Snowdonia National Park

Climate

Due to the topology, Snowdonia gets its fair share of rain and then some. Even if it is not raining on the tops, they are often shrouded in mist or cloud. Care should be taken when walking them see Stay Safe.

Main mountain groups

Snowdon Group

Consisting of Snowdon Yr Wyddfa, Crib y Ddysgl, Crib Goch and Y Lliwedd.

Glyders and Tryfan

The two Glyders Fach and Fawr and Tryfan are the most spectacular but the group also includes Y Garn and Elidyr Fawr.

Carnedds

the most northern group including Carnedd Llewellyn, Carnedd Dafydd, Pen yr Olewen, Yr Elen.

Moelwyns

a lower group near Blaenau Ffestiniog. Cnicht, sometimes described as 'the Welsh Matterhorn' because of its shape in spite of its lack of height is often included.

Nantlle Ridge

and Moel Hebog - to the far west and separating Snowdonia from Lleyn.

Rhinogs

spectacular heather growth makes for some hard walking - inland from Harlech.

Arans and Arenigs

lesser-known ranges between Dolgellau and Bala.

Cadair Idris

and the Tarrens - in the southern end of the National Park. South of Dolgellau and inland from Tywyn. Softer and greener than some of the northern ranges.

Flora and fauna

Snowdonia National Park is an ornithologists paradise with buzzards, ospreys, choughs, peregrines, thrushes, blackbirds, robins, wrens, tits, finches, owls, cuckoos, jays.... you get the idea. Perhaps suprisingly, there is only one RSPB (http://www.rspb.org.uk/) reserve actually located within the National Park — at Mawddach Woodlands, on the beautiful Mawddach estuary between Dolgellau and Barmouth.

The Snowdon lily lloydia serotina, as the names suggests, is only found in Snowdonia National Park, where it is a rare and protected species. Populations are small and currently make up six different locations, each with small numbers. Distant cousins of this species can be found in Europe. This species is undergoing a biodiversity action plan in order to spread awareness of its importance to this region of Wales.

Another species unique to Snowdonia is the Gwyniad Coregonus pennantii, a freshwater fish of the salmon family. The Gwyniad is native only to Bala Lake and until recently existed nowhere else in the World. A project to introduce it to another nearby lake has recently been undertaken, to mitigate the risk of its extinction should some tragedy pollution or similar befall Bala Lake. The deep waters of the lake are also said to be home to Tegi, Bala's answer to the Loch Ness Monster. Visitors can make up their own minds as to the likelihood of her existence.

The critically endangered Freshwater pearl mussel is another important freshwater species which makes its home in the area.

Mammals including bats, red squirrels, badgers, weasels and polecats may also be glimpsed in this region, while seals, porpoises, dolphins, and even the occasional turtle can be spotted offshore.

Understand

Lakes, castles, waterfalls, and steam railways create a surreal experience right out of Lord of the Rings. Local signs are often both English and Welsh and many aspects of traditional Welsh life, including food, clothing, and crafts, are still to be found.

The region is very popular for hiking, mountaineering, white-water kayaking, and other outdoor pursuits. It features Snowdon, the highest mountain in Wales at 1,085 m 3,560 feet.

Landscape

Dominated by Mount Snowdon, Snowdonia National Park is to Wales what the Lake District is to England. An area of outstanding natural beauty, this National Park is set in northern Wales and visitors can paddle their feet on a sandy beach in the morning and be sitting atop the highest peak in England and Wales that same day.

Lakes are almost as much of a feature of Snowdonia as the peaks, so much so that several hydro-electric schemes have been built to harness the potential energy stored within them See Dinorwig Power Station in the Do section. The water sports that feature so prominently in this region are fed from the high rainfall in the park and this in turn feeds into the rivers and lakes. Much of this water is exported to England; Liverpool's water comes from here.

Much of the world's slate comes from this region and the landscape is dotted with the scars of slate pits, some of which are still active today. The casual walker needs only bend down and pick up a handful of shale to see where much of the local industry came from.