The ‘original’ Snowdonia Adventures, since 2000.

Established in 2000.

Snowdonia Adventures has been providing adventure activities and skills courses to individuals and groups of all ages and abilities.

The Company

Snowdonia Adventures was founded in 2000.

Reece Robinson manages the day to day running of the business, and the company employs a core team of highly experienced and qualified instructors to help deliver courses and adventure activities.

Reece holds the following qualifications:

Below is the online verification of qualification held by Reece with Mountain Training

NNAS – National Navigation Award Scheme

Reece is a course director for a range of NNAS courses.

Membership of the following organisations

Maritime Coastguard Agency

Reece is also a volunteer HM Coastguard Rescue Officer in his spare time.

Our Instructors

We employ instructors who are great coaches and teachers, who are able to deliver the course content in the easiest way for you to learn during your time with us on a course or enjoying an adventurous day out with us.

Qualifications they hold will be Summer Mountain Leader and SPA climbing instructor as a minimum requirement, with Winter Mountain Leader, Mountain Instructor Award, Mountain Instructor Certificate, International Mountain Leader, British Mountain Guide and some of the many Ski Instructor qualifications.

Qualifications in the UK outdoor education sector

Every reputable company who provides outdoor activities and skills courses in the UK only employs fully qualified leaders and instructors who hold the relevant qualification award for the activity or course they are delivering.

The qualification awards are administered by one of the 5 home nation boards:
Mountain Training England
Mountain Training Scotland
Mountain Training Wales
Mountain Training Northern Ireland
Mountain Training UK

UK Qualification Pathways

UK hill walking awards pathway

UK climbing awards pathway

UK hill walking and climbing overall pathway

Snowdonia Adventures

5.0

Based on 94 reviews

review us on

Luke H.

1 week ago

We had a fantastic day out canyoning/gorging. Great instructors who made sure we had lots of fun and laughs!

Marisa R.

2 weeks ago

An absolutely fantastic and informative experience. Going up Snowdon with an experienced guide was so reassuring and according to my twelve year old, we lucked out and found the best guide in Wales!

Rachel M.

We had a fantastic gorge scrambling trip with Snowdonia Adventures at the stunning Afon Ddu near Betws-y-Coed. It was an amazing experience for me, my husband and our 10-year-old son.

Our son was apprehensive at first, but the instructor was brilliant - patient, encouraging and reassuring throughout. I loved watching our son's confidence grow as we progressed through the activity, and by the end he was fully embracing the adventure!

The location was absolutely beautiful, and the whole experience felt exciting, safe and well organised. A brilliant family day out that created some wonderful memories. We would highly recommend Snowdonia Adventures! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Louis M.

3 weeks ago

Had a ace time out coastearing with Reece and Millie they both made the trip super fun and really made the day fit are expectations with all abilities in the group able to have fun

Nice one guys

Pip W.

4 weeks ago

Had a fab time climbing Moel Siabod and doing my first scramble! Milly was a great guide - really friendly and encouraging, and my whole experience with Snowdonia Adventures was great! Thank you!

Winnie L.

1 month ago

Did a bespoke intermediate navigation course with Reece, it's nothing but amazing! Refreshed on the basics (e.g. compass handling), learned and practiced techniques new to me (e.g. walking in a straight line over 100 metres). I now feel 10 times more confident walking alone in the mountains with a map. Reece also passionately shared his experiences in voluntary emergency services which's absolutely inspiring! Overall, highly recommended :D

Daisy S.

3 months ago

Thank you, Reece, for an amazing day on the North Ridge of Tryfan. I had a great time and really enjoyed the scrambling experience. Your guidance, support, and local knowledge made the day unforgettable.

Mark C.

4 months ago

Went on a tailored Mountain leader based navigation refresher with Reece and had a great time, highlighted what needs work what we did well and gave great support. Excellent and patient teacher with a passion for what he does. Would 100 percent hire the chap again, and I'm planning to. Awesome two days - went away confident and motivated. Will be the first person who comes to mind if I'm asked for a guide or a skills tutor.

Family H.

What an amazing afternoon! A great activity! The instructors were really responsive to the different abilities in our family. Everyone had a great time! Equipment provided and they took loads of photos for us. They even organised amazing weather! Would absolutely recommend this. Thank you

Olivia B.

