Seven miles east of Caernarfon lies the town of Llanberis, right in the heart of the Snowdonia National Park and a meeting point for explorers of the great Welsh mountain range.

Catch a train from Llanberis and you can find yourself enjoying a ride up to the summit of the highest mountain in England and Wales, Mount Snowdon. The train runs on the only rack railway in Britain and the views across Snowdonia are peerless.

Below the mountains sits the Llanberis Pass, carved into the landscape by the twin lakes of Llyn Padarn and Llyn Peris. The Llanberis lake railway takes tourists on a spellbinding trip around the lakes, through the Padarn Country Park with its unspoilt woodland and scenic views.

Llanberis is not just a centre for hillwalking, sightseeing and mountaineering. It is also a historic industrial centre for the slate mining industry, where you can find a hydroelectric power station built inside a mountain and the largest waterwheel in mainland Britain.

The annual Snowdon Race is held in Llanberis every year and sees runners from around the world attempt the punishing five-mile ascent to the summit.

More leisurely visits to Llanberis are also hugely popular, with self-catering cottages available year round, giving visitors a base from which to enjoy this historic Welsh town.