Things to do in Llandderfel

It is the peaks of Yr Wyddfa/Snowdon itself that draw the crowds, helped by the easy ascent offered by an obliging train. Around 600,000 people walk, climb or take the train to the 1085m summit each year to take in the splendid views and clear those cobwebs once and for all. Despite the crowds, Yr Wyddfa is the highest mountain in Wales and needs to be treated seriously! Many are caught out by not preparing for the difficulty and the elements in this remote part of the world. The ascent of Snowdon may seem more like a beano than a serious walker’s solitary struggle against the elements, but that is all part of its allure and charm.

There are six main routes to the summit and the Snowdon Sherpa Bus runs a shuttle service around the base of the mountain. This shuttle connects both the starting points of the six routes and the villages that surround Snowdon, making it easy to explore the area and find the route that suits you best.

The castle was built in the late 13th Century during the reign of Edward I and boasts double walls around its perimeter, four large towers and a robust gatehouse. These fortifications later played a crucial role during numerous blockades. Most famously, in a siege immortalised in the famous Welsh anthem "Men of Harlech", the castle was held for seven years by the Lancastrians in the War of the Roses. It was also the last remaining stronghold of the Royalists during the English Civil War.

Bodelwyddan Castle was built in the 15th century by the Humphreys family as a manor house, but was transformed by Sir John Williams in the late 18th Century into a grand gothic castle. During the First World War, the British Army used it as a base and the trenches used for training remain in the grounds. After the war Bodelwyddan Castle became a boarding school. Since 1982 the property has been restored to its 19th century peak and can now be viewed in all its Victorian glory.

The River Llugwy rises among the peaks of Carnedd Llewellyn, which is the dominant peak of the Carneddau Mountain Range, only slightly lower than the summit of Mount Snowdon. The river runs eastward towards Capel Curig and Betws-y-Coed before it reaches the impressive Swallow Falls.