Snowdonia
Snowdonia (Welsh: Eryri) is a region of North Wales and a national park of 838 square miles (2,170 km²) in area. It was the first to be designated of the three National Parks in Wales, in 1951. More than 26,000 people live within the park, of whom about 62% speak Welsh. The park attracts over 6 million visitors annually, split almost equally between day and staying visitors, making it the third most visited national park in England and Wales.
History
The English name for the area derives from Snowdon, which is the highest mountain in Wales at 1,085 metres (3,560 ft). In Welsh, the area is named Eryri. One assumption is that the name is derived from eryr ("eagle"), but others state that it means quite simply Highlands, as leading Welsh scholar Sir Ifor Williams proved. In the Middle Ages the title Prince of Aberffraw and Lord of Snowdon (Tywysog Aberffraw ac Arglwydd Eryri) was used by the hereditary rulers of the Kingdom of Gwynedd; for example Llywelyn Fawr.
Today the word "Snowdonia" is largely synonymous with the Snowdonia National Park, although prior to the designation of the boundaries of the National Park, the term "Snowdonia" was generally used to refer to a smaller area, namely the more mountainous and northern areas closer to Snowdon itself. This is apparent in books published prior to 1951 such as "Wild Wales" by George Borrow (published by Collins, London in 1862) and "The Mountains of Snowdonia" by H. Carr & G. Lister (published by Lockwood, London in 1925). F. J. North, as editor of the book "Snowdonia" (published by Collins, London in 1949) states "When the Committee delineated provisional boundaries, they included areas some distance beyond Snowdonia proper."
Since the local government re-organisation of 1998, the park lies partly in the county of Gwynedd, and partly in the county borough of Conwy. It is governed by the 18–member Snowdonia National Park Authority, 9 of whom are appointed by Gwynedd, 3 by Conwy, and the remaining 6 by the National Assembly for Wales.
Unusually, Snowdonia National Park has a hole in the middle, around the town of Blaenau Ffestiniog, a slate quarrying centre. This was deliberately excluded from the park when it was set up in order to allow the development of new light industry to replace the decimated slate industry.
Geography
Nature, Landscape and the Environment
The park's entire coastline is a Special Area of Conservation, which runs from the Llŷn Peninsula down the Mid Wales coast, the latter containing valuable sand dune systems.
The park's natural forests are of the mixed deciduous type, the commonest tree being the Welsh Oak. Birch, ash, mountain-ash and hazel are also common. The park also contains some large (planted) coniferous forested areas such as Gwydir Forest near Betws-y-Coed, although some areas, once harvested, are now increasingly being allowed to regrow naturally.
Northern Snowdonia is the only place in Britain where the Snowdon Lily, an arctic-alpine plant, and the rainbow-coloured Snowdon beetle (Chrysolina cerealis) are found, and the only place in the world where the Snowdonia hawkweed, Hieracium snowdoniense grows.
A large proportion of the park is today under designation (or under consideration for designation) as Sites of Scientific Interest, National Nature Reserves, Special Areas of Conservation, Special Protection Areas, Biosphere and Ramsar sites.
One of the major problems facing the park in recent years has been the growth of Rhododendron ponticum. This fast growing alien species has a tendency to take over and stifle native species from growing. It can form massive towering growths and has a companion fungus that grows on its roots producing toxins that are poisonous to any local flora and fauna for a seven–year period after the Rhododendron infestations have been eradicated. As a result there are a number of desolate landscapes.
Mountain Ranges
Snowdonia may be divided into four areas:
- The northernmost area is the most popular with tourists, and includes (west to east): Moel Hebog, Mynydd Mawr and the Nantlle Ridge; the Snowdon massif; the Glyderau, and the Carneddau. These last three groups are the highest mountains in Wales, and include all Wales' 3000-foot mountains.
- The second area includes peaks such as Moel Siabod, Cnicht the Moelwynion, and the mountains around Blaenau Ffestiniog.
- The third area includes the Rhinogydd in the west as well as the Arenig and the Migneint (this last being an area of bog). This area is not as popular with tourists as the other areas, due to its remoteness.
- The southernmost area includes Cadair Idris, the Tarren range, and the Aran group, including Aran Fawddwy, the highest mountain in the United Kingdom south of Snowdon.
Places of Interest
- Caernarfon Castle
- Conwy Estuary RSPB Nature Reserve
- Inigo Jones Slate Works
- King Arthur's Labyrinth
- Penrhyn Castle
- Snowdon Mountain Railway