Snowdonia is a region in north
WalesWales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
and a
national parkA national park is a reserve of natural, semi-natural, or developed land that a sovereign state declares or owns. Although individual nations designate their own national parks differently A national park is a reserve of natural, semi-natural, or developed land that a sovereign state declares or...
of 838 square miles (2,170.4 km²) in area. It was the first to be designated of the three
National Parks in WalesThe national parks of England and Wales are areas of relatively undeveloped and scenic landscape that are designated under the National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act 1949...
, in 1951.
Name and extent
The
EnglishEnglish is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
name for the area derives from
SnowdonSnowdon is the highest mountain in Wales, at an altitude of above sea level, and the highest point in the British Isles outside Scotland. It is located in Snowdonia National Park in Gwynedd, and has been described as "probably the busiest mountain in Britain"...
, which is the highest
mountainImage:Himalaya_annotated.jpg|thumb|right|The Himalayan mountain range with Mount Everestrect 58 14 160 49 Chomo Lonzorect 200 28 335 52 Makalurect 378 24 566 45 Mount Everestrect 188 581 920 656 Tibetan Plateaurect 250 406 340 427 Rong River...
in
WalesWales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
at 3,560 ft (1,085 m). In
WelshWelsh is a member of the Brythonic branch of the Celtic languages spoken natively in Wales, by some along the Welsh border in England, and in Y Wladfa...
, 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 WilliamsSir Ifor Williams was a Welsh scholar who laid the foundations for the academic study of Old Welsh, particularly early Welsh poetry....
proved. In the
Middle AgesThe Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...
the title Prince of
WalesWales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
and Lord of Snowdonia (Tywysog Cymru ac Arglwydd Eryri) was used by Llywelyn ap Gruffudd; his grandfather Llywelyn Fawr used the title Prince of north
WalesWales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
and Lord of Snowdonia.
Prior to the designation of the boundaries of the National Park, the term "Snowdonia" was generally used to refer to a much smaller area, namely the upland area of northern
GwyneddGwynedd is a county in north-west Wales, named after the old Kingdom of Gwynedd. Although the second biggest in terms of geographical area, it is also one of the most sparsely populated...
centred on the
SnowdonSnowdon is the highest mountain in Wales, at an altitude of above sea level, and the highest point in the British Isles outside Scotland. It is located in Snowdonia National Park in Gwynedd, and has been described as "probably the busiest mountain in Britain"...
massif, whereas the national park covers an area more than twice that size extending far to the south into
MeirionnyddMeirionnydd is a coastal and mountainous region of Wales. It has been a kingdom, a cantref, a district and, as Merionethshire, a county.-Kingdom:...
. This is apparent in books published prior to 1951 such as the classic travelogue Wild Wales by
George BorrowGeorge Henry Borrow was an English author who wrote novels and travelogues based on his own experiences around Europe. Over the course of his wanderings, he developed a close affinity with the Romani people of Europe. They figure prominently in his work...
(1862) and The Mountains of Snowdonia by H. Carr & G. Lister (1925). F. J. North, as editor of the book Snowdonia (1949), states "When the Committee delineated provisional boundaries, they included areas some distance beyond Snowdonia proper." The traditional Snowdonia thus includes the ranges of Snowdon and its satellites, the
GlyderauThe Glyderau are a mountain group in Snowdonia, North Wales. The name derives from the highest peaks in the range, Glyder Fawr and Glyder Fach....
, the
CarneddauThe Carneddau , are a group of mountains in Snowdonia, Wales. It includes the largest contiguous areas of high ground in Wales and England, as well as six or seven of the highest peaks in the country—the Fourteen Peaks...
and the
Moel SiabodMoel Siabod is a mountain in Snowdonia, North Wales, which sits isolated above the villages of Betws-y-Coed and Capel Curig. At 872m it is the highest peak in the Moelwynion mountain range. The UK National Mountain Centre, Plas-y-Brenin, is located at the foot of Moel Siabod...
group. It does not include the hills to the south of
MaentwrogMaentwrog is a village and community in the Welsh county of Gwynedd, lying in the Vale of Ffestiniog, within the Snowdonia National Park. The River Dwyryd runs alongside the village...
