After leaving the Yorkshire Dales we are in North Wales for a few days to visit the Snowdonia National Park.

Our accommodation is in the very pretty little village of Beddgelert.

The name Beddgelert means in Welsh ‘The grave of Gelert’. Legend has it that in the thirteenth-century, Prince Llywelyn the Great went out hunting and left his faithful hound, Gelert, to guard his young son. An enormous wolf entered the house and Gelert attached and killed the wolf in the baby’s room; knocking over the crib and bloodying the surroundings. On his return, Llewelyn entered the room to find Gelert covered in blood and the child missing. Enraged, he stabbed the dog and as Gelert was dying, Llewelyn heard his son crying nearby. Pulling back the crib he found his little boy safe and well; lying near the wolf’s torn and bloodied body. Llywelyn, filled with remorse, realised his mistake and so buried his faithful dog in the field near the village.

Travelling from Beddgelert to Llanberis we cross the mountains on the Pen y Pass. This area has several slate quarries. The views are stunning.

One of two things we prebooked from Australia was a ride up the to the top of Mt Snowdon, 1085m above sea level, on the little tourist train.

On a good day this is what we would have expected to see of the Snowdonia National Park – I sourced these two photos from the Internet.

This is what we did get to see.

Rain! Fog! Cloud!

Never mind – it is such a beautiful area that we have enjoyed it anyway.

Like the Yorkshire Dales, Snowdonia is a very popular walking and hiking area. Every path and trail we pass is dotted with people – no matter the weather.