Hike, SUP and Wild Swim in Snowdonia
A rejuvenating weekend in Eryri (Snowdonia), a wild Welsh wonderland
What's Included?
Activities & Certified Guides
All itinerary activities with qualified open water swim coach and SUP instructorBell Tent
2 nights off-grid camping in bell tentsMeals
2 breakfasts and 2 lunchesTransfers
Transfers between camp and the activitiesEquipment
Paddleboard, paddle & buoyancy aid, tow floats for swimmingSmall Like-minded Groups
Solo-friendly by design, join our small n’ sociable groups of up to 12 like-minded, active and outdoorsy people…
…
What's it like?
Hike through pristine Snowdonian landscapes to reach idyllic wild swim spots such as Llyn Dinas, with friendly local guides
Paddleboard across Llyn Padarn, one of the largest glacially formed lakes in Wales, and discover hidden lagoons and inlets
Camp beneath the stars in bell tents with spectacular mountain views of the Eryri (Snowdonia) National Park
Key Information
Day 1
Settle in to Eryri (Snowdonia)
Make your way to Pen Y Bwlch campsite and settle into your bell tent. Enjoy the views of the Yr Wydffa (Snowdon) and Glyderau mountain ranges before meeting your fellow adventurers and guides in the early evening for a chat through the adventure, which kicks off tomorrow.
Day 2
Hike to secret swim spots
Hiking
Wild Swimming
Wake up to birdsong, enjoy a camp breakfast and start the day with an easy hike to Llyn Dinas - a beautiful lake with a mountainous backdrop. This is a shallow lake, which makes it the perfect place for your first wild swim led by your friendly local swimming guides. Tuck into lunch before hiking through tranquil woodlands to a series of pools where you can take a dip in the calm section or a rush under the mountain cascades. You'll then return to camp for sunset and a well-earned bunk down.
Day 3
SUP and swim
Stand Up Paddleboarding
Wild Swimming
Enjoy your final camp breakfast before heading to Llyn Padarn, one of the largest natural lakes in Wales, carved out by glaciers pouring down the valley from the surrounding peaks of the Eryri (Snowdonia) National Park. Hop on your paddleboard and set off to explore the many lagoons and inlets. Grab a final wild swim before the adventure comes to end and you head home, refreshed and rejuvenated.
The Area
Logistics
Starts
Bangor Station or Pen Y Bwlch campsite
18:00 at Bangor Station / Anytime from 15:00 at Pen Y Bwlch
Ends
Bangor Station or Pen Y Bwlch campsite
16:00
Transfers
Your host runs a group transfer from Bangor train station at 18:00 on Day 1 and a return transfer to Bangor train station at the end of the trip on Day 3 at 16:00. Please contact your host for more details and to sign up to the group transfer. You will need to ensure your return train ticket is for a departure after 16:30 on Day 3.
Travel options
If you are making your own way to Pen Y Bwlch campsite, you can take a train to Bangor train station and then a taxi from there to Pen Y Bwlch. There is onsite parking for any guests who drive their own car to the site.
Day 1
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
Day 2
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
Day 3
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
What is the food like?
Breakfasts at camp include locally made breakfast rolls (meat or veggie options), muesli, fresh fruit, tea and coffee. Packed lunches include sandwiches, crisps, cake and chocolate. You'll need to bring your own snacks and drinks for the activities each day. Dinners are not included. If the weather is nice, we highly recommend bringing snacks or a picnic to have at the camp. If the weather is unsuitable for a picnic, your host will help arrange a trip to the Glyntwrog Inn – a friendly village pub in the heart of the Welsh countryside, offering a great selection of drinks and serving hearty food made using locally sourced ingredients. If arriving late on the Friday, we recommend stopping and getting food before arriving at the camp. You should budget around £20 for dinner at the Inn and a drink (or a bit extra if you fancy a few post-swim pints!).
All dietary requirements, including vegetarian and vegan, can be catered for: just make this request on your passenger information form.
What is the accommodation like?
