Camping in Snowdonia

Camping in Snowdonia means camping on ground that drains badly and weather that changes fast. Much of the park sits on thin soil over rock, and the valley floors that make the flattest pitches are precisely where water collects. A groundsheet and a decent flysheet are not enough on their own — bring proper pegs, because standard aluminium wires will bend in stony ground, and rock pegs or long plastic pegs will save you a miserable night.

Wind is the underrated hazard. The glacial valleys funnel it, and a gust that is unremarkable at Llanberis can flatten a poorly guyed tent at Pen-y-Pass. Pitch with the low end into the prevailing south-westerly, guy everything out, and take a tent rated for more than a summer field festival. Rainfall is genuinely high: the mountains catch weather off the Irish Sea year-round, with November the wettest month and August the wettest of the summer.

Wild camping is not legally permitted in Wales without the landowner's consent. Farmland, forestry and roadside laybys are all off limits.

The best months are May, June and September. June is typically the driest summer month, September gives you settled spells with far fewer people, and both avoid the school-holiday crush when the good sites book out. April and October are viable but cold at night — take a three-season bag minimum.

Bring midge repellent for still evenings near water, a headtorch, and more warm layers than the forecast suggests. If you want the scenery without the discomfort, glamping is well established here: shepherd's huts, pods and cabins at the bigger parks give you a bed, heating and usually a hot shower a few steps away, at roughly three to five times the tent pitch price.