There is so much beauty in the UK and so much I have yet to see. Most of my UK posts are places within two hours outside of London, so a little easier to plan a weekend or long weekend away. But recently I went to Wales and it was stunning.
You may have heard of Mount Snowdon or Snowdonia, the mountainous region in North-west Wales. It’s about a five hour drive from London, or if you were taking the train it’s about three hours from London Euston to Bangor, and then either public transit or a local taxi.
We went over a bank holiday so arrived Friday evening and headed back on Monday. This was a good amount of time and if you’re going so far, I’d recommend making it a long weekend if possible.
Behind the scenes:
- I’m a big fan of Airbnb and Wales was the perfect place to book a cottage. Our place was about a 20 min drive to the start of our hike up Mount Snowdon.
- There are quite a few trails to get up Snowdon. We did the Rhyd Ddu Path which I’d recommend. It was scenic and not too challenging. You need to be able to walk uphill and on rocky surfaces, but as long as you’re physically fit you can do it.
- We started at 8am and parking was no issue. From previous experience, I know parking can be a nightmare, especially on weekends. So do some research or just plan to leave early just to be safe.
- The first time I did Snowdon three summers ago we followed the PYG Track. Getting parking was so difficult for this one as it was quite popular, so unless you plan to arrive before 8am, you won’t get a spot. We arrived around 9am and ended up parking so far away that we hitch-hiked our way back to the car park so we could start the hike!
- It took us about six hours round trip on the Rhyd Ddu path and that included some chill time at the top to have our lunch, take photos and enjoy the view.
- Your route up might not be busy, but once you’re at the top you realise how many people were hiking up at the same time as you, just on different paths.
- There’s also a train that goes up. I’ve never done it before but an option for those unable to do the hike.
- I would factor in one day for Snowdon and if you enjoy ziplining with a view, check out Zipworld for the next day. I did it on my previous trip and it was good fun.
- There are some beautiful lakes in Snowdonia and we spent our second day walking around Llyn Idwal. It reminded me so much of Canada with all its natural beauty.
Final thoughts:
- While it’s quite far away, I definitely recommend taking a trip to Snowdonia to do Mount Snowdon, and possibly some smaller walks around the lakes. It’s so picturesque and refreshing to be outdoors.
- Llyn Idwal also had rock climbing that looked amazing. We sat down to watch and started chatting to someone. It looked difficult but it was for all ages and abilities, so definitely something to consider if you’re interested.
- Once you’ve tackled Mount Snowdon, you can try the Three Peaks Challenge.
- It’s such a shame that London is so well connected via public transport, but places like Snowdonia become really difficult to get around locally. I think you need a car for this one, especially driving around from car parks to lakes to viewpoints etc.
PS – pack your own lunch to enjoy at the top. The cafe had tea, coffee and some hot food, but not a great selection for vegetarians. Lucky we came prepared!
The start of our hike up the Rhyd Ddu Path
The top of Mount Snowdon – all the trails end and it gets very busy
Llyn Idwal
Rock Climbing at Llyn Idwal
