Best Walks in Snowdonia North Wales for Beginners

It goes without saying that the walking opportunities in Snowdonia are plentiful. So much so that it can be hard to choose where to go and what route to take. Especially if you’re not a seasoned walker perhaps. We have put our heads together at Dioni head office and voted on some of the easier routes that we prefer.

Whether it’s the mountain summit you are looking to bag or an amble along the side of the lakes or rivers. There are lots of options for all ages and abilities and the National Trust have recently reworked some routes to enable wheelchair users to gain access to the more remote areas.

Come rain or shine, a walk in good, clean country air is good for the soul – as is the tea and homemade cake you will have more than earned at the end of it. Here are Dioni’s best walks in Snowdonia North Wales for beginners.

Snowdon

Snowdonia is home of course to the highest peak in Wales and England and so if a mountain summit is on your bucket list, then look no further. Perhaps not the most obvious choice as one of the best walks in Snowdonia North Wales for beginners. But , there are 6 very well marked routes to take to the summit varying from the Miners which is considered the least challenging to the crossing of the knife edge of Crib Goch (it is advised that only very experienced walkers try this). On average it will take you 6 hours to there and back it is a great achievement no matter which route you choose when you get to the sun dial for that all important selfie!
For more information, here is a post we did specifically about climbing snowdon: A Really Simple Walking Guide Up Snowdon

LLyn Dinas

Located just north of Beddgelert, Llyn Dinas is a lovely quiet lake with a 5km circular walk around the lake which will take approx 1.5 hours. On a sunny day, the water is like a mirror reflecting the surrounding mountains which is beautiful. This is a great walk for families as it is a relatively easy flat walk which makes it appealing to all ages and abilities. The National Trust have recently finished some major changes to the route which now enables wheelchair users to go part way around the lake.

The Panorama Walk

This is a really stunning range of walks that look out over Barmouth and down along the Mawddach Estuary. There are 3 walks in total ranging from 1.7km, 7.1km and 10.1km. Along the way there are various places to sit and take in the views ahead which really are quite simply breathtaking. These are great walks as there really is something for everyone and the shortest walk in itself includes the main panorama view so you don’t have to go far to experience it. If you’re after a ‘quick’ walk, The Panorama is definitely one of the best walks in Snowdonia North Wales!

The Great Orme

The Great Orme has to be on any list of best walks in Snowdonia North Wales for beginners. The great headland in Llandudno has three main trails to the summit from the promenade in Llandudno. The Garden Trail is the quickest at 1 mile and will take approx and hour. The Happy Valley Trail at 1.5 miles will take you 1.5 hours and finally the Zig Zag trail which although a 1 mile long, is steep and you should allow 1.5 hours to complete.

Once you have reached the summit, you will find a cafe / gift shop, visitor centre, playground and mini golf. The cable car and tram line that takes you to Llandudno town centre can also be taken from here if walking down is on the agenda. The views are incredible and along the way are many historic points of interest including a bronze age mine.

Aberglaslyn Pass

If you take the steam train from Porthmadog to Beddgelert, there is a wonderful walk down through the Aberglaslyn Pass back down into the village itself. The pass is a narrow gorge and the walk takes you along the river Glaslyn, past waterfalls, woods and over old wooden bridges. A mile long, it is a beautiful walk. To make a day of it, how about stopping for lunch in Hebog which overlooks the river in the centre of the village and then onto Glaslyn Cafe for one of their famous ice creams before heading back to the station to get the return train back to Porthmadog.