Snowdonia Slate Trail tour

button-theme-slate-trailSnowdonia Slate Trail tour

This trail visits some of the less-frequented parts of beautiful northern Snowdonia. It takes in former slate-quarrying facilities and communities, including the sinuous narrow-gauge steam railways where valuable slate was carried through the mountainous landscape. Walking the trail is a great way to understand why UNESCO designated the North-west Wales slate landscape a World Heritage Site in 2021.

The trail is laid out as an anti-clockwise circuit from Bethesda to Llan Ffestiniog and return –  outwards via Beddgelert and back via Betws-y-Coed – with a linear connection between Bethesda and the coast at Bangor.

Use your smartphone to scan the HistoryPoints QR codes you’ll see along the way, on posts, buildings, noticeboards etc. When you’ve read our information on the history of that location, click on ‘Next’ to see the next featured location on the anti-clockwise tour – or ‘Prev’ if you’re walking the route clockwise. Eventually you’ll return to your starting point.

Between Bethesda and Bangor, use the North-South and South-North buttons to advance in your direction of travel.

To enjoy our tour online, choose a location from the list below.

Click here to see a map of our tour (opens in new window).

Visit the Snowdonia Slate Trail website for practical information, sectional route guides and historical information – and to order a passport which can bag you a medal for completing the route!

Choose a starting point from the list below

Bangor (Porth Penrhyn bridges)

Bethesda (Neuadd Ogwen market hall)

Llanberis (giant waterwheel housing, National Slate Museum)

Nantlle (Tŷ Mawr barracks) 

Beddgelert (Tŷ Isaf)

Blaenau Ffestiniog (Isallt, former doctor’s house)

Betws-y-coed (Pont y Pair)