. As Eryri (see above), this area has a unique place in Welsh history, tradition and culture.
Snowdonia National Park
Snowdonia National Park was established in 1951 as the third
National ParkThe national parks of England and Wales are areas of relatively undeveloped and scenic landscape that are designated under the National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act 1949...
in Britain, following the
Peak DistrictThe Peak District is an upland area in central and northern England, lying mainly in northern Derbyshire, but also covering parts of Cheshire, Greater Manchester, Staffordshire, and South and West Yorkshire....
and the
Lake DistrictThe Lake District, also commonly known as The Lakes or Lakeland, is a mountainous region in North West England. A popular holiday destination, it is famous not only for its lakes and its mountains but also for its associations with the early 19th century poetry and writings of William Wordsworth...
. It covers 827 square miles (2,141.9 km²), and has 37 miles (59.5 km) of coastline.
The Park is governed by the Snowdonia National Park Authority, which is made up of local government and Welsh representatives, and its main offices are at
PenrhyndeudraethPenrhyndeudraeth is a village and community in the Welsh county of Gwynedd. It is located between Traeth Mawr , the now largely reclaimed estuary of the Afon Glaslyn, and Traeth Bach , the estuary of the Afon Dwyryd. The village is close to the mouth of the Afon Dwyryd on the A487 from...
. Unlike national parks in other countries, Snowdonia (and other such parks in Britain) are made up of both public and private lands under central planning authority. The makeup of land ownership at Snowdonia is as follows:
| ownership type | share (%) |
| Private |
69.9 |
| Forestry Commission The Forestry Commission is a non-ministerial government department responsible for forestry in Great Britain. Its mission is to protect and expand Britain's forests and woodlands and increase their value to society and the environment....
|
15.8 |
National TrustThe National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty, usually known as the National Trust, is a conservation organisation in England, Wales and Northern Ireland...
|
8.9 |
CCWThe Countryside Council for Wales is an Assembly Government Sponsored Body. It is the Welsh Assembly Government's wildlife conservation authority for Wales...
|
1.7 |
| National Park Authority |
1.2 |
| Water companies |
0.9 |
| Other |
1.6 |
More than 26,000 people live within the Park, of whom about 62% can speak at least some
WelshWelsh is a member of the Brythonic branch of the Celtic languages spoken natively in Wales, by some along the Welsh border in England, and in Y Wladfa...
. 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.
Whilst most of the land is either open or mountainous land, there is a significant amount of
agricultural activityAgriculture is the cultivation of animals, plants, fungi and other life forms for food, fiber, and other products used to sustain life. Agriculture was the key implement in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that nurtured the...
within the Park.
Since the local government re-organisation of 1998, the Park lies partly in the county of
GwyneddGwynedd is a county in north-west Wales, named after the old Kingdom of Gwynedd. Although the second biggest in terms of geographical area, it is also one of the most sparsely populated...
, and partly in the
county borough of ConwyConwy County Borough is a unitary authority area in North Wales.-Geography:It contains the major settlements of Llandudno, Llandudno Junction, Llanrwst, Betws-y-Coed, Conwy, Colwyn Bay, Abergele, Penmaenmawr and Llanfairfechan, and has a total population of about 110,000.The River Conwy, after...
. It is governed by the 18-member Snowdonia National Park Authority; 9 members are appointed by Gwynedd, 3 by Conwy, and the remaining 6 by the
National Assembly for WalesThe National Assembly for Wales is a devolved assembly with power to make legislation in Wales. The Assembly comprises 60 members, who are known as Assembly Members, or AMs...
to represent the national interest.
Unusually, Snowdonia National Park has a hole in the middle, around the town of
Blaenau FfestiniogBlaenau Ffestiniog is a town in Gwynedd, north-west Wales. It has a population of 5,000, including Llan Ffestiniog, which makes it the third largest town in Gwynedd, behind Caernarfon & Porthmadog. Although the population reached 12,000 at the peak of the slate industry, the population fell due to...
