�I must not pass over in silence the mountains called by the Welsh Eryri, but by the British Snowdon, or the mountains of Snow, which... seem to rear their lofty summits even to the clouds�

Geraldus Cambrensis - Itinerarium Cambriae (1191)

Dyfodol Eryri Public Consultation

Snowdonia National Park Authority is currently preparing two plans that will shape the future of Snowdonia: the National Park Management Plan and the Local Development Plan. Taken together, the two plans will have a considerable impact on the Park�s environmental, social and economic fabric as well as the wellbeing of local communities now and for many years to come.

The National Park Management Plan is a wide-ranging plan for the management of all aspects of the Snowdonia National Park. This includes all the different types of landscapes (natural and man made), human activities, and plant and animal environments which are to be found within the Park, and the vibrant Welsh culture of the area. The Management Plan will set out the guiding principles, vision, long term aims and policies for managing all of these different aspects of the National Park. It will also contain a set of integrated action plans to help achieve aims from year to year.

The Local Development Plan is more specific than the Management Plan. It is concerned mostly with the use and development of land, but will also have effects on the local economy. The Local Development Plan will set out a range of policies to make sure that new development is of good quality, and that it happens in the right places. It will be used to help decide which planning applications for development to approve or refuse.

In order to make the plans as inclusive as possible, the authority is involving people and organisations to help influence the policies and actions of the plans. If you would like to get involved in the plan making process, or would simply like to find out a little more about it, click on the link below to be taken to the National Park Authority�s website:

Dyfodol Eryri Future

Eryri: Abode of the Eagles

Snowdonia, or Eryri in Welsh, is an extensive area of mountains and hills in North Wales, which are home to some of the highest, rockiest and wildest peaks in the British Isles. Originally the name Snowdonia applied only to the area immediately around Snowdon and the high mountains around it; but has since been extended to accommodate an area stretching from the Menai Straights in the north, to the Dyfi Estuary in the south; and from the Lleyn Peninsula in the West to the Berwyn Mountains in the east.

As is so often the case with Celtic names, the entomology of the word Eryri, is less than straight forward. William Camden was firm in his belief that the mountains lay covered in snow throughout the year, and that Eryri was derived from the Welsh name for snow - eira; he wrote in his encyclopaedia Britannia (1586), �It harbours snow continually, being throughout the year covered with it, or rather with a hardened crust of snow of many years continuance. And hence the British name of Creigiau Eryri, and that of Snowdon in English�. The naturalist Edward Lhuyd (1695) was equally defiant in his own interpretation � �The British name of these mountains, Creigiau Eryri, signifies Eagle Rocks, which are generally understood by the inhabitants to be called from the eagles that bred here too plentifully�; hence the often cited �abode of the eagles�. Alternatively, a more modern interpretation by Welsh linguist Sir Ifor Williams (1945), is that the word simply means �highland�, after the now unused word for� boundary� or �edge� � �eryr�. The word Snowdon, whatever its origin, is also very old; according to Thomas Pennant it can be found in Saxon documents written as �Snawdune�. The name Snowdon originally referred to the whole of Caernarfonshire rather than a single mountain, and so in the days when scholars wrote in Latin, Snowdon, or rather �Snaudon� would have been latinised to Snowdonia, or rather Snaudonia.

In 1951 the Snowdonia National Park (Parc Cenedlaethol Eryri in Welsh) was established, and was among the first areas in Britain to receive such a landscape designation. The Park covers an area of 2,132 km� (823 miles�) and has over 60km of coastline. It�s the largest of the Welsh national parks, and the second largest in the UK. The landscape is characterised by mountains and upland plateau, intersected by deep glacially ploughed valleys, and is home to Snowdon, or Yr Wyddfa in Welsh, the highest mountain in England and Wales. The area is home to some nine mountain ranges which cover approximately 52% of the park, much of which exceeds 3000 feet in height, including Snowdon, the Carneddau and the Glyders.

This page takes, what I hope is, a pragmatic approach to describing the region. Since the park boundary is an artificial conception, the page will not constrain itself to merely describing what falls within its boundaries, but instead will also describe everything that overlaps or falls just outside that area � essentially everything that can be said to belong to the area now known as Snowdonia.

