The National Parks

There are three National Parks in Wales which cover approximately one-fifth of the whole country. These parks are protected by law because of their natural beauty, but ordinary people still live and work there. The most famous of the parks is Snowdonia in the north-west. It covers 840 square miles (2,176 sq. km.) of some of Wales' most breathtaking countryside. The highest mountain range in Wales is in this area, with several peaks over 3,000 feet (910 m.). The highest, Snowdon, is 3,560 feet (1,085 m.).

You can reach the summit on foot or by the Snowdon mountain railway, which is 4.5 miles (7 km.) long.

Many people travel to the parks each year for special holidays. These include a large number of outdoor activities such as walking, climbing, and riding, or water-sports such as canoeing and fishing. People camp and live without all the usual comforts of home.

Susan Sheerin, Jonathan Seath, Gillian White: Spotlight on Britain; Oxford University Press, 1985, page 97