What an incredible experience climbing Yr Wyddfa with Reece, I can't thank you enough! Reece is so knowledgable about the history and stories of Yr Wyddfa (Snowdon) and the surrounding areas. He helped us go at our own pace and most importantly kept us safe. There's even an option to buy a waterproof map and gorgeous badge at the end as a token of the trip. If you're thinking of climbing Yr Wyddfa, please consider doing the guided walking tour with Snowdonia Adventures. Diolch enfawr Reece, next time I'm in N Wales, I'll be sure to book on to another activity :)

Dani A.

7 months ago

Completed a 5-day Winter Mountain Skills course with Snowdonia Adventures in February, led by Sam.

I regularly hike in the Brecon Beacons and Dartmoor, but wanted to move into proper winter mountain terrain and build technical skills and confidence. The course covered winter equipment selection, crampon technique, ice axe arrest, step cutting, avalanche awareness, navigation, and abseiling (including South African abseiling).

We trained in various locations around Snowdonia depending on conditions, usually within 30 minutes of Llanberis. We summited Y Garn and Snowdon during good weather windows, with decent snow cover to practise skills properly. Other days brought wind and rain — realistic Welsh winter conditions.

What stood out most was how serious winter mountains are. Traversing ridgelines on Snowdon in low visibility with snow underfoot really highlighted the importance of accurate navigation and sound decision-making.

Sam was highly experienced, calm, encouraging and completely safety-driven. He adjusted the course to suit ability levels and created an environment where I felt challenged but safe.

I’d highly recommend Snowdonia Adventures — especially for experienced hillwalkers looking to step confidently into winter mountaineering or prepare for Scotland.

Louise Q

I had a great day learning Winter Skills. I only had 1 day free on my trip abd really wanted to learn how to use an ice axe and crampons.

I messaged Reece to see if I could join one of their longer courses for 1 day of it, Reece said I could and sent across booking details. I paid an extra £12 to borrow a helmet, crampons and ice axe which was great.

Sam was our instructor, he was a great tutor and shared his wealth of knowledge in an interesting and friendly way. I learned how to walk in crampons, how to use an ice axe, most importantly learned how to avoid ever needing to use the ice axe.

We were very lucky with the conditions.

I definitely recommend if you'd like to learn Winter skills.

Plum Y

Had a great time with Sam on the Winter Skills course. Despite no snow on the hills during the course, we covered lots of skills, gained confidence with using the kit and picked up loads of great tips for winter hiking. Reece was very helpful with the booking and kit hire and responded quickly to our questions. We then managed a snowy summit to put skills into practice later in the week, which was really satisfying. We felt in very safe hands throughout- would definitely recommend!

Gareth M.

Had a brilliant 2 days with Fliss leaning navigation.
Fliss knows the subject well and was a joy to be with.

Ed H.

Completed a 2 day Winter Skills course with Snowdonia adventures over the weekend. Despite a lack of snow, the instructor Sam took time to teach us the basics that we got to practice. He offered lots of advice and the whole experience was very useful.

lee W.

Hi, we took a trip to the Snowdonia national park recently and on arrival realised we had left our high mountain weather gear behind. After a short fb search we can across Snowdonia adventures and sent them a message.
Within minutes, they had made contact, made arrangements for us to come and meet them and get all that we requested, crampons, ice axes and helmets.
The gear was all in great condition, The gentleman himself Reece was very approachable, friendly and a wealth of knowledge of the Snowdonia national park. Transactions completed we left for adventure in the hills.
Upon returning the gear a day or so later, we got to Charing with Reece only to book him up as a guide for the third leg of our 3P’s challenge in June!!
I can wholeheartedly say from the bottom of my heart that if you are looking to hire good gear at great prices or looking for something special within the hills then the team at Snowdonia Adventures are definitely worth taking too.
Reece, thanks for everything!! See you in June.
Lee and Rebecca

Stefan P.

Thanks for a great experience on the NNAS Silver navigation course. Recce was a great tutor and I learned a lot. Will be returning for more courses at Snowdonia Adventures.

Tony M.

The instructor was a wealth of knowledge and great leader. If you want to improve on navigation, understand map reading and getting your bearings in check, this is the right place for you.