The Glyders from Clogwyn y Person, Snowdon. The mountains from left to right: Y Garn (947m), Pen-yr-Ole Wen (978m; background), Glyder Fawr (999m), Glyder Fach (994m), Crib Goch (923m) and Moel Siabod (872m; background)
(Photo by Nanuls)

Snowdonia has some of the most spectacular mountain scenery in Britain which stretches from the Carneddau in the north to the Tarrenydd in the south. In all there are over 90 summits within the park boundary over 2,000ft, 15 of which exceed 3,000ft. Snowdonia can, and probably should, be split down into two separate sub areas which would be better aligned with the historic view of the region. The northern part, the part traditionally called Snowdonia, is known as Eryri (which if you were paying attention earlier is the Welsh name for Snowdonia); while the southern, much larger part of the region, is known as Meirionnydd. The areas are closely related, and many would argue over their true dimensions and where the boundary between them actually lies. For the purpose of this page, and for the sake of simplicity and continuity, I will take the approach used by the majority of guidebooks.

Essentially Eryri roughly covers the area of the old county of Caernarvonshire and parts of the county of Conwy. It�s home to Snowdonia�s highest, rockiest and arguably most spectacular mountain scenery, encompassing the Carneddau, Glyderau, Eifionydd and Snowdon Ranges. It is characterised by many spectacular crags, buttresses, ridges and ar�tes, which have been a magnet for rock climbers since the 19th century.

Meirionnydd covers the area of the old county, and even older kingdom, that bares its name. The area is home to the Moelwynion, Berwynion, Arans, Arenigs, Rhinogydd, Tarrenydd, Dyfi Hills and Cadair Idris. With the exception of Cadair Idris, its mountains are more rounded and less rocky in appearance. They are often much wilder and less visited than their northern counterparts, and offer an atmosphere quite unique to anywhere else in Britain. Furthermore, the eastern mountains, such as the Arans and Berwynion, often boast the most reliable winter conditions, and are a good alternative to the usual routes when conditions in the north are more marginal.

Although the area is famous for its mountains, it also contains a huge number of other fine natural and semi-natural environments. The valley floors and lower mountain slopes have been shaped by pastoral farming practices, which have been the principle industry in the area since even before the arrival of the Romans. Even during the industrial revolution, when the mining and slate industries where in full swing, the farmers remained on the mountains, and they still remain there today. This farmland is intersected by plantations of both deciduous and coniferous forest; the coniferous woodlands are a late addition to the landscape, a product of post war economic regeneration. In some areas, remnants of the natural woodland which once covered the whole of Wales still survive, and contain a mixture of oak, birch, ash, mountain-ash and hazel. The Park�s coastline is characterised by long sandy beaches and dune slack, the product of long-shore drift, which carries sand and gravel from the southern shores of Cardigan Bay to the southern shores of the Lleyn Peninsula.

Peaks and Pinnacles and Huge Moels

The Ranges

�Such as have not seen mountains of this kind are not able to frame an idea of them, from the hills of more champain or lower countries. For whereas such hills are but single in heights or storeys, these are heaped upon one another, so that having climbed up one rock, we come to a valley, and most commonly a lake; and passing by that, we ascend another, and sometimes a third and a fourth, before we arrive at the highest peaks.�

Edward Lhuyd - History of Cambria (1695)

The primary attraction that draws people to the National Park is its mountains and Snowdonia is home to many beautiful ranges, each with their own individual character and charm. The park contains a wide diversity of mountain types from the steep and rocky ridges and ar�tes of Snowdon and the Glyders to the rolling heather clad hills of the Rhinogs. There are also large areas that are relatively flat including the remote Migneint Plateau and the bogs and marshes that surround the Arenig Mountains.

