The Mountains Of Snowdonia

Please do not use the information contained in the following pages as a substitute for maps and guidebooks.
Before attempting any mountain or hill walking please read the safety advice.

Introduction

For nearly two hundred years the mountains of North Wales have been used for adventure, sport and training. But long before that they were a defensive barrier against the invading armies of the Romans, Saxons and Normans.

When Telford's road, which is now part of the A5, was opened in the early 19th century, North Wales became accessible by coach, and wealthy tourists ventured into the mountains. Before long it became fashionable to ascend Snowdon on a pony with a guide. The other mountains were mainly ignored though, until rock climbing became popular at the end of the 19th century and climbers discovered that Snowdonia offered similar (if smaller) climbs to those found in the Alps.

The mountains of Snowdonia can be split into around ten different ranges, with 90 peaks over 2000ft and 15 over 3000ft, covered by almost 1440 miles of public footpath. For now though I'll just be concentrating on Yr Wyddfa (Snowdon) and The Glyders (including Tryfan).

The Glyders | Yr Wyddfa (Snowdon) | Tryfan