Routes up Snowdon

The Llanberis Path
This is the most popular of the tourist routes up Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa), and at five miles, is also the longest. In summer conditions, it is one of the easiest paths; but in winter, the upper reaches of the path can be very treacherous. Before the main road was built from the coast to Llanberis, climbers used to have to walk all the way from Caernarfon before they even started on the climb up Snowdon itself. George Borrow and his daughter, in 1854, travelled by pony and trap from Bangor to Caernarfon, walked from there to the summit, and returned to Bangor, all in one day!

The Snowdon Ranger Path
This path, one of the easiest up the mountain, is named after John Morton, the self-styled “Snowdon Ranger”, who used to live in what is now the Youth Hostel at the beginning of the path. He used to act as escort to “gentlemen who put themselves under his guidance in order to ascend Snowdon and see the country”. It is perhaps the earliest route up Snowdon, and is probably similar to that taken by the men from the Britannia Copper Mine in Cwm Dyli, who manhandled the ore up to Bwlch Glas and then dragged it by sled to the shores of Llyn Cwellyn.

The Pyg Track
This path, which starts at 1,170 ft. (359m.) is one of the most rugged and challenging routes up Snowdon. In winter, when there is snow and ice on the ground, it is a route best left to the experienced and properly equipped walker.
No one is certain how the Pyg Track came by its name; possibly from Bwlch y Moch (Pigs’ Pass) over which it passes. (It is sometimes spelt Pig Track). “Pyg” in Welsh also means ‘pitch’ and may refer to the dull black pitchy appearance of the path in one location; or it may have been the route used to carry pitch up to the copper mines. A third possibility is that it was named after the Pen y Gwryd Hotel nearby, by the early climbers who stayed there.

The Miners Track
The Miners’ Track to Llyn Glaslyn was built during the last century to serve the Britannia Copper Mines. Abandoned in 1917, it is said that in the mine’s heyday, Arthur Lockwood, who used to be the manager of the Pen y Gwryd Hotel, drove his car along the track all the way to Llyn Glaslyn. The track to the lake is still almost a road, and though eroded in some places, nevertheless provides an exciting and safe mountain walk for people with little experience of mountains. The path beyond Llyn Glaslyn to the summit is considerably steeper and can be a serious undertaking, particularly in winter.

The Rhyd Ddu Path
This is one of the easiest and probably the least used of the main paths up Snowdon.It passes through some beautiful mountain scenery, and sunset views over Moel Hebog and the Nantlle hills can be spectacular.There are two starting points.The nearest to Beddgelert is not far from the Forestry Commission car park at Pont Cae’r Gors.The second starts at the large car park at Rhyd Ddu.

The Watkin Path
The path is named after Sir Edward Watkin, the Victorian railway tycoon, entrepreneur, dreamer and Liberal M.P., who retired to “The Chalet” in Cwm y Llan; and is a monument to his ingenuity and philanthropy. Constructed in stone by his workmen, the route to the summit was originally passable by horse-drawn carriage as far as the quarry. Its opening to the public in 1892 was itself a red-letter day in the history of Welsh Liberalism, as Sir Edward prevailed upon William Gladstone, then 83 years of age and recently elected to his final term of office as Prime Minister, to perform the ceremony. At Gladstone Rock, a huge rock outcrop, a roofed and carpeted platform held the guests, while a crowd in excess of 2,000 admirers, gathered to hear the Grand Old Man speak. Of all the paths up Snowdon, the Watkin is probably the hardest. It involves an ascent of 3,300ft.

Routes up Cadair Idris

Ty Nant Path
The Pony Track from Tŷ Nant is the main footpath up Cadair Idris from the Dolgellau side of the mountain. It is a reasonably safe and easy route, which also offers the most rewarding views.
The Fox’s Path, which also climbs the mountain from the Dolgellau side, crosses an extremely steep and loose scree slope. There have been many accidents here; several of them fatal, and walkers are NOT recommended to use this route.

The Minffordd Path
At about 3 miles, this is probably the shortest footpath up Cadair Idris; although it involves the greatest ascent (2,850ft, 869m).
No one is certain where the name Cadair Idris (Idris’ chair) originates. Some maintain that Idris was a national hero, killed in battle against the Saxons round about 630 A.D. Some insist that he was a giant, and yet others link Idris with the legend of Arthur.

The Llanfihangel Path
This is the easiest of the footpaths up Cadair Idris, but at over five miles, it is the longest. The Pony Track runs from Llanfihangel y Pennant over the hill known as Tyrrau Mawr, and down the other side to Tŷ Nant. It was probably the most direct way for parishioners to get to Dolgellau, their local market town and seat of quarter sessions.

For a hotel in Snowdonia, try the Dolserau Hotel.

Scenic Railways within the Snowdonia National Park

The Rheilffordd Ffestiniog Railway between Porthmadog harbor and the slate mining town of Blaenau Ffestiniog - the world's oldest operational passenger railway. The Welsh Highland Railway joins Caernarvon to Rhyd Ddu, a village on the slopes of Snowdon. Conwy Valley Railway links the north coast to the heart of the park.

The Ffestiniog Railway is the oldest independent railway company in the World - being founded by an Act of Parliament in 1832. The railway was built as a gravity and horse drawn line to transport slate from the quarries in the mountains around Blaenau Ffestiniog. As the slate industry flourished, so did the railway and the town of Porthmadog. Slates from Blaenau Ffestiniog were exported to ports all over the globe - many in ships built in Porthmadog.