	Snowdon Group More of a range than a single mountain, Snowdon is host to several subsidiary peaks including Crib Goch, Y Lliwedd, Garnedd Ugain and Yr Aran. The main summit is located in the centre of the range and radiates six fabulous ar�tes each separated by deep Cwms and beautifully clear glacially carved lakes. The range has some of the finest climbing, scrambling, and hiking in the whole of Britain. Its beauty and fame make it one of the busiest mountains in the UK, each year around 350,000 visitors reach the summit, arriving either on foot or via the Snowdon Mountain Railway. There are many routes to Snowdon's summit, and range in difficulty from easy plods through to fun scrambles and challenging multi-pitch climbs. The most popular route is the Llanberis path which is usually teeming with tourists, however much quieter ascents can be found notably from Cwm Glas Mawr.
	Carneddau The Carneddau are located in the far north-eastern part Snowdonia. The range is the largest area of high ground in England and Wales comprising of some seven summits over 3000 feet in height. The range comprises a long mountain ridge with surrounding grass and moorland, and a number of beautiful valleys providing excellent hillwalking, rock climbing and (unreliably) in season ice climbing and ski touring. The Carneddau are typical of British uplands comprising rolling hills, craggy in some places, soft and rounded in others covered in rock, heather and grassland and are populated with welsh mountain sheep, wild ponies, buzzards and other birds of prey, foxes, rabbits, hares, stoats and adders.
	Glyderau The Glyders comprise a large elongated upland plateau stretching from Mynydd Llandegai to Capel Curig, and include five of Wales' fifteen summits over 3000 feet; these include Tryfan, considered one of the finest mountains in Wales and is one of the few mountains on the British mainland where a knowledge of scrambling is requiered to reach its summit. The eastern half of the range in particular, including Glyder Fawr, Glyder Fach, Y Garn, Elidr Fawr and Tryfan, is very popular with walkers and climbers. Perhaps the most spectacular mountain of the range is Tryfan its distinctive rocky, blade-like shape dominates the view from Nant Francon, from every direction it shows off nothing but steep crags and striking ridges. It is said that it is impossible to climb this mountain without using ones hands.
	Eifionydd These mountains are located to the west of Snowdon and are some of the least visited summits within the National Park. The main part of the range is centred around the Nantlle Ridge, which when traveresed is one of the best ridge walks in Britain. The range's heighets peak however is located just to the south in the form of Moel Hebog. Despite their close proximity to Wales' most popular mountains, the Eifionydd only receive a fraction of the visitors. This might be because they lack the height and grandeur of their neighbours, or that there is relatively little good climbing to be, for those who like to stray off the beaten track, these little mountains have much to offer.
	Moelwynion The Moelwyns are the central mountain range of Snowdonia, the backbone of you will, and extend in a north easterly direction from Porthmadog to Bwlch y Rhediad. The landscape varies from rocky pyramidal peaks to remote wilderness, littered with the scars of the industrial revolution. Many disused quarries and ruins associated with the former slate mining industry still remain largely intact. During the Second World War, the range's slate caverns were used to house Britain's important works of art, safe from the German bombs that threatened the countries largely city based galleries. The main summits are Moel Shiabod, Moelwyn Mawr, Moelwyn Bach, Cnicht and Moel yr Hydd.
	Arenigs One of the wilder parts of Wales, the Arenigs comprise of three main peaks Arenig Fawr, Arenig Bach and Moel Llyfnant. The mountains rise steeply from the relatively subdued surrounding countryside which is made up of a mixture of rough moorland and blancket bog. The only mountain frequently visited in the area is Arenig Fawr, with the most popular route only taking in the northerly part of the mountain. At the summit is a trig point and a memorial to the US air-crew of a Flying Fortress bomber which crashed on Arenig Fawr in 1943 with the loss of all crew. Moel Llyfnant and Arenig Bach are rarely visited, however their rolling slopes are not without interest.
	Arans The Arans are the most easterly mountain range in the National Park. The range comprises of a long broad ridge running from the shores of Llyn Bala in the North to Dinas Fawddwy in the south. The main peaks are Aran Fawddwy, Aran Benllyn and Glasgwm. The crags of Craig Cywarch, the imposing series of buttresses on the eastern flank of Glasgwm are home to the greatest density of technical rock climbs in southern Snowdonia, and although rarely visited it sport some fantastic routes. There are numerous routes to the summit, with the most popular route starting in Cwm Cywarch. On the ridge that connects Aran Fawddwy to Drysgol there is a Monument to a man from the RAF Mountain Rescue Service who was tragically killed by lightening in 1960.
	Rhinogydd The Rhinogydd or Rhinog area is one of Wales' wildest and least visited mountain ranges. The range stretches some 20 km from north to south with the highest peaks found in the southern half of the range. The mountains from which the range takes its name, Rhinog Fawr and Rhinog Fach, are not in fact the highest, as to the south Y Llethr reaches and Diffwys reaches. Despite their marginally lower height, by far the most spectacular peaks are Rhinog Fach, and Rhinog Fawr. The summits are quite rocky and afford excellent views of the whole range. The northern half of the range is characterised by a series of rocky, heather clad terraces, intersected by a series of shallow gorges and small lakes. The highest points in the northern half are Moel Ysgyfarnod, and Foel Penolau. It's quite possible to walk all day without meeting a single other person, and that is something quite uncommon within the Snowdonia National Park.
	Rhobell Group The area around Rhobell Fawr is surrounded by a number of lesser tops including Rhobell Fach and Drosgl. Rarely visited, the area has few paths and is characterised by thick heather, scattered crags and boulders. Although unremarkable in their shape and stature the mountains in this area are in the unique position of being able to offer views of the whole of Snowdonia.
	Cadair Idris Often mistaken as being a single mountain, Cadair Idris is in fact a large plateau topped by several minor summits including Pen y Gadair and Mynydd Moel. The range displays some magnificent glacially carved cwms, flanked by steep cliffs that are popular with both scramblers and climbers. Pen y Gadair's summit has a small stone shelter that can be overnighted in if necessity dictates, but beware, legend has it that anyone who spends the night alone on the summit will either become a poet, go blind or die by the morning.
	Tarrenydd The most southerly range in Snowdonia the Tarrenydd or Tarrens consist of a series of rounded grassy hills connected by a series of broad ridges. In the northern part of the range, much of the land has been planted with coniferous forest with the peaks protruding above the tree line. The main mountains are Tarren y Gesail (667m), Tarrenhendre (633m) and Tarren Cwm Ffernol (544m) and the ridge walk between them makes for a fine hike. Dotted sporadically throughout the area are a number of small quarries which are home to some short rock routes, however these days they are mostly too overgrown to bother with.
	Dyfi The Dyfi Hills are a series of grassy hills flanked by a series of steep rocky cliffs on their northern slopes. Like the Tarrenydd, which are located to the south west, much of the area is covered by coniferous forest. The main summits are Maen Du (674m), Waun Oer (670m) and Cribin Fawr (659m).
	Berwynion Although strictly speaking the bulk of the Berwyn Range is located outside the National Parks boundary, many of its lower peaks are, and Snowdonia does make an excellent base to visit them from. The mountains consist of an isolated ridge which stretches in a north-south direction and is home to three major summits, Cadair Bronwen, Cadair Berwyn, and Moel Sych.

