Snowdon from Llyn Llydaw — Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0
Snowdonia on the Doorstep
Conwy sits at the northern edge of the Snowdonia National Park, and the mountains that are visible from the castle walls and from Conwy Mountain are within thirty to forty-five minutes' drive. This proximity makes Conwy an excellent base for exploring Snowdonia as well as enjoying the heritage of the walled town, and many visitors combine a day or two in Conwy with a day in the mountains for a North Wales visit that covers both the historical and the natural highlights of the area.
Snowdonia (Eryri in Welsh) became a National Park in 1951 and covers 827 square miles of mountain, lake, forest and valley terrain in North West Wales. Its highest point, Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa), at 1,085 metres is the highest mountain in Wales and England, and the National Park encompasses dozens of other mountains, numerous lakes and reservoirs, and a variety of habitats from coastal dunes to arctic-alpine plateau. The southern areas of the Park — around Cader Idris and the Mawddach Estuary — are a significant distance from Conwy, but the northern and central sections are well within reach for a day trip.
Llanberis and the Snowdon Railway
The most popular single destination in Snowdonia from Conwy is Llanberis, about 25 miles to the west, which sits at the foot of Snowdon and is the departure point for both the Snowdon Mountain Railway and several of the main walking routes to the summit. The Snowdon Mountain Railway is the only rack-and-pinion railway in Britain and has been carrying passengers to the summit since 1896. The journey takes about an hour each way and provides views of the mountain, the surrounding lakes and, from the summit on clear days, a panorama that extends across the whole of Wales and on fine days to Ireland.
Llanberis itself has the excellent National Slate Museum in the former Dinorwig slate quarry workshops, which gives a fascinating picture of the slate industry that shaped this part of North Wales. The village also has good cafes, pubs and outdoor shops, and the lakeside setting between Llyn Padarn and Llyn Peris gives it considerable natural beauty.
Walks Accessible from Conwy
For those who want to walk in Snowdonia rather than take the train, the options are extensive. The Ogwen Valley, about 20 miles from Conwy, provides access to some of the finest mountain walking in Wales without the crowds of the Llanberis-Snowdon corridor. The Carneddau mountains, whose northern foothills begin immediately behind Conwy, extend southward to Carnedd Llywelyn (1,064m) and Carnedd Dafydd (1,044m), two of the highest mountains in Wales, and can be approached on long circular routes from several starting points in the valley.
The Glyderau range in the centre of Snowdonia includes Tryfan, one of the most distinctive mountain shapes in Wales and a classic scrambling route for experienced hillwalkers. The area around Betws-y-Coed (20 miles south of Conwy, around 40 minutes by the Conwy Valley railway) provides gentler forest walking as an introduction to the national park for those not seeking summit routes.
Planning a Snowdonia Day Trip
The key to a successful Snowdonia day trip from Conwy is planning transport and timing carefully. Summer weekends in particular see Llanberis and the main Snowdon car parks become extremely busy, and the National Park now actively manages visitor numbers in the most popular locations. Arriving early — by 8am for the busiest summer weekends — is strongly recommended if you plan to park and walk. Public transport to Snowdonia from Conwy requires changes and is slower than driving, but the Snowdon Sherpa bus service provides transport between the main parking areas and walking start points, which can reduce the parking problem for those prepared to plan ahead.
Day trips