Snowdonia, or Eryri (Welsh: [ɛrəri]), is a mountainous area and national park in North Wales. It includes all 15 mountains in Wales that are over 3,000 feet tall, such as Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa), which is the highest mountain in Wales at 1,085 meters (3,560 feet). These mountains are part of the Snowdon, Glyderau, and Carneddau mountain ranges in the northern part of the region. The lower Moelwynion and Moel Hebog ranges are located directly to the south.

The national park covers 823 square miles (2,130 square kilometers), making it the fourth-largest in the United Kingdom. It includes most of central and southern Gwynedd and the western part of Conwy County Borough. This area is much larger than the traditional Snowdonia (Eryri) region and includes additional mountain ranges such as Rhinogydd, Cadair Idris, Aran, and the Dyfi Hills. It also includes most of the coast from Porthmadog to Aberdyfi. The park was the first of Wales’s three national parks to be created in October 1951. It became the third national park in the UK after the Peak District and Lake District, which were established in April and May 1951, respectively. In 2015, the park welcomed 3.89 million visitors.

Toponymy

The name "Snowdon" means "snow hill" and comes from the Old English words "snāw" (meaning "snow") and "dūn" (meaning "hill"). It was first written as Snawdune in 1095. The name "Snowdonia" comes from the mountain's name and was first recorded in 1284. However, there is no proof that people used it often until the nineteenth century. The Welsh name for the mountain is Yr Wyddfa, which is not connected to the name of the area.

The name "Eryri" was first recorded in 1191. It likely comes from the word "eryr," which means "ridge." The word "Eryri" also refers to the area around Snowdon. A common belief is that the name means "place of the eagle," since "eryr" can also mean "eagle." These two meanings are probably related.

Extent

Before the national park's boundaries were set, the term "Snowdonia" usually referred to a smaller highland area in northern Gwynedd centered around the Snowdon massif. The national park covers an area more than twice as large, extending south into the Meirionnydd region.

This difference is visible in books published before 1951. In George Borrow's 1862 book Wild Wales, he wrote that "Snowdon or Eryri is no single hill, but a mountainous region, the loftiest part of which [is] called Y Wyddfa," showing a distinction between the mountain's peak and the surrounding area. The 1925 book The Mountains of Snowdonia by H. Carr & G. Lister described "Eryri" as including the two cantrefs of Arfon and Arllechwedd and the two commotes of Nant Conwy and Eifionydd, which matches the area of Caernarfonshire except for southwest Llŷn and the Creuddyn Peninsula.

In Geography Volume 26, a journal from 1941, Thomas Cotterill Warrington wrote a section titled "Nomenclature in the Mountains of Carnarvonshire," explaining both "Snowdonia" and "Eryri." He described "Snowdonia" as a term used by tourists or climbers, covering the area centered on Pen-y-Gwryd. Its boundaries stretched from the Conwy valley to Fairy Glen gorge (near Betws-y-Coed), then from the Lledr Valley toward Dolwyddelan, across the hills to the Ffestiniog and Porthmadog valleys, and along the road to Caernarfon passing Dolbenmaen and Llanllyfni. He defined "Eryri" as including all of what he called "Snowdonia" plus the highlands between Bwlch Mawr and Yr Eifl.

In the 1946 book National Parks for Britain by Henry Chessell, he noted that "Snowdonia" was a Latin term from Edward I of England, referring to the "mountain district of Carnarvonshire." This area included the mountains of Snowdon, the Carneddau, Glyderau, Moel Hebog, and the ranges extending from Moel Siabod forming the Moelwynion in neighboring Merionethshire. The Nant Ffrancon Pass, Llanberis Pass, the glen between Siabod, the Glyderau, and Capel Curig, and the Gwynant valley to Beddgelert separate these mountain groups. Snowdonia was also suggested to extend further south into Merionethshire, with this part bounded by the Afon Glaslyn to the north, the glen between Dolgellau and Trawsfynydd to the east, Cadair Idris (overlooking the Mawddach estuary) to the south, and the coast to the west.

In Snowdonia: The National Park of North Wales (1949), F. J. North wrote that "When the Committee delineated provisional boundaries, they included areas some distance beyond Snowdonia proper."

National park

Eryri National Park (Welsh: Parc Cenedlaethol Eryri), officially known as Snowdonia National Park in English before, was created in October 1951 under the National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act 1949. The 1947 Hobhouse Report, which led to the Act, suggested forming a "North Wales National Park" with boundaries similar to those later used, but including the area around Lake Vyrnwy and excluding the coastal area from Harlech to Barmouth. It was the third national park in the United Kingdom, following the Peak District and Lake District in April and May 1951.