, a
slateSlate is a fine-grained, foliated, homogeneous metamorphic rock derived from an original shale-type sedimentary rock composed of clay or volcanic ash through low-grade regional metamorphism. The result is a foliated rock in which the foliation may not correspond to the original sedimentary layering...
quarryA quarry is a type of open-pit mine from which rock or minerals are extracted. Quarries are generally used for extracting building materials, such as dimension stone, construction aggregate, riprap, sand, and gravel. They are often collocated with concrete and asphalt plants due to the requirement...
ing 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 industryThe slate industry in Wales began during the Roman period when slate was used to roof the fort at Segontium, now Caernarfon. The slate industry grew slowly until the early 18th century, then expanded rapidly until the late 19th century, at which time the most important slate producing areas were in...
. (There is a similar situation in the Peak District National Park where the boundaries were drawn to exclude large built-up areas and industrial sites from the park with the town of Buxton and the adjacent quarries outside but surrounded on three sides by the Park.)
The
Snowdonia SocietyThe Snowdonia Society is a members based environmental charity. Formed in 1967, it is concerned with all aspects of the Snowdonia National Park. Members take part in practical activities to improve the environment and engage in campaigns to prevent inappropriate development in the area...
is a registered charity formed in 1967. It is a voluntary group of people with an interest in the area and its protection.
Mountain ranges
Snowdonia may be divided into four areas:
- The northernmost area is the most popular with tourists, and includes (from west to east) Moel Hebog
Moel Hebog is a mountain in Snowdonia, north Wales which dominates the view west from the village of Beddgelert...
, Mynydd MawrMynydd Mawr is a mountain in Snowdonia, North Wales, situated approximately west of Snowdon itself, overlooking Llyn Cwellyn and being the northern outlier of the Moel Hebog group. A popular ascent starts from Rhyd Ddu. On its western flank are the remains of ancient settlements and field systems...
and the Nantlle RidgeThe Nantlle Ridge is the name given to a small range of mountains in Snowdonia, north Wales which runs south-west from the village of Rhyd Ddu for a distance of about , ending above Talysarn and Nebo in the Nantlle Valley....
; the Snowdon MassifThe Snowdon Massif is one of the three mountain groups in Snowdonia, north Wales, to include mountains over 3,000 feet high. It occupies the area between Beddgelert, Pen-y-Pass and Llanberis...
; the GlyderauThe Glyderau are a mountain group in Snowdonia, North Wales. The name derives from the highest peaks in the range, Glyder Fawr and Glyder Fach....
; and the CarneddauThe Carneddau , are a group of mountains in Snowdonia, Wales. It includes the largest contiguous areas of high ground in Wales and England, as well as six or seven of the highest peaks in the country—the Fourteen Peaks...
. These last three groups are the highest mountains in WalesWales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
, and include all Wales' 3000-foot mountainsThis is a list of what are known as the Welsh 3000s, i.e. those 15 mountains in Wales which have a height of 3000 ft or more. Geographically they fall within three ranges, all sufficiently close to make it possible to reach all 15 summits within 24 hours, a challenge known as the Welsh 3000s...
.
- The second area includes peaks such as Moel Siabod
Moel Siabod is a mountain in Snowdonia, North Wales, which sits isolated above the villages of Betws-y-Coed and Capel Curig. At 872m it is the highest peak in the Moelwynion mountain range. The UK National Mountain Centre, Plas-y-Brenin, is located at the foot of Moel Siabod...
, CnichtCnicht is a mountain in Snowdonia which forms part of the Moelwynion mountain range.Its appearance when viewed from the south-west, i.e. from the direction of Porthmadog, has earned it the sobriquet the "Matterhorn of Wales". In reality Cnicht is a long ridge and, at 689 m, is the 5th highest...
, the MoelwynionThe Moelwynion are a group of mountains in central Snowdonia. They extend from the north-east of Porthmadog to Moel Siabod, the highest of the group...
