Inevitably popular tourist attractions will see a larger number of visitors during sunny bank holiday weekends, and Snowdonia's honeypot mountains are no exception. Large queues of tourists formed in the area, and both car parks and laybys were full, but National Park bosses said problems such as littering and parking were no more significant than usual.
While there were some issues of illegal parking along the A5 in the Ogwen Valley, a park-and-ride scheme for respectful visitors was said to have coped well with the influx of hikers. However, along with well-publicised claims of human faeces on the mountain, critics say Wales' highest peak was now "busier than Blackpool", and it was argued that the "Piccadilly Circus" which appeared on Snowdon spoiled its appeal, reports NorthWalesLive.
Others highlighted that queuing times for Alton Towers' rides were often shorter than the wait to reach Snowdon's summit (30 minutes for The Smiler, 20 minutes for Wicker Man, on Easter Monday, according to the TowersStreet Facebook page). The long queues that often snake down from its peak were labelled “bonkers” and unique to Yr Wyddfa– quite unlike anything seen on any other mountain in Britain and Europe.
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However, others hit back at criticism of tourists and the “over-commercialisation” of Snowdonia's (Eryri) mountains. One person said Snowdon’s popularity was inevitable. “To the majority of the 600,000 people a year who climb it, it is and will be the highest mountain they will ever summit,” he said.
Another said it was “perfectly reasonable” for people to head to Gwynedd’s mountains at weekends when the weather is good. “Not everyone has the luxury of time off in the week or when it’s quieter early in the morning,” she said. These are popular, accessible routes, especially for people who have been waiting for a day off and the weather to be OK. Yeah sure, the parking is a nightmare, and I get that, but to call people muppets or idiots is a bit unfair, at least they are getting outside.”
The importance of the tourism the National Park brings to north Wales was also highlighted, with one asking: “Do we not visit England’s tourist attractions and queue for ages to get in or see a certain attraction? It’s an achievement for some people to say they’ve hiked up the highest mountain in Wales. There’s a purpose-built path to the summit for a reason.”
Snowdonia National Park Authority has long promoted the less-popular peaks of southern Snowdonia but with mixed results. The Rhinogs were reported to be quiet over the weekend as visitors gravitated to the likes of Snowdon and Tryfan. However, Cadair Idris, near Dolgellau, had a busy Easter.
Even on Snowdon, there are plenty of places where solitude is possible, away from the peaks and main tracks. “It is crazy how quiet Garnedd Ugain is, being just 20 metres smaller,” said one person. He said Snowdonia’s popularity was an inevitable consequence of successive lockdowns combined with Eryri’s enduring beauty and accessibility. “I own a hostel and am forever trying to get people to try the likes of Siabod, Y Garn and Cnicht instead, to avoid these queues,” he said.
“But the queues in my mind are a necessary evil. They are better than the chaos that would ensue if there weren’t any.” To keep up to date with the latest news from across Wales sign up for our newsletters here.
