Discover Britain - Snowdonia

Snowdonia national park is located in North Wales, offering fresh mountain air and stunning landscapes. There are many activities available in the national park, especially for those wanting to take adventage of it.

Eyri - As it's known in Welsh was designated a national park in 1954, the third National park to be created in the British Isles under the 1949 National Parks and Access to the countryside Act. It's the second largest park in the UK, covering some 838 square miles, so for those who love to explore the great outdoors, there is ample space.

Climbing
Snowdonia National Park covers the Carneddau, and Glyderau mountain ranges, as well as Mount Snowdon - the tallest mountain in England and Wales, so if you have that "because it's there" attitude, whatever your level, you'll find something to climb.

It has some of the most interesting a varied climbing in the World. The history of climbing at the park goes back to the 19th century, when the first pioneers based themselves at the Pen-y-Gwryd Hotel.
From here they explored the cliffs on Snowdon and the Glyders. This hotel also provided the training base for the successful 1953 Everest expedition, who signed their names on the ceiling of the Everest room.

Walking

The Snowdonia National park has been renowed for walking since Victorian times, hence the famous photo of crinolined women on the summit of Snowdon. Since then the main mountains of Snowdonia have been well trodden.

There are plenty of paths on Snowdon and the Glyders, all posing a decent challenge to the mountaineer, requiring skills including navigation, and a decent level of fitness.

For the less experienced, or for those who just wanted a pleasant walk requiring less exhertion, there are also beautiful walks in the lower hills, providing views just as spectacular.

There are also forest walks in the wooded valleys, near the Rivers Lledr and Llugwy and the Vale of Ffestiniog, while the Gwydir Forest boasts the most varied walking of all the forests. As well as forestry it includes farmland, moorland, mines and many lakes. Walking is generally fairly gentle on tracks or paths.

Birdwatching
The rich diversity of the habitat attracts many species for bird to the area and there are nature reserves at Conwy, Foryd Bay, Maentwrog, Mawddach Valley, Ynys Hir and many other places.

Along with this, there are certain reigions in Snowdonia which are perfect for seeing different types of bird.
Porthmaddog is good for wigeons, curlews, and the rare grebe, as well as the odd Merlin.
Ynys-hir near Machynlleth is teeming with birds throughout the year. In the Summer, visitors such as the pied flycatcher and the redstart join the lesser spotted woodpecker in the woods, and in the Winter white-fronted geese flock to the estuary. Also at this time, birds of prey such as the hen harrier and red kite can be seen hunting over the estuary.