Tryfan's north ridge (seen on the left in this picture) in Snowdonia. Tryfan is 915 metres or 3,002 feet high, and one of the highest mountains in Wales.

Snowdonia National Park

Snowdonia (Welsh: Eryri) is a region of north Wales and a national park, of 838 square miles (2,170 km²) in area. It was the first to be designated of the three National Parks in Wales, in 1951. Tryfan is one of the most recognisable summits in Snowdonia. ... Tryfan is one of the most recognisable summits in Snowdonia. ... Tryfan is one of the most recognisable summits in Snowdonia. ... The or meter (see spelling differences) is a measure of length. ... A foot (plural: feet or foot;[1] symbol or abbreviation: ft or, sometimes, ′ – a prime) is a unit of length, in a number of different systems, including English units, Imperial units, and United States customary units. ... The Welsh 3,000s are the mountains of Wales over 3,000 feet high (914. ... Image File history File linksMetadata No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File linksMetadata No higher resolution available. ... Welsh redirects here, and this article describes the Welsh language. ... Approximate extent of North Wales North Wales (known in some archaic texts as Northgalis) is the northernmost unofficial region of Wales, bordered to the south by Mid Wales. ... Brecon Beacons National Park, Wales, UK A national park is a reserve of land, usually declared and owned by a national government, protected from most human development and pollution. ... Square kilometre (US spelling: Square kilometer), symbol km², is an SI unit of surface area. ... The Brecon Beacons National Park, looking from the highest point of Pen Y Fan (886 m/2907 feet) to Corn Du (873 m/2864 feet) The national parks of England and Wales are areas of relatively undeveloped and scenic landscape that are designated under the National Parks and Access to... 1951 (MCMLI) was a common year starting on Monday; see its calendar. ...

Name and extent

The English name for the area derives from Snowdon, which is the highest mountain in Wales at 1085 metres (3,560 feet). In Welsh, the area is named Eryri. It is a common assumption that this is derived from eryr ("eagle"), but in fact it means quite simply Highlands, as leading Welsh scholar Sir Ifor Williams proved.^[1] The English language is a West Germanic language that originates in England. ... Snowdon, the highest mountain in Wales and the highest British mountain south of the Scottish Highlands, is probably the busiest mountain in Britain [1]. It is located in Snowdonia National Park (Welsh: Parc Cenedlaethol Eryri). ... Lyskamm, 4 527 m, Pennine Alps A mountain is a landform that extends above the surrounding terrain in a limited area. ... This article is about the country. ... The or meter (see spelling differences) is a measure of length. ... A foot (plural: feet or foot;[1] symbol or abbreviation: ft or, sometimes, ′ – a prime) is a unit of length, in a number of different systems, including English units, Imperial units, and United States customary units. ... Welsh redirects here, and this article describes the Welsh language. ... Sir Ifor Williams (April 16, 1881 - November 4, 1965) was a Welsh scholar who laid the foundations for the academic study of Old Welsh, particularly early Welsh poetry. ...

Today the word "Snowdonia" is largely synonymous with the Snowdonia National Park, although prior to the designation of the boundaries of the National Park, the term "Snowdonia" was generally used to refer to a smaller area, namely the more mountainous and northern areas closer to Snowdon itself. This is apparent in books published prior to 1951 such as "Wild Wales" by George Borrow (published by Collins, London in 1862) and "The Mountains of Snowdonia" by H. Carr & G. Lister (published by Lockwood, London in 1925). F. J. North, as editor of the book "Snowdonia" (published by Collins, London in 1949) states "When the Committee delineated provisional boundaries, they included areas some distance beyond Snowdonia proper." Snowdon, the highest mountain in Wales and the highest British mountain south of the Scottish Highlands, is probably the busiest mountain in Britain [1]. It is located in Snowdonia National Park (Welsh: Parc Cenedlaethol Eryri). ... George Borrow George Henry Borrow (1803-1881) was an English author who wrote novels and travelogues based on his own experiences around Europe. ...

Panorama of some of the Snowdon Massif including Snowdon (centre right) taken from Mynydd Mawr. The Glyderau are visible in the distance.

