Eryri (Snowdonia) National Park covers 823 square miles of upland North Wales on the western coast of the United Kingdom. It's the fourth largest National Park in the United Kingdom.

Known as Eryri in Welsh, the name is now thought to relate to the Latin 'Oriri', roughly meaning 'Highlands'. Though people believed it to mean 'Land of the Eagles' for many years, either way, it's appropriate for the rugged mountainous landscape.

The tallest peak of Yr Wyddfa (Snowdon in English) stands at over 3,500ft and can be reached by the famous Snowdon rack and pinion railway.

• Yr Wyddfa (Snowdon) Pronounced "Er-with-va"
• Eryri (Snowdonia) Pronounced "Eh-ruh-re"

Found in the Conwy and Gwynedd regions of northern Wales, Snowdonia National Park reaches from sea level at Porthmadog and Barmouth all the way to the peaks of Snowdon and Cader Idris. The park gained National Park status in 1951, shortly after the Peak District and Lake District.

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For many visitors, the main attraction will be a trip to the top of Snowdon, the highest peak in the UK south of the Scottish Highlands. However, keen ramblers and hillwalkers shouldn't miss the other mountain ranges, including the Glyderau range and the Carneddau range. The largest natural lake* in Wales can be found at Bala, with the nearby reservoir at Llyn Trawsfynydd being slightly larger. Views of the Llyn Trawsfynydd reservoir can be enjoyed on an eight-mile circular walk, including crossing the reservoir on the specially built quarter-mile long footbridge (no cycles). The bridge was built after locals objected to the building of the reservoir because it would interrupt their rights of way. 

Top 3 Snowdonia Attractions

Narrow Gauge and Heritage Railways

North Wales is home to an abundance of Narrow Guage, Miniature and heritage railways. Highlights include the Ffestiniog & Welsh Highland Railways, which runs for 25 miles from Caernarfon on the coast near Anglesea, via Beddgelert in the foothills of Snowdon and on to the coast at Porthmadog. 

The former Padarn (or Llanberis Lake) Railway runs for 2.5 miles alongside Llanberis Lake and gives fine views of Snowdon. The Bala Lake Railway is a charming 4.5-mile journey along the southern shore of Llyn Tegid.

Other routes worth exploring are the Talyllyn Railway, Fairbourne Miniature Railway, and if your legs aren't up to the climb, you could always reach the top of Snowdon via the Snowdon Mountain Railway.

Slate and mining heritage

When you think about mining in Wales, you may think of the South Wales coal-mining valleys of the Rhondda or Taff, but North Wales and Snowdonia, in particular, has a rich industrial heritage based around slate; copper and even gold!

The National Slate Museum is located in the former Dinorwic Quarry above the village of Llanberis. It is home to the largest diameter working waterwheel in mainland Britain (at just over 15m in diameter, it's not quite as impressive as the Laxey Wheel on the Isle of Man, but impressive nonetheless.)

Llechwedd Deep Mine allows you to take the vertigo-inducing trip 500 feet down into the heart of Slate Mountain on Europes steepest cable railway. If that does take your fancy, then the Llanfair Slate Caverns near Harlech might appeal.

If slate isn't your thing, why not experience life as a Victorian miner at Sygun Copper Mine, once one of the main mineral producers in Wales. If you prefer a little more bling, then gold has been mined in Wales since at least 75AD, and whilst there are no mines that you can visit at present, Welsh Gold, as worn by The Duke and Duchess of Sussex, continues to be mined at Gwynfynydd Gold Mine.

Get Extreme

If you think of yourself as an adrenaline junkie or thrill-seeker, then Snowdonia could be just the destination for you.

Zip World is spread across 3 locations in and around the national park. The Fforest location offers tree-top adventures and self-controlled roller coaster rides. The quarry location is home to quarry carts, off-road, downhill, go-carting. If that's not enough, then it's also home to the world's fastest zip line (reaching speeds of over 100mph!) Finally, their slate cavern location is home to 'Bounce Below', an enormous underground trampoline park.

Go Below is described as the 'ultimate underground adventure', and with zip-lining and climbing available on your way to the deepest point in the UK, we think it's got a pretty good claim to the title.

Top 10 Snowdonia Camping Options