The Mountains

"These mountains may not unfitly be termed the British Alps, and for their steepnesse and cragginesse not unlike those of Italy, all of them towering up into the aire and encompassing one farre higher than all the rest, peculiarly called Snowdon Hill though the others... are by the Welsh termed Craig Eriry as much as Snowy Mountaines... For all the yeare long these lye mantelled over with snow hard crusted together."

unknown author - Description of Wales (1599)

Obviously, for us here on SummitPost, the mountains themselves are the most important aspect of the Snowdonia National Park. The area is home to many famous and iconic British peaks including such attractions as Snowdon, Tryfan and Cadair Idris, which have been the playground of many great climbers including O.G. Jones, George Mallory, Edmund Hillary, Don Whillans and Joe Brown to name but a few. This table takes a pragmatic view towards listing Snowdonia's peaks by not only including those that fall within the park boundary, but also those which fall just outside. Okay a quick explanation about what qualities made these summits eligible to be in list - to put it simply they must qualify to be on at least one of the UK�s official mountain lists; any of them. Now I�m sure some of SummitPost�s international members, and probably a good number of British ones, will be scratching their heads and wondering what the hell some of these lists mean (Buxton & Lewis anyone!?!). Well I�m not going to tell you, there just isn�t room here to explain them all fully, however if you are wondering here are some links to some relevant pages, several of which are already here on SP � Hewitt, Nuttall, Marilyn, Buxton & Lewis and Dewey.

How to use this table:

At the moment this is pretty simple, all you have to do is look at it. The key below explains what the different criteria mean.