Pen y Bwlch
Nestled in the beautiful Caernarfon countryside, the off-grid campsite at Pen y Bwlch overlooks mountains and rivers on the edge of Eryri (Snowdonia) National Park. This is a secluded and down-to-earth camp with lots of space and a remote feel, but it’s also just a 15-minute drive from Llanberis, at the foot of Yr Wyddfa (Snowdon). Simple facilities include eco-composting toilets and a shower: but while the campsite is basic, it's certainly made up for by the spectacular views. You'll stay in bell tents, with up to four people of the same sex sharing, but please note that this is not glamping – the tents are unfurnished, so you'll need to bring your own sleeping bag, sleeping mat and pillow. Sometimes, depending on the make-up of the group, your host may use a combination of bell tents and regular tents in order to accommodate everyone comfortably.
Upgrades
There are not enough bell tents to offer a private bell tent; however, your host can provide a private standard tent if you prefer to sleep alone. See Optional Extras for the price.
This trip has been rated as Moderate
This trip has been rated as moderate as you can expect up to 6 hours of activity on both days. Although no prior experience is needed for the hike and the SUP, for the wild swims, you should be able to swim basic front crawl comfortably for 25m in a pool. The wild swimming sessions are not suitable for beginner swimmers, but are perfect for beginners at wild swimming.
The hike is around 6km on a good trail with just over 100m of elevation gain, so isn’t too strenuous. There’s also no rush, so you can go at your own pace and stop whenever you need to.
The wild swims are more about being immersed in Eryri's (Snowdonia) natural landscapes, feeling the rejuvenating effects of cold water wild swimming. As a mixed ability group, you'll swim as far as the group is comfortable with, learning lots of skills and developing techniques as you go. Wild swimming inherently carries some risk, but every care is taken to make sure you have a safe swim. There will be a qualified open water coach in the water, as well as a safety paddleboarder.
The SUP is suitable for beginners and explores the inlets and coves of a calm lagoon. It’s incredibly scenic and fun and there are loads of opportunities to play around and perfect your balance.
Your host will monitor the conditions of the water and the weather to make sure that every session takes place in the safest spot. Therefore, your flexibility is required with the itinerary and swimming locations.
If you don't exercise regularly, please consider factoring in some light to moderate physical activity in the weeks leading up to the trip to ensure you're ready to enjoy the experience.
What will I need to carry?
You'll need to have a larger bag suitable for your main luggage (which you can leave at the campsite or in the host's van), and then a smaller daypack to carry personal items in during each active day.
Daytime temperatures in Eryri (Snowdonia) average from 11-14 °C in the spring and 16-18 °C in the summer. It’s sunny and clear for about half of the days each month. The water temperature in the lakes and rivers will be between 12°C to 17°C, depending on the date of your trip and the prior weather conditions. It can sometimes get wet and windy in Wales!
Great fun, awesome people in the group, fantastic instructors
What a view from our tent! Snowden in all its glory! Brilliant activities with fantastic instructors, unflappable and very helpful when your wetsuit gets stuck on your foot! Great bonding experience with friends and strangers who were our best buddies for the weekend! Campsite facilities a bit basic, but we survived!
Amazing adventure weekend in Wales
We had such an amazing time on this trip. The whole team (Jim, Ash, Kat and Ryan) were exceptional. They really made the adventure so much fun, explained everything so clearly and encouraged you to try new things. The campsite was lovely and the views were stunning. I’m not a massive camping person so two nights is my maximum and this was great for me to switch off from my normal life and enjoy nature.
Invigorating!
Sometimes you just have to challenge yourself and step outside your comfort zone - you will feel a massive sense of achievement if you do. I certainly did on this weekend sleeping in a bell tent with 3 other like minded girls determined to enjoy the great outdoors to its full. The instructors Kat and Ryan were fabulous! Friendly, enthusiastic and so flexible to what the group wanted to achieve. The breakfasts and packed lunches were first class, delivered by Ash who transported us around, helped us to assemble our SUPs and spent the evening with us around the campfire, swapping funny stories about the days activities. Don't expect 5 star accommodation. This is down to earth wild camping with composting toilets and a tepid shower just off the breakfast table. 2 days without a shower never hurt anyone - especially when you’ve been swimming in a freezing cold lake. Bring more than one swimming cossie unless you want to put a wet one on for day 2. Also a couple of towels for the same reason. Dryrobes and your own wetsuit is a bonus. You won’t regret roughing it for a couple of days I promise you!
