Walk the Snowdonia Slate Trail
The Snowdonia Slate Trail is an 83-mile / 134 km long-distance trail through Eryri National Park in North Wales. Beginning at Porth Penrhyn in Bangor, the route explores the mountains, valleys, villages and former quarrying communities that shaped the slate industry of northwest Wales before finishing at Bethesda.
Much of the journey passes through The Slate Landscape of Northwest Wales UNESCO World Heritage Site, a collection of quarry landscapes, settlements, transport systems and industrial sites recognised for the international importance of the Welsh slate industry.
From Porth Penrhyn, the trail leaves Bangor along the former Penrhyn Quarry Railway and follows the Afon Ogwen towards Bethesda. Penrhyn Quarry and its extensive slate tips dominate the landscape as the mountains of Eryri rise ahead.
From Bethesda, the route climbs from the Ogwen Valley towards Mynydd Llandegai and crosses open moorland before reaching Llanberis. The trail passes through Parc Padarn, where the slate workings, historic railway infrastructure and former Dinorwic Quarry landscape illustrate the scale of the industry that once shaped the area.
Leaving Llanberis, the trail continues towards Waunfawr and into the Nantlle Valley, passing beneath the Nantlle Ridge and through landscapes marked by former slate quarries and towering spoil tips. The route then reaches Rhyd Ddu, beneath the western slopes of Yr Wyddfa.
From Rhyd Ddu, the trail continues through the Gwyrfai Valley to Beddgelert, surrounded by some of the highest mountains in Wales. Beyond Beddgelert, the route crosses increasingly remote country towards Croesor, with mountain, woodland and former quarry landscapes accompanying the trail.
The Snowdonia Slate Trail continues through the slate-working country around Tanygrisiau and Blaenau Ffestiniog, another of the major historic centres of the Welsh slate industry. Reservoirs, inclines, quarry workings and the surrounding mountains create one of the trail's most distinctive industrial landscapes.
From the Ffestiniog area, the route turns north through quieter countryside towards Penmachno before reaching Betws-y-Coed. Woodland paths and river valleys replace the more exposed quarry landscapes as the trail passes through the forests and valleys of eastern Eryri.
Beyond Betws-y-Coed, the trail passes Swallow Falls and climbs through the Gwydir Forest before descending towards Capel Curig, with views towards Moel Siabod, the Glyderau, Carneddau and Yr Wyddfa.
The final section follows the broad glacial landscape of the Ogwen Valley beneath the mountains of the Carneddau and Glyderau. The route then joins Lôn Las Ogwen, passing the slate tips of Penrhyn Quarry before returning to Bethesda and completing the journey through the slate landscapes of Eryri.
Overview
Distance: 83 miles / 134 km
Typical duration: 7 walking days
Difficulty: Moderate to Challenging
Start: Porth Penrhyn, Bangor
Finish: Bethesda
Terrain: Mountain paths, moorland, woodland tracks, river valleys, farmland, quarry landscapes, minor roads and former railway routes
Check availability
Select your dates to check current availability and prices.