Have you ever taken a trip to the Snowdonia National Park? If you have, you would have noticed the massive array of crags at your disposal.

But what if you’ve never been there before?

Well, in that case, you’re going to have a blast. The thing is:

Snowdonia isn’t just full of rock climbing; you also have some stunning scrambling routes, bouldering, and hiking to take a pick at.

Due to all of these activities in the area, it makes it a fantastic place to go for an adventurous week/weekend.

If you plan to go climbing in Snowdonia, it’s worth mentioning that there are hundreds of crags in the area; honestly… you’re spoilt for choice.

Listing them all here would be hellish to get through, but we will list a few of the popular areas:

• Ogwen Valley
• Llanberis Valley Area
• Moelwynion Area
• Tremadog Area
• Rhinogydd

These areas are home to plenty of crags and some of the most sort-after areas in North Wales.

All of the routes are very accessible, but it can take some walking to get to them. And in this article, we’re going to show you everything you need to know.

Sound good?

Great, Let’s get started:

What does it look like?

Location & Parking

The Snowdonia National Park is a vast area located in the North West of Wales. The concentrated area is full of glacial landscapes that will leave you in awe as you drive through one of the many villages.

The National Park quickly became a popular place among hikers and climbers due to the massive craggy mountains. Not only that, but it’s home to one of the three highest peaks in the UK… Mount Snowdon.

Snowdonia National Park is home to well over 1000 climbs, but it can take a bit of driving/walking to get from one location to another.

Luckily, when it comes to parking, you usually have quite a few options. In some areas, there are laybys that you can pull into and use as parking spots.

Other areas have designated parking areas, but the good news is, most of them are entirely free to use.

If you plan on spending a long time in the area, you could check out local camping spots in the area you’re planning to climb. If you book a place at the campsite, it usually includes the parking of your car.

If camping isn’t your thing, then you can find a massive array of B&Bs and hotels for you to use.

Good Climbing Spots

Okay, Snowdonia is a massive place with so many climbing spots for you to take on. With well over 1,000 routes, so you’ll be completely spoilt for choice.

And as much as we’d like to, we can’t list all of the climbs here; it would be far too many as you can imagine.

But…

We can talk you through a few of our favourite climbing locations, including our favourite bouldering location.

In this section, we’re going to show you two stunning areas to climb and introduce you to our bouldering hotspot:

Ogwen Valley Area

The Ogwen Valley Area is one of the most popular areas among climbers and hikers, thanks to its proximity to Tryfan.

Not only is it home to Tryfan, but you also have the famous Idwal Slabs, which is an excellent multi-pitch area.

There are around 15 noticeable crags for people to go climbing, which include:

• Tyfan Fach (or Little Tyfan)
• Idwal Slabs and Walls
• Tryfan
• The Milestone Buttress
• And much more

The area itself is home to nearly 200 routes, some of them just off the A5 (the road that runs through Ogwen Valley).

One of the beautiful things about this climbing location is the views that they provide. While climbing, you’ll be able to gaze down at the lake Llyn Ogwen and Llyn Idwal.

And if you’re really lucky, on a clear day, you can peer across the sea to get a glimpse of Ireland far in the distance.

Llanberis Valley Area

Llanberis Valley area lies just across the road from Snowdonia on the A4086 and is home to some of the most breathtaking crags in the whole of Snowdonia.

And for me, the best thing is it’s just around the corner from Ogwen Valley, which means you can hit both spots relatively quickly.

Another great thing is the accents aren’t far away from the road, so you don’t have to lug your gear too far to get started.

In the Llanberis Valley Area, you’ll have around 300+ routes for you to get stuck into and plenty of crags offering varying grades and experiences.

Some of this include:

• Llanberis Pass
• Dinorwic Quarries
• Clogwyn Du’r Arddu
• And many more

If you’re looking for some big challenging climbs, this is the area for you to check out; some of the routes top out at 120 meters.

RAC Boulders & Cromlech Boulders

The last places we want to introduce you to is some great bouldering areas to get yourself warmed up for some big climbs.

You can find both areas on the A4086; that being said, RAC Boulders lies more in the Ogwen valley, while Cromlech is in Llanberis pass.

Both areas have plenty of bouldering for you to get stuck into and vary in difficulty. For me, Cromlech has more challenging climbs but can get super busy very quickly.

While RAC isn’t as challenging, it’s usually pretty quiet, so if you want something a bit more relaxed, this could be an excellent area for you.

The good thing about both areas is you can park on the side of the road relatively easily, which means you don’t have to walk very far.

Where’s Good For Beginners – Advanced

In this final section, we want to introduce you to some of our favourite climbs in each area to give you an idea of what to expect.

To back things even easier for you, we’re going to list them from beginner to advanced to help you understand what level you have to be at:

• Beginner Ogwen Valley Area: Tyfan Fach – Crack 3 Diff
• Beginner Llanberis Valley Area: Llanberis Pass – Cracks Tone Rib S
• Beginner RAC Boulders: Trackside Scoop VB
• Intermediate Ogwen Valley Area:  Idwal Slab – Tennis Shoe Direct VS
• Intermediate Llanberis Valley Area: Llanberis Pass – Noah’s Warning VS
• Intermediate Cromlech Boulders: Cromlech Left Hand – Brown Crack (Sit Start) V4
• Advanced Ogwen Valley Area:  Idwal Slab – The Scone Run E2
• Advanced Llanberis Valley Area: Llanberis Pass – Foil E3
• Advanced Cromlech Boulders: Jerry’s Roof – Bus Stop V6

Final Thoughts

As you can see in this article, Snowdonia is an excellent place to visit and offers anyone that ventures there so much. If you’ve been there before, let us know what climbs stood out for you, and if you’re planning a trip, let us know where you’re going.