Very well organised trip as
Very well organised trip as described.
Lovely trip away
This trip was my first with much better adventures and was alot of fun. The campsite was really off grid and I barely used my phone all weekend (a great sign!). There was a good mix of wild swimming for those who wanted to do more and the paddleboarding day accommodated people who wanted a longer or shorter time on the lake.
Stunning scenery but very basic
The campsite is stunning but it really lacks any comfort whatsoever. There are two toilets and only one shower. The tents are really just thin pieces of fabric and there is nowhere to dry or warm up. Not fun coming back after a day of rain and swimming and have nowhere to dry wet clothes or warm up at all. I find this way below par! I felt we did way less than what we could have done during a weekend. There were no plans whatsoever for the Friday eve and the Sunday we finished early. Sat eve we got back early and there wasn’t much to do rather than go to bed early. I felt really underwhelmed by the whole experience and disappointed, especially considering the cost.
Getting out of my comfort zone with a wet and wild mountain tribe
This was just what I needed! As a mum-of-three, this trip was a chance to take some time back for me and recharge, as well as discovering new things about myself. The camp was beautifully remote and picturesque, and our host Jim looked after us really well. His energy and enthusiasm for adventure really captivated me.
The group consisted of like-minded and laidback people and I enjoyed listening to their life experiences whilst sitting around the chimenea watching the sun set. We had a super paddle board instructor called James who took us on a journey around a lake and taught us some new skills. I pushed myself on this outing, completing 4 miles on my paddle board, something I didn't know I was capable of. I felt really proud.
I also informed our lively swimming instructor El that I'd like to push myself swimming, getting my head in the water and doing some front crawl, as I hadn't done it for five years. She accompanied me into the centre of the lake and helped me make this happen. She was amazingly supportive and I felt super proud afterwards.
The great thing about this trip is everyone could do whatever they were comfortable with. I wanted to swim some distance on that day, but others were able to bob around enjoying the water in their own way. Some chose to paddle board instead. We were all given the space to be ourselves which was really lovely. It was a pretty flexible trip with no set expectations. Really chilled in the evenings too. Some people went to bed with a book whilst some had a chat looking at the spectacular mountain view.
If you're nervous about setting off on an adventure on your own, I would encourage you to push through that and join this trip. Most of the guests were solo travellers, so there is a sense of all being in the same boat. It was really liberating for me to put my needs first over those two days whilst having the company of people from all walks of life who inspired me with their stories.
Do it!
Moody Wales
Fabulous trip in beautiful Snowdonia with Sue and her brilliant team at Adventurous Ewe. Wales was looking its moody best for us. Climbing up the mountains and swimming in the waterfalls and pools - 12 deg C ;-) - on the way back down was ace. Highly recommend.
#ewecandoit
A lovely way to meet
A lovely way to meet new people in a relaxed environment in a beautiful setting.
Great weekend!
Fantastic weekend! North Wales is so ruggedly beautiful and this trip was a great way to experience it in a different way. Jim and Suze looked after us so well and James and Kat were brilliant. I was really unsure about the cold water but Kat coached us through it and even made it fun. As always with MBA I got to meet a great bunch of people that I would never have had the pleasure to spend a weekend with any other way.
The campsite was picturesque, and the weather was kind to us but not sure camping is for me but you don't need to be too intrepid for a couple of nights.
Highly recommend.
Perfect escape!
Absolutely amazing, I want to do it lol over again! Hosts, guides, location & facilities all spot on. Haven’t had so much fun and felt so relaxed in years! Don’t hesitate, just book it
Will definitely use again for future adventures!!