The railway was extremely successful and introduced many innovative engineering solutions to cope with the rapid increase in output from the quarries and in the number of passengers it carried. Engineers from around the world came to study the Ffestiniog Railway and, as a result, it has influenced the design and construction of railways in many countries.

However, the slate industry - and then passenger numbers - slowly declined, until finally the railway closed to traffic in 1946. Luckily, pioneering railway enthusiasts were determined that the railway should survive and it was re-opened in 1954.

Over the last fifty years, the Ffestiniog Railway has become a leader in railway preservation and is now one of Wales’ top tourist attractions. Visitors to the railway can enjoy the outstanding natural beauty of Snowdonia as they pass through areas inaccessible by road undisturbed by the sights and sounds of modern life.

The Welsh Highland Railway (Caernarfon) - Journey behind the most powerful 2' gauge steam locomotives in the world through the fabulous scenery of the Snowdonia National Park. We offer high-quality carriages with on-train refreshments, the superior comfort of a first class Pullman "Bodysgallen" or you could even experience the scenery with the wind ruffling your hair in our open coaches!

The railway runs from alongside the awe-inspiring Caernarfon Castle, snaking around seemingly impossible bends, up hard gradients and around the foothills of Snowdon to arrive at Rhyd Ddu, about 12 miles from Caernarfon and high up in the Snowdonian mountains.

The railway links to some tremendous walks too, not least the Snowdon Ranger and Rhyd Ddu paths up Snowdon or the Nantlle Ridge or Mynydd Mawr walks from Rhyd Ddu. There are excellent real-ale pubs at Waunfawr and Rhyd Ddu, and the Lôn Eifon cycleway runs alongside the railway from Caernarfon to Dinas - we even have special bicycle wagons so you can take a bike on the train too!

But… Rhyd Ddu is only the half-way point of this phenomenal railway project. We have already started work to complete the railway through to Porthmadog via Beddgelert and the famous Aberglaslyn Pass. At Porthmadog, the WHR will connect with the world-famous Ffestiniog Railway, offering onwards travel to Minffordd (for Portmeirion), Tan-y-Bwlch and Blaenau Ffestiniog. In total, a trip from Caernarfon to Blaenau will be a staggering 40 miles – truly a new 'Great Railway Journey'.

The Conwy Valley line, part of the National Rail Network, runs alongside one of the great rivers of Wales, The Conwy and continues along the banks of the turbulent river Lledr after its confluence with the Conwy at Betws y Coed.

From your departure at Llandudno to your arrival at Blaenau Ffestiniog a breathtaking range of scenery unfolds before your eyes, from the historic castle at Conwy, through estuary rich in wildilfe, to gentle slopes that give way to majestic crags as the train crosses the Lledr by the dramatic Gethin’s viaduct.

You glimpse fairytale landscapes, the imposing 12th century Dolwyddelan Castle, ancient quarries and tracks, forests and the high peaks of Snowdonia before entering the heart of the mountain to emerge some minutes later in the imposing and historic industrial landscape of Blaenau Ffestiniog, the very centre of Wales’ slate quarrying and mining industry. The Conwy Valley line at 27 miles long offers one of the most beautiful rail experiences in Britain.

Mountain Biking in Coed y Brenin

California, Colorado, Coed-y-Brenin - unlikely as it may seem, wet and windy Wales is now officially ranked alongside the best in the world when it comes to mountain biking. Recently the International Mountain Biking Association (IMBA) graded mountain biking worldwide, and awarded Wales a B - that's the same as Colorado and California (the only place to get an A was Idaho).

The grading takes into account such features as the quality and variety of riding, trail sustainability and accessibility. In fact, a B may well not do Wales justice - since the IMBA results were announced, work has been completed on five mountain-bike centres around the principality that take its riding to new heights, in all senses.

These five areas have plenty to offer: purpose-built, waymarked, single- track roads, beautiful high-country scenery, routes to suit most family groups as well as off-road junkies. The centres also offer apres-ride cafes and bike washes. So as long as you can ignore the climate and you're not lazy enough to want ski-lift access, Wales is about as good as it gets.

Most mountain bikers have heard of North Wales's famed Coed-y- Brenin, which for several years has hummed to the sound of fat tyres hurtling around its magnificent forested trails and has recently seen some impressive new trail developments. Less known, however, are the centres at:

• Betws- y-Coed in Snowdonia (with a superb 27km route through a full-on mountain landscape);
  
• Nant-yr-Arian (high-level wilderness riding in the Cambrian Mountains above Aberystwyth);
  
• Afon Argoed near Port Talbot (an impressive single track less than 15 minutes from the M4), and
  
• Cwm Carn near Newport (17km of challenging single track clinging to steep hillsides).

The Forestry Commission have invested some £400,000 to develop these sites, with one aim: "To make Wales into a world-class mountain-biking destination," according to Dafydd Davis, the commission's forest-sports development adviser and an expert biker himself. He explains that the Forestry Commission, after some persuading, are now 100 per cent behind developing the sport in Wales and are the only major land agency in the world putting so much money into mountain biking.

While no one would claim that Wales can compete with the likes of Colorado or the Alps in terms of climate, its scenery is much underrated. As Dafydd says: "I've ridden in North Wales with professional US trail-builders who described the route I took them on as one of the best they had ever ridden - anywhere."

This is echoed by British champion Rob Warner, who has ridden all over the world: "The Welsh trails are as good, if not better, than the Alps," he says. He also points out that, unlike more elevated mountain ranges elsewhere in the world, it's possible to ride year- round in Wales; the trails never get too wet and are rarely snow- covered. They are also designed to withstand erosion from knobbly bike-tyres, by trail builders who are learning their skills through working with professionals in the USA and Switzerland.