The park covers 823 square miles (2,130 km²), including much of central and southern Gwynedd and the western part of Conwy County Borough. It has 23 miles (37 km) of coastline. The Hobhouse Report advised against including the town of Blaenau Ffestiniog in the park due to the damage caused by its slate quarries. The town is a separate area near the center of the park. Coastal towns like Tywyn and Barmouth are also not included in the park.

The park is managed by a national park authority, created in 1995 and made up of 18 members: 9 from Gwynedd Council, 3 from Conwy County Borough Council, and 6 from the Welsh Government to represent national interests. The authority’s main office is in Penrhyndeudraeth. Unlike national parks in other countries, UK national parks include both public and private land managed by a central planning group. Over 26,000 people live in the park, and in 2011, 58.6% of them could speak Welsh. Most of the land is open or mountainous, but there is also significant agricultural activity.

The national park authority used the name "Snowdonia" in English until November 2022, when it began changing to use only "Eryri" to support the Welsh language. It also started using "Yr Wyddfa" instead of "Snowdon" for the mountain. After a two-year transition, the authority confirmed in November 2024 that the changes would remain because they gained support and were widely adopted by businesses and the media. The park’s logo was also updated to remove "Snowdonia."

Geology

The geology of Snowdonia plays an important role in shaping the area's appearance. Glaciers from many ice ages carved a rocky landscape from layers of sedimentary and igneous rocks that are folded and cracked. The last ice age ended more than 11,500 years ago, creating natural features that attract visitors and helped scientists study geology. In 1841, Charles Darwin visited Cwm Idwal and recognized that the landscape was shaped by glaciers. The bedrock in the area is mostly from the Cambrian and Ordovician periods, with some rocks from the Ordovician and Silurian periods linked to the Caledonian Orogeny. Smaller areas of Silurian sedimentary rocks exist in the south and northeast, and Cenozoic-era rocks are found along the Cardigan Bay coast, though they are covered by newer deposits. Mild changes to Cambrian and Ordovician mudstones formed slates, which were once the main resource used in the region's economy.

Geography

The main mountain ranges in traditional Snowdonia include the Snowdon massif, the Glyderau, the Carneddau, the Moelwynion, and the Moel Hebog range. All of Wales' mountains that are 3,000 feet (914 meters) tall are found in the first three of these areas and are very popular with visitors. To the south of these ranges, within the larger national park, are the Rhinogydd and the Cadair Idris and Aran Fawddwy ranges. Other mountains not easily grouped into these areas are sometimes organized by guidebooks into groups like the "Arenigs," the "Tarrens," and the "Dyfi hills."

Snowdon's peak at 1,085 meters (3,560 feet) is the highest point in Wales and the highest in Britain south of the Scottish Highlands. Aran Fawddwy, at 905 meters (2,969 feet), is the tallest mountain in Wales outside northern Snowdonia. Cadair Idris, at 893 meters (2,930 feet), is the next highest.

Rivers that flow directly into Cardigan Bay are usually short and steep. From north to south, they include:
– the Glaslyn and Dwyryd rivers, which share a common estuary,
– the Mawddach River and its tributaries, the Wnion and Eden rivers,
– the smaller Dysynni River,
– and the Dyfi River on the southern edge of the park.

Other rivers drain into the north coast. The largest of these is the Conwy River on the park's eastern edge, which, along with the Ogwen River, flows into Conwy Bay. Further west, the Seiont and Gwyrfai rivers empty into the western end of the Menai Strait. Part of the eastern side of the national park is in the upper Dee (Dyfrydwy) river catchment, which includes Llyn Tegid (Bala Lake), the largest natural body of water in Wales.

A complete list of rivers and tributaries in the area can be found in the "List of rivers of Wales."

There are few large natural bodies of water in Wales, but Snowdonia has many. In addition to Llyn Tegid, some lakes are found in glacial troughs, such as Llyn Padarn and Llyn Peris near Llanberis and Tal-y-llyn Lake south of Cadair Idris. Other lakes in this category include Llyn Dinas, Llyn Gwynant, Llyn Cwellyn, Llyn Cowlyd, and Llyn Ogwen near the Carneddau. Many smaller lakes, formed by glaciers, are called tarns. Examples are Llyn Llydaw, Glaslyn, and Llyn Du'r Arddu on Snowdon, Llyn Idwal in the Glyderau, and Llyn Cau on Cadair Idris.