Image File history File links Size of this preview: 800 × 211 pixelsFull resolution (2357 × 622 pixel, file size: 143 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) Panorama of some of the northern Snowdonia hills taken from Mynydd Mawr File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 800 × 211 pixelsFull resolution (2357 × 622 pixel, file size: 143 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) Panorama of some of the northern Snowdonia hills taken from Mynydd Mawr File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages... Snowdon massif as seen from Glyder Fawr - (Left to right:) Y Lliwedd, Crib Goch, Snowdon, Garnedd Ugain The Snowdon Massif is one of the three mountain groups in Snowdonia, north Wales to include mountains over 3000 feet (914 m) high. ... Mynydd Mawr is a mountain in Snowdonia, North Wales thats situated approximately 4-5 miles west of Snowdon itself. ... The Glyderau (a Welsh plural form, equivalent to the English Glyders) are a mountain group in Snowdonia, North Wales. ...

Snowdonia National Park

Snowdonia National Park (Welsh: Parc Cenedlaethol Eryri) was established in 1951 as the third national park in England and Wales. It covers 2,142 km² (840 square miles), and has a 60 km of coastline. Welsh redirects here, and this article describes the Welsh language. ... 1951 (MCMLI) was a common year starting on Monday; see its calendar. ... The Brecon Beacons National Park, looking from the highest point of Pen Y Fan (886 m/2907 feet) to Corn Du (873 m/2864 feet). ... Motto (French) God and my right Anthem God Save the King (Queen) England() – on the European continent() – in the United Kingdom() Capital (and largest city) London (de facto) Official languages English (de facto) Government Constitutional monarchy  -  Queen Queen Elizabeth II  -  Prime Minister Tony Blair MP Unification  -  by Athelstan 967  Area... This article is about the country. ... Square kilometre (US spelling: Square kilometer), symbol km², is an SI unit of surface area. ... A square mile is an English unit of area equal to that of a square with sides each 1 statute mile (≈1,609 m) in length. ... km redirects here. ...

The park is governed by the Snowdonia National Park Authority, which is made up of local government and Welsh national representatives, and its main offices are at Penrhyndeudraeth. Unlike national parks in other countries, Snowdonia (and other such parks in England and Wales) are made up of both public and private lands under central planning authority. The makeup of land ownership at Snowdonia is as follows: This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Penrhyndeudraeth (headland/promontory with two beaches in Welsh) is a village in Gwynedd, Wales. ...

More than 26,000 people live within the park, of whom about 62% speak Welsh ^[2]. The park attracts over 6 million visitors annually, split fairly equally between day vistors and paying visitors ^[2], making it the third most visited national park in England and Wales. Whilst most of the land is either open or mountainous land, there is a significant amount of agricultural activity within the park. The Forestry Commission is a government body in the United Kingdom. ... The standard of the National Trust The National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty, usually known as The National Trust, is a British preservation organization. ... The Countryside Council for Wales (Welsh: Cyngor Cefn Gwlad Cymru) is the United Kingdom Governments wildlife conservation authority for Wales. ... Welsh redirects here, and this article describes the Welsh language. ... Farmlands in Hebei province, China. ...

Since the local government re-organisation of 1998, the park lies partly in the county of Gwynedd, and partly in the county borough of Conwy. It is governed by the 18–member Snowdonia National Park Authority, 9 of whom are appointed by Gwynedd, 3 by Conwy, and the remaining 6 by the National Assembly for Wales. Gwynedd is an administrative county in Wales, named after the old Kingdom of Gwynedd. ... Conwy [county borough] is a local government principal area in north Wales. ... The National Assembly for Wales (NAW or NAfW) (Welsh: ) is a devolved assembly with power to make legislation in Wales. ...

