Photo © Balkan Campers

If you’re planning to visit Snowdon in your campervan or motorhome and are looking for ‘wild camping’ spots around the mountain then read on. There are of course numerous campsites around snowdon with varying levels of quality who would all love your business but if you’re looking for a Snowdon campervan spot for an overnight stay, we have some suggestions.

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Remember ‘wild camping’ (written in quotes as it’s not really wild camping) typically means parking up late, leaving early the next morning and taking all your rubbish away with you. There’s usually an expectation that you will be ‘stealthy’ so you wouldn’t normally get your tables and chairs out. If you’re looking for that sort of stay, find a local campsite.

The website and app park4night is an invaluable tool for seeking out overnight parking spots around Snowdon and across the globe. It’s absolutely free and regularly updated. Please contribute by adding new places and leaving reviews on ones you use.

The following list gives some of the more popular overnight Snowdon camping spots starting to the north of the mountain and working clockwise. A warning about post codes. In remote areas such as Snowdonia, Royal Mail post codes can cover large areas so aren’t usually very accurate. Use the What3Words addresses provided for the best location information.

Llanberis Campervan Parking

It might feel like campervans aren’t welcome in the popular Snowdon village of Llanberis. There’s a long and difficult history with the locals and overnight visitors. None of the main car parks allow sleeping in vehicles overnight and the public toilets are usually closed. There are a few options however:

  • Ystad Ddiwydiannol Y Glyn (approximately LL55 4PX or ///recruited.retaliate.collects) – this is the road leading to the lagoons. It’s a long, quiet road with plenty of parking for campers and motor homes of varying sizes. Will be busy during the day but will quiet down in the evening. Right beside the lake and just a short walk from the village centre. Don’t be tempted to park in the lagoon car parks (even if you can get under the height barriers) or on any of the double yellow lines.

Nant Peris Campervan Parking

The A4086 Llanberis Pass leaves Llanberis and heads spectacularly around the north-east side of Snowdon.

  • There are various lay-bys on this road where you can park up overnight. Drive through the small village of Nant Peris and keep a look out for spaces on both sides. They are right beside the road but are usually quiet and safe enough. They are popular during the day with walkers and early evening with climbers so you might need to shuffle after they’ve gone to get the best spot. They’re suitable for vehicles of all sizes assuming you can get a space. Head for ///bandstand.kindest.acoustics or ///overlaid.usages.suckle (pretty much opposite each other). Further up the Pass you’ll find lay-bys at ///bring.saving.steady and ///shuffle.flush.seemingly or ///fizzle.improvise.tested (the latter two again being opposite each other. You’ll find toilets at Nant Peris Park & Ride (near to LL55 4UF or ///websites.affirming.subtitle) which are open 24 hours a day during the main season – typically from the 1st April or Easter holiday (whichever is earlier) until the end of October. They continue to be open weekends during the winter. You cannot sleep in your vehicle overnight at the Park & Ride facility and much of the Llanberis Pass is a clearway so be sure your wheels are off the carriageway.
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Capel Curig Campervan Parking

At the Pen-y-Gwryd Hotel, the A4086 continues north-east away from Snowdon towards Capel Curig and Betws-y-Coed but there are a few nice overnight options around here.

  • Just like the Llanberis Pass around Nant Peris, there are a number of lay-bys along the road which are ideal for an overnight stay. The road is relatively busy during the day but quietens down in the evening. Beware the first two lay-bys you come to after the Pen-y-Gwryd hotel are ‘pay and display’ and prohibit sleeping overnight in vehicles. Head further along the road to ///retract.icebergs.research or opposite at ///positive.reverted.guru; the latter being a better overnight spot. There are a number of other spots of varying sizes all the way up to the national mountain centre at Plas y Brenin so it’s worth having a drive up and down to find the right one for you.
  • The Moel Siabod Cafe in Capel Curig near to LL24 0EF or ///scanty.forgot.sedated allows campervans or small motorhomes to stay overnight in their car park for a nominal fee. The owners are lovely but check with them in advance to make sure they’re happy for you to stay. The car park is very busy during the day so you will be expected to move on first thing in the morning. Although do have breakfast at the cafe before you leave – the food is great!
  • The A5 continues to Betws-y-Coed where there are numerous other lay-bys suitable for vehicles of all sizes.

Beddgelert Campervan Parking

To the South of Snowdon you’ll find the village of Beddgelert. The A498 runs from the Pen-y-Gwryd hotel south through Beddgelert and on to the coast. This road is much narrower than other Snowdon roads and isn’t idea for large motorhomes. Buses and coaches do run along here so it is possible to get through with a motorhome however don’t expect to travel quickly and you’ll likely need to stop and reverse regularly to let other vehicles pass in the opposite direction.

  • There are some lay-bys between the Pen-y-Gwryd hotel and Beddgelert but they’re only really suitable for campervans. Ignore the first large lay-bys you pass heading south as they’re all strictly enforced pay and display. You WILL get ticketed for poor parking here. Wherever you choose to park along the stretch, be sure all wheels are off the carriageway as Gwynedd Council and the Police regularly patrol to help appease locals rightly complaining about anti social parking.
  • There is a brilliant viewpoint at ///positive.skirting.years where on a nice day you’ll get a great view of the summit of Snowdon. You might get away with overnight parking here if you arrive late and leave first thing.
  • Another lay-by can be found at ///plates.storming.threaten although it’s not separated from the road at all so might be deemed as risky by some. There’s another similar sized lay-by at ///forensic.dairy.thankful further along the road.
  • As you travel South you’ll reach Llyn Gwynant where there are a couple of overnight spots however they’ve very busy with people using the lake and also close to the carriageway. Stay here at your own risk.
  • Don’t be tempted to park overnight at Pont Bethania (the start of the Watkin Path) however there are toilets here near to LL55 4NR or ///evoked.eased.variously that are open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Please also respect the locals by not parking outside Caffi Gwynant or the houses.
  • There are more lay-bys of varying quality on your way to Beddgelert and out the other side on the A4085 to Caernarfon.