By air
Manchester (MAN), ~2 h by road
United Kingdom
Eryri (Snowdonia), United Kingdom
Wales' wild mountains and castles
Getting there
Best time to visit
May to September — the long days
Don't miss
Yr Wyddfa
Conwy Castle
Caernarfon Castle
Betws-y-Coed
Things to do
Climbing Yr Wyddfa (Snowdon)
The mountain railway
Conwy and Caernarfon castles
Where to eat
Sources: Photo: Stemonitis · CC BY-SA 3.0
What to pack
Waterproofs, hiking boots
A quieter corner
Llyn Idwal's glacial lake
Questions travellers ask
When should I visit Eryri (Snowdonia)?
May to September, for the long days. Pack waterproofs and hiking boots for Wales' wild mountains.
What are the big things to do in Eryri?
Climb Yr Wyddfa (Snowdon), ride the mountain railway, and visit Conwy and Caernarfon castles and Betws-y-Coed.
Is there a quieter walk in Snowdonia?
Head for Llyn Idwal's glacial lake — Eryri's hidden gem.
Which airport is best for Eryri (Snowdonia)?
Fly into Manchester (MAN), about 2 h by road. Once there, try Welsh lamb and a slice of bara brith.
About Eryri (Snowdonia)
- Mountains
Where it is
Eryri, also known as Snowdonia, is a mountainous national park in north-west Wales, stretching from the coast of Cardigan Bay to the Conwy valley and including Yr Wyddfa (Snowdon), at about 1,085 m the highest mountain in Wales.
History
The mountains were the heartland of the medieval princes of Gwynedd, such as Llywelyn the Great, and after Edward I conquered Wales in the 1280s he built castles such as Harlech and Conwy around them. The region was once the most important producer of slate in the world, and in 1951 it became the first national park in Wales.
People
Eryri is one of the heartlands of the Welsh language, the everyday language of many of its communities, and English is also spoken. Hill farming, slate quarrying and tourism have shaped the villages, and male voice choirs and eisteddfodau are part of local culture.
Known for
- Climbing Yr Wyddfa, the highest peak in Wales
- The Snowdon Mountain Railway
- The castles of Conwy, Caernarfon and Harlech
- Betws-y-Coed and its waterfalls
- The slate landscapes of north-west Wales
Did you know?
In 2022 the national park authority decided to use the Welsh names Eryri and Yr Wyddfa in preference to Snowdonia and Snowdon.
We haven't written a guide for this place yet — you can still plan a trip here.