, and the mountains around Blaenau FfestiniogBlaenau Ffestiniog is a town in Gwynedd, north-west Wales. It has a population of 5,000, including Llan Ffestiniog, which makes it the third largest town in Gwynedd, behind Caernarfon & Porthmadog. Although the population reached 12,000 at the peak of the slate industry, the population fell due to...
.
- The third area includes the Rhinogydd
The Rhinogydd are a range of mountains located east of Harlech in North Wales....
in the west as well as the ArenigIn geology, the Arenigian refers both to a time interval during the Lower Ordovician period and also to the suite of rocks which were deposited during this interval.-History:...
and the MigneintThe Migneint is a large expanse of moorland in central Snowdonia, North Wales. It is part of the Migneint-Arenig-Dduallt Special Area of Conservation, along with the mountains Arenig Fawr, Arenig Fach and Dduallt, covering a range of nearly 200 km²...
(this last being an area of bog), and Rhobell FawrRhobell Fawr is an extinct volcano in the Arenig range within the Snowdonia National Park.Despite its modest height of 734 m , it is a mountain with views of higher peaks all around, including the north face of Cadair Idris and distant Snowdon.The paths are not well trodden, but there is...
. This area is not as popular with tourists as the other areas, due to its remoteness.
- The southernmost area includes Cadair Idris
Cadair Idris or Cader Idris is a mountain in Gwynedd, Wales that lies at the southern end of the Snowdonia National Park. The peak, which is one of the most popular in Wales for walkers and hikers, is composed largely of Ordovician igneous rocks, with classic glacial erosion features such as...
, the Tarren range, the Dyfi hills, and the Aran group, including Aran FawddwyAran Fawddwy is a mountain in southern Snowdonia, Wales, United Kingdom.The nearest urban centres to the mountain are Dinas Mawddwy to the south, Llanymawddwy to the southeast, Llanuwchllyn on the shores of Bala Lake to the north, and Rhydymain to the west. On the eastern slopes of Aran Fawddwy is...
, the highest mountain in the United Kingdom south of Snowdon.
Mountain walking
Many of the
hikersHiking is an outdoor activity which consists of walking in natural environments, often in mountainous or other scenic terrain. People often hike on hiking trails. It is such a popular activity that there are numerous hiking organizations worldwide. The health benefits of different types of hiking...
in the area concentrate on
SnowdonSnowdon is the highest mountain in Wales, at an altitude of above sea level, and the highest point in the British Isles outside Scotland. It is located in Snowdonia National Park in Gwynedd, and has been described as "probably the busiest mountain in Britain"...
itself. It is regarded as a fine mountain, but can become quite crowded, particularly with the
Snowdon Mountain RailwayThe Snowdon Mountain Railway is a narrow gauge rack and pinion mountain railway in Gwynedd, north-west Wales. It is a tourist railway that travels for from Llanberis to the summit of Snowdon, the highest peak in England and Wales....
running to the summit.
The other high mountains with their boulder-strewn summits—as well as
TryfanTryfan is a mountain in Snowdonia, Wales, forming part of the Glyderau group. It is one of the most recognisable peaks in the region, having a classic pointed shape with rugged crags. At 3,010 feet above sea level it is the fifteenth highest mountain in Wales...
, one of the few mountains in the UK south of Scotland whose ascent needs hands as well as feet—are also very popular. However, there are also some spectacular walks in Snowdonia on the lower mountains, and they tend to be relatively unfrequented. Among hikers' favourites are
Y GarnY Garn is a mountain in Snowdonia, North Wales, part of the Glyderau.It is one of the Welsh 3000s — the 15 summits in Wales over 3,000 ft in height. It is the tenth highest peak in Wales. Moderate snow accumulations can take place on the western slopy side of the mountain from October to...
(east of Llanberis) along the ridge to
Elidir FawrElidir Fawr is a mountain in Snowdonia, north Wales, the northernmost in the Glyderau. To the north of the summit is a small lake, Marchlyn Mawr, which is the upper reservoir for Dinorwig power station, a pump-storage power station hidden inside the mountain itself. The lower reservoir is Llyn Peris...
