Snowdonia Slate Trail

Snowdonia Slate Trail

Bangor to Bethesda through the heart of the slate mining industry in Snowdonia.

3 to 8 nights
24-84 miles
Easy / Moderate to Demanding / Strenuous

From £460 per person

Find your holiday

About the trail

Walk back in time and explore the slate mining heritage of Snowdonia National Park. The Snowdonia Slate Trail dips into stunning valleys and clambers along drovers’ roads across wild moorland, where the mountainside spills blue slate and the long low buildings of abandoned mining operations preside over the lakes that have long since filled the quarries.

From Bangor and the Menai Strait, the Snowdonia Slate Trail wanders south to Bethesda, one of many towns to sprout from the slate quarrying industry, where it begins its circuit around the heart of Snowdonia National Park. Boasting some steep climbs affording mountain views unlike any you’ll see south of Scotland, this wending trail grants access to some of the most striking landscapes in Wales.

We have partnered with the Snowdonia Slate Trail Trust so that when you book a Contours Holiday along the Snowdonia Slate Trail, 50% of the cost of your guidebook is given back to fund the maintenance of this spectacular route.

Choose your route

  • Snowdonia Slate Trail
  • Snowdonia Slate Trail Short Break

About this route

3 to 4 nights
24 miles
Easy / Moderate to Moderate
25th March to 26th October

From £460 per person

Snowdonia Slate Trail Short Break

The Snowdonia Slate Trail Short Break starts in Betws-y-Coed and combines riverside walks, good woodland tracks, and utterly staggering views across the most impressive mountains of Snowdonia National Park, including Snowdon, Moel Siabod and the Carneddau.

This shorter route eschews some of the steepest legs of the trail, following an almost level route along the Nant Ffrancon Valley to Penrhyn Quarry, but makes sure to sample some of the windswept beauty of Northern Wales’ moors as it departs Ogwen Valley and clambers to Gwuan Gynfi. Llanberis awaits, a friendly and welcoming town that hosts the National Slate Museum of Wales — what better place to end your tour?

Available tours

Code Tour Duration Difficulty Price per person
SSTSB1 From Betws-y-Coed to Llanberis 3 nights, 2 days walking Moderate £460
SSTSB2 From Betws-y-Coed to Llanberis 4 nights, 3 days walking Easy / Moderate £610

Short breaks

Code Tour Duration Difficulty Price per person
SSTSB1 From Betws-y-Coed to Llanberis 3 nights, 2 days walking Moderate £460
SSTSB2 From Betws-y-Coed to Llanberis 4 nights, 3 days walking Easy / Moderate £610

Snowdonia Slate Trail Short Break 3 nights, 2 days walking

£NNN per person
  • Itinerary
  • What's included?
  • Extra nights?
  • Tour facts
  • Route profile
  • Travel info
  • Weather
  • Holiday Highlights
Start

Travel to Betws-y-Coed where your first night's accommodation will be booked

Day 1

Betws-y-Coed to Ogwen Falls/Ogwen Cottage(T). 11.5 miles (18.5km) / 1804 ft (550 m) ascent

Day 2

Ogwen Falls/Ogwen Cottage(T) to Llanberis. 12.5 miles (20km) / 1286 ft (392 m) ascent

Finish

Depart from Llanberis after breakfast

Your Itinerary

This itinerary lists our preferred overnight stops for this tour. Sometimes there may be a shortage of available accommodation in a preferred location, in which case we will transfer you from the trail to your accommodation and back again at no extra charge. Overnight stops marked with a (T) will always require transfers as standard.

Overnight stops marked with an (L) have very limited accommodation, and therefore more often than not will also require a transfer, particularly on bank holidays and weekends. We will use non-transfer accommodation wherever possible.

The daily mileages quoted are average trail miles only and do not include the distance from the trail to your accommodation. We do not expect you to have to travel more than a mile from the trail to your accommodation in most cases; should your accommodation be further than this, transfers will be provided as standard if practical. A very limited number of stops will require you to travel on foot up to two miles off the trail, however these instances will be clearly communicated to you if applicable.