Two large man-made lakes in the area are Llyn Celyn and Llyn Trawsfynydd. Some natural lakes have been artificially raised in level. Marchlyn Mawr reservoir and the Llyn Stwlan reservoir at Ffestiniog Power Station are examples of natural tarns that were dammed for hydroelectric power.

A full list of lakes in the area is found in the "List of lakes of Wales." In 2023, the park standardized its Welsh names for lakes, which are now also used in English.

The national park meets the Irish Sea coast in Cardigan Bay between the Dovey estuary in the south and the Dwyryd estuary in the north. The larger part of this coastline has dune systems, the largest of which are Morfa Dyffryn and Morfa Harlech. These areas have two of the largest sand and shingle spits in Wales. The Mawddach and Dwyryd estuaries are the largest indentations on the coast and include large areas of intertidal sand and coastal marsh that are important for wildlife. The northern tip of the park reaches the north coast of Wales at Penmaen-bach Point, west of Conwy, where steep cliffs require road and railway tunnels.

Only three towns are within the park boundary, but several others are nearby. Dolgellau is the largest, followed by Bala on the eastern edge and Harlech overlooking Tremadog Bay. Blaenau Ffestiniog, a town surrounded by the park but not within it, is more populated. Tywyn and Barmouth on the Cardigan Bay coast are in coastal areas outside the park. Other towns like Llanrwst, Machynlleth, Porthmadog, and Penrhyndeudraeth are just outside the park but are closely linked to it. Porthmadog hosts the headquarters of the Snowdonia National Park Authority. Towns like Conwy, Bethesda, and Llanberis in the north are also closely connected to the park because they provide services for visitors. The lower end of the Snowdon Mountain Railway is at Llanberis. Nearby towns like Llanfairfechan and Penmaenmawr are less clearly connected to the park.

Smaller settlements within the park include Betws-y-Coed, a gateway village on the east, Aberdyfi near the Dovey (Dyfi) estuary, and Beddgelert, a village that attracts many visitors. Other notable villages are Llanuwchllyn near the southern end of Llyn Tegid (Bala Lake), Dyffryn Ardudwy, Corris, Trawsfynydd, Llanbedr, Trefriw, and Dolwyddelan.

Six main roads serve Snowdonia. The busiest is the A55, a two-lane road that runs along the coast. Other roads include the A4

Climate

Snowdonia is one of the rainiest areas in the United Kingdom. Crib Goch in Snowdonia is the rainiest spot in the United Kingdom, receiving an average rainfall of 4,473 millimeters (176.1 inches) each year over a 30-year period before the mid-2000s. There is a rainfall gauge located 713 meters (2,339 feet) up the slopes below Crib Goch.

History

The earliest signs of people living in this area are from about 4000–3000 BC. There are many signs of old farming areas in the landscape. These areas include unusual enclosures and circular houses. Burial places from the Neolithic and Bronze Age, such as Bryn Cader Faner, and Iron Age hillforts, like Bryn y Castell near Ffestiniog, are also found here.

The Romans conquered the region by AD 77–78. Evidence of Roman military camps and training areas remains. A Roman fort and amphitheater were located at Tomen y Mur. Roads connected this area to Segontium (Caernarfon) and Deva Victrix (Chester), including parts of the northern section of Sarn Helen.

Many memorial stones from the early Christian period, after the Romans left, are present. A hillfort called Dinas Emrys also dates to this time. Churches were built in the 5th and 6th centuries. Llywelyn the Great and Llywelyn ap Gruffudd built stone castles to protect their borders and trade routes. Edward I built castles, such as those at Harlech and Conwy, for military and administrative purposes. Most of these castles are now protected as part of a World Heritage Site. Some of Snowdonia’s stone walls also date back to this time. During the Middle Ages, Llywelyn ap Gruffudd used the title Prince of Wales and Lord of Snowdonia (Tywysog Cymru ac Arglwydd Eryri). His grandfather, Llywelyn Fawr, used the title Prince of North Wales and Lord of Snowdonia.

In the 18th century, people began using the area’s natural resources for industry. Turnpike trusts, which built roads, made the area more accessible. Engineer Thomas Telford built roads and railways in and around Snowdonia. A new harbor at Porthmadog connected to slate quarries at Ffestiniog through a narrow-gauge railway. At its peak in the 19th century, the slate industry employed about 12,000 men. Another 1,000 worked in stone quarries at Graiglwyd and Penmaenmawr. Copper, iron, and gold were mined during the 18th and 19th centuries, leaving behind ruins of mines and mills today. Ruins from the gold industry are found at Cefn Coch on the Dolmelynllyn estate.

