Statement from the Snowdonia National Park Authority

Following the busiest visitor weekend in living memory in Snowdonia, the National Park Authority will today take further measures to protect rural communities and vital services from the spread of the Coronavirus.

 In co-operation with the police and local authorities the Snowdonia National Park Authority will close all its main car parks and is also exploring options to close down the most popular mountains and sites if the situation continues.  

There will be no parking available for access to the most popular sites in Snowdonia including Snowdon, Ogwen, Cadair Idris, Llyn Tegid (Bala Lake), the two Aran, Carneddau and Glyderau and the Nantlle Ridge. Therefore, we urge visitors planning on coming to climb Snowdon or any other popular peaks and sites to stay at home and exercise in their local area.    

Emyr Williams, Chief Executive of Snowdonia National Park said: 

“Today we will be shutting down our main car parks in co-operation with the police and local authorities. We are doing this with the full support of the Welsh Government in order to protect rural communities and health services in the North Wales area. This includes working with them to look at shutting down crowded sites and mountains if visitor numbers make it impossible to maintain effective social distancing.  

The crowds we saw on Snowdon and around key sites in Snowdonia over the weekend were alarming as it became evident people were not heeding the Government’s advice to avoid non-essential journeys and to maintain safe social distancing, therefore we must act quickly to ensure that this issue is addressed.  

Yesterday we called on the Government to tighten measures and guidance to ensure that people are not travelling to the countryside to self-isolate. Today we are taking action. Our priority in these challenging times must be to protect our rural communities and the vital and over-stretched health and emergency services”. 

Guidelines have been updated this morning by the Government for those travelling in the UK. These guidelines are clear in that in this period you should not be planning to come to Snowdonia, whilst such guidelines are in place.

More information on the car parks that will be closed and further impacts on our services can be found here: 

www.eryri.llyw.cymru/coronavirus