We have improved our walking grade scale. Read more
■ Location: Snowdonia
■ Duration: 8 nights
■ Board Basis: Half Board
■ Travel Dates: Jul 2027
■ Itineraries available: 1
■ Choice of Walking Grade: 8 details
■ Carbon Footprint: 136kg CO2 details
Non-members From
£1,599
ppMembers From
£1,569
ppMembers Save £30 on this booking and get a whole range of extra exclusive benefits. Add HF Membership to your booking online. details
From September 2026, we have expanded our walking grade scale from 6 to 10 points. While the holidays themselves have not changed (the routes, daily distances and ascent levels remain the same), our newly expanded 1-10 scale offers greater distinction between holidays and clearer grade descriptions, so you can choose a holiday that best suits you.
Challenging walking grade 8
Challenging walks for fit, experienced walkers. Expect rugged or mountainous terrain, or some longer distances than typical for this grade. Typically, 12-13 miles (19-21km) with around 2,300ft (700m) of ascent.All our carefully-curated itineraries are designed by our experts. While we make every effort to adhere to the described itinerary, we may take alternative routes or adapt the running order for weather and/or operational reasons.
Check in at the hotel is available from 3pm. Your leader will be at reception at 6:30pm to meet the group and give you a quick introduction to the holiday before dinner.
Distance: 13.5 miles (21.5km)
Ascent: 2050 feet (640m)
Descent: 1800 feet (540m)
We start our trip on the seafront at Bangor, following the tree-lined Lon Las Ogwen (Ogwen Green Lane). We walk beside the Afon Ogwen, with views of Penrhyn Castle, then ascend through farmland to circle the upland village of Rachub. We’ll have great views of the Carneddau mountains before descending to the slate town of Bethesda. Passing Penrhyn Quarry we cross open moorland and descend through the Padarn Country Park beside the National Slate Museum – the former slate workshops of the Dinorwig quarry. We’ll walk between two lakes to finish in Llanberis.
Distance: 10 miles (16km)
Ascent: 1,800 feet (540m)
Starting in Llanberis we ascend to the back of the town with widening views of the Glyder range, the Snowdon massif, the coastal plain and Anglesey beyond. The route passes low hills then descends to Waunfawr, crossing the Welsh Highland Railway. We ascend again to the west, passing the remains of ancient settlements accompanied by views of the dramatic Nantlle Ridge. We visit the upland village of Y Fron and walk through the remains of Dorothea quarry to finish in the Nantlle valley.
Distance: 11.5 miles (18.5km)
Ascent: 1,450 feet (440m)
Descent: 1,700 feet (520m)
Today, we’ll walk beside Llyn Nantlle Uchaf and continue east through the valley. It’s then on to the lower slopes of Mynydd Mawr and through woodland to Rhyd Ddu village which has a pub and a café. The route passes the attractive lake Llyn y Gader and continues on the Lon Gwyrfai path through woods to the pretty village of Beddgelert. From here we walk beside the Afon Glaslyn, initially pastoral then becoming a rocky gorge to Pont Aberglaslyn before finishing our walk at Nantmoor.
Distance: 9 miles (15km)
Ascent: 2,450 feet (740m)
Descent: 1,750 feet (540m)
This is a lovely, varied day of walking. We’ll begin with a stroll through Nantmoor village then ascend on an old drovers’ road to arrive at the village of Croesor. We ascend diagonally up the flank of Moelwyn Mawr to the remains of Croesor quarry and on through rough terrain to Rhosydd quarry. We follow a track down to Cwmorthin, passing beside the lake and an eerie ruined chapel, continuing down to Tanygrisiau, crossing the Ffestiniog railway. From here it is a simple walk into Blaenau Ffestiniog, the iconic slate town.
Distance: 13.5 miles (21.5km)
Ascent: 2,900 feet (880m)
Descent: 3,000 feet (920m)
We leave Blaenau Ffestiniog to the south, walking through the beautiful undulating valleys of Cwm Bowydd, Cwm Teigl then on to Llan Ffestiniog. We visit Cwm Cynfal, a spectacular gorge with waterfalls and torrents and follow the river’s valley up to open moorland that offers a sense of wilderness. We pass the iron age hillfort of Bryn y Castell, before a steep descent to the remote ruined village and quarry of Rhiwbach. From here we continue down to Cwm Penmachno, one of the most settlements in North Wales.
Please note this walk is +1 grade higher than the overall grade of the holiday as a whole.
Distance: 11.5 miles (18.5km)
Ascent: 1, 950 feet (600m)
Descent: 2,150 feet (660m)
From Cwm Penmachno we’ll follow forest tracks along the side of the valley to Penmachno and continue north to join the Conwy valley. We pass the delightful Fairy Glen and continue ahead to Betws y Coed, passing our hotel. We walk through the town and continue beside the Afon Llugwy, passing the Miners’ Bridge and Swallow Falls before arriving at Ty Hyll meaning ‘The Ugly House’.
