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. The Llanberis guide covers the village’s accommodation, restaurants and full range of things to do in more detail. For those planning to climb, our complete Snowdon climbing guide covers all six routes, the mountain railway and the car-free Sherpa bus option from Conwy — with full route information also at snowdon.com.
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.
Snowdonia Without Climbing
Not every visitor to Snowdonia wants to climb a mountain, and the National Park has plenty to offer those who prefer lower-level or indoor experiences. The National Slate Museum at Llanberis is free to enter and gives a thorough and absorbing account of the slate industry — allow two hours. Blaenau Ffestiniog (reachable from Conwy by the Conwy Valley Railway) has the Llechwedd slate caverns, an underground tour through Victorian slate mines that works well for all ages and in any weather. Zip World at Penrhyn Quarry near Bethesda — about 20 miles from Conwy — offers some of the fastest zip wires in the world and a range of adventure activities set in a former slate quarry landscape; it is one of the most popular family and group destinations in North Wales and booking well in advance is essential.
The drive through the Ogwen Valley on the A5 from Bethesda to Capel Curig is one of the great mountain road journeys in Britain and can be done entirely from a car: the views of the Glyderau, the Carneddau and Snowdon itself from various roadside stops give a proper sense of the scale of the mountains without requiring any walking. Stop at the lake of Llyn Ogwen for the classic view of Tryfan rising directly from the water’s edge, one of the most distinctive mountain silhouettes in Wales.
The Carneddau: Snowdonia Starting from Conwy
The Carneddau mountains begin almost literally in Conwy’s backyard. The hills visible directly behind the town — rising above the Sychnant Pass — are the northern foothills of a range that extends south to Carnedd Llywelyn (1,064m) and Carnedd Dafydd (1,044m), two of the four highest mountains in Wales. For experienced hillwalkers staying in Conwy, the Carneddau offer multi-day mountain routes that begin from the town itself, following the ridge southward without needing a car. The range is characterised by broad grassy plateaus, remote cwms and a feeling of wildness that the more visited Snowdon area can lack on a busy summer day.
The Carneddau are also home to a semi-feral herd of mountain ponies that roam freely across the high plateau — a genuinely memorable encounter on a clear day at altitude. For those with less time or experience, the ridge from Conwy Mountain toward the Roman road at Bwlch y Ddeufaen gives a taste of the high Carneddau country in a half-day walk without technical difficulty. The views from this ridge — south to Snowdon, north to the Irish Sea — are among the finest in North Wales.
Day trips