Key

Rank	Rank in order of absolute height.
Photo	If you need this one explained you need help
Name	Name of the mountain/peak
M	Height in metres
Ft	Height in feet
Range	The mountain/peak's parent range
Sheet 1:25k	The 1:25 000 Ordnance Survey Explorer map sheet the mountain appears on
Sheet 1:50k	The 1:50 000 Ordnance Survey Landranger map sheet the mountain appears on
Grid Ref	The Ordnance Survey British national grid reference for the mountain/peak's summit
Map 1:25k	Click on the icon to be taken to a 1:25 000 Ordnance Survey map of the mountain/peak
Map 1:50k	Click on the icon to be taken to a 1:50 000 Ordnance Survey map of the mountain/peak
Ma	Marilyn; for more information click here: Marilyns of the British Isles
SM	Sub Marilyn; for more information click here: Marilyns of the British Isles
H	Hewitt; for more information click here: The Mountains of Wales
SH	Sub Hewitt; for more information click here: The Mountains of Wales
N	Nuttall; for more information click here: www.nuttalls.com
BL	Buxton & Lewis; for more information click here: www.biber.fsnet.co.uk
D	Dewey; for more information click here: www.hillbagging.co.uk

Rank	Name	M	Ft	Range	Sheet 1:25k	Sheet 1:50k	Grid Ref
1.	Snowdon/Yr Wyddfa	1085	3560	Snowdon	17W	115	SH609543
2.	Garnedd Ugain/Crib y Ddysgl	1065	3494	Snowdon	17W	115	SH610551
3.	Carnedd Llewelyn	1064	3491	Carneddau	17E/17W	115	SH683643
4.	Carnedd Dafydd	1044	3425	Carneddau	17W	115	SH662630
5.	Glyder Fawr	999	3278	Glyderau	17W	115	SH642579
6.	Glyder Fach	994	3261	Glyderau	17W	115	SH656582
7.	Pen yr Ole Wen	978	3209	Carneddau	17W	115	SH655619
8.	Foel Grach	976	3202	Carneddau	17E/17W	115	SH688659
9.	Yr Elen	962	3156	Carneddau	17W	115	SH673651
10.	Y Garn	947	3107	Glyderau	17W	115	SH630595
11.	Foel-fras	942	3091	Carneddau	17E	115	SH696681
12.	Garnedd Uchaf	926	3038	Carneddau	17E/17W	115	SH687669
13.	Elidir Fawr	924	3031	Glyderau	17W	115	SH612613
14.	Crib Goch	923	3028	Snowdon	17W	115	SH624551
15.	Tryfan	915	3002	Glyderau	17W	115	SH664593
16.	Aran Fawddwy	905	2969	Arans	23E	124/125	SH862223
17.	Y Lliwedd	898	2946	Snowdon	17W	115	SH622533
=18.	Y Lliwedd East Top	893	2930	Snowdon	17W	115	SH623532
=18.	Pen y Gadair	893	2930	Cadair Idris	23W	124	SH711130
20.	Aran Benllyn	885	2904	Arans	23E	124/125	SH867242
=21.	Moel Siabod	872	2861	Moelwynion	18E	115	SH705546
=21.	Erw y Ddafad-ddu	872	2861	Arans	23E	124/125	SH864233
23.	Mynydd Moel	863	2831	Cadair Idris	23W	124	SH727136
24.	Arenig Fawr	854	2802	Arenigs	18E	124/125	SH827369
25.	Llwytmor	849	2785	Carneddau	17E/17W	115	SH689692
26.	Pen yr Helgi Du	833	2733	Carneddau	17E	115	SH697630
27.	Foel-goch	831	2726	Glyderau	17W	115	SH628612
=28.	Cadair Berwyn	830	2723	Berwynion	255	125	SJ071323
=28.	Arenig Fawr South Top	830	2723	Arenigs	18E	124/125	SH826366
=30.	Moel Sych	827	2713	Berwynion	255	125	SJ066318
=30.	Cadair Berwyn North Top	827	2713	Berwynion	255	125	SJ072327
32.	Carnedd y Filiast	821	2694	Glyderau	17W	115	SH620627
33.	Lliwedd Bach	818	2684	Snowdon	17W	115	SH627532
34.	Mynydd Perfedd	812	2664	Glyderau	17W	115	SH623618
35.	Cyfrwy	811	2661	Cadair Idris	23W	124	SH703133
36.	Bera Bach	807	2648	Carneddau	17W	115	SH672677
37.	Y Foel Goch	805	2641	Glyderau	17W	115	SH677582
38.

Overview

Recent News

Dyfodol Eryri Public Consultation

Eryri: Abode of the Eagles

Peaks and Pinnacles and Huge Moels

The Ranges

Snowdon Group

Carneddau

Glyderau

Eifionydd

Moelwynion

Arenigs

Arans

Rhinogydd

Rhobell Group

Cadair Idris

Tarrenydd

Dyfi

Berwynion

The Mountains