Snowdonia National Park - Parc Cenedlaethol Eryri in Wales, United Kingdom - map and visitor information

Research checked: 2026-10-24. Check linked official notices before travel.

Eryri National Park, also known as Snowdonia, covers mountains, lakes, and Welsh-speaking communities in Wales, United Kingdom. A summit trip to Yr Wyddfa needs different preparation from a lakeside visit at Llyn Tegid. Decide which area you want to explore before arranging parking, transport, or overnight accommodation.

Highlights of Eryri

• Yr Wyddfa: plan a mountain walk with suitable navigation skills and equipment. A parking reservation does not make the climb suitable for the day’s conditions.
• Llyn Tegid: visit Wales’ largest natural lake near Y Bala, or arrange a permitted water activity.
• Lower-level walks: choose from the authority’s graded routes when a high summit is unsuitable. Rhaeadr Fawr is listed as an easy 4.5-kilometer out-and-back walk.

Plan your Eryri visit

Fees, hours, and seasonal access

Prepare for mountain weather

Check a mountain forecast shortly before leaving. Carry a map and compass, warm and waterproof layers, suitable hiking boots, food, drinking water, a flashlight, and a charged phone. Use a route that matches your group’s skills. Turn back or choose a lower walk if conditions are unsuitable.

The authority’s safety guidance links to current Yr Wyddfa ground reports. At Llyn Tegid, obey algae warnings and avoid entering water with visible green scum.

Respect private land and lake rules

Much of Eryri is privately owned. Use public paths and applicable access land rather than assuming every field or lakeshore is open. At Llyn Tegid, overnight camping on the shore and in the parking lots is prohibited. Lakeshore barbecues are also prohibited.

Parking, camping, and lake permits

Use the Pen y Pass booking guidance for the current reservation system. Spaces cannot be extended after booking. A vehicle between 5 and 8 meters needs advance arrangements with the authority; larger vehicles cannot fit.

Book an established campsite before an overnight visit. Wild camping requires prior permission from the landowner or farmer. Camping in parking lots or on roadside verges is not allowed. The official camping guidance explains this distinction.

Purchase the required Llyn Tegid activity permit before paddling. Do not assume a parking payment covers time on the water.

Maps, location, and mountain transport

Eryri has several visitor bases rather than a single entrance. Pen y Pass serves the Pyg Track and Miners’ Track for Yr Wyddfa. Sherpa’r Wyddfa buses connect it with places including Nant Peris, Llanberis, and Caernarfon. Plan both outward and return travel before starting a walk.

For a lake visit, navigate specifically to Llyn Tegid near Y Bala. Save a detailed map of your chosen route; a general national park map pin is not a trailhead.

Nearby protected areas

Llŷn Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty is a road-trip option toward the Llŷn Peninsula from the western side of Eryri. Isle of Anglesey National Landscape offers protected coastline across the Menai Strait. Choose according to the side of Eryri you are leaving and check access at the individual coastal stop.

Choose a summit, waterfall walk, or lake day

A Yr Wyddfa climb is a mountain undertaking. Compare the route description with your experience before choosing a trail. For a shorter alternative, consult the graded walking routes on the official visitor page. A shorter route still needs appropriate footwear and a weather check.

At Llyn Tegid, a shore visit and a paddling trip have different requirements. Arrange equipment and permits before launching. Observe lake notices even if conditions looked suitable when you planned the trip.

Toilets and access arrangements

The authority lists year-round accessible toilets at locations including Pen y Pass Warden Centre, Ogwen Warden Centre, and Llyn Tegid Warden Centre. Other locations have seasonal toilets. Check the specific stop rather than assuming facilities are available along a mountain path.

Sherpa’r Wyddfa services use low-floor buses with wheelchair space and ramps for stops with raised curbs. Confirm the boarding and return stops needed for your trip.

About Eryri National Park

A national park and a living Welsh landscape

Eryri became a national park on October 18, 1951. The independent National Park Authority dates from 1996. Welsh language and place names remain part of everyday community life; use the current local names when matching maps, signs, and route descriptions.

Uplands, peatlands, and rare plants

The park’s uplands and peatlands support species of conservation importance. Lili’r Wyddfa is a rare plant associated with the highest summits. Keep to paths and avoid trampling vegetation while stopping for photographs.

Contact the national park authority

Eryri National Park Authority, National Park Office, Penrhyndeudraeth, Gwynedd LL48 6LF. This is an administrative address, not a mountain trailhead. Phone: +44 1766 770274. Email: [email protected].