All 100 Snowdonia Experiences

The complete Snowdonia 100 — 100 essential experiences in Eryri, grouped into ten categories of ten. Each entry is a specific, achievable experience. Work through them over a lifetime of visits, or use them to plan your next trip.

Summits

1. Yr Wyddfa / Snowdon (1,085m) — The highest point in Wales and England. By any of the six routes; on a clear day.
2. Tryfan (915m) via North Ridge — The only mountain in England and Wales that cannot be reached without using your hands. Leap between Adam and Eve at the summit.
3. Cadair Idris / Penygadair (893m) — Via the Minffordd Path past the dark lake of Llyn Cau. Sleep on the summit if you dare.
4. Carnedd Llewelyn (1,064m) — The third-highest mountain in Wales, on the vast Carneddau plateau. Named for Wales's last great prince.
5. Crib Goch (923m) — The knife-edge arête above Glaslyn. Grade 1 scramble with exposure on both sides. The finest mountain challenge in Wales for non-climbers.
6. Glyder Fawr (999m) — The chaotic rock-spire summit of the Glyderau. Cross the plateau via the Devil's Kitchen for a full mountain day.
7. Y Garn (947m) — The underrated Glyderau summit, with outstanding views of Llyn Idwal below and the Carneddau across the valley.
8. Pen yr Ole Wen (978m) — The most brutally direct ascent in Eryri: straight up from Llyn Ogwen, gaining 800m in 2km.
9. Y Lliwedd (898m) — The dark twin-topped peak forming the southern arm of the Snowdon Horseshoe, with its imposing north face above Llyn Llydaw.
10. Moel Siabod (872m) — The isolated summit above Capel Curig, with perhaps the finest view of Yr Wyddfa from any direction. Via the northeast ridge from Pont Cyfyng.

Routes and Ridges

11. The Snowdon Horseshoe — Crib Goch, Crib y Ddysgl, Yr Wyddfa, Y Lliwedd in a single circular day. One of the great mountain rounds in Britain.
12. Cwm Idwal Circuit — The 5km circular walk around Wales's first nature reserve. Darwin's geological classroom; arctic-alpine plants; Idwal Slabs.
13. The Mawddach Trail — 14km flat, surfaced path along the former railway from Dolgellau to Barmouth. RSPB estuary, mountains behind, sea ahead.
14. Watkin Path to Cwm Llan — Walk past Gladstone Rock, through ancient oak woodland to Cwm Llan, and turn back. An outstanding half-day without the summit.
15. The Carneddau Ridge Traverse — Pen yr Ole Wen to Foel Fras over the great northern plateau. Wild ponies, remote tarns, views to Anglesey and Ireland.
16. Precipice Walk, Dolgellau — 6km above the Mawddach Estuary, no technical difficulty, 360-degree views. The finest easy walk in southern Eryri.
17. Pyg Track traverse — Ascend via Pyg, descend via Miners' Track, taking in Glaslyn and Llyn Llydaw from above and below.
18. Aberglaslyn Pass walk — The 3km path through the Aberglaslyn gorge from Beddgelert, following the Welsh Highland Railway through the narrow rock-walled valley.
19. Rhinog Fawr via Roman Steps — The ancient paved trackway through the Rhinogydd to the summit of Rhinog Fawr — one of the loneliest and least visited routes in the park.
20. Glyder Fach and the Cantilever Stone — The summit of Glyder Fach with its extraordinary perched rock, connected to Glyder Fawr across a boulder-strewn plateau.