Further transfers may also be required due to some accommodations having a two-night minimum booking policy, especially at weekends.

Below are the additional costs that may apply depending on your requirements. Dog-friendly tours are subject to a Daily Dog Charge, which will be listed below if applicable. Our standard prices per person are based upon two people sharing a room; if you are on your own, or are part of a group but require a room of your own, then the Solo Traveller or Single Supplements apply respectively:

A note about transfers
Solo Traveller Supplement
£75.00 per person / per night
Single Supplement
£50.00 per person / per night


You can add rest days at any of the overnight stops:

Extra night (Standard)
£65.00 per person / per night
Standard
Interactive
© Contours Walking Holidays Snowdonia Slate Trail Short Break map
Betws-y-Coed/Llanberis
24 miles (38 km)
25th March to 26th October

Holiday highlights

Wandering along less challenging pathways to outstanding views of the Snowdon massif across the dramatic scars of the quarried slate landscape.

Enjoying the windswept moors of Snowdonia and the friendly welcome of the villages that shelter here.

Visiting the National Slate Museum of Wales, where the informative exhibits are sure to provide extra context for your walk.

What's included?

  • 3 nights' accommodation in en-suite rooms (where available) in selected B&B’s, hotels, inns and guesthouses along the trail, or a short distance away via taxi provided at our expense.
  • Breakfast each day.
  • Door to door luggage transfer.
  • Maps with the route marked on and a guidebook or route notes describing the trail.
  • An information pack containing an itinerary, instructions on how to find your accommodation each night and a kit list.
  • Detailed travel instructions on how to get to the start of your holiday and back from the end of it.

Extra Nights & Rest Days

The towns and villages of Snowdonia are filled with so many delightful attractions that it is worth taking a little extra time to explore the area more thoroughly. Below you will find some great locations in which to spend an extra night or two.

The scenic town of Llanberis is a central hub for outdoor activities such as scuba diving, pony trekking and mountain biking, and is renowned for its famous international fell race. There are plenty of cafés, pubs and restaurants in which to sample traditional Welsh dishes, and for those interested in the local history, Llanberis is home to Dolbadarn Castle, with its impressive round towered keep. You could also explore Snowdon’s industrial heritage within the informative National Slate Museum; here you will find workshops constructed just as if the workmen had put down their tools for their last shift and gone home.

You can add rest days at any of the overnight stops:

Extra night (Standard)
£65.00 per person / per night

Tour Facts

Total distance: 24 miles (38 km)
Duration: 3 nights, 2 days walking
Minimum daily distance: 11.5 miles (18.5 km)
Maximum daily distance: 12.5 miles (20 km)
Code: SSTSB1 Grade: Moderate
Season: 25th March - 26th October
Start of holiday: Betws-y-Coed
End of holiday: Llanberis

Route Profile

Snowdonia Slate Trail Short Break Route Profile

Travel Information

Useful information and travel links that will assist you in your plans to travel to the start of the holiday and back from the end of it are sent to you with your full tour pack. A summary is given below:

By Air - The most convenient major city and international airports are Manchester, Birmingham and Cardiff.

By Rail - There is a train station at the start of the trail (Betws-y-Coed). The nearest station to the end of the trail (Llanberis) is at Bangor (approximately 9 miles).

By Bus - Various bus services run from nearby towns to Betws-y-Coed. There is a bus service from Llanberis to Bangor.

From London - Trains run from London Euston station to Bangor and Betws-y-Coed.

Return to the Start - The easiest way to return to the start of the trail, is to take the bus from Llanberis to Betws-y- Coed.

Weather Information

To find out more about the weather forecast for your chosen holiday's general location, please see the following websites:

  • MetCheck - This website allows you to look up detailed weather information for specific locations as far as six months in advance.
  • Met Office - This website shows regional area forecasts a few days in advance, with a general UK forecast description of up to 30 days in advance.
  • Mountain Forecast - This website shows what the forecast is like up on specific hills and fells, and offers forecasts a few days in advance.