Description
Carneddau and Glyderau a 21,000-acre mountainous place, acquired in 1951 from the Penrhyn estate, includes the Cwm Idwal Nature Reserve renowned for its arctic alpine plants. There are eight tenant upland farms on this land, nine peaks above 3,000 feet and the famous mountain Tryfan where Edmund Hilary trained for his ascent of Everest.
The area is home to a variety of wildlife such as otters, water voles, feral ponies and rare birds such as dottrel and peregrine and the very rare Snowdon lily. The 100km of footpaths are popular with 500,000 walkers each year, and the bleak, photogenic, landscapes have proven popular with artists and painters.
You'll find over 1,000 archaeological sites here including seven scheduled ancient monuments. If you’re looking for the best place to visit with family and kids, this is a perfect choice for a fun and relaxing day out.
Top trails:
Cwm Idwal walk: This moderately strenuous walk offers some of the most dramatic mountainous scenery in the UK at the oldest National Nature Reserve in Wales. Explore beautiful ice-sculpted Cwm Idwal – a bowl-shaped hollow filled with the crystal clear waters of Llyn Idwal, world famous for its rock formations and rare and fragile plant life.
Llyn Ogwen circular walk: Experience great views of Tryfan and the Glyderau mountains from this lakeshore trail without committing to a strenuous hike up to the summits of Eryri (Snowdonia).
6.44 miles
