A Holiday In Snowdonia: The Best Things To Do In Eryri
Majestic mountains, peaceful valleys and crystal-clear lakes: the scenery in Snowdonia National Park is awe-inspiring. Now known by its Welsh name of Eryri (meaning “rise” or “highland”), the 823-square mile National Park is a wonderful place for a holiday, especially if you love walking. There are also plenty of visitor attractions in Snowdonia, from heritage railway rides to medieval castles.
Climb Yr Wyddfa (Snowdon)
It wouldn’t be a holiday in Snowdonia without walking up Yr Wyddfa, Mount Snowdon. There’s a choice of walking routes up Wales’ (and England’s) highest peak and the most straightforward route starts in the bustling village of Llanberis. The Llanberis Path is the busiest route up the mountain, but definitely the best for novice hikers and younger families. The Ranger Path is the next easiest and is also a bit quieter than the Llanberis route.
Looking for something more challenging? Go for the Watkin Path, which most walkers agree is the toughest route and the views from this path are incredible. For more information about these walks and the other three paths up Yr Wyddfa, take a look at this helpful guide to Snowdon’s walking routes.
Or take the train…
There is an alternative way to reach the summit of Snowdon: by train. The Snowdon Mountain Railway takes you on a train ride like no other. It departs from Llanberis and takes about an hour to get to the summit. Sit back and enjoy the views from the carriage windows and let the doughty little diesel engine do the hard work for you. Opt for the circular trip which gives you a bit of time at the top before heading back down, or choose to go back to the village on foot after your uphill ride
If you enjoy a heritage railway trip, there’s also the Llanberis Lake Railway, a five-mile steam excursion around Llyn Padarn. For a longer trip, head for the Ffestiniog & Welsh Highland Railways, with a choice of steam-hauled journeys through this beautiful landscape.
Walking in Eryri National Park
The paths up Yr Wyddfa aren’t the only stunning routes in the National Park. For a scenic lakeside walk, try Cwm Idwal, or if you need a shadier (or more sheltered!) walk, the wooded paths around Beddgelert and Betws-Y-Coed are lovely. These two villages also make handy stop-offs, with plenty of places to find food, drink and local Welsh crafts. There are also some great walks at the Mawddach Estuary.
If you fancy bagging another peak, try one of the three routes up Cader Idris (all labelled “strenuous”) or hike up Crimpiau, a smaller peak but still a challenging walk. For easier but equally beautiful walks, we love the routes to Swallow Falls and Aber Falls, where you’re rewarded for your walking with waterfall views.
Snowdonia’s towns and villages
We’ve already mentioned Llanberis, Betws-Y-Coed and Beddgelert, three typical slate-built villages which are popular bases for walkers and climbers. You’ll get to know these villages pretty well during a holiday in Snowdonia! Bangor and Caernarfon are useful larger towns (Bangor is actually a city) and you’re not far from Llandudno and Colwyn Bay along the coast.
For sheer prettiness, we always recommend a trip to Portmeirion, an Italianate-style village near Porthmadog. It was designed and built in the 20th-century by architect Sir Clough Williams-Ellis, as an homage to Mediterranean architecture. For the genuine Welsh article, UNESCO World Heritage Site Conwy is a picturesque medieval walled town. Explore the castle and the harbour and walk around the walls for some lovely views of the hills and the Conwy Estuary.
Visitor attractions in Snowdonia
If Conwy has given you a taste for visiting castles, there’s another great example in the pretty coastal town of Harlech. These are both managed by Cadw and English Heritage members will get discounted entry. There are two smaller but historically significant castles in Snowdonia, Dolbadarn and Dolwyddelan, built by the Welsh princes.
If you need a day indoors, the Llanberis National Slate Museum gives you a fascinating insight into Snowdonia’s industrial past. There are National Trust properties in Conwy and Bangor and there’s always something interesting to see at the Storiel museum in Bangor.
For an action-packed day out, there’s nowhere like Bounce Below (and we mean that literally). The Zip World adventure team has reinvented an old underground quarry as a trampoline park, with six net-style trampolines in a cavern the size of St Paul’s Cathedral. If you prefer to stay above ground, go for their zip wire instead…There’s also a great choice of outdoor activities at Zip World’s Fforest Park at Betws-Y-Coed, including their “Alpine Coaster”.
Find your perfect holiday cottage in Snowdonia
Does a holiday in Snowdonia sound like your perfect escape? Whether you’re looking for a romantic retreat or an outdoorsy family holiday, you’ll find plenty to choose from among our luxury holiday cottages in North Wales.
