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Here on the Discover Gwynedd website you will find a wealth of information on Snowdonia National Park. Our interactive map allows you to find trails, facts, attractions and much more that can be found in and around the area.
Snowdonia National park was established nearly 60 years ago. The park covers and area of two thousand square kilometres. The park differs from others in the UK as it encompasses both public and private land.
There are over twenty five thousand inhabitants within Snowdonia National Park and it attracts some six million visitors every year. The park offers a lot of open and mountainous terrains that are great for people who enjoy hiking, rambling or experiencing the great outdoors. There is also a lot of agricultural activity within the park.
The most popular area of the park lies to the north which contains the highest mountain ranges in Wales. This area attracts hikers but can often be crowded due to the number of tourists all wanting to visit the most popular area. With nearly 1500 miles of footpaths that can be used by tourists and other public rights of way mean that you are bound to find a quiet area where you can relax and perhaps have a picnic or take some stunning pictures to add to your photo album.
Snowdonia National Park is under designation for for special scientific interest, or as an area of conservation or protection. Over the past few years attempts have been made to try and protect large areas from a particular Rhododendron that is invading large parts of land and is taking over areas that contains native species. The park also contains rare mammals that include feral goats and polecats. The area is also great for birdwatchers as there are often rare birds to be seen.
The park is of course famous for Mount Snowdon, but if you are willing to explore you will find other great places to visit such as the stunning coastline with its clean beaches, large lakes with water sports that have become more popular each year, disused quarries and much more, all places that offer great photo opportunities for both the casual and professional photographer.
The area is full of Welsh Heritage. You can take a little time out to visit the slate mines which is an attraction that has won many awards and is extremely popular. This attraction offers underground tours which will show you the harsh conditions that miners used to work under during the 1800's.
Steam railways are always a fun attraction for people of all ages. The Snowdon mountain railway offers a journey that lasts for two and a half hours and covers a distance of four miles and you will take in some spectacular scenery as it climbs up mount Snowdon.
Within Snowdonia Nation Park you can of course take in some history by visiting one of castles that the area has to offer including Doldabarn, Dolwyddelan, Castell y bere & Harlec.
The area has so much to offer that a weeks holiday here will never be enough for you to take in all the sites and sounds, you will also be spoilt for choices when it comes to food and drink, there are more activities than you could ever imagine from the easiest activities to adrenaline fuelled activities that will leave your heart racing.
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Cwm Idwal, a National Nature Reserve in the Snowdonia mountains is a fantastic introduction to glacial geology. A well-marked route takes you into the heather-clad upland world of the raven, with arctic alpine plants, fast-flowing streams frequented by dipper, and the sheer scale and grandeur of its icescraped amphitheatre. At the end of the summer an on-site event will give you the chance to see Cwm Idwal as you've never seen it before. This will be followed in the autumn by local showings of a specially commissioned film celebrating Cwm Idwal, with music by local musician Gwilym Morus.
Gwaith Powdwr nature reserve (81 acres), on the Dwyryd estuary is a gateway to the hanging oak woodlands of the Vale of Ffestiniog. Gnarled and ancient trees clad with mosses, liverworts and lichens support pied flycatchers and redstarts, while the rivers and streams are home to otters and sewin (sea trout). Along with activities and workshops throughout the summer, a wildlife and art festival celebrating our local woodlands and rivers will be held at Gwaith Powdwr towards the end of July.
To get a real feel for the Gwynedd sea and coast, one of the best places to visit is Uwchmynydd. Standing on the headland at the very tip of the Llŷn, you are in no doubt about the power of the sea, the resilience of the cliffs, and the value of the coastal heaths for key birds such as the chough and stonechat. What is hard to grasp is the richness of the awe-inspiring wildlife that lives beneath the waves. Discover Gwynedd will give you a glimpse of the under-seascapes, through rock-pooling, boat trips to offshore islands, innovative marine wildlife information, and a special celebration of the sea in mid August.
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