Snowdonia National Park Tourism And Travel Guide

Known to be a land of contrasts, the Snowdonia Mountains and the Coastal areas have you up and away in the mountains one moment and the next on the beach! So you can expect to be at the top of the world with the Snowdon’s Peaky experiences and enjoy the Sahara Sand-like beach afternoons later at Dinas Dinlle, Harlech or the Rock Sands.

With nearly 200 miles of coastline, the Snowdonia Mountains and the Llŷn Peninsula, tourism in Snowdonia is brimming full with an assortment of watersport adventures, outdoor activities, natural attractions, bird watching, zip rides and more. Play to your heart’s content amidst the wondrous setting of Snowdonia and become familiar with its history and cultural heritage, visit the ancient museums & monuments or gorge on their local delicacies, here’s a travel guide to help you find your way in Snowdonia and more!

By Air:

The cheapest way to travel to Snowdonia is to fly to Manchester from New Delhi and then make the onward journey via train travel at an overall estimated fare of INR 29,000-60,000, approximating 17 hours & 54 minutes of travel time. Alternatively, you’d fly to Manchester, Leeds Bradford, Cardiff, Humberside, London Heathrow, Bristol or Liverpool.

By Train:

If you travel to Manchester from New Delhi, then on arrival at the Manchester Airport, a train leaves for Crewe every 2 hours with a travel time of 40minutes, and from there to Bangor (Gwynedd), there’s a train for Snowdonia every 3 hours with a travel time of 1 hour and 29 minutes. The estimated fare on this route ranges between INR 29,000-56,000.

By Road:

You can choose to drive down, take a cab or ride a bus from Birmingham to Snowdonia. On road, if you drive down, the travel between Birmingham and Snowdonia is about 2 hours and a few minutes, while a bus ride tends to be tiring and long at 6 hours and 31 minutes. It is a bit challenging to travel by bus from Manchester to Snowdonia. So the best way to reach there would be to take a train.

Getting Around:

To get around the town, planning your transport is quite essential when climbing Snowdon. The mountain’s parking area is nearly always full as early as 7 am during summers, so it’s best to visit there during the week and avoid the weekend or holiday crowd, making September-October an ideal time to visit. With the Snowdon Sherpa bus service, you can ride up for £2 as an adult, in £1 for kids and free for senior citizens. There are a number of cab operators as well who offer services along the most popular routes. You can also make use of the Explore Wales Pass for unlimited access to the mainline train services and nearly all bus service, with the North Wales Rover Ticket for a day’s travel aboard buses/trains.

Spring (March-May):

Spring in Snowdonia is mild and excellent for visiting, with a mix of some really sunny days and a cool/wet weather. March through May witnesses an average day temperature ranging between 9°C-14°C, making spring the second-best time to visit Snowdonia.

Summer (June-August):

With most days ranging between mild & warm, with a possible occurrence of rare hot days, the days are their longest in summer in Snowdonia. There may humid/overcast conditions as well, with an average temperature of 18°C from July through August. Summer is the busiest time of the year and the best time to visit Snowdonia.

Fall (September-November):

September through November has pleasantly mild weather from the beginning of fall to cooler & colder days through October, November and ideal for travelers who prefer enjoying their holidays in peace, avoiding the summer rush. With somewhat mild temperatures and longer daylight, visitors can expect beautiful autumn colors around Snowdonia with an average temperature of 11°C and 17°C.

Winter (December-February):

Winters witness the shortest and coolest days from December through February with crisp and clear days with possible snowfall and an average day time temperature of 8°C-9°C.

Snowdonia National Park:

Located on Britain’s west coast, spanning over 823 sq. miles of a diverse landscape, the Snowdonia National Park is a residential area that hosts residence for over 26,000 people, in addition to being Wales’s largest National Park, boasting of the highest mountain in all of England and Wales, Snowdonia. It also has the largest natural lake in Wales and is richly steeped in local as well cultural history with more than ½ of its populace fluent in Welsh. You can enjoy a variety of attractions here, right from underground tours with audio-visual aids to farm excursions, to captivating countryside outings and narrow gauge railway trips.

Inland Water Adventures:

With a variety of captivating cascades, sparkling rivers and mesmerizing lakes, Snowdonia Mountains and the Coast have earned their distinctive glacial landscape and managed to attract visitors for centuries with all kinds of water activities & adventures. One of the largest natural lakes in Wales, Bala's Llyn Tegid is a major centre for watersports, given its proximity to River Tryweryn and known for its white water downpour and white knuckle rafting adventures at the National White Water Centre.

Coastal Activities:

With over 200miles of coastline spanning the shores of Snowdonia, the place is beaming with watersports and sailing. While wakeboarding’s a specialty at Abersoch, bodyboarders and hardcore surfers prefer Porth Neigwl. Standup paddleboarding is the newest sport in water adventures and the best places to explore this sport are Llyn Padarn or Dinas Dinlle. People who like sailing can explore the open waters of the Irish Sea, Cardigan Bay or the covered Menai Strait, which are easily accessible from a series of marinas, harbors, havens and slipways. You can also find some of the choicest sailing waters in the UK at Hafan Pwllheli, a renowned modern marina with nearly 400 berths and amazing onshore facilities.

Fishing:

There are brilliant sea fishing and shore fishing opportunities available along the gorgeous coastline of Snowdonia spanning 300km at sites like Llanfairfechan, Penmaenmawr, Caernarfon, Nefyn and Trefor, with charter boat services available at several harbor villages and docks.

Even though Snowdonia’s is an outdoor enthusiasts’ paradise, it is also considered a secret heaven for soulful foodies. With a series of Michelin star restaurants to award-winning artisans, Snowdonia has a bucket list of must-visit outlets and towns that are best explored to enjoy all kinds of culinary delights. Considered one of Wales’ finest, Tyddyn Llan is located on Snowdonian outskirts with a variety of delicious dishes for a Sunday brunch, while Amser Da is next to the best deli in Wales and can host you for some amazing tapas options, with an assortment of local provisions, should you enjoy cooking yourself.

The Castle Cottage in Harlech has earned its repute for good food both for lunch and dinner, while the Mawddach Restaurant emphasizes on fresh & local produce for a contemporary & easily relished menu. The Snowdonia Parc’s popular as a pub with real ale, home-cooked fares and its in-house microbrewery.

Meandering through quaint shops, small towns and local villages is just as essential during a holiday as is sightseeing and indulging in varied activities. In Snowdonia, shopping is usually off the beaten track with treasure troves that are rare to find and are experiential! The Cae Du Designs in Harlech is one such find where you will find an abundance of home furnishings and a lovely café right next door to unwind after going berserk on stocking up on stuff for your home! Then, there’s the Farmer’s Mart where you’ll find a furniture auction being held on the last Thursday of the month.

The CWT Tatus, Abersoch is an old refurbished potato shack filled with an assortment of jewelry, clothes, furniture and other items that are unique and rare, all available at mixed prices with premium quality offerings. The Pentre Pethau at Llanrwst is a cooperative that was set up to showcase to help the local artisans present their quality vintage offerings, from furniture, clothes, accessories and lights, to bespoke products and gift items.