Did you know that Snowdonia National Park in North Wales has got the second highest mountain in the UK (the first is the Highlands in Scotland)? The nearest airport is Liverpool or Manchester.
The best time to visit is between May and September. We decided to go there in the Summer, and we were very lucky with the weather as in the mountains it can be quite unpredictable. The locals told me that sometimes it is so cloudy that you can’t have a good view from the top.
While driving to where the track starts the views were already spectacular. The fields were so green and some even have some purple flowers that made everything so beautiful. We had lunch in a local pub and the menu was showing the two languages, the shops and the traffic signs were showing both languages too. I think the Welsh are very proud of their roots. It was really interesting to see how everything was in the two languages (English and Welsh).
Where to stay in Snowdonia National Park
We stayed at an Airbnb in Menai Bridge, which is about 30 minutes driving from where the track starts. Because it was high season and a bank holiday, I couldn’t find accommodation in a more central location, so I recommend that you book in advance. Llanberis is the main town, the most popular track starts there and it’s the place to stay if you are travelling by public transport.
Climbing to the summit of Mount Snowdon
You have two options here, you either climb the mountain or you can take a train. There are a lot of thrills to choose from, and we decided to take the Pyg Track (not the most difficult but surely not the easiest either). It was our first time climbing a mountain, there was a lot more people there due to it being bank holiday and it was really hot which made the climb a bit tiring. It took us three hours to climb and I felt very exhausted half-way through. It felt like it would never end and I couldn’t see the end of the track yet but thanks to H’s support, I was able to finish 🙂 On my way to the top I took some photos and these are my favourites.
Once at the top, the feeling is unbelievable, I felt so proud of myself! The view is spectacular and the train passing by gives it an extra character. There are toilets and a café at the top of the summit where you can have a drink and eat something. The prices are okay and it’s good to have a break to charge some energies to go back.
The walk on the way down was by far easier as we decided to take the easiest path to go back (Llanberis) and then we took a taxi to our car park.
Final tips
- Bring a LOT of water and food (Really!) – H was always making fun of me saying that we were not going to climb the Mount Everest but the truth is that we ended up rationalizing our water to have enough to go back
- Bring a comfortable pair of boots
- Bring a good jacket (better dress up in layers)
I love waterfalls, so I really wanted to visit one more so our lovely Airbnb hosts recommended us to visit Aber Falls. It takes about 40 minutes walking from the car park to the waterfall but compared to climbing a mountain, it was a piece of cake! The waterfall is quite impressive and it is the biggest one I have ever seen.
I would definitely go back to Snowdonia National Park and next time I want to take the train up, you know, just sit back, relax and enjoy the views! There are loads to do in the area so if you can stay longer, you can visit the nearby beaches and discover more of the Snowdonia.
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