WALKS UP SNOWDON

There are six main footpaths up Snowdon with one of the most popular, the LLANBERIS PATH , starting in the village.

The path starts through a gate and cattle-grid (SH581594) at the end of Victoria Terrace, opposite the Royal Victoria Hotel. There is a signpost marked "Footpath up Snowdon" at the junction of this road with the main A4086.

This five-mile walk each way will take approximately three hours to reach the summit and another two and a half to descend.This path will take you past the Penceunant Waterfall Tea Rooms where you can call in for home-made scones and Welsh cakes, as well as a chance to purchase organic skincare products. Visiting the tearooms also helps to support the Llanberis Mountain Rescue Team.

The café at the summit of Snowdon (open when trains are running to the summit) offers a selection of hot and cold drinks and snacks.

It is one of the easiest walks to climb Snowdon, however you should still ensure that you have suitable footwear and take extra protective clothing, food and drink and have a map and compass or details of the route with you. Consult the weather line - 09068 500 449 - before you set off. Even on this path care will need to be taken in winter when the upper reaches can become very treacherous.

Two other routes up Snowdon that start at the Pen y Pass car park are the PYG TRACK and the MINERS TRACK. If the Pen y Pass car park is full, you can park at the free car park in Nant Peris and, during the season, catch a Sherpa bus up to Pen y Pass.

For detailed information on all the routes up Snowdon, the Snowdonia National Park produce a series of leaflets which can be purchased in the Tourist Information Centre.

WALKS IN AND AROUND LLANBERIS

There are many walks around Llanberis, which are not as demanding as the tracks up Snowdon but will give you the opportunity to enjoy the peace and quiet of the countryside and admire the stunning beauty of Snowdonia.

Below are some suggestions for short walks. Call in at the Tourist Information Centre on the High Street (41A High Street, Llanberis, LL55 4EU, tel: 01286 870765) for more ideas about walks in and around Llanberis.

Padarn Country Park

The Country Park, at the south-eastern end of Llyn Padarn, has a network of nature and woodland trails, with colour coded signs, ranging from easy strolls around the lagoons to more strenuous uphill trails. The walk described below gives you the opportunity to enjoy spectacular natural views as well as a closer look at the fascinating heritage of the slate quarrying industry.

Padarn Walk (approximately one and three quarters hour)
Please be aware that there are unfenced steep drops within Parc Padarn and children need to be supervised. Parts of this walk are quite steep and the path and steps can be slippy so care needs to be taken and appropriate footwear is advised.
The walk starts at the far end of the Parc Padarn car park. Climb up the wooden steps to the Quarry Hospital and turn left past the mortuary. Keep to the left by a no. 4 green marker. The path climbs upwards but a couple of benches give you the chance to catch your breath and admire the spectacular views. Once the path starts to descend keep to the right fork and go through the kissing gate and over the slate bridge. Carry on along this path if you want to visit Cwm Derwen Woodland Park or take the first kissing gate on the right. The path climbs over some rocky streambeds before crossing the river by a wooden footbridge. A steep climb leads you back into the Park through a gate. Take the next couple of left forks (one by a ruin and the second by a green marker). Take a right path which drops down over a steep style. Turn right and then follow a narrow path along a low wall until it meets another path at the base of some steep slate steps. Turn right and then keeping to the left by the side of the Vivian Quarry follow a series of slate steps down the various galleries where you can see the remains of the winding houses which transported the slates down to the yard below. Once you reach the tarmac road at the bottom turn left and then almost immediately right through a small gap in a wall which leads you back down into the car park by the Llanberis Lake Railway.

Various leaflets describing the Park in more detail are on sale at the information point in Padarn Country Park or at the craft shops there.

The Waterfall (Y Ceunant Mawr) - approximately one hour

This walk starts in the High Street. Past the Spar, facing the mountains, turn right up Church Road by Snowdon Garage. Follow this lane until just before the viaduct carrying the mountain railway over the road. Turn right (near a coal-yard) and follow a track over a cattle grid where you will see the waterfall footpath sign. Follow this track to the top and go through a gate to the left across the railway track to the waterfall view-point. Return the same way.

Dolbadarn Castle - half an hour including exploration time!

Dolbadarn Castle situated between the two lakes is one of the famous "Castles of the Welsh Princes" built in approximately 1210 to guard against English invaders.

Turn into the road, which leads towards the Welsh Slate Museum and the Llanberis Lake Railway. After 300 metres turn right through a gate opposite the car park. Cross a narrow bridge over the river. Follow the track uphill through the trees until you reach Dolbadarn Castle (free entry). After exploring the castle return the same way or carry on along the path util you reach the main A 4086 road. Turn right and follow the road back to the village.

Y Glyn

At the north-western edge of the lake by Y Glyn there is a flat cycle-path/footpath stretching along the side of the lake, which is suitable for wheelchairs. For walkers, this footpath continues through a tunnel, over the main road and over a style to the end of the lake where you can enjoy a wonderful view of Llyn Padarn, with Castell Dolbadarn silhouetted against the foothills of Snowdon.