The Snowdonia Society is a charity formed in 1967. It is a group of people who care about the area and its protection.

In 1972, one of the names Caernarvon Borough Council suggested for the third district of Gwynedd was "Eryri." The other name chosen later became the district of Arfon.

Amory Lovins led efforts in the 1970s to stop Rio Tinto from mining the area for a large mine.

Natural history

The park’s entire coastline is a Special Area of Conservation, which stretches from the Llŷn Peninsula along the mid-Wales coast. This area includes important sand dune systems.

The park’s natural forests are mixed deciduous forests, with Welsh oak being the most common tree. Birch, ash, mountain-ash, and hazel are also found in these forests. The park also has large planted coniferous forests, such as Gwydir Forest near Betws-y-Coed. Some areas that were once harvested are now allowed to regrow naturally.

Northern Snowdonia is the only place in Britain where the Snowdon lily (Gagea serotina), an arctic–alpine plant, grows. It is also the only place in the world where the Snowdonia hawkweed (Hieracium snowdoniense) is found.

A major problem in the park has been the growth of Rhododendron ponticum. This invasive plant spreads quickly and harms native plants. It can grow very tall and has a fungus on its roots that produces toxins. These toxins remain harmful to local plants and animals for seven years after the plant is removed. This has created areas that look empty and lifeless.

Mammals in the park include otters, polecats, feral goats, and pine martens. Birds found here include ravens, red-billed choughs, peregrines, ospreys, merlins, and red kites. The brightly colored Snowdon beetle (Chrysolina cerealis) is only found in northern Snowdonia.

The feral goats in Snowdonia are adapted to rough, steep areas. They are believed to have descended from domesticated goats brought to the region by Neolithic farmers about 5,000 years ago. These goats became feral after being abandoned by farmers and now live in small groups. One group near Llanberis had more than 50 goats in 2003, despite a population control effort in 2006.

Snowdonia has many protected areas because of its diverse ecosystems. Nearly 20% of the park is protected by UK and European laws. Half of this area was set aside under the European Habitats Directive as a Special Area of Conservation. The park includes many Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs), which are protected for their plants, animals, and sometimes geology. Nineteen of these sites are managed as national nature reserves by Natural Resources Wales. The park also has twelve Special Areas of Conservation (SACs), three Special Protection Areas (SPAs), and three Ramsar sites. Some of these areas are fully within the park, while others extend beyond its boundaries.

The most extensive SSSIs in the park include Snowdonia, Migneint-Arenig-Dduallt, Morfa Harlech, Rhinog, Berwyn, Cadair Idris, Llyn Tegid, Aber Mawddach/Mawddach Estuary, Dyfi, Morfa Dyffryn, Moel Hebog, Coedydd Dyffryn Ffestiniog, and Coedydd Nanmor.

National nature reserves (NNRs) within or partly within the park include Allt y Benglog, Y Berwyn (in multiple parts), Cader Idris, Ceunant Llennyrch, Coed Camlyn, Coed Cymerau, Coed Dolgarrog, Coed Ganllwyd, Coed Gorswen, Coed Tremadog, Coedydd Aber, Coedydd Maentwrog (in two parts), Coed y Rhygen, Cwm Glas Crafnant, Cwm Idwal, Hafod Garregog, Morfa Harlech, Rhinog, and Snowdon.

The twelve SACs are:
• Afon Eden – Cors Goch Trawsfynydd
• Afon Gwyrfai and Llyn Cwellyn
• Part of the Berwyn and South Clwyd Mountains SAC
• Cadair Idris (in two parts)
• Coedydd Derw and Safleoedd Ystlumod Meirion (Meirionydd Oakwoods and Bat Sites), including areas between Tremadog, Trawsfynydd, Ffestiniog, and Beddgelert, and extending up the Gwynant. This includes oakwoods along the Mawddach and its tributaries.
• Corsydd Eifionydd (Eifionydd Fens) (north of Garndolbenmaen)
• Eryri/Snowdonia, covering much of the Carneddau, Glyderau, and Snowdon massif
• Migneint-Arenig-Dduallt
• Mwyngloddiau Fforest Gwydir (Gwydir Forest Mines) (north of Betws-y-Coed)
• The Pen Llyn a'r Sarnau/Lleyn Peninsula and the Sarnau SAC, covering the entire Cardigan Bay coastline of the park, the sea area, and extending above the high water mark at Morfa Harlech, Mochras, and around the Dovey and Mawddach estuaries.
• Rhinog
• River Dee and Bala Lake (Afon Dyfrdwy and Llyn Tegid)

The three SPAs are Dovey Estuary (Aber Dyfi) (part within the park), Berwyn (part within the park), and Migneint-Arenig-Dduallt.