; Mynydd Tal-y-Mignedd (west of Snowdon) along the
Nantlle RidgeThe Nantlle Ridge is the name given to a small range of mountains in Snowdonia, north Wales which runs south-west from the village of Rhyd Ddu for a distance of about , ending above Talysarn and Nebo in the Nantlle Valley....
to Mynydd Drws-y-Coed;
Moelwyn MawrMoelwyn Mawr is a mountain in Snowdonia, North Wales and forms part of the Moelwynion. From its summit, which directly overlooks the Vale of Ffestiniog, it affords spectacular views in all directions....
(west of Blaenau Ffestiniog); and
Pen Llithrig y WrachPen Llithrig y Wrach is a mountain peak in Snowdonia, North Wales. It is one of the four Marilyns that make up the Carneddau range. To the east is Creigiau Gleision, another Marilyn, while to the west is Pen yr Helgi Du and Carnedd Llewelyn...
north of
Capel CurigCapel Curig is a village and community in Conwy County Borough, in Wales. It lies in the heart of Snowdonia, on the River Llugwy, and has a population of 226...
. Further south are
Y LlethrY Llethr is the highest mountain in the Rhinogydd range of Snowdonia, in north Wales. The summit consists of a flat grassy top marked only by a small cairn...
in the
RhinogyddThe Rhinogydd are a range of mountains located east of Harlech in North Wales....
, and
Cadair IdrisCadair Idris or Cader Idris is a mountain in Gwynedd, Wales that lies at the southern end of the Snowdonia National Park. The peak, which is one of the most popular in Wales for walkers and hikers, is composed largely of Ordovician igneous rocks, with classic glacial erosion features such as...
near
DolgellauDolgellau is a market town in Gwynedd, north-west Wales, lying on the River Wnion, a tributary of the River Mawddach. It was the county town of the former county of Merionethshire .-History and economy:...
.
The Park has 1479 miles (2,380.2 km) of public footpaths, 164 miles (263.9 km) of public bridleways, and 46 miles (74 km) of other public rights of way. A large part of the Park is also covered by Right to Roam laws.
Nature, landscape and the environment
The Park's entire coastline is a
Special Area of ConservationA Special Area of Conservation is defined in the European Union's Habitats Directive , also known as the Directive on the Conservation of Natural Habitats and of Wild Fauna and Flora...
, which runs from the
Llŷn PeninsulaThe Llŷn Peninsula extends into the Irish Sea from north west Wales, south west of the Isle of Anglesey. It is part of the modern county and historic region of Gwynedd. The name is thought to be of Irish origin, and to have the same root Laigin in Irish as the word Leinster...
down the mid-Wales coast, the latter containing valuable sand dune systems.
The Park's natural forests are of the mixed
deciduousDeciduous means "falling off at maturity" or "tending to fall off", and is typically used in reference to trees or shrubs that lose their leaves seasonally, and to the shedding of other plant structures such as petals after flowering or fruit when ripe...
type, the commonest tree being the Welsh Oak.
BirchBirch is a tree or shrub of the genus Betula , in the family Betulaceae, closely related to the beech/oak family, Fagaceae. The Betula genus contains 30–60 known taxa...
, ash, mountain-ash and hazel are also common. The Park also contains some large (planted) coniferous forested areas such as
Gwydir ForestGwydir Forest, also spelled Gwydyr, is located in Conwy county borough and the Snowdonia National Park in North Wales. It takes its name from the ancient Gwydir Estate, established by the John Wynn family of Gwydir Castle, which owned this area....
near
Betws-y-CoedBetws-y-Coed is a village and community in the Conwy valley in Conwy County Borough, Wales. It has a population of 534. The name Betws or Bettws is generally thought to be derived from the Anglo-Saxon Old English 'bed-hus' - i.e. a bead-house - a house of prayer, or oratory...
