It is the busiest part of the Snowdonia National Park, but remains a stronghold of Welsh culture and language. Over the years the natural landscape has been shaped by traditional hill farming and the quarrying for slate and mining for copper.

The area has three narrow gauge steam railways: Snowdon Mountain, Llanberis Lake and the Welsh Highland Railway and also the National Slate Museum. The National Trust and the Snowdonia Society play a key role in protecting and enhancing the National Park.

The best way to appreciate the area's stunning scenery and fascinating history is to explore on foot the valleys and lesser known foothills of the high mountain peaks.

Apart from a popular climb up Snowdon, this book offers lower level walking routes up to 2,500 feet/760 metres for people of all abilities, visiting places of interest. There are walks by rivers, through woodland and impressive slate quarries, past valley and upland lakes.

Some follow waymarked National Trust trails, perhaps in the company of mountain goats. Others offer close views of the steam railways. For the more experienced, there are more demanding lower mountain tops or ridge walks.

The 36 walks in this updated second edition range from an easy 1¼ mile riverside ramble suitable for wheelchairs/pushchairs to a challenging 9½ mile exploration of a rugged remote area of upland lakes. They follow public rights of way and permissive paths or cross Open Access land.

A key feature is that many individual routes, as well as containing shorter walk options, can easily be linked with others, to provide longer day walks, if required. Many of the walks are accessible by regular Snowdon Sherpa bus services.