Eryri National Park (also known as Snowdonia) is a North Wales climbing haven and one of the most popular climbing spots in the UK. It has a wealth of remote peaks, challenging scrambles, bouldering and free climbing among its 823 square miles/2,131 square km of rugged and dramatic mountain ranges – including the Snowdon massif, the Glyderau and Carneddau – amid tumbling rivers and forested valleys. 

Follow Pitchup’s guide to the best climbing routes and locations across Snowdonia for everything from bouldering to sport and trad climbing. Our insights should help you plan for some of the best climbing in the UK. If you’re considering scaling Snowdon – the highest mountain in Wales at 3560 ft/1,085 m – read about the best routes for all fitness levels and climbing abilities in our hiking guide to Eryri.

Bouldering in Snowdonia

Bouldering – climbing without the use of ropes and harnesses – is a popular form of rock climbing intended for honing skills and increasing fitness levels. Practise your art in the spectacular steep valleys of Snowdonia, from the remote to the easily accessible.

RAC Boulders

Handily located just off the A4086 near Betws-y-Coed for an easy walk-in, this popular bouldering location on the eastern side of the Glyderau should be on the schedule for any aspiring beginner or novice climber. The main boulders have a variety of routes on all sides, offering low-to-mid-grade ‘problems’ (a series of moves, for the uninitiated among you) as well as difficult overhangs and arêtes. However, with convenience comes popularity, so plan on getting there with the larks to avoid being crowded out when you're honing your bouldering skills.

Llanberis Pass

Another accessible bouldering site is the glaciated Llanberis Pass, five minutes’ drive from the Eryri climbing nirvana of Llanberis and with many different opportunities on volcanic rock. Some of the most renowned formations include Dinas Cromlech and The Crags. You can also test your head for heights on Utopia, a great slab with around a dozen routes on it, and Wavelength, a giant circuit of erratic boulders with some fairly straightforward climbing.  

Sport climbing routes

Involving strenuous activity, sport climbing takes place on set courses over short routes with ropes and preplaced bolts to test your climbing skills and physical prowess. 

Llanberis Slate Quarries

These humongous slate quarries were abandoned in 1969 and subsequently redeveloped into one of the premier sport climbing destinations in Snowdonia. The vast excavated hillside now nicknamed ‘Australia’ offers a huge variety of routes with technical challenges; equally popular is the multi-hued Rainbow Slab, a wall providing highly technical routes for experienced sports climbers. Any non-climbers in your party can happily spend an afternoon investigating the importance of slate mining to the local area at the informative and interactive National Slate Museum in the former Victorian workshops nearby.

Tremadog

Right on the south-west edge of the national park, these well-known crags have had something of a makeover, with access to four climbing areas, and more than 40 routes graded from difficult to easy for climbers of all abilities. Being at a fairly low altitude, Tremadog sometimes escapes the poor weather experienced at higher crags, so climbing is possible all year around – in fact in summer, the great slabs of igneous rock often get too hot to climb.   

Traditional climbing

Performed in pairs without ropes, trad (or ‘free’) climbing involves the placement of chocks and bolts up a route rather than relying on a pre-prepared ascent. Anyone involved in this demanding sport requires experience in route finding. 

Tryfan

A 'proper' mountain in the Ogwen Valley in north Eryri/Snowdonia, the magnificent and foreboding Tryfan is to be treated with respect as it marks the line between hiking and mountaineering – both George Mallory and Sir Edmund Hillary trained here before attempting Everest. Now under the auspices of the National Trust, this is definitely a climb; even the easiest route from Bwlch Tryfan is boulder-strewn and classed as a Grade 1 scramble, while many of the other more difficult routes among the numerous gullies are catnip to mountaineers. The weather is notoriously fickle here, and under-prepared climbers keep the Welsh Mountain Rescue teams busy all year around.

