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Walking in Snowdonia National Park

8 Days & 7 Nights 4.2 Read 5 reviews
  • Walk amidst the mightiest peaks of the Snowdonia National Park in North Wales
  • Uncover the history of Wales including Gelert's Grave and its connections to a Welsh prince
  • Discover hidden Llyn Crafnant on the edge of Gwydir Forest and the famous Swallow Falls
  • A memorable ascent of Mount Snowdon the highest peak in England and Wales
  • Riverside walk into the spectacular Abergaslyn Gorge through ancient and peaceful woodland
Walk in the iconic landscapes of Snowdonia National Park surrounded by dramatic mountain peaks. An exceptional corner of Britain, this special region of North Wales entices many walkers from all over the world. This tour has been specifically designed for you to access the sensational mountain views, whilst keeping the walks moderately rated and not too challenging. Staying in the three pretty villages of Betws-y-Coed, Beddgelert and Llanberis gives you an insight to life here, where 65% of the population still speak the local Welsh language, Cymraeg. Historically speaking, this region has a lot to offer, with its slate and copper mining heritage and legends of welsh princes and kings. Partake of a local beer in a cosy pub, take walks through breathtaking scenery of crystal clear lakes and magical woods and even ascend Mount Snowdon if you choose.

What To Expect

This holiday is for those who love walking amidst sensational mountain views and dramatic landscapes. A tour in the mountains, but with moderate walks, that take you within the mountains, alongside lakes and rivers, to pretty villages with the discovery of Welsh history at every turn. You can ascend Snowdon if you wish, which is rated as moderate to strenuous, but this is purely optional.

Trip Type:

Classic Routes | If you’re the active, outdoorsy type, who’s interested in taking on the great routes of the world or looking for a challenge, then our Classic Routes are for you. We’re talking the West Highland Way, Tour Du Mont Blanc and the Passau to Vienna Danube Cycle Path, to name but a few!

Activity:

Multi Centre Walking | With a mix of loop and point-to-point walks stay 2 or 3 nights in one place which offers the chance to slow down and really explore a destination.

This trip is suitable for:

Solo Travellers

As a guide, we would suggest that the minimum age of traveller this holiday would be suitable for is: 17 Years

Ideal if you have an interest in:

  • National Parks

Grade & Terrain

On this tour you will be walking in Snowdonia National Park and along mountain trails, wooded and lakeside routes. You can enjoy stunning mountain views. Sometimes you will walk at a lower level, but at times higher up, where there could be some snow at the beginning and end of the season. We have rated this tour as moderate as generally the walks are not too difficult, but some days do have elevation gains and losses. You will need to be an active and fit person to enjoy the walks on this tour. We have tried to balance the harder walks with easier walks in between where possible. The day before the Snowdon summit is the easiest walk on the tour as it will give you a chance to simply have a more relaxing day before you ascend Mount Snowdon. The walk up Snowdon is rated moderate to strenuous and ultimately is physically demanding.

Navigation

The trails you will follow on this tour very, between way-marked and unwaymarked. However navigation will be straightforward as you can use the Macs Adventure Smartphone App which has maps and the GPS tracks. Simply download the GPS tracks for offline use and follow the route on your phone with the assurance that navigation on this tour will be made simple and you cannot get lost. You will find more information on downloading the app in your Macs Adventure Account.

Accommodation Information

On this tour we will book you into handpicked B&B's, guest houses and at times. small hotels. They are comfortable and clean with great breakfasts and a very warm welcome.

If you are going to book the Escape to Snowdonia tour, please be aware that it is challenging to confirm 1-night stays in Beddgelert on Friday and Saturday nights. Therefore if you have the flexibility it would be advised to try and secure your booking so that you avoid your start date being on Thursdays or Fridays. 

Single Rooms & Solo Walkers

If you require single rooms we would be happy to accommodate you although there is a single room supplement payable.