Unusually, Snowdonia National Park has a hole in the middle, around the town of Blaenau Ffestiniog, a slate quarrying centre. This was deliberately excluded from the park when it was set up in order to allow the development of new light industry to replace the decimated slate industry. Blaenau Ffestiniog is a small town in north Wales. ... Slate Thick slate fragment Slate roof Slate is a fine-grained, homogeneous, metamorphic rock derived from an original shale-type sedimentary rock composed of clay or volcanic ash through low grade regional metamorphism. ... A small cinder quarry A dimension stone quarry A quarry is a type of open-pit mine from which rock or minerals are extracted. ... Splitting of the slate blocks with hammer and chisel to produce roofing slates requires great skill. ...

Mountain ranges in Snowdonia

Snowdonia may be divided into four areas. The northernmost area is the most popular with tourists, and includes (west to east): Moel Hebog, Mynydd Mawr and the Nantlle Ridge; the Snowdon massif; the Glyderau, and the Carneddau. These last three groups are the highest mountains in Wales, and include all Wales' 3000-foot mountains. Moel Hebog is a mountain in Snowdonia, north Wales which dominates the view west from the village of Beddgelert. ... Mynydd Mawr is a mountain in Snowdonia, North Wales thats situated approximately 4-5 miles west of Snowdon itself. ... The Nantlle Ridge is the name given to a small range of hills in Snowdonia, north Wales which runs south-west from the village of Rhyd Ddu for a distance of about 9 kilometres, ending above Talysarn and Nebo in the Nantlle Valley. ... Snowdon massif as seen from Glyder Fawr - (Left to right:) Y Lliwedd, Crib Goch, Snowdon, Garnedd Ugain The Snowdon Massif is one of the three mountain groups in Snowdonia, north Wales to include mountains over 3000 feet (914 m) high. ... The Glyderau (a Welsh plural form, equivalent to the English Glyders) are a mountain group in Snowdonia, North Wales. ... The Carneddau (a Welsh plural form, can also be written as Carnedds), are a group of mountains in Snowdonia, Wales. ... This article is about the country. ... The Welsh 3,000s are the mountains of Wales over 3,000 feet high (914. ...

The second area includes peaks such as Moel Siabod, Cnicht the Moelwynion, and the mountains around Blaenau Ffestiniog. Moel Siabod is a mountain in Snowdonia, north Wales, which sits isolated above the villages of Betws-y-Coed and Capel Curig. ... Cnicht is a hill in Snowdonia, known as the Matterhorn of Wales because of its appearance when viewed from the south-west. ... The Moelwynion (a Welsh plural, sometimes anglicised to Moelwyns), are a group of mountains in central Snowdonia. ... Blaenau Ffestiniog is a small town in north Wales. ...

The third area includes the Rhinogydd in the west as well as the Arenig and the Migneint (this last being an area of bog). This area is not as popular with tourists as the other areas, due to its remoteness. The Rhinogydd (a Welsh plural form, often anglicised as Rhinogs) are a range of mountains located east of Harlech in North Wales. ... In geology, the Arenig group is the name applied to the lowest stage of the Ordovician System. ... Part of the Migneints great expanse of moorland The Migneint (Welsh pronunciation: [ˈmɪgnaint]) is a large expanse of moorland in central Snowdonia, North Wales. ...

The southernmost area includes Cadair Idris, the Tarren range, and the Aran group, including Aran Fawddwy, the highest mountain in the United Kingdom south of Snowdon. Cadair Idris (or Cader Idris as it is generally known locally) is a prominent mountain in Snowdonia, north Wales. ... Aran Fawddwy is a mountain is southern Snowdonia, north Wales. ...

Mountain walking in Snowdonia

Many of the hikers in the area concentrate on Snowdon itself. It is widely regarded as a fine mountain, but it can become quite crowded, particularly with the Snowdon Mountain Railway running to the summit. The other high mountains with their boulder-strewn summits, as well as Tryfan, one of the few mountains in the UK south of Scotland the ascent of which needs hands and well as feet, are also very popular. However, there are also some spectacular walks in Snowdonia on the lower mountains, and they tend to be relatively unfrequented. Two hikers in the Mount Hood National Forest Eagle Creek hiking Hiking is a form of walking, undertaken with the specific purpose of exploring and enjoying the scenery. ... Snowdon, the highest mountain in Wales and the highest British mountain south of the Scottish Highlands, is probably the busiest mountain in Britain [1]. It is located in Snowdonia National Park (Welsh: Parc Cenedlaethol Eryri). ... Half way up the Mountain. ... Tryfan is one of the most recognisable summits in Snowdonia. ...