Amazing weekend! Our instructor was fantastic and tailored the weekend perfectly to suit all our needs (even including getting the football in at the local pub after paddle boarding!). Our campsite was amazing and we managed to get the northern lights overlooking the mountains. I would highly recommend this company to anyone who wants some real local knowledge, a thirst for adventure and an amazing location to camp!
Excellent
What a weekend!!! Jim was an absolute legend and gave us one of the best weekends we could have asked for.
He thought of everything from routes, times, activities and even had some cold beers for us after a hot summers afternoon on the paddle boards.
A fantastic trip run by a fantastically energetic leader! The views and experiences were amazing - I would recommend to all.
This was a fantastic trip from start to finish. Jim couldn’t do enough for us whilst we were there. He tweaked all our activities to suit the groups desires and everything was well timed.
One day we had beautiful weather which made all the walks and swims even better. There was no pressure on any aspect and Jim’s main aim is that you had fun and enjoyed yourself.
In terms of campsite this is a beautiful spot. The views are idyllic and the added bonus of this being located on a farm means you can see some wonderful animals if you’re lucky. Facilities wise it’s basic but has everything you need and always kept clean.
Overall this made my birthday weekend one to remember. I’d recommend this trip 100%
Wonderful weekend away, with Jim and his team making sure that everyone enjoyed the weekend and arranging the days to avoid the crowds at swimming spots.
The campsite is situated with beautiful views of Mount Snowdon. However, the tents were not designed for cold weather, facilities were few and the eco-credentials of this site were questionable. Sadly I would not recommend this trip.
Absolutely magical weekend of hiking, SUP'ing and wild swimming. We were super lucky with the weather considering it was April, but even if it had rained the whole time it would still have been awesome. Jim is a fantastic host and truly went above and beyond to make the experience special. Swimming in a waterfall pool with a view of the mountains covered in mist is something I will never, ever forget.
Great weekend, highly recommend. Guides local knowledge and experience meant we could really maximise the activities we did and they were truly committed to making sure we had a great weekend.
Highly recommend this adventure in this beautiful part of the world. Views from the campsite were incredible and facilities as advertised. What really made this trip was the friendly organiser Jim and our swim and SUP instructor Cat. They were so accommodating and made sure everyone was enjoying the trip at all times. The instruction was brilliant and we always felt safe and comfortable.
Amazing trip, good variety of activities and stunning views when paddle boarding on the Welsh lakes as well as when camping. Beautiful hike too.
An excellent foray into the magical Welsh valleys and landscapes. Catering, accommodation and facilities were more than adequate, with incredible night-time views to boot.
Props to Jim and Sue for their brilliant organisation of this experience.
An absolutely amazing weekend! The instructors were so friendly and knowledgeable, taking us to all the best spots for swimming/dipping/paddle boarding. It was one of the hottest weekends of the year so everywhere was busy but they thought of other places we could go as well that weren’t as packed. The food was good, accommodation was good and views from the campsite were spectacular. We were all sad when the weekend came to an end and can’t wait to go back!
Such a wonderful weekend! Couldn’t have been better the campsite was unbelievable with uninterrupted views of Snowdon. Jim, Sue and the other guides were amazing and made me feel confident to try and learn new things. Very well organised and loved how adaptable the itinerary was to accommodate everyone avoiding crowds and working with the weather conditions. Couldn’t have asked for a better experience!
From start to finish this trip was amazing. The hosts were fantastic, professional and very knowledgeable. Scenery was just beautiful. Highly recommended.
What a wonderful way to spend a weekend! I highly recommend this trip in the breath-taking Snowdonia area. The views from the campsite were spectacular and the friendly hosts Jim and Sue made us feel welcome from the moment we arrived to when we left. All the wild swimming and SUPing activities were fantastic and I really appreciated the flexible approach of the instructors Kat and Elle ensuring everyone of all abilities was catered for.
