Regional library
Eryri (Snowdonia) Library
Explore Eryri’s published mountain routes, scrambles, history and local legends, with guides to slate country, glacial landscapes, hill lists and mountain safety.
Hiking Route Guides
More Hiking Route Guides
1 guide
Hill Lists and People
Access and Mountain Safety
Local Legends
4 guides
The Oak Chest Game: Meinir Trapped in a Tree on Yr Eifl
The Welsh legend of Meinir, who hid in a hollow oak before her wedding and couldn't escape. Lightning revealed her fate months later on Yr Eifl.
Moelfre's Stone Women and the Sabbath Punishment: When Three Women Turned to Rock for Working Sunday
Three women who winnowed corn on Sunday were said to have been turned to stone as divine punishment. An early account says the stones were later uprooted and rolled down the hill; this is Moelfre near Dwygyfylchi, not the separate hill near Barmouth.
Yr Wyddfa and the Giant's Beard Cloak: When Arthur Killed Rhita Gawr for Wearing Kings
The giant Rhita Gawr took the beards of defeated kings for a cloak and demanded Arthur's. Geoffrey of Monmouth places their duel on Mount Aravius; later Welsh tradition links the fight and Rhita's grave to Yr Wyddfa.
Cadair Idris and the Giant's Chair: When Sleeping on the Summit Meant Waking Up Mad or a Poet
Legend says anyone who spends the night on Cadair Idris will wake either mad or blessed with poetic genius. The mountain is linked to the giant Idris, while another explanation connects its name with the 7th-century prince Idris ap Gwyddno.
History and Heritage
2 guides
Capel Celyn: The Welsh Village Flooded for Liverpool
Capel Celyn was a Welsh-speaking farming community submerged by Liverpool Corporation's Tryweryn reservoir. Its loss became a defining political symbol—but several familiar statistics and claims need careful correction.
The Drowned Village Myth: What UK Reservoirs Actually Submerged
Capel Celyn, Derwent, Ashopton, Mardale and Thirlmere each lost different kinds of settlement. This guide separates documented history from spire stories and reservoir folklore.
Film Locations
1 guide
Long-Distance Walking
2 guides
Cambrian Way
This unofficial 298-mile mountain route traverses the entire length of Wales from Cardiff to Conwy, crossing the country's major ranges. We look at why it's one of Britain's most serious walking challenges, how much genuine route-finding you'll need, and whether tackling Wales's high ground end-to-end is sensible or simply masochistic.
Snowdonia Slate Trail
This 83-mile circular route through Snowdonia follows old slate quarry tramways and miners' paths, connecting industrial archaeology with mountain scenery. We cover whether the slate heritage genuinely adds interest or just provides route infrastructure, how much proper mountain navigation is required, and if a themed trail works better than simply walking Snowdonia's greatest hits.
Landscape and Place Names
Wildlife and Working Landscapes
2 guides
Ring Ouzels and Altitude: When a Blackbird Chooses the High Ground
Ring ouzels nest on upland crags and scree across much of Britain, but breeding altitude shifts with latitude—near sea level in the far north, over a thousand metres farther south. They're upland specialists, not birds with a fixed 300-metre floor, and their population decline makes every sighting worth noting.
The Feral Goat Crag: Why Some Cliffs Have Permanent Residents
Britain's feral goats live on crags and cliff faces with hooves built for grip, though their origins and effects on vegetation vary from one population to another.
Weather and Navigation
3 guides
Why the Wind Accelerates When You're Already Having a Bad Day
Mountain wind doesn’t blow steadily—it can funnel and accelerate at col crossings and ridge lines. Here’s why exposed terrain can make a forecast wind feel considerably stronger.
The Phone Signal Lottery: Which Networks Reach Which Summits
Mountain mobile coverage changes by route, position, network and handset. Learn how to check current predictions, use offline tools and plan for calling 999 or 112 without treating signal bars as a safety guarantee.
The Brocken Spectre
When the sun sits behind you and mist lies ahead, your shadow can loom across the cloud with coloured glory rings around it—a Brocken Spectre that is dramatic, personal and always worth viewing from a safe position.
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