, 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-alpineAn arctic-alpine taxon is one whose natural distribution includes the Arctic and more southerly mountain ranges, particularly the Alps. The presence of identical or similar taxa in both the tundra of the far north, and high mountain ranges much further south is testament to the similar...
plant, and the rainbow-coloured Snowdon beetle (
Chrysolina cerealisChrysolina cerealis, the rainbow leaf beetle or Snowdon beetle, is a brightly-coloured Eurasian leaf beetle. It is found in montane grassland from Norway to northern Italy, and from Ussuri in the east to Snowdonia in the west ...
) 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 Special Scientific InterestA Site of Special Scientific Interest is a conservation designation denoting a protected area in the United Kingdom. SSSIs are the basic building block of site-based nature conservation legislation and most other legal nature/geological conservation designations in Great Britain are based upon...
, National Nature Reserves, Special Areas of Conservation, Special Protection Areas,
BiosphereThe biosphere is the global sum of all ecosystems. It can also be called the zone of life on Earth, a closed and self-regulating system...
and
RamsarThe Ramsar Convention is an international treaty for the conservation and sustainable utilization of wetlands, i.e., to stem the progressive encroachment on and loss of wetlands now and in the future, recognizing the fundamental ecological functions of wetlands and their economic, cultural,...
sites.
One of the major problems facing the Park in recent years has been the growth of
Rhododendron ponticumRhododendron ponticum, called Common Rhododendron or Pontic Rhododendron, is a species of Rhododendron native to southern Europe and southwest Asia.-Description:...
. This fast-growing
invasive species"Invasive species", or invasive exotics, is a nomenclature term and categorization phrase used for flora and fauna, and for specific restoration-preservation processes in native habitats, with several definitions....
has a tendency to take over and stifle native species. 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.
Rare mammals in the park include otters,
polecatsThe European polecat , also known as the black or forest polecat , is a species of Mustelid native to western Eurasia and North Africa, which is classed by the IUCN as Least Concern due to its wide range and large numbers. It is of a generally dark brown colour, with a pale underbelly and a dark...
, and the
feral goatThe feral goat is the domestic goat when it has become established in the wild. Feral goats occur in Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, Great Britain, Hawaii, the Galapagos and in many other parts of the world...
, although the
Pine MartenThe European Pine Marten , known most commonly as the pine marten in Anglophone Europe, and less commonly also known as Pineten, baum marten, or sweet marten, is an animal native to Northern Europe belonging to the mustelid family, which also includes mink, otter, badger, wolverine and weasel. It...
has not been seen for many years. Rare birds include
ravenRaven is the common name given to several larger-bodied members of the genus Corvus—but in Europe and North America the Common Raven is normally implied...
,
peregrinePeregrine, Latin Peregrinus, is a name originally meaning "one from abroad", that is, a foreigner, traveller, or pilgrim. It may refer to:- Birds :* Peregrine Falcon, a bird of prey* The Peregrine Fund, a bird conservation organization- People :...
,
ospreyThe Osprey , sometimes known as the sea hawk or fish eagle, is a diurnal, fish-eating bird of prey. It is a large raptor, reaching more than in length and across the wings...
,
merlinMerlin is a legendary figure best known as the wizard featured in the Arthurian legend. The standard depiction of the character first appears in Geoffrey of Monmouth's Historia Regum Britanniae, written c. 1136, and is based on an amalgamation of previous historical and legendary figures...
and the
red kiteThe Red Kite is a medium-large bird of prey in the family Accipitridae, which also includes many other diurnal raptors such as eagles, buzzards, and harriers. The species is currently endemic to the Western Palearctic region in Europe and northwest Africa, though formerly also occurred just...
.
Climate
Snowdonia is one of the
wettest parts of the British IslesThe United Kingdom straddles the geographic mid-latitudes between 50-60 N from the equator. It is also positioned on the western seaboard of Eurasia, the world's largest land mass. These boundary conditions allow convergence between moist maritime air and dry continental air...
;
Crib GochCrib Goch is described as a "knife-edged" arête in the Snowdonia National Park in Gwynedd, Wales. The name means red comb in the Welsh language, presumably referring to the serrated ridge and the colour of some of the rocks....
in Snowdonia is the wettest spot in the United Kingdom, with an average rainfall of 4473 millimetres (176.1 in) a year over the past 30 years.
External links