A Perfect Day in Snowdonia National Park, UK

Snowdonia National Park is by far, the best national parks I have ever visited. The landscape is breathtakingly beautiful. It is a perfect destination for outdoor activities like walking, hiking, camping, and many more. If you are short on time, just drive around the national park and stop to soak in the views. Snowdonia National Park covers around 2135 square kilometers. Given the vast area, it is impossible to cover the entire national park in one day. Here are the few locations that are accessible by road and can be covered in a day. The starting point of this trip is from Liverpool.

Swallow Falls - Snowdonia National Park

Swallow Falls Waterfall: The waterfall is located right across A5 and does not involve strenuous hiking or walking. It is just 2.5 miles from the village of Betws-y-Coed and can be reached by car or on foot. A nominal fee of £2 is charged at the entrance. Make sure to carry cash in Pounds as no other currency is accepted. A paved pathway leads to the beautiful cascading waterfalls surrounded by lush forest. Nearby rock stairs lead to different levels for better views.

Llynnau Mymbyr From A4086 - Snowdonia National Park

 Llynnau Mymbyr: On A4086, 0.5 miles away from A5, lies two beautiful lakes of Llynnau Mymbyr. It is a perfect scenic location. You can park the car and take a short walk or be a bit more adventurous and go parasailing, hiking or kayaking. No matter how you choose to explore, this place is a feast for the eyes. Probably, this is the most photographed lake in all of Snowdonia.

Beautiful Views From A4086 - Snowdonia National Park

Beautiful Views From A4086 - Snowdonia National Park

Peak, Lake, and A Valley - Snowdon Viewpoint

Snowdon Viewpoint: Proceed on A4086 for a couple of miles and continue towards A498. You would come across an undeniably best viewpoint and that would be Snowdon Viewpoint. Snowdon Peak, a valley and a lake, a perfect location for a photoshoot.

Snowdon Peak: There are two options to reach the Snowdon summit. One is to hike the peak and the second is to take a train from Llanberis Station. Be sure not to confuse Llanberis Station with Llanberis Lake Railways. Getting to the summit is still on my to-do list. Unfortunately, we were not able to procure train tickets for the summit. Tickets to the summit can be prebooked. The total trip takes around 2.5 hours. One hour to ascend, one hour to descend and half an hour to explore the summit. For travelers who wish to hike the peak, the Miners' Track and PyG Track start from Pen-y-Pass car park on A4086. Roundtrip on either track takes around 6 hours. However, the Miners' track is popular among hikers and is well known for its beautiful views.

Ceunant Mawr Waterfall: A beautiful waterfall accessible from A4086. The waterfall is very near to Llanberis village. It would take around 10 minutes to reach the waterfalls from the village. There are two paths to reach the waterfall. The marked path takes you to the top of the waterfalls. An unmarked path that passes under the stone bridge leads you to the bottom of beautiful waterfalls.
Pont Pen-y-Llyn: Pont Pen-y-Llyn is a viewpoint very near to Brybrefail village and is accessible from A4086. A beautiful view of lake Llyn Padarn with mountains as a backdrop. Stop by for a quick walk across the bridge. There are several watersports and activities on the lake. 

Llanfairpwllgwyngyll Village:  

Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch is the name of a village in North Wales. With 58 letters,  this village name is considered the lengthiest one-word name in the world. There is nothing in the village to see or do. James Pringle Weavers have a better sign with English translation. James Pringle's store is full of trinkets and souvenirs.

Day Trip From Amsterdam to Giethoorn, Netherlands

Geithoorn Village Canals

Geithoorn is a small Dutch village in the province of Overijssel. A round trip from Amsterdam to Geithoorn would take about 3 hours. In recent years, with the influence of social media, Geithoorn has become one of the popular tourist destinations in the Netherlands. Several tour operators run day tours from Amsterdam to Geithoorn at a reasonable price. Renting a car is the best option to get around.

Amsterdam to Geithoorn

From Amsterdam, the shortest route to Geithoorn is through A6. Alternatively, taking E22 increases travel time by half an hour or so. But it will run through the enclosed dike. Enclosed dike is a major causeway and dam in the Netherlands. The dam serves as a barrier and protects low lying areas from flooding. It also separates the North sea from a freshwater lake. If you are crossing the causeway, I would recommend a brief stop at the observation tower for fantastic views of the dam.

Afsluitdijk - Enclosed Dike Observation Tower Netherlands

We visited Geithoorn village during spring. The drive was fantastic and the view of tulip fields from the highway was amazing. The Dutch are experts in water management. They know how to work with water instead of fighting it. They create amazing living spaces right next to canals. Geithoorn is the best example of it. On the contrary to popular belief, the village of Geithoorn is not completely car-free. What makes Geithoorn special is its canals, thatched-roof houses, walkways and cute little shops. 

If you are wondering what to do in Geithoorn, here are few tips.  You can rent a boat and ride on your own in the canals. Or, take an organized boat tour around the village. Cycling around the neighborhood is also a possibility. I always will cherish the memory of walking on the narrow pathways and bridges. My personal favorite was enjoying a tasty ice cream under the tree shade on a warm spring afternoon. Shopping for trinkets and souvenirs in the cute little shops was the perfect ending for a relaxed day. Few canals are private and are blocked off for tourists. It is always advisable to stick to the public place and respect the privacy of locals. We don't want locals to ban tourists forever. Do we now?

I love taking photos. So here we go..

And more... 

This village is an embodiment of peace and serenity. In a place like this, a house, a book, and a hot cup of tea are all I would need. Bonus: During April / May the routes from Amsterdam to Geithoorn has beautiful tulip fields. Feel free to stop and take a few pictures.