Lakes and Waterfalls

21. Glaslyn at dawn — The copper-green lake beneath the summit, its colour most extraordinary in early morning light, before the day's walkers arrive.
22. Llyn Idwal — Wales's first nature reserve in its glacial cwm. Darwin's "site of desolate grandeur." Arctic-alpine plants on the cliffs above.
23. Swallow Falls in spate — The Afon Llugwy in full flood after heavy rain. Best viewed from the east bank.
24. Llynnau Mymbyr reflection — Yr Wyddfa perfectly reflected in the twin lakes at Capel Curig. Best at dawn, on a windless day in spring or autumn.
25. Llyn Tegid by kayak — Paddle the full 6km length of Wales's largest natural lake, with the Aran mountains above and the Afanc somewhere beneath.
26. Aber Falls (Rhaeadr Fawr) — A 37m waterfall at the northern edge of the Carneddau, reached by a 4km walk from Abergwyngregyn. One of the tallest in Wales.
27. Conwy Falls — The Afon Conwy drops dramatically through a rocky gorge 3km south of Betws-y-Coed. Accessible from the A5 car park.
28. Llyn Gwynant at sunset — The long valley lake in Nantgwynant, with Yr Wyddfa above and the oak woodland reflected in still water. Best in autumn.
29. Rhaeadr Du, Ganllwyd — A 10m black waterfall in ancient oak woodland above the Mawddach valley. Remote, uncrowded, and outstanding.
30. Llyn Cau, Cadair Idris — The dark, cliff-ringed lake in the cwm below Cadair Idris. One of the most dramatic cirque lakes in Wales. Reached by the Minffordd Path.

Villages and Towns

31. Beddgelert in the evening — After the day visitors have left. The confluence, the bridges, the wooded hills above. Dinner at the Tanronnen.
32. Betws-y-Coed in November — The autumn colours on the Llugwy and Conwy rivers. The gorge walks without the summer crowds.
33. Portmeirion — Clough Williams-Ellis's Italianate fantasy village on its private peninsula. Extraordinary and entirely unlike anywhere else in Wales.
34. Harlech in winter — The castle above the coastal plain, the Rhinogydd snow-capped behind, the town without its summer visitors.
35. Barmouth at high tide — The Mawddach mouth at its most painterly: the Victorian bridge, the estuary, the mountains behind.
36. Dolgellau gold trail — Walk the Mawddach valley from Dolgellau to see where the Welsh gold for royal wedding rings has been extracted since 1854.
37. Aberdyfi on the quay — Painted Georgian houses above the estuary mouth. Listen for the bells of the drowned city. Sail across if you can.
38. Blaenau Ffestiniog slate town — Walk through the grey-stone terraces and enormous slate tips. Severe, honest, UNESCO-listed.
39. Llanberis after rain — The quarry terraces darkening, Llyn Padarn steaming, Yr Wyddfa hidden. Pete's Eats for a bowl of soup.
40. Caernarfon walled town — Edward I's colonial project, now a living Welsh town. Walk the full circuit of the town walls.

History and Heritage

41. Harlech Castle — UNESCO World Heritage Site. Stand on the battlements and look out to sea, then back to the mountains. The gatehouse is one of the finest in Britain.
42. Dolbadarn Castle — Llywelyn ap Iorwerth's round tower above Llyn Padarn. The contrast with Edward's concentric fortresses says everything.
43. Dinas Emrys — The hill above Nantgwynant where Merlin revealed the two dragons. 5th-century CE occupation confirmed by archaeology.
44. National Slate Museum, Llanberis — Free. The Victorian workshops intact; the great water-wheel turning; the slate splitters demonstrating a dying craft.
45. Penrhyn Castle — The neo-Norman pile built on slate quarry profits. National Trust. The slate four-poster bed alone justifies the visit.
46. Roman Steps, Rhinogydd — The ancient paved trackway through the Rhinogydd hills — probably medieval but extraordinary in its remote setting.
47. Cwm Nantcol standing stones — The remote valley above Llanbedr holds several Neolithic and Bronze Age standing stones in spectacular mountain setting.
48. Ffestiniog Railway from Porthmadog — The world's oldest narrow-gauge passenger railway (1836), through the Vale of Ffestiniog to Blaenau. Take the full round trip.
49. Gwydyr Castle, Llanrwst — The 15th-century manor house in the Conwy valley, with extraordinary state rooms and walled garden.
50. Llechwedd Slate Caverns — The underground world of the Victorian slate miner. The Deep Mine tour on the steepest cable railway in Britain.