A great trip with fantastic hosts. Magical scenery and wonderful adventures! Five stars
This trip was great fun! The guides were very helpful and they catered for all abilities. The views from the campsite were awesome. I would 100% recommend this trip.
Itinerary Activities
- Guided hike to Llyn Dinas
- Wild swims in Llyn Dinas and a series of woodland pools
- Stand-up paddleboarding on Llyn Padarn
- Wild swimming in Llyn Padarn
Guides
- Qualified open water swim coach and SUP instructor
Accommodation
- 2 nights camping in (unfurnished) bell tents at a remote, off-grid site
Meals
- All (2) breakfasts
- All (2) packed lunches
Transfers
- Group arrival transfer from Bangor Station on Day 1, if required
- Group departure transfer to Bangor Station on Day 3, if required
- All transfers during the trip
Equipment
- Paddleboard, paddle and buoyancy aid
- Tow floats for wild swimming
Our trips are hassle-free by design. We include all the activities and equipment, as well as many of the meals, so you can simply rock up with your rucksack and share the adventure with your new pals.
Travel to and from the trip
Our trips do not include flights, trains or other travel to the start point and back from the end point.
Tips
Tips are not included in the trip cost; these are entirely at your discretion. If you would like to tip, the amount should be reflective of your perception of service and quality.
Personal Expenses
You know your own spending habits best, so please budget an appropriate amount for things like optional meals and drinks, shopping, optional activities, and laundry.
Travel insurance
Travel insurance is compulsory for all of our adventures and you are required to provide your policy information before departing. Your insurance should include adequate protection for overseas medical treatment, evacuation/repatriation, your baggage and equipment and the specific activities involved on your adventure. We also strongly recommend it includes cancellation and curtailment insurance, should you be unable to join your trip for specific reasons such as illness. Our recommended travel insurance provider is Campbell Irvine, as their insurance offers all of the above.
Visas
Visa requirements often change, and you are responsible for obtaining any required visas for this trip. Please check with your nearest embassy or consulate for up-to-date advice.
Enjoy 12.5% Off Outdoor Gear
In need of a few more items? All bookings receive a 12.5% discount to use at Cotswold Outdoor, Snow + Rock and Runner's Need.
What's Included
- Paddleboard, paddle and leash
- PFD (life vest)
- Tow float (for swimming)
- Wetsuit
What do I need to bring?
BAGS
Soft duffel bag or rucksack
Daypack (15-25 litres)
SLEEPING
Sleeping mat
Sleeping bag (3-season)
Pillow
CLOTHES
Waterproof and windproof jacket
Fleece jacket or similar
Trousers/shorts/skirts for hiking
T-shirts
Underwear and socks
Sunglasses
Sunhat
Warm hat
Something to sleep in
Waterproof hiking boots (worn-in)
Lightweight shoes for around camp
SWIMMING
Swim cap
Wetsuit (if you want to use your own in the lake - we suggest 3-5mm)
Neoprene gloves and socks (optional)
Goggles
Towel, changing robe or dryrobe
OTHER
Power bank or solar charger
Passports (and visas)
Travel insurance documents
Suncream
Personal first-aid kit (inc. blister treatment)
Personal items (biodegradable toiletries, sanitary wear etc)
Quick-dry towel
Alcohol hand-gel
Face mask
Headlamp
Reusable water bottle (x1 litre)
OPTIONAL
Earplugs
Energy bars and snacks
Camera
Solo tent
Payable Before Departure
Solo tent
…
We partner with the World Land Trust to ensure this trip achieves Net-Zero emissions. We also support their Buy an Acre programme, helping local communities to buy and protect natural habitats in perpetuity.
What's the number?
It works out on average at 16kg of CO2 emissions per person, including all local transport, accommodation, food, activities, guides, staff and office operations.
The only thing it doesn’t include right now is flights and travel to the destination. We do make an overall estimate across all our customers separately, but as we don’t book flights, have customers from all corners of the world, and no way of reliably knowing their travel plans, we simply can’t include an individual number in the figure on display here. We’ve got a goal to fix that, so that when you book, there is a way to measure and mitigate the carbon emitted by your flight too.
