[Illustration:  Photochrom Co., Ltd.

RABY CASTLE.

Built by John, Lord Neville, about the year 1379.]

SNOWDON

=How to get there.=—­Train from Euston.  L. and N.W.  Railway. =Nearest Station.=—­Llanberis (5 miles distant).  This is the easiest
  of the ascents by a well-marked path.
=Distance from London.=—­257 miles. =Average Time.=—­Varies between 6-1/2 to 8 hours.

                     1st 2nd 3rd
=Fares.=—­Single 41s. 6d. 23s. 7d. 21s. 4-1/2d. 
          Return 74s. 9d. 40s. 9d. 37s. 0d.

=Accommodation Obtainable.=—­“Royal Victoria Hotel,” Llanberis. 
  “Castle Hotel,” “Snowdon Valley,” “Dolbadarn,” “Padarn
  Villa.”  Snowdon Summit Hotel is 3560 feet above the sea.

Snowdon is the name not only of the highest mountain in Wales, but it is itself a mountain range, broken up by valleys and river courses into four mountain groups of which Moel-y-Wyddfa is the central and highest one.  The best spot from which a good view of the whole group can be seen is Capel Curig.  The Llanberis ascent to Snowdon is the easiest, but not so interesting as the other routes.  From Capel Curig the ascent is the steepest and finest, and is unsurpassed for grandeur of scenery.  In respect of foreground Snowdon is not so fine as Cader Idris, and the mountains of Scotland and the English lake district.  There is an absence of rich valley scenery in the mid-distance, which the Scottish mountains possess and which so adds to the beauty of the Cumberland and Westmorland mountains.  But the glory of Snowdon is that it commands such an extended view of other mountain peaks and ridges.  It well repays the holiday-maker to spend a night on the summit of Snowdon to see the grand panorama which gradually unfolds itself as the sunrise dispels the mist—­sea, lakes, and mountain ridges standing out by degrees in the clear morning light.  Naturally the view is dependent on atmospheric conditions for its extent.  On a clear day one sees the coast-line from Rhyl to the furthest extremity of Cardigan Bay, also the southern part of the Menai Straits, nearly all the Isle of Anglesey, and part of the Tubular Bridge.

One of the mountain lakes is Llyn Llydaw, a fine sheet of water 1500 feet above the sea, and surrounded except on one side by the precipitous arms of Snowdon, and there are also the Capel Curig lakes.  Snowdon is 3571 feet in height.  All the ascents are free from danger.  From Llanberis there is a pony-track all the way to the top, but it is not the most interesting of the various routes.  The new mountain railway follows fairly closely the pathway leading from Llanberis.

[Illustration:  Photochrom Co., Ltd.

SNOWDON.

It is 3571 feet to the summit.]

HARLECH CASTLE

=How to get there.=—­L. and N.W.  Railway from Euston. =Nearest Station.=—­Harlech. =Distance from London.=—­259 miles. =Average Time.=—­Varies between 8-1/4 and 12-1/4 hours.