Distance: 13.5 miles (21.5km)
Ascent: 1,950 feet (600m)
Our final day follows tracks through the Gywdyr forest then descends to Capel Curig. We take the green lane through the pass between the Carneddau and Glyderau ranges. At Llyn Ogwen the magnificent U-shaped valley of Nant Ffrancon opens up ahead and the remaining walk is an easy stretch on the old road around the purple slate tips of Penrhyn quarry. Finally, we walk the Afon Ogwen back to Bethesda where a statue marks the end of the trail.
Enjoy a leisurely breakfast before making your way home.
Our holiday in Snowdonia is half-board. Breakfast and evening meals are provided at the hotel. Packed lunch provisions can be purchased locally.
Our partner hotels can cater for most dietary requirements, but it is important you advise us of any allergies and dietary restrictions you have at the time of booking.
Hotel Address:
The Gwydyr Hotel,
Holyhead Road,
Betws Y Coed,
Snowdonia,
North Wales,
LL24 0AB
By train
The nearest station is Betws y Coed. The Gwydyr Hotel is a two-minute walk from the station.
For train times and to plan your route check the National Rail website https://www.nationalrail.co.uk/ or call +44(0)3457 484950.
Weather conditions in the UK can vary throughout the day, and conditions in the mountains may be cold and windy even in summer. Use the following list as a guide when preparing for your holiday.
Essentials
Suitable waterproof walking boots with ankle support and good grip
Waterproof, wind-resistant jacket with a hood, taped seams and a hydrostatic head rating of at least 10,000 mm
Waterproof overtrousers
Spare warm clothing, such as a synthetic insulated jacket
Comfortable walking clothing (jeans & waterproof capes are not suitable)
Warm mid-layers, such as fleeces
Gloves and a warm hat, even in summer
Rucksack with a waterproof liner
Water bottle with a capacity of at least 1 litre
Flask for hot drinks
Sunscreen
UV-protective sunglasses
Spare high-energy food
Head torch and spare batteries for holidays between October and March
Passport (if applicable)
Visa (if applicable)
Copy of your travel insurance policy
Recommended
Several base layers, with long or short sleeves
Cushioned walking socks to avoid blisters
First-aid kit, including plasters, insect repellent, a midge net and a tick-removal tool
Sit mat
Waterproof pouch for valuables
Rubbish bags
Wallet or purse
Camera
Walking poles
Sun hat
Gaiters
Mobile Phones
Swimwear (please see accommodation information for hotel facilities)
Membership cards for English Heritage, the National Trust or similar heritage organisations in Scotland and Wales, if you are a member. These may be useful when visiting attractions during your itinerary or on your free day.
Walks may be changed for safety reasons and are subject to a maximum and minimum number of guests.
Leaders always consider the safety of the group as a whole, and may need to alter or curtail the walk if the conditions dictate. Your leader may refuse to accept a guest where clothing, equipment or behaviour is unsuitable. In the event of a problem all leaders carry a mobile phone, first aid kit, group shelter, spare maps and a compass.
Please note: If you choose to leave the group your leader is no longer responsible for you.
If you have a particular health condition or disability please put this on your guest registration form. This information will be confidential to your leaders and the house manager, but leaders do need to take account of any issues when planning walks. Please carry a copy of these trip notes with you, or note down the contact phone number for your accommodation (details in the travel section) should you need them in case of emergency.
Our experienced and knowledgeable volunteer leaders undergo a thorough assessment to lead you on your holiday and are delighted to share their knowledge and enthusiasm with you. Please ensure you complete and hand in your registration form on arrival and let the leader know about any medical problems you may have. This may be useful in the event of a problem on the walk and will be treated confidentially by the leader.
In The Event Of A Problem
If you become separated from your group, please stay where you are. Your leader will retrace their steps to find you.
All our leaders carry a mobile phone, group shelter, spare maps and a compass. In the unlikely event your leader is incapacitated, please use any emergency kit in their rucksack and call the emergency services (call 999 in the UK, or 112 overseas).
Please then try to call the hotel where you are staying to let them know there is a problem.
If you have any cause for complaints regarding accommodation, you should notify your leader who can then attempt to rectify the problem.
Ticks
Ticks are tiny creatures that live in vegetation and can attach themselves to passing animals or walkers and may carry a risk of Lyme Disease. Please refer to NHS advice and guidelines for information prior to your holiday.
We see it as our responsibility to minimise our emissions, not just for this year but every year to come. Our work with sustainability experts, ecollective, has enabled us to measure our carbon footprint and create a strategy to reduce the carbon intensity of our product by 5% each year. Our ambition is to be net zero by 2040 – earlier if we can.
Learn moreCode: SNT08-LST11
Dates & availability
Snowdonia Slate Trail
8 nights. Trip notes
Non-members
£1,599
ppMembers
£1,569
pp
We are proud to be Britain’s only walking holiday co-operative. Led by almost 40,000 members, offering hundreds of holidays across the UK and overseas, with all surplus being reinvested back into our Society.
Experienced volunteer HF Leaders guide every walk at our UK country houses, offering up to three daily options. Making it easy to find a holiday to suit your ability, and with the flexibility to switch grades each walking day.
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If the flights we have organised are cancelled or changed, we’ll do everything we can to find alternative transport, with minimal disruption to your holiday
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If the flights we have organised are cancelled or changed, we’ll do everything we can to find alternative transport, with minimal disruption to your holiday
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