Disused quarry near Llanberis in the foothills of the Glyderau

Among hikers' favourites are Y Garn (east of Llanberis) along the ridge to Elidir Fawr; Mynydd Tal-y-Mignedd (west of Snowdon) along the Nantlle Ridge to Mynydd Drws-y-Coed; Moelwyn Mawr (west of Blaenau Ffestiniog); and Pen Llithrig y Wrach north of Capel Curig. Further south are Y Llethr in the Rhinogydd, and Cadair Idris near Dolgellau. Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (2592x1944, 3197 KB) Quarry area near LLanberis in Snowdonia File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Snowdonia Metadata This file contains additional information, probably added from the digital... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (2592x1944, 3197 KB) Quarry area near LLanberis in Snowdonia File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Snowdonia Metadata This file contains additional information, probably added from the digital... Llanberis is a village in Gwynedd, Wales, lying beside the Llyn Padarn lake in Snowdonia. ... The Glyderau (a Welsh plural form, equivalent to the English Glyders) are a mountain group in Snowdonia, North Wales. ... Y Garn is a mountain in Snowdonia, north Wales, part of the Glyderau. ... Elidir Fawr is a mountain in Snowdonia, north Wales, the northernmost in the Glyderau. ... The Nantlle Ridge is the name given to a small range of hills in Snowdonia, north Wales which runs south-west from the village of Rhyd Ddu for a distance of about 9 kilometres, ending above Talysarn and Nebo in the Nantlle Valley. ... Moelwyn Mawr is a mountain in Snowdonia, North Wales and forms part of the Moelwynion. ... Pen Llithrig y Wrach is a mountain peak in Snowdonia, North Wales. ... Capel Curig is a village in Conwy, Wales. ... Y Llethr is the highest mountain in the Rhinogydd of Snowdonia, north Wales. ... The Rhinogydd (a Welsh plural form, often anglicised as Rhinogs) are a range of mountains located east of Harlech in North Wales. ... Cadair Idris (or Cader Idris as it is generally known locally) is a prominent mountain in Snowdonia, north Wales. ... Dolgellau (pronounced , occasionally ) is a market town in Gwynedd, north-west Wales, lying on the River Wnion, a tributary of the Mawddach. ...

Rain coming in over Llyn Cowlyd north of Capel Curig

The Park has 2,381 km of public footpaths, 264 km of public bridleways, and 74 km of other public rights of way. A large part of the park is also covered by Right to Roam laws. Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (2592x1944, 3257 KB) Llyn Cowlyd with the rain coming in (Snowdonia). ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (2592x1944, 3257 KB) Llyn Cowlyd with the rain coming in (Snowdonia). ... Llyn Cowlyd (from Cawlwyd) is the deepest lake in North Wales, and lies at 1164 feet above sea level on the edge of the Carneddau range of mountains. ... Capel Curig is a village in Conwy, Wales. ... In England and Wales, a bridleway is a way over which the public have the following, but no other, rights of way: a right of way on foot and a right of way on horseback or leading a horse, with or without a right to drive animals of any description... The phrase Right-of-way is used in two main ways: with reference to the question of which of two or more moving vehicles has priority: for right of way among boats and ships on the water, refer to International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea. ... The examples and perspective in this article or section may not represent a worldwide view. ...

Nature, landscape and the environment

The park's entire coastline is a Special Area of Conservation, which runs from the Llŷn Peninsula down the Mid Wales coast, the latter containing valuable sand dune systems. A Special Area of Conservation (SAC) is defined in the European Commission Habitats Directive (92/43/EEC), also known as the Directive on the Conservation of Natural Habitats and of Wild Fauna and Flora. ... *Map sources for LlÅ·n Peninsula Hafan Pwllheli Marina St. ...