Food and Drink

51. Cawl at a Welsh pub — Traditional lamb and leek broth, with bread and Welsh cheese, in a pub where Welsh is the everyday language. Order it as "cawl" (rhymes with "owl").
52. Pete's Eats, Llanberis — The walkers' cafe since 1980. Enormous portions, no fuss, genuine welcome. A Snowdon institution.
53. Pen-y-Gwryd Hotel — The 1953 Everest team's base camp. Unchanged in its essentials. The bar ceiling still bears their signatures.
54. Castle Cottage, Harlech — One of the finest restaurants in the national park. Local seafood and Welsh produce, castle views.
55. Mawddach Restaurant, Dolgellau — Estuary views, Welsh produce, locally landed fish. The best dining experience in southern Eryri.
56. Welsh Whisky at Penderyn — Wales's only whisky distillery. Try the Madeira finish, widely available across the park.
57. Lleyn Seafood at Nefyn — Drive to the Llŷn Peninsula for the lobster and crab landed at Nefyn's fishing harbour. Eat at the Ty Coch pub, on the beach.
58. Conwy Valley produce — The Conwy valley holds excellent local producers: Caws Cenarth cheese, Harlech Seasonal organic vegetables, Conwy Valley beef.
59. Blas, Caernarfon — The best restaurant in Caernarfon, in a medieval building within the town walls. Seasonal Welsh cooking at a high level.
60. Bryn Tyrch Inn, Capel Curig — The walkers' pub at the foot of the Glyderau. Real ales, good food, and the best view from any pub garden in Eryri.

Wildlife

61. Peregrine falcon at Cwm Idwal — The fastest animal on earth, nesting on the crags above Wales's first nature reserve. Visit in spring and summer.
62. White-tailed eagle over the Dyfi — The returning eagle. The Montgomeryshire Wildlife Trust's Cors Dyfi reserve is the best viewing point, with live camera feeds in season.
63. Carneddau wild ponies — The semi-wild ancient breed roaming the high Carneddau plateau. Often encountered on the ridge between Carnedd Dafydd and Foel Fras.
64. Pied flycatcher in Gwydir Forest — The summer migrant nesting in the sessile oak woods of the Conwy valley. Listen for the liquid, descending song from April onward.
65. Red kite over Nant yr Arian — The red kite feeding station near Aberystwyth draws up to 100 birds at 3pm daily. One of the great wildlife spectacles in Wales.
66. Chough on the Llŷn cliffs — The red-billed, red-legged crow of Celtic legend, now rare across most of Britain. The cliff paths of the Llŷn Peninsula hold a strong Welsh population.
67. Gwyniad of Llyn Tegid — The unique endemic fish found only in Bala Lake. Knowing it's there, found nowhere else on earth, makes the lake remarkable.
68. Otter on the Glaslyn — The Glaslyn valley below Beddgelert holds a resident otter population. Early morning and late evening, check the river banks.
69. Arctic-alpine plants on Cwm Idwal cliffs — Tufted saxifrage, mountain avens, alpine meadow-rue at their southernmost British localities, left stranded by the retreating ice.
70. Red squirrel in Newborough Forest, Anglesey — Just across the Menai Strait, Newborough Warren holds the largest red squirrel population in Wales. Best seen in autumn at the forest edge.

Culture and Language

71. Order in Welsh — In any cafe in Llanberis, Beddgelert, or Capel Curig, attempt your order in Welsh: "Coffi du, os gwelwch chi'n dda" (black coffee, please). The response will be warm.
72. Read the OS map in Welsh — Navigate a walk using only the Welsh place names on the OS Explorer map. Every name is a description; the map becomes a story.
73. Attend a local Eisteddfod — The local Eisteddfod circuit runs throughout summer across Eryri. A morning of competitive recitation, singing, and poetry in Welsh.
74. Visit a Welsh-medium bookshop — Siop Lyfrau'r Hen Bost in Llanrwst stocks the best range of Welsh-language books in the region.
75. Listen to S4C — The Welsh-language television channel (since 1982) is on Freeview. An evening of Welsh-language news grounds you in the first language of the landscape.
76. Walk a route with all-Welsh signage — Several Eryri NPA waymarked routes use only Welsh on their signposts. Decode the names as you walk.
77. Hear Welsh spoken as an everyday language — In a market, a post office, a school playground. Not performed, not for tourists. The oldest living language in Britain, in daily use.
78. Visit a Welsh Nonconformist chapel — The great 19th-century chapels of the slate towns — Capel Mawr in Bethesda, Salem in Blaenau Ffestiniog — are remarkable buildings and cultural touchstones.
79. Read Y Mabinogion — The great medieval Welsh tales, available in Sioned Davies's authoritative 2007 translation. Read Branwen or Math before walking the Conwy valley.
80. Gelert's Grave — knowingly — Visit the fabricated gravestone in Beddgelert knowing the story of David Pritchard's 1800 invention. The combination of acknowledged fabrication and continued veneration is a genuine Welsh cultural insight.

