Snowdonia has been renowned for walking since Victorian times, hence the famous photo of crinolined women on the summit of Snowdon. Since then the main mountains of Snowdonia have been well trodden.

There are plenty of paths on Snowdon, the Glyders, and the Carneddau but the surrounding mountains are often quieter and equally spectacular. For example, Carnedd Moel Siabod with its dramatic arête, Cader Idris in the south of the Park and the Rhinogs, also further south, with the 'Roman Steps' - a mediaeval packhorse trail rising high up to cross a mountain pass.

These walks all require mountaineering skills including navigation and a reasonable level of fitness, and are also weather dependent. However, weather forecasts are available from Tourist Information Offices and some outdoor shops. Many of the more popular routes up the mountains are not necessarily public rights of way and are therefore not obvious on O.S. maps, but plenty of books exist to guide you to the summits.

Less publicized until recently is the wealth of footpaths in the lower hills and valleys which provide all day walks with spectacular views of mountains without the same effort. They are ideal for people unable (or unwilling!) to scale the heights, and also for bad weather days. They include a great variety of landscapes including woodland, forestry, farmland, moorland, rivers and lakes. As well as the natural landscape there is a wealth of prehistory and history to be seen, such as burial chambers (Capel Garmon), Welsh castles (Dolbadarn, Castell-y-Bere and Dolwyddelan), ancient lead mines (Gwydir Forest) and atmospheric slate quarries (too many areas to mention).

The best wooded valleys are the Rivers Lledr and Llugwy and the Vale of Ffestiniog, while the Gwydir Forest boasts the most varied walking of all the forests. As well as forestry it includes farmland, moorland, mines and many lakes. Walking is generally fairly gentle on tracks or paths. Some routes follow old Roman Roads e.g. Sarn Helen, while new cycle routes in the Bethesda, Bangor and Caernarfon area also provide traffic free walks. A new long distance waymarked walk has been labelled on the Outdoor Leisure Series of O.S. maps, crossing the northern edge of the Park from Bangor to Prestatyn.

© Delweddau Algieri Images

Further reading ...

Hilary Books have produced three books of local walks in Snowdonia. All books contain details of the walk, plus interesting background information on the history of the landscape through which the walks pass.
New! - Now you can still go walking if you have a child with a pushchair. Walks in North Wales with a Pushchair includes 22 tried and tested walks suitable for a light weight pushchair.

For more information see the Hilary Books advert in the shopping section of Snowdonia Wales Net.