Clogwyn Du’r Arddu 

Reached via a demanding hike from Llanberis (or you can cheat and take the rack and pinion railway up to Halfway House and walk in from there), 'Cloggy' is a legend in the trad climbing world, conquered by all the founding fathers of British climbing. It’s known and loved throughout the community for challenging routes such as Indian Face – finally mastered by Johnny Dawes in 1986 – and Master’s Wall, just a couple of the three-star routes on this towering crag. This is not one for novice climbers, who can content themselves with stunning views and a wild swim in Llyn Du’r Arddu lake.

Climbing etiquette and conservation

You should always follow the Countryside Code when out in the national park, but when you are climbing, there are additional rules of etiquette to follow.

Be mindful of outdoor etiquette

When you’re outdoor climbing in Eryri, don’t be 'that person' ignoring basic safety procedures and making an unnecessary din; here’s how to climb while showing respect and consideration for your fellow climbers. 

• Don’t overdo the noise when you’re climbing in a group; some shouting may be unavoidable as you communicate with each other, but excessive and unnecessary yelling is rude and spoils the climb for everyone else around you.

• Limit any drone usage, particularly in popular climbing areas. Having a drone buzzing around you while climbing can be distracting, annoying and sometimes downright frightening. 

• Keep your kit together and resist the urge to spread it out across the climbing area, especially on busy days. 

Follow the safety rules

Following safety rules is of paramount importance when you are climbing; failure to do so can cause unnecessary accidents, injury and occasionally even loss of life. 

• Always check the weather before starting out to your climbing destination. This is especially important in winter, when conditions are unpredictable; always check local ground conditions for the latest reports. 

• Always take gear suitable for the prevalent weather conditions – waterproof layers are your friend.

• Always check and double check your harness, including rope and belay devices, before starting a climb.

• Always wear a climbing helmet.

• Always make sure your climbing rope is long enough to reach the anchors on a sports route or a belay ledge on multi-pitch climbs. 

• Always clip the rope properly and use safe anchors.

• Always, always pay attention to what is going on around you, and use the correct climbing commands to prevent miscommunication. 

Preserve the environment

Combine your passion for climbing and being outdoors with a concern for our natural environment. Here are several ways to become an eco-friendly climber, have a positive effect on your natural surroundings and preserve it for future generations.

• Always leave nature as you found it; follow Wilderness England’s Leave No Trace policies by sticking to established footpaths and taking every bit of waste home with you, whether it is biodegradable or not.  

• Always respect wildlife, making sure you’re aware of any seasonal closures – for example, during spring when birds like curlews and lapwings are nesting on the ground. 

• Leave any dogs at home or keep them firmly on a lead; they can be a nuisance to other climbers and also disturb wildlife – particularly those ground-nesting birds. Dogs can also disturb sheep grazing in upland areas.

• Look for climbing gear made from recycled materials to reduce carbon footprint, like those from Dirtbags Climbing. Many outdoor clothing companies like Snow + Rock or The North Face have drop-off bags for old gear in their stores. 

• Support local organisations and charities that protect Eryi's climbing areas by donating to them or volunteering to help. For more pointers, the British Mountaineering Council’s Access and Conservation Trust (ACT) funds projects to protect climbing destinations throughout the country, promoting sustainable access to mountains, coastal cliffs and open countryside through education and conservation projects.

• Ditch the car and use public transport, instead carpooling, biking or hiking to your climbing destination to reduce emissions and minimise environmental impact.

• If you can’t avoid driving, always park in designated spaces rather than in fields, on grassy roadsides or blocking narrow lanes. 

• Stay on designated climbing routes and access paths to conserve the surrounding environment. 

With year-round options for climbers of every level of ability, experience and fitness, Eryri National Park is a fabulous destination for outdoor breaks – please check out UK Climbing for all the latest information about climbing in the Snowdonia region. 

It’s also a very, very popular destination, so it's a good idea to think about your accommodation well in advance of your visit. Pitchup has a great bunch of official campsites actually in Snowdonia, and many more right across North Wales. If you are considering wild camping, please remember that it is not allowed unless you have the landowner’s permission; if you’re not sure what the current law is, please have a look at our guide to responsible wild camping in the UK.