We welcome solo walkers on this tour, although you should, of course, take extra care in the outdoors and particularly in the mountains when walking solo and you must have the ability to read a map and compass.

Meals

A hearty breakfast is included each morning. Most guesthouses and B&B’s offer a cooked breakfast, which should keep you going for the day.

Lunch and dinner are not included so you are free to choose from the available options. Most of your accommodations will be more than happy to provide a packed lunch on request and this can be booked on arrival. Dinner is available either at your accommodation or nearby pubs and restaurants.

Included
  • Overnights in B&B's, guest houses, small hotels
  • Breakfasts
  • Luggage Transfers
  • Detailed Information Pack
  • GPX tracks and access to our GPS Macs Adventure smartphone app
  • OS Snowdon Map
  • 24/7 telephone support from our UK office
Excluded
  • Travel Insurance (required)
  • Travel to Betws-y-Coed
  • Travel from Llanberis
  • Lunches, dinners, snacks & drinks
  • Taxi transfers or public transport should you need to skip a stage
  • Personal Equipment
  • Local buses to the beginning of walks
  • Entrances to museums, etc
Extras
  • Additional Nights, before, during or after the walk

When To Go

This walking tour can be booked between April and October. The weather in Snowdonia can be quite cool and unpredicable at any time of year, so you should always be prepared with the right gear.  Autumn can be a great time to walk as the path will not have as many people walking on it as the summer months. Spring and early summer are best times to see the flora and fauna along the way.

Weather and Climate

Walking at high levels in Snowdonia National Park means the weather may be very unpredictable. Walking up Mount Snowdon in particular can be hazardous in bad weather and should not be undertaken lightly or at all. It will be very important for you to keep your eye on the forecast. You can visit the following website for more information, Mountain Forecast. If the weather is due to be awful on the day you are scheduled to walk up Snowdon we suggest switching the walk with the Padarn Circular.

Getting to the Start

Betws-y-Coed It is easily accessible from Chester by train via Llandudno in approximately 1H35. In turn Chester is accessible from London, Manchester and Liverpool by train. So you can fly into any of the major UK airports and then carry on to this destination by rail. For more information on times and schedules please access the National Rail website. You can also drive if you wish as there are 24H car parks in the town. The cost varies, but on average its about £5 per day. You can find more information here. To get back to Bews-y-Coed from Llanberis at the end of your tour you can take a bus which takes approximately 40 mins. You can find more information on the Gwynfor Coaches website.

Getting from the End

From your final destination, Llanberis, take a bus to Bangor. This journey takes approximately 1H. From Bangor you can access Chester by train in about 1H20.

If you have parked your car in Betws-y-Coed at the beginning of your tour, you can return there by bus in about 1H. For more information on bus and train timetables please go to the following websites - Gwyn For Coaches and National Rail.

We can also provide transfers for you. Please ask your Adventure and Destination Specialist for more details.

Baggage Transfer

Your bags will be transferred from your accommodation as per your itinerary and moved onto your next overnight accommodation. We ask you to limit your luggage to one bag of up to 20kg per person.

Travel Insurance

It is a requirement of booking this tour with Macs Adventure that you have suitable travel insurance which covers you for the activity and emergency evacuation and hospital care.

What personal equipment do I need?
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How fit do I need to be?
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Itinerary

Day 1 Arrrive in Betws-y-Coed and Overnight Day 2 Walk Capel Curig to Betws-y-Coed via Llyn Crafnant 9 miles / 15 km Day 3 Walk Pen-y-Pass to Beddgelert 8 miles / 13 km Day 4 Beddgelert Circular via Moel y Dyniewyd and Aberglasglyn Gorge 7 miles / 11 km Day 5 Walk Beddgelert to Llanberis via Rhyd Ddu 11 miles / 17 km Day 6 Padarn Lake Loop Walk 6 miles / 9 km Day 7 Snowdon Summit 8 miles / 13 km Day 8 Onward Travel

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