But what does the number mean?
Yep, hard to picture eh? To give you an idea:
- Driving 1000miles/1609km would be approx. 281kg of CO2 in an average car (or 140.5kg per person if there was 2 of you in it).
- A return economy class flight London - New York would be approx. 1,619kg (1.66 tonnes) per person.
- 10 trees in a temperate forest are estimated to remove approx. 250kg of CO2 from the air in a period of 5-10 years.
What are we doing about it?
Our trips are relatively low-carbon by design, and we're working with all our hosts to develop long term carbon reduction plans. We partner with the World Land Trust to ensure this trip achieves Net-Zero emissions. We also support their Buy an Acre programme, helping local communities to buy and protect natural habitats in perpetuity, ensuring the protection of the reserve and its wildlife.
Want to know more?
Amazingly, no international travel company has ever publicly published their carbon measurements before, as far as we know. We believe that must change, quickly. So we’re openly sharing the method we used in the hope that other companies will be able to more easily follow suit and build on what we've done so far. You'll find it all here.
You can leave your main pack at your bell tent at Pen y Bwlch campsite while you head off for your SUP and wild swimming escapades. There are no safety deposit boxes for valuables at the campsite so it's best not to bring too many valuables. Anything that you do bring, however, can always be left in your hosts van.
Your host provides wetsuits, however the style of these wetsuits is more suited to wild swimming as a fun pursuit with multiple dips and short swims, rather than lengthy open water crossings. If any members of the group are wanting to take on the bigger swim crossing the lake, we recommend that you bring your own wetsuit. If you arrive earlier on Day 1, there is a shop called Snowdonia Water Sports in nearby Llanberis which sells swimming accessories if you need to pick anything up. Wet suit boots and gloves are not included, so do bring those if you want to keep your hands and feet warm while swimming.
Sure can! Over 70% of our travellers travel solo, it’s a great way to meet like-minded people.
Our team of Adventure Hunters co-create exclusive adventures which are run by highly vetted, specialist hosts. The trip is run by our trusted host partner in the destination. We only work with independent, local, in-destination experts who know the very best places to explore and how to stay safe. Read more information about the local teams we partner with. You’ll be introduced to the host straight after making a booking via the Much Better Adventures platform.
Much Better Adventures refer to the UK Government’s official travel advice when designing trips and monitoring trip operations. We recommend that all customers are familiar with the practical information provided on the Government’s FCDO website, where current travel advice can be found by searching for the applicable destination(s).
For customers joining this trip from other international destinations – please also read the official travel advice applicable to your country of residence/origin, as this may differ.
We recommend checking out the country-specific information and also talking to a travel nurse.
We automatically convert prices from the local currency that a host receives to your chosen currency. We update our exchange rates on a daily basis so this does mean that prices displayed on the site are subject to currency fluctuations, which is why you may see them change over time.
If you wish to change the currency you pay in, head to the bottom of the page.
All of our group adventures are specially designed for adults to enjoy (18+) as we want these adventures to bring together outdoorsy people who are truly like-minded. Children can be accommodated on some private departures.
You're always in good company on one of our adventures.
Our trips are typically made up of a mixture of solo travellers and small groups of 2 or 3 friends, with most in their 30s-50s.
Our sociable adventures are solo-friendly by design and naturally attract outdoorsy people with a shared mindset; a love for adventure, a desire to push themselves and meet awesome, like-minded people along the way.
It’s this camaraderie that has so often turned a great adventure into a life-changing one.
Don't just take our word for it:
- 95% of people rate the group dynamics on our trips 5/5
- 90% of people recommend joining a trip to make new friends
- 75% of people have met people on our trips that they would now consider friends
See here for more info about the Much Better Adventures tribe.
Interested in a more exclusive experience? Opt for a 'Private Group' through the dates and prices tab to book this adventure for just you and your chosen companions.
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DEPARTURE DATES
Friday 18th April 2025
to Sunday 20th April 2025
