🏞️ Snowdonia: guide to the pearl of Wales
I have always associated Britain with fog, picturesque towns, emerald green fields, black tea and locomotives. Motifs of railway romance are found both in ” Harry Potter “, “Sherlock Holmes”, “Murder on the Orient Express”, and in a great variety of other cult English works.
How many times have I wanted to be in the place of the heroes in the same cozy compartment. To the sound of wheels, have lively conversations, interrupted only by the cheerful whistle of a steam locomotive, get inspired by passing landscapes and start your own detective story… It turns out that touching the world of Agatha Christie is easier than I thought. And now I’ll tell you where to get one ticket to the past.
In the 19th century, Britain was the undisputed leader in steam innovation and technological progress. Tourist locomotive routes still operate throughout the country. Perhaps one of the most famous is located in Scotland – the Jacobite train (yes, the same Hogwart Express from the Harry Potter franchise) – but more on that another time.
As a resident of a flat country, I have always been attracted to mountains. Having learned about Snowden and the nature reserve around it, I simply could not help but add Wales to my travel plans. To my great joy, locomotives still operate in the North of the Kingdom and tours are sold. I was lucky enough to ride full steam ahead on the Festiniog Railway, which leads to stunning Snowdonia.
Festiniog Railway
The Festiniog Railway is the oldest narrow-gauge railway in the world with a history of 200 years. However, we are not just talking about a museum exhibit! This is a 21.7 km journey. It starts from the harbor at Porthmadog and ends at Blaenau Festiniog through the mountainous terrain of the Snowdonia National Park.
The winding path takes you through serene pastures and lush forests, past lakes and waterfalls, along mountainsides and through tunnels (and yes, the locomotive is powered by coal!). The Festiniog Railway and its infrastructure is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site for the North Wales Slate Landscape.
Many of the railway staff are volunteers and often members of the Festiniog and Welsh Highland Railway Society. Sometimes romances even arise among volunteers and weddings occur. Some families of “railroad workers” now bring their third generation of enthusiasts!
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The Festiniog Railway offers eight routes lasting from 2.5 to 7 hours. My route took 3 hours to Llyn Cwellyn – the northern part of the Snowdonia nature reserve through Anglesey. There is a stop along the way where you can explore a nature reserve and a 19th-century station. The price of such a trip for an adult is $47.70. However, for children and teenagers under 16 years of age, a discounted ticket costs only $2.5.
The emotions I received on board were simply unforgettable. Remembering that day, a childish smile immediately appears on your face. And a shopper with a picture of a steam locomotive bought in a souvenir shop still warms the soul. Even if you're not so keen on it, a trip like this is a great way to get up close and personal with Welsh nature on a limited time basis.
Choose your Snowdonia rail adventure online.
Snowdonia and hiking on Snowden
Snowdonia or Erary (Eryri in Welsh) is the third most visited national park in the United Kingdom, covering an area of 2,170 km². And the length of the sea coast is 60 km.
The English name for the reserve was given by the highest mountain in Wales – Snowdon. The name is not far from the original, because in the old Welsh Eryri meant “high, mountainous area.” By the way, here’s another interesting fact: only in Snowdonia (out of all of Britain) can you find the Snowdon lily.
There are at least six trails of varying difficulty levels in the park. But I recommend the Cwm Idwal route for a person with an average level of physical fitness.
The round trip distance is only 5 kilometers. The entire journey will take approximately 2 hours. The rise itself is expected to be only 140 meters. As a bonus, you can enjoy the beauty of the glacier-carved, pristine lake Llyn Idwal. You will also see the dramatic landscape of the hanging valley.
By the way, Charles Darwin came here in the second half of the 19th century. He conducted research for his most famous book, On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection.
Well, I haven’t completely convinced you yet? Want to learn more about preparing for this route? Catch a link to the route itself from the official website of the reserve. You can also find more ideas for walks on the National Trust for Britain website. Snowdonia awaits you.