The park's natural forests are of the mixed deciduous type, the commonest tree being the oak. Birch, ash, mountain-ash and hazel are also common. The park also contains some large (planted) coniferous forested areas such as Gwydir Forest near Betws-y-Coed, although some areas, once harvested, are now increasingly being allowed to regrow naturally. Deciduous means temporary or tending to fall off (deriving from the Latin word decidere, to fall off) and is typically used in reference to trees or shrubs that lose their leaves seasonally. ... Orders & Families Cordaitales † Pinales   Pinaceae - Pine family   Araucariaceae - Araucaria family   Podocarpaceae - Yellow-wood family   Sciadopityaceae - Umbrella-pine family   Cupressaceae - Cypress family   Cephalotaxaceae - Plum-yew family   Taxaceae - Yew family Vojnovskyales † Voltziales † The conifers, division Pinophyta, are one of 13 or 14 division level taxa within the Kingdom Plantae. ... Gwydir Forest, also spelled Gwydyr, is located in Conwy county borough and the Snowdonia National Park in North Wales. ... Village sign Betws-y-Coed is a village in the county borough of Conwy, within the traditional borders of Caernarfonshire, North Wales. ...

The Gwydir Forest lies in an elevated position, and offers views towards the Glyderau and the Carneddau ranges.

Northern Snowdonia is the only place in Britain where the Snowdon Lily, an arctic-alpine plant, and the rainbow-coloured Snowdon beetle (Chrysolina cerealis) are found, and the only place in the world where the Snowdonia hawkweed, Hieracium snowdoniense grows. Image File history File links View_from_Gwydir_Forest. ... Image File history File links View_from_Gwydir_Forest. ... Binomial name Lloydia serotina (L.) Reichenb. ... An arctic-alpine taxon is one whose natural distribution includes the Arctic and more southerly mountain ranges, particularly the Alps. ... Binomial name Chrysolina cerealis (Linnaeus, 1767) Chrysolina cerealis, the rainbow leaf beetle or Snowdon beetle, is a brightly-coloured Eurasian leaf beetle. ... Binomial name Chrysolina cerealis (Linnaeus, 1767) Chrysolina cerealis, the rainbow leaf beetle or Snowdon beetle, is a brightly-coloured Eurasian leaf beetle. ... Binomial name Hieracium snowdoniense Sell & C.West [1] Hieracium snowdoniense, the Snowdonia hawkweed, is a plant endemic to Snowdonia, North Wales. ...

A large proportion of the park is today under designation (or under consideration for designation) as Sites of Scientific Interest, National Nature Reserves, Special Areas of Conservation, Special Protection Areas, Biosphere and Ramsar sites. The initialism SSI can mean: Samsung Semiconductor Inc. ... National Nature Reserve is a United Kingdom government conservation designation for a nature reserve of national significance. ... A Special Area of Conservation (SAC) is defined in the European Commission Habitats Directive (92/43/EEC), also known as the Directive on the Conservation of Natural Habitats and of Wild Fauna and Flora. ... A Special Protection Area or SPA is a designation under the European Union directive on the Conservation of Wild Birds (79/409/CEE). ... A false-color composite of global oceanic and terrestrial photoautotroph abundance, from September 1997 to August 2000. ... Ramsar (in Persian: رامسر) is a town in Mazandaran province of Iran, at the Caspian Sea. ...

One of the major problems facing the park in recent years has been the growth of Rhododendron ponticum. This fast growing alien species has a tendency to take over and stifle native species from growing. It can form massive towering growths and has a companion fungus that grows on its roots producing toxins that are poisonous to any local flora and fauna for a seven–year period after the Rhododendron infestations have been eradicated. As a result there are a number of desolate landscapes. Binomial name Rhododendron ponticum L. Rhododendron ponticum (Common Rhododendron or Pontic Rhododendron) is a species of Rhododendron native to southern Europe and southwest Asia. ...

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:

Snowdonia

• Snowdonia Photos
• Snowdonia National Park Authority
• Snowdonia Society
• Photographs of Snowdonia
• Walking guide to Snowdonia
• Snowdon & Snowdonia Information