To visit Eryri (Snowdonia) is to encounter a landscape charged with history, language and mythology. This is not simply a mountain park, it’s the heartland of Welsh cultural identity, the territory of the last native princes of Wales, the landscape that the Welsh language has described without interruption for 1,500 years.
Eryri became a national park in 1951 and covers around 2,130 square kilometres (823 square miles), from the Conwy valley to the Dyfi estuary. More than 26,000 people live within its boundaries, and for many of them Welsh is the language of home, work and chapel. Knowing a little of the story behind the place changes how you see it: a heap of slate becomes a community’s history, a lake becomes the setting of a legend, and a place name becomes a description written centuries ago. Our overview of historic Eryri, from hillforts and Romans to castles and slate is a good place to begin.
What’s in This Section
Why Eryri Feels Unlike Anywhere Else
An essay on what makes Eryri distinctive: the language, the geology, the history of resistance, the sense of an older Britain.
What Is Eryri?
The name, the boundaries, the statistics. Why it was renamed from Snowdonia in 2022, and what that means.
The Welsh Language
The oldest living language in Britain, spoken daily by 60% of Eryri’s residents. How to read place names; what they mean; why they matter.
The Complete History of Yr Wyddfa
From ancient volcanoes and the Ice Age to Welsh princes, Victorian tourists, the mountain railway and the national park: the story of Yr Wyddfa (Snowdon) from the beginning.
The Princes of Gwynedd
Llywelyn the Great, Llywelyn Our Last Leader, and the Welsh castles that preceded Edward I’s iron ring.
The Slate Landscape
The industry that shaped north Wales: the quarries, the great strike of 1900-1903, the UNESCO World Heritage designation, and the terraces visible from space.
The Geology of Snowdon
The volcanic rocks of the mountain and the glaciers that carved its cwms, lakes and knife-edge ridges.
The Wildlife of Snowdon
The Snowdon lily, peregrines, ravens, Arctic charr and the rare alpine plants of Yr Wyddfa, and how to enjoy them without causing harm.
Myths and Legends
Dinas Emrys and Merlin’s dragons, the true story of Gelert’s grave, the Afanc of Llyn Tegid, Arthur beneath Yr Wyddfa. For a shorter list of legends you can visit, see our folklore article.
Y Mabinogion, The Complete Story
A full synopsis of Wales’s oldest tales: the Four Branches, the native tales, and the Three Romances, and how they connect to Harlech, Caernarfon and Dinas Emrys.
The Ultimate Snowdon Photography Guide
Reading the light and weather of the mountains, and the viewpoints that show the landscape at its best.
Where to Start
If you only read one page before a first visit, make it What Is Eryri?, then the Welsh language guide so the road signs and maps start to make sense. History lovers should go next to the Princes of Gwynedd and the slate landscape; walkers will get more from their days on the hill after reading about the geology.
See It on the Ground
Every theme in this section has places where you can stand and see it for yourself.
| Theme | Read | Go and see |
|---|---|---|
| Native princes | Princes of Gwynedd | Dolbadarn Castle, Llanberis |
| Edward I’s conquest | Princes of Gwynedd | Harlech Castle, Caernarfon Castle |
| Slate | The Slate Landscape | National Slate Museum, Blaenau Ffestiniog |
| Legends | Myths and Legends | Dinas Emrys, Gelert’s Grave |
| Ice and rock | Geology | Cwm Idwal |
| Language | The Welsh Language | Hear Welsh spoken every day |
A Few Words of Welsh
Place names in Eryri are usually plain descriptions. Llyn is a lake, cwm a valley or corrie, afon a river, moel a bare hill, bwlch a pass and pen a head or top. Once you know a handful, the map starts to describe the land. Trying a simple diolch (thank you) in a shop or café is always appreciated.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is Snowdonia now called Eryri?
The national park authority began using the Welsh names Eryri and Yr Wyddfa as its main names in late 2022, reflecting the area’s language and heritage. Snowdonia and Snowdon are still widely understood, and we use both on this site. We look at the name change alongside parking and bus changes in how Eryri has changed since 2013.
Do I need to speak Welsh to visit?
No. English is spoken everywhere, but you will hear Welsh in shops, pubs and on the street, and a few words go a long way.
Is the slate landscape a World Heritage Site?
Yes. The Slate Landscape of Northwest Wales was inscribed by UNESCO in 2021, joining the castles and town walls of Edward I in Gwynedd, inscribed in 1986.
Where is the best place to learn about local history in one visit?
Llanberis is a good base: the National Slate Museum, Dolbadarn Castle and the start of the Llanberis Path are all close together, so you can combine history and the mountain in a day.
