch Llyr (Branwen daughter of Llyr) running through its veins. The beach also has magical qualities and a Green Coast Award to boot.

Llanberis

7. Llanberis

This is the nearest town to Snowdon and considered the hiking hub. Seek out shops with state of the art outdoor gear and cafes with steamed up windows, and don't forget to chat to the local folk who live and work here all year round. Also, if you're just doing the train thing, do come out of the station and enjoy what the village has to offer.

Llanberis

The Mawddach Trail

8. The Mawddach Trail

Give the inclines a miss for a day and enjoy a flat riverside walk or cycle along this estuarine trail from Dolgellau to Morfa Mawddach following the tracks of an old railway line. 15 kms one way, this is also a joggers’ favourite. Bring your binoculars too. Bird and wildlife watching is a treat as the trail takes you across the estuary with salt marshes and peaty habitats.

Mount Snowdon

9. Mount Snowdon

Or to give it its Welsh name, Yr Wyddfa. You can’t avoid it. It is in your face at all times, telling you to get out and put toe to turf. There are various trekking routes but you can also take a train to the summit’s terminus, Hafod Eryri, a granite and glass architectural gem, and Wales’ window to the world. But be wary of the crowds. With half a million summiting each year, congestion can be an issue.

Mount Snowdon

Slate Museum

10. Slate Museum

The name doesn’t exactly have you jumping up and down with excitement, but this is a fascinating recollection of Snowdonia’s legacy. It is important to remember that these mountains had to be worked hard before we lucky ones of the leisure generation got to run wild all over them.

Snowdon Railway

11. Snowdon Railway

Might seem cheesy, but it’s actually cheese-tastic and a fine legacy to the engineers who installed it. You also have the stunning Hafod Eryri building on the summit as its terminus. This is train geeks gone chic. Also, you can get a single ticket up and walk back down. Or vice versa, but you can’t book a trip back down in advance, so you aren’t guaranteed to get a seat. The train is accessible for wheelchair users.

Snowdon Railway

Zip World

12. Zip World

It’s out of this world. Not only can you go flying at speeds of up to 100 mph, but you also get to support the now revitalized Penrhyn Quarry which is nestled amongst the mountains of North Wales. Hold onto that jaw, when you see it, because it will drop. Not as fast as your stomach will though when you're flying through the aaaaaaair.

Travel Team

If you'd like to chat about Snowdonia or need help finding a holiday to suit you we're very happy to help.

01273 823 700

Calling us from outside the UK?

rosy@responsibletravel.com

01273 823 700

Calling us from outside the UK?

rosy@responsibletravel.com

Travel times in Snowdonia

There is a bus stop right by the foreshore centre, or it's a short 5 minute walk from the bus stop in the centre of Bala. Bala is served by the X94 Arriva bus service (Wrexham, Llangollen, Corwen, Dolgellau and Barmouth).

Betws y Coed – Llanberis: 30 minutes by Sherpa Bus

Porthmadog – Beddgelert: 20 minutes by Sherpa Bus

Llandudno - Betws v Coed : 50 minutes by train

Machynlleth - Barmouth: 1 hour by train

More about Snowdonia

Best time to visit Snowdonia

Thanks to the undulations and proximity to the Welsh coastline the best time to visit Snowdonia can often depend on what you’re prepared to pack i.

Snowdonia travel guide

Discover the entirety of the national park as you delve into our Snowdonia travel guide and find out what we rate & what we don’t as well as our guide to the best and the worst of Snowdonia and how to travel like a local where food, shopping & people are concerned.

Things to do in Snowdonia

If you like the rugged outdoor life then welcome to paradise as our top activities and things to do in Snowdonia page will have you white water rafting, hiking and cycling until you’re ready to take the train into the clouds as you summit Snowdon in style.

Walking in Snowdonia NP

Walking in Snowdonia National Park is not a walk in any old park, this is the realm of Wales’ highest mountain after all.

Multi activity holidays in Snowdonia

Snowdonia National Park is one of Europe’s top outdoor activity areas with a wonderful array of wet and wild options to keep small groups safe, smiling and satisfied all day long.

Travelling in Snowdonia with kids

If your little ones love a bit of muck and aren’t adverse to wild and woolly coastal walks then travelling in Snowdonia with kids is going to be a real pleasure.

Snowdonia travel advice

The Snowdonia travel advice that we trust always comes via tips from our friends in Snowdonia with artist Vivienne Rickman Poole and Snowdonia NP’s Principal Policy Officer, Ifer Gwyn, both contributing their recommendations alongside recommended Snowdonia tips from our travellers.

Responsible tourism in Snowdonia

Find out how to travel right in Snowdonia by paying attention to safety advice, learning what to do with dogs and finding out how to approach wild camping; all of which are key areas featured within our responsible tourism in Snowdonia page.

More relevant guides

Written by Catherine Mack

ABTA member P7085 so you are fully protected

Photo credits: [Page banner: Hefin Owen] [Antur 'Stiniog: William Hook] [Bala Lake: Tom Maisey] [Cader Idris: NotFromUtrecht] [Coed y Brenin: andy carter] [Electric Mountain: Takver] [Harlech Beach: Ed Webster] [Llanberis: Hefin Owen] [The Mawddach Trail: OLU] [Mount Snowdon: pxhere] [Slate Museum: Samwalton9] [Snowdon Railway: Andy Pearce] [Zip World: Mike Hudson] [Travel times in Snowdonia: Christopher Jones]

Snowdonia highlights