The three Ramsar sites are the Dyfi Biosphere (Cors Fochno and Dyfi), Cwm Idwal, and Llyn Tegid (Bala Lake).

Economy

The area’s economy was traditionally focused on farming. From the early 1900s, mining and quarrying became more important. Tourism has grown as a key part of Snowdonia’s economy in the 1900s and 2000s.

Sheep farming remains a central part of Snowdonia’s farming economy.

During the 1900s, large areas of the park were planted with trees to produce timber. Major areas where pine trees were planted include Dyfi Forest, Coed y Brenin Forest between Dolgellau and Trawsfynydd, Penllyn Forest near Bala, Beddgelert Forest, and Gwydyr Forest near Betws-y-Coed. These forests are managed by Natural Resources Wales.

Snowdonia was once the world’s largest producer of slate. Some slate production still happens, but it is much less than in the past. Much of the land affected by slate mining lies just outside the park’s boundaries.

A nuclear power plant was built near Llyn Trawsfynydd in 1959. It began producing power in 1965 and operated until 1991. It still employs people during its shutdown process. Hydroelectric power plants using water pumps are active at Llanberis and Ffestiniog.

In 2013, Snowdonia National Park had 3.67 million visitors. These visitors spent about 9.74 million days in the park. Tourists spent £433.6 million in total during that year.

Many hikers visit Snowdon, the highest mountain in the area. It is a popular mountain but can be very crowded. A train called the Snowdon Mountain Railway goes to the mountain’s top.

Other high mountains with rocky peaks, including Tryfan, are also popular. Tryfan is one of the few mountains in the UK south of Scotland that requires climbers to use both hands and feet to reach the top. Lower mountains in Snowdonia also have beautiful walking trails that are less crowded. Popular walks include Y Garn near Llanberis, Mynydd Tal-y-Mignedd near Snowdon, Moelwyn Mawr near Blaenau Ffestiniog, and Pen Llithrig y Wrach near Capel Curig. Further south, Y Llethr in the Rhinogydd and Cadair Idris near Dolgellau are also favorites.

Snowdonia has 1,479 miles (2,380 km) of public footpaths, 164 miles (264 km) of bridleways, and 46 miles (74 km) of other public paths. Much of the park allows people to walk freely on land owned by others.

The Wales Coast Path runs through the park between Machynlleth and Penrhyndeudraeth, except for short sections near Tywyn and Barmouth. It reaches the park’s boundary again at Penmaen-bach Point on the north coast. An inland path between Llanfairfechan and Conwy is entirely within the park. The North Wales Path, which was created before the Wales Coast Path, enters the park near Bethesda and follows the north coast, passing Aber Falls and Sychnant Pass before leaving the park near Conwy Mountain. The Cambrian Way is a long walking trail from Cardiff to Conwy. It runs mostly within the park from Mallwyd northward. It was officially recognized in 2019 and now appears on Ordnance Survey maps.

Use ofEryriin English

There have been suggestions to use the Welsh name, Eryri, instead of "Snowdonia" in English-language materials. In 2003, a group called Cymuned worked to change the name, inspired by similar efforts, such as renaming Ayers Rock to Uluru and Mount Everest to Qomolangma. In 2020, an online petition asking to remove the English name was sent to the Senedd but was not accepted because the Snowdonia National Park Authority is responsible for such decisions. In 2021, another online petition on the same topic received more than 5,300 signatures and was shared with the national park authority. The authority was already reviewing its language policy but said the petition helped it take "decisive action." In November 2022, the authority decided to use Welsh names as much as legally allowed, though it must still use "Snowdonia" in official documents. Before this decision, the authority had already used Welsh names first, with English names in parentheses. This policy applies only to the national park authority.

In November 2024, the authority said the name change was a "success" because many businesses and media had adopted the Welsh name. A summer survey showed "strong support" from both local people and visitors for the change. Some people had questions about the Welsh names, such as thinking they were new or mispronouncing them. However, the authority said the change helped the park become more connected to Welsh identity and more distinct from other UK national parks. The authority plans to create a pronunciation guide and update its logo, which still includes "Snowdonia." Two days later, the authority released a new logo that no longer includes the name "Snowdonia."