Details of bus services in Snowdonia are available from here.

Car Tour 1
THE NANTLLE VALLEY, ABERGLASLYN PASS AND THE VALE OF FFESTINIOG

Porthmadog was once an important port for shipping the slate from the quarries of Blaenau Ffestiniog. The preserved narrow-gauge Ffestiniog Railway www.festrail.co.uk , built to carry the slate, runs from the Harbour Station to Blaenau Ffestiniog. On the coast nearby are the sandy coves of Borth-y-Gest and the wide sands at Black Rock.

Follow the Caernarfon road, A487 to the village of Tremadog, birthplace of T E Lawrence, the famed 'Lawrence of Arabia' in 1888. Turn left at the square and ascend through Penmorfa before skirting Dolbenmaen. At Penygroes turn right onto the B4418, signed Rhyd-Ddu. Beyond Nantlle the road becomes narrow and steeper as it climbs out of the valley and then descends to Rhyd-Ddu. Turn right onto the Beddgelert road, A4085, passing on the left one of the footpaths to Snowdon. On the gradual descent, skirt Beddgelert Forest, a Forestry Commission picnic area and a nature trail.

Beddgelert is a pleasant village at the junction of the Nant Colwyn and Afon Glaslyn http://www.beddgelerttourism.com In a field nearby is the reputed grave of Llewellyn the Great's dog, Gelert. Follow the Porthmadog road, A498, into the beautiful rocky Pass of Aberglaslyn and then turn left over Aberglaslyn Bridge onto the A4085, signed Penrhyndeudraeth. At Garreg turn left onto the B4410 signed Rhyd/Ffestiniog Railway and climb to the edge of more mountaineous country with fine views of the mountains and across the coastal plain to Porthmadog.

On the descent through thickly wooded country, pass Tan-y-Bwlch Station on the Ffestiniog Railway. A nature trail begins from the station. Pass by Llyn Mair, then descend steeply to a main road where the drive turns right onto the Porthmadog road, A487. Pass along the wooded Vale of Ffestiniog to Penrhyndeudraeth and then Minffordd. On the left is the road to Portmeirion www.portmeirion-village.com, the romantic Italianate village created by the architect Sir Clough Williams-Ellis. Pass through the toll at the beginning of the massive embankment known as The Cob, which leads to Porthmadog.

Car Tour 2
THE MENAI STRAIT, THE PASS OF LLANBERIS AND SNOWDON

The ancient walled city of Caernarfon is famous for its 13th century castle, scene of the Investiture of the present Prince of Wales (1969). On the south-eastern outskirts of the town lies the remains of the Roman fort of Segontium.

Follow signs to Bangor to leave by the A487 . There are views across the Menai Strait before reaching the former slate port of Port Dinorwic. In 1½ miles at the roundabout turn left, signed Holyhead. At the next roundabout turn left again onto the A5. Cross the Britannia Bridge onto the Isle of Anglesey. On the far side keep left , then turn right and continue to the outskirts of Menai Bridge. Follow signs and cross Telford's famous Menai Suspension Bridge, then at the roundabout, join the A5 for Bangor.

Turn left by the railway station, following signs for Betws-y-Coed, A5 and in 2½ miles pass the entrance on left, to Penrhyn Castle (National Trust). Turn right onto the A55 towards Holyhead, then in a mile or so, exit onto the A487 for Caernarfon. Opportunity to visit Caernarfon Castle. From Caernarfon, take the A4086 to Llanberis, the village at the foot of Snowdon. Opportunity to visit Electric Mountain www.fhc.co.uk OR the Welsh Slate Museum www.nmgw.ac.uk or take a ride on the narrow-gauge Llanberis Lake Railway www.lake-railway.freeserve.co.uk which has two miles of track alongside Llyn Padarn.

Llyn Padarn, looking towards the  Pass of LLanberis.

Continue with the A4086 and pass, on the left, the 13th century native Welsh stronghold of Dolbadarn Castle. At Nant Peris the drive begins the ascent of the Pass of Llanberis, where at the summit (1,169ft) the Pen-y-Pass car park is at the start of the Miners Track nature trail and path to Snowdon summit. Descend from the pass and after a mile, at the T-junction, turn right onto the A498, signed Beddgelert.

Continue the descent before Llyn Gwynant. Beyond the hamlet of Nant Gwynant the road follows a narrow valley skirting Llyn Dinas on the approach to Beddgelert. Here on the left you will find Sygun Copper Mine www.syguncoppermine.co.uk, a remarkable and impressive example of how our industrial heritage can be reclaimed, restored and transformed into an outstanding family attraction. In Beddgelert village turn right onto the A4085 for Caernarfon, via Rhyd-Ddu. From Rhyd-Ddu, a footpath to the right leads to the summit of Snowdon.