The giant with the biggest presence in North Wales has to be Snowdon. At 3560 feet, it's the highest mountain in England and Wales. Sir Edmund Hillary and his team trained here before their Everest expedition in 1953. And these days, thousands conquer the summit of Snowdon every year, using no fewer than six main routes. Plus one which requires less effort – The Snowdon Mountain Railway – Britain's highest rack and pinion railway.

After you've caught the train to the top, you can catch the awesome views (including Ireland on a clear day), and, if you're lucky, get a look at the rare Snowdon Lily, found nowhere else in Britain.

Legend has it that the cairn at the top of Snowdon is the tomb of fearsome giant, Rhita Fawr. And that's not the only thing at the top: later this year Hafod Eryri – summit rest-stop and weather station in one – will be serving hot cups of tea to weary hikers.

Alfred Lord Tennyson once said he'd never seen ‘anything more awful than the great veil of rain drawn straight over Cader Idris'. But catch it on a good day and the views are knockout. You don't have to let inclement weather force you indoors, because there's more to see beneath the surface of Snowdonia, including an Electric Mountain. Deep inside Elidir, Europe's biggest man-made cavern houses some of the world most powerful hydro-generators.

Related Links:
www.eryri-npa.co.uk