SNOWDONIA & THE LLŶ N areas, but one worthy ofdiscovery.areas, butoneworthy held witheven greater ittheoneoflesser-known confidencetooldWelshways,making century andOwainGlynd of theWelshprinces. The Snowdonhighlandssheltered LlywelynapGruffyddinthe13th whileoldGwyneddwasastronghold modern Gwyneddismore than70%Welsh-speaking, active travellers andBala. atBetws-y-Coed a jointUnescoWorldHeritageSite withthoseatBeaumarisandConwy;lively hubsfor of andHarlech,part Walescoast;EdwardI’sformidablecastlesatCaernarfon on theNorth themaindrawcards. sports climbingandanewpenchantforwater withwalking, Snowdonia isalsoahubforactivities, most attractive andvisited areas ofthecountry.It’snotjustaboutpanoramas,however. isoneofthe ing Welshhospitalityinsmallvillagesamongthepeaks,’ruralheartland Snowdonia never ceasestoinspire. mountainscenerytothewelcom- Fromthespectacular Snowdonia &the Ll 236 © LonelyPlanet For more informationabouttheregion, checkthewebsite www.visitsnowdonia.info. With suchaformidablemountainshield,it’slittlewonderthattheLl corner. isthemosttraditionallymindedandheavilyWelsh-speaking The northwest Indeed, anItalianate trails,there’s villagenestling thegloriousPortmeirion, Away fromthehiking

„ „ „ „ „ „ HIGHLIGHTS

Venture andlearn a newlanguageintheprocesswithtrip tothe totheendof earth Stretch yourlegsaround or Tryyourhand atwhite-water sports, Soakupthe historywithastrollaroundthe Visit Explore ebration ofkitsch District). second-largest nationalpark(after theLake This dramaticallybeautifularea istheUK’s a crescendo andvalleys. ofmountains,lakes &Heritage Centre Tegid try tospotthemonster at ofthelake ( p254) World HeritageSite of Portmeirion Portmeirion (p245) Snowdonia NationalPark ( p252 ), abeautifulcel- ŵ r inthe15thduringtheirstrugglesagainstEnglish. ( opposite ), ( p241 ), climbingCader IdrisortacklingthePrecipice Walk ( p274 ) atNantGwrtheyrn Llyn

Gwrtheyrn Nant ŷ n National Park Snowdonia Portmeirion Dolgellau ŷ n Peninsula has (Bala Lake) Llyn Tegid SNOWDONIA & THE LLŶ N the the 237 01766- . Most (Chrys- weather weather % ( is situated as well as the (Myxas glutinosa). Eryri/Snowdonia, The gwyniad is a species of of The gwyniad is a species (Lloydia seotina) administrative head office 08709-000100; www.metoffice.gov.uk) % (

The office also runs – under licence from Like Wales’ other national parks, this one Wales’ other national Like to two endan- The park is the only home The park information centres and some and some The park information centres The park’s 892m. Choose your time carefully to escape the892m. Choose carefully your time walks in the forests gentler are crowds. There ). p260 and hills around Betws-y-Coed ( on tourist offices stock useful brochures up Snowdon, the six main routes of each other offices have and a few while Dolgellau Dolgellau, and , where you where BeddgelertDolgellau, and Harlech, can pick up a copy of annual visitor newspaper, which park’s free around, park- includes information on getting walks and other activities. organised Office – its own 24-hour the Met service also display weather forecasts, tourist offices in the area. as do several shops outdoors Activities WALKING & CLIMBING forthe main destination ) is p239 Snowdon ( Mt base. ) the favoured p263 and ( walkers ), p244 CaderFor climbers, (or Cadair) Idris ( is the most popular and rises tonear Dolgellau, Snowdon lily beetle Snowdon rainbow-coloured olina cerealis). (Bala found only in Llyn Tegid whitefish the UK’s only Lake), also has probably which snails glutinous colony of Orientation & Information Although is on Mt Snowdon, the the focus park – some 35 miles east to west and over all the way 50 miles north to south – extends to Conwy. from Aberdovey ) 770274; www.eryri-npa.co.uk; , although it’s not a 4 miles east of six manages This office public enquiries office. Betws-y-Cod, including local tourist offices, to legend a giant called Rita a giant slain Gawr was to legend at the sum- and is buried Arthur, by King here ). p77 on King Arthur, see mit (for more towns at Dolgel- with sizeable lived-in, is very and Betws-y-Coed.lau, Bala, Two- Harlech owned, with privately the park is thirds of in use raising sheep for three-quarters over and beef reason While the most popular cattle. walk, you can also go for visiting the park is to rafting, pony trekking, climbing, white-water even windsurfing. species, an arctic/alpine plant called the gered , Arriva , which , which -ree). The The -ree). ruh n is one of the n is one of ŷ for bus connections (www.conwyvalleyrailway.co

Rheilffordd Rail- links them.

(www.thecambrianline.co.uk) (www..gov.uk/bwsgwynedd) Cenedlaethol Eryri) (Parc Park •• Snowdonia National SNOWDONIA

Conwy Valley line Conwy Valley (www.arrivabus.co.uk) (www.arrivabus.co.uk)

-vuh), meaning Great Tomb – according Tomb – according meaning Great -vuh), (www.festrail.co.uk)

n Peninsula to Machynlleth in Mid-Wales; to Machynlleth n Peninsula in the north. The

The Welsh name for Snowdonia, the Snow- Railway travel is more important here than important here Railway is more travel For details of travel passes, see p326 . p326 passes, see travel For details of ŷ with don highlands, is Eryri (eh- Welsh call Snowdon itself Yr Wyddfa (uhr- Voices, p264 ) estimates that the park is visited that the park is visited ) estimates p264 Voices, year. 10 million times each of an average and repair a frantic job for park staff. a frantic job The and repair Local text Snowdonia Society (see the boxed the train to the summit each year, and all year, and all the train to the summit each those trail maintenance sturdy shoes make of the park around Mt Snowdon (1085m). Mt the park around of Around 750,000 people climb, walk or take is, after all, Wales’ best-known and most heav- is, after ily used national park, with the busiest part 1951 (Wales’ first national park), primarily to 1951 (Wales’ first to death. This from being loved the area keep Snowdonia National Park was founded in was founded in Snowdonia National Park SNOWDONIA SNOWDONIA NATIONAL PARK (PARC CENEDLAETHOL ERYRI) and the runs right down the coast from Pwthelli on the Ll in many parts of the country, thanks to the the country, thanks in many parts of Cambrian Coast line a park-run association of local companies, local companies, of a park-run association buseswhose run on blue-liveried dedicated making around the park, routes a network of outside their cars it easier for people to leave every schedules the park. Buses run on fixed on Sunday). often hour or two (less Snowdonia National Park are operated by by operated are Snowdonia National Park Snowdon Sherpa between major towns; servicebetween major poor on Sun- is the servicesdays. Most of to trailheads within The region’s biggest bus operator is biggest The region’s Cymru GETTING THERE & AROUND GETTING THERE & AROUND wakeboarding ( p271 ). Just contemplating the contemplating ). Just p271 ( wakeboarding you out. activities could tire list of bling country, while the Ll bling country, ) and p270 ), surfing ( sports, includ- for water in Wales best areas p247 , p256 ing sailing ( out and about, Snowdonia is prime climbing, is prime climbing, Snowdonia out and about, cycling, mountain scram- biking, walking, ACTIVITIES ACTIVITIES getting Wales for in the best regions One of lonelyplanet.com way .uk)