If you find the human history of the landscape as fascinating as the mountains, this multi-day wander through North Wales could be perfect for you, suggests Alex Roddie
THE ROUTE
After starting from Bangor at the coast, the Snowdonia Slate Trail begins by heading south towards Bethesda at the north-west corner of the national park.
Although it passes a few smaller spoil tips before reaching Bethesda, you can’t fail to notice the Penrhyn Slate Quarry above the town – the first of the huge quarries this trail sets out to explore.
Vast piles of excavated rock lie in terraces above the trees. The quarry is still in active use, although its workforce is far smaller now than it was at its peak in the 19th Century.
The Slate Trail skirts the quarry to the west, then soon draws near to the Dinorwic Slate Quarry, which delves far into the flank of Elidir Fawr above Llanberis.
After descending to Llanberis itself, the trail then climbs up out of the village. The section over to Waunfawr barely manages to escape the labyrinth of spoil tips, shafts, inclines and abandoned levels. Waunfawr to Nantlle (both former mining villages) is another section riddled with these traces.
Rhyd-Ddu, the most common starting point for the Nantlle Ridge walk, is the next stop along the Slate Trail. The trail takes on a new and more mountainous character here, heading south along the Nant Colwyn towards Beddgelert where several valleys converge.
After passing beneath the shapely peak of Cnicht, and exploring some of the more remote quarries in the hills nearby, it drops down into Blaenau Ffestiniog – former slate capital of the world.
The Slate Trail now tours the quieter end of Eryri. An amble through the hills between Llan Ffestiniog and Cwm Penmachno reveals plenty more abandoned slate mines before dropping through woodland towards the Conwy Falls on the Afon Conwy, a major river leading to Betws-y-Coed.
After a well-deserved town stop (train enthusiasts should check out the railway museum), the Slate Trail now beelines west through woodland to Capel Curig, one of Eryri’s main centres for hiking and climbing.
The terrain is starting to look a lot more mountainous again – and the views on the final section to Bethesda are arguably some of the best on the trail.
Although the route stays at low level through the Ogwen Valley, there are still some fabulous views looking up into the various cwms in the Glyderau and Carneddau, as well as ‘that’ view of Tryfan’s shark-fin profile.
A final stroll along the east side of Penrhyn Slate Quarry leads back to Bethesda, where the trail comes to an end.
WHEN TO GO
April to September are best, although July and August can feel excessively busy in the more popular parts of Er
