Snowdonia
Mountains, slate and the sea, all within reach of a weekend. Big views for not many miles driven.
Snowdonia packs a lot into a small space. You can be in the woods by mid-morning, on a ridge by lunch, and watching the sun go down over the sea by evening, without driving very far at all.
Fenyx makes the weekend easy. Stand up to cook, dry your boots by the heater, and wake up with the mountains through the window. The roads are quiet once you are off the main pass.
Two nights, a summit and a beach. Not bad for a weekend.
A shape for the days.
Friday, into the woods
A gentle start in the woods and waterfalls around Betws-y-Coed. Arrive in the evening, walk to Swallow Falls before the light goes, and eat somewhere warm while the campervan waits outside.
- Swallow Falls in evening light
- Betws-y-Coed village, all slate and pine
- First mountain silhouettes on the drive in
OvernightNear Betws-y-Coed, under the trees
01Intended shot · Enola parked up at the Shell Island, with Snowdonia at the background Saturday, the mountain
Park up for the climb, or ride the train and save your legs. Yr Wyddfa rewards either choice, and the Pyg Track is the classic way up if the forecast plays along. Back at the campervan, dry your boots by the heater and eat like you have earned it.
- The Pyg Track from Pen-y-Pass, book the park-and-ride
- The summit train from Llanberis if the legs vote no
- Dinorwig slate quarries, eerie and magnificent
OvernightLlanberis, by the lake
02Intended shot · Fenyx parked by the harbour at low tide overlooking Snowdon Mountains 
03Intended shot · Phil & Maria chilling by the campervan at the base camp for Snowdon Mountain Sunday, down to the sea
Finish by the sea with a beach to yourselves. The Llŷn Peninsula unrolls west of the mountains, all headlands and coves, and the drive home can wait until the last possible ice cream.
- Porthdinllaen and the pub on the beach
- Whistling Sands, which squeak as you walk
- One last chip stop in Criccieth
OvernightHome, with sand in the campervan
04Intended shot · View from Criccieth Castle overlooking beach
Before you go
- Mileage
- Under 150 miles for the whole weekend once you cross the border
- Fuel
- Betws-y-Coed and Porthmadog have pumps; the passes do not
- Ferries and tolls
- None; every bridge on this route is free
- Best months
- May and June for clear tops, September for quiet roads
Me and my daughter have had a really amazing time. We’ve been to Wales, Snowdon, paddleboarding and stayed at Black Rock Sands. It was made so much easier by Maria putting our itinerary together and looking at our campsites, so we had very little planning to do. Everything was really easy and we had a great time.
Ready for Snowdonia?
Fenyx makes the weekend easy, standing headroom to cook and a heater for drying boots after the mountain.