Eryri (Snowdonia) — Geography & Environment (Wales)
A Years 4–6 Humanities/Geography resource on Eryri/Snowdonia National Park — the mountain environment, habitats, Yr Wyddfa (Snowdon), tourism pressures, and the Welsh language heartland.
Preview
Page count: 2. Print-ready PDF — letter / A4 friendly. Click image to see all pages.
Key facts
- 1 Eryri National Park Wales's largest national park (2,176 km²) in northwest Wales. Renamed from Snowdonia to Eryri in 2023 — restoring the Welsh name. Established 1951. Home to 26,000 residents, 10 million+ visitors annually.
- 2 Yr Wyddfa (Snowdon) At 1,085m, the highest peak in Wales and England. The Snowdon Horseshoe is one of Britain's finest mountain walks. The Snowdon Mountain Railway (1896) carries visitors to the summit.
- 3 Geology Some of the oldest rocks in Britain — Cambrian and Ordovician, 450-500 million years old. The landscape was dramatically shaped by the last Ice Age glaciers, which carved the cwms (cirques), aretes, and lakes.
- 4 Welsh language Eryri is in Gwynedd — the heartland of Welsh speaking Wales. Over 70% of Gwynedd residents speak Welsh. The national park's signage, visitor centre, and ranger service are bilingual.
- 5 Tourism pressure 10 million+ visitors annually create significant environmental pressure — path erosion, parking, litter, fire risk. The Snowdon Path Regeneration project has repaired many eroded paths.
- 6 Wildlife Choughs (rare, red-billed crow), peregrines, red kites, mountain hares, alpine plants (Snowdon lily — Lloydia serotina — found nowhere else in Britain). Glaslyn lake has the largest osprey nest in Wales.
Learning objective
Describe the physical geography of Eryri; explain how glaciation shaped the landscape; identify key wildlife; and understand the tension between tourism and environmental conservation.
About this resource
Eryri and Snowdonia resources
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Maps and guides
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O OS Explorer map Eryri Snowdonia OL17
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S Snowdonia / Eryri wildlife guide
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W Wales mountains map classroom poster
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