Adventure

81. Zip World Velocity 2 — The longest zip line in Europe (1.5km) and one of the fastest in the world (160km/h), in the Penrhyn Quarry above Bethesda. Book well in advance.
82. Kayak Llyn Padarn — Rent a kayak in Llanberis and paddle the length of Llyn Padarn. The view of Yr Wyddfa from the lake surface is unique.
83. Mountain bike Coed y Brenin — The Coed y Brenin Forest above Dolgellau has some of the finest dedicated mountain bike trails in Wales — from beginner green routes to demanding red/black trails.
84. Rock climb on the Idwal Slabs — The Idwal Slabs in Cwm Idwal are the classic beginner climbing venue in Wales — gentle-angled friction slabs. Hire a guide from Plas y Brenin.
85. Winter mountaineering on Yr Wyddfa — With crampons and ice axe, in genuine winter condition, the mountain transforms. Guided by Plas y Brenin or local guides.
86. Sea kayak off the Llŷn Peninsula — The Llŷn coast is one of the best sea kayaking areas in Wales — headlands, sea caves, clear water. Several outfitters in Pwllheli offer guided trips.
87. Go Below underground adventure — Abseiling, zip lines, and exploration in the slate caverns above Betws-y-Coed. Intimate, guided, full kit provided.
88. Wild swimming in Glaslyn — Swimming in the copper-green lake beneath the summit of Yr Wyddfa is cold, bracing, and entirely memorable. In summer only; the setting is incomparable.
89. Trail run the Pyg Track — One of the most runnable routes in the park — good surface, spectacular views, enough technical sections to keep it interesting. Early morning, when the path is empty.
90. The Welsh 3,000s in 24 hours — All 15 summits over 3,000 feet, in a single continuous effort. 50km, 4,300m of ascent. One of Britain's great mountain challenges.

Hidden Eryri

91. Cwm Nantcol, Rhinogydd — The remote valley above Llanbedr, with Neolithic standing stones, a 16th-century farmhouse (Maes y Garnedd), and a silence the more visited parts of the park cannot offer.
92. Pared y Cefn Hir, Aran Fawddwy — The long ridge walk south from Dolgellau over high moorland, with views that almost nobody sees. The Aran mountains are the forgotten giants of southern Eryri.
93. Llyn Crafnant valley — The walk from Trefriw to Llyn Crafnant passes a rock overhang associated with a Victorian hermit. One of the quietest valleys in the park.
94. Capel Curig churchyard at dusk — St Julitta's churchyard above the village is one of the finest places in Eryri to watch the light fade over the mountains. Rarely visited; deeply quiet.
95. Rhaeadr y Cwm, Ffestiniog — A waterfall on the Afon Cynfal in the Vale of Ffestiniog that most visitors never find. A short walk from the A470; spectacular in full flow.
96. The smallest house in Conwy — On the quayside at Conwy, the Red House — claimed as the smallest house in Great Britain at 3.05m high and 1.8m wide — is an absurdity with charm.
97. Arenig Fawr (854m) — The isolated, rarely visited summit above Llyn Arenig Fawr. A rough, trackless ascent with enormous views and complete remoteness.
98. Llyn y Bi, Rhinogydd — A remote mountain lake in the Rhinogydd requiring rough navigation to reach. No path, no signpost, no other walkers.
99. The view from Aran Fawddwy (905m) — The highest point in southern Eryri, rarely visited, with one of the most expansive panoramas in Wales.
100. Wild camp on the Carneddau plateau — Camp below Carnedd Llewelyn and wake to sunrise over the Irish Sea with Carneddau ponies grazing at 1,000m.