There is nothing like getting out of the big city and into the countryside – goodbye car exhausts and concrete jungle, hello fresh air, mountains and adventure.

Getting away from the noise and bright lights and reconnecting with nature is one of my favourite ways to de-stress and reboot.

And what better place to do that than Snowdonia National Park in Wales.  

So, an action-packed three days was on the cards, with mountain climbing, valley walks and, of course, summiting England and Wales’ highest mountain Mt Snowdon.

Here’s four reasons why Snowdonia brings me joy.

 

The landscape

It’s wild and hard – raw jagged, jutting rock towering above as your car pootles along the windy roads. Yet there are romantic vistas of green valleys with solitary lakes, lying in the mountains’ shadows. And all these views spread out before you when the sun is shining and you’re standing on the top of a mountain. Even when the cloud is low and the rain pelts down, the landscape is beautiful and mysterious. Snowdonia is nature at its best.

 

It’s an adventure playground

I don’t think you could ever get bored with Snowdonia. Besides the vast number of mountains to climb and ridges to traverse, including England and Wales’ tallest mountain, there is scrambling, bouldering and rock climbing galore, gentle valley and lake-side walks, road cycling and mountain biking routes, wild swimming, kayaking and canyoning, caving, white water rafting, and even the longest zipline in Europe.

 

The variety of weather

Snowdonia is known for its wet weather, but variation is the spice of life. On a grim day its moody and then when the sun shines, the region sparkles with crisp clarity. In the summer, the hours are long and in the winter, the peaks are coated with snow. It means that every time you walk a route, it will be a little bit different; the colours a different shade, the view either clear or cloudy. It’s a full spectrum for the senses.

 

The lack of mobile phone coverage

Just sometimes it’s nice to completely get away from it all and not have the pressing need to check emails or send a status update on social media. And in Snowdonia, there are many mountain sides where there is no mobile phone signal, giving the perfect excuse to absorb yourself in nature and disconnect from the 21^st Century. Plus, it’s good for you to have a digital detox every so often.

 

Have you visited Snowdonia? What do you love about it?