Thomas S.

8 months ago

We had an incredible time led by Sam, he taught us everything from basic navigation to using crampons and ice axes. Most importantly we learned how to make good calls in the face of adverse weather and factor in lots of different elements into that judgement. The weekend was so fun and we had a brilliant group of likeminded individuals, we even ended up celebrating burns night together!!

Rajeev P.

I went on a three-day winter mountaineering training course and found it extremely informative from start to finish. Our time was well structured, practical, and clearly explained, with plenty of hands-on learning in cold winter conditions. Sam, my tutor, was highly knowledgeable, patient, and supportive, making time to show me the little tricks that come with experience.
I came away feeling far more confident and better prepared for winter mountaineering. Highly recommended.

9 months ago

Did the canyon in day out back in June with my friends. Reece and the other instructors were great . Safety was top priority as well as making sure we all had fun really really a good day out would highly recommend.

Charlie R.

One of the best days of my life. Right from the word go everything was very safe, and clear. Lots of fun and a great day out

Tony C.

Vicky W.

10 months ago

Had a great weekend practicing navigation skills with the family. It was great to spend time together whilst learning such a useful life skill and we got to see some special places on the less well trodden paths. Thank you Reece

Luke O.

Had a great weekend out navigating. Very informative and clearly explained. Definitely recommend this course to others. Lucky to be able to do this in a beautiful National Park. 👌

11 months ago

Just completed my second scramble with Reece — my first was Crib Goch and this time it was Tryfan North Ridge. Both adventures were absolutely amazing, with Reece helping to build my skills and confidence each time. I’d definitely recommend booking with him, and I’m already looking forward to my next adventure!

gaelle L.

12 months ago

Brilliant course, thank you Reece. This is exactly what I wanted. I had no experience at all and Reece gave us the right amount of information without overloading us. I feel ready to practise my new skills and I have definitely gained confidence. It made me much more aware of the landscape around me.

Brid M.

1 year ago

Great canyon trip! Exceeded expectations. We had a 7 and 10 year old with us and worried at the start it would be too much for them but they thoroughly loved it. Thanks George.

Mark N.

My son and I had a fantastic two days on the novice navigation course. We love hiking in the mountains, but like most people have come to rely on technology too much. Mark is superb and very experienced instructor with an unrivalled knowledge of the mountains. He was also very patient when required and gave you the tools to work things out yourself. I would really recommend for anyone who wants to brush up existing knowledge or start from scratch on land navigation.

Caroline C.

What a fantastic weekend - enhanced by the clear skis and warm weather and expertly guided by Mark and Alex as we challenged ourselves on the Welsh 3000.
Banter, good conversation along the way but with tips on efficiency, technique and of course safety, ensuring that we all finished in one piece and any fears at technical climbing points were allayed and overcome.
Thank you Mark for ensuring we had the best experience. Love a challenge!!

Mountain T.

I recently completed a two-day NNAS Silver Navigation course with Mark, and it was an incredibly informative and enjoyable experience. The course not only helped me fill in some gaps in my knowledge but also allowed me to brush up on existing skills in a structured and practical way. Mark is a fantastic instructor - very patient, thorough, and always willing to explain concepts clearly. His passion for teaching really shines through, and he has a great sense of humour, which made the learning process even more engaging. It is clear he genuinely enjoys helping people develop their skills. I came away feeling much more confident in my abilities, and I would highly recommend Mark to anyone looking to book a course. Thank you, Mark! Ula

Amelia R.

2 years ago

We had a brilliant weekend doing the 2 Day Basic Winter Skills course. Mark is a highly experienced leader and educator. There were 6 people on the course and he made sure to ascertain what everyone wanted from the course, to take into account everyone's abilities, ensure our saftey and teach us lots of essential skills. It was really educational, challenging and fun. Highly recommended.

Kelcy D.

Had a brilliant weekend with Snowdonia Adventures. Thanks to Mark for a great experience and lots of new know-how re winter mountaineering. I'll definitely be rebooking for future trips.

Toby F.

10-12th March booked a 3 day winter skills course with Mark. Mark was a fantastic instructor/guide.

Local knowledge allowing us to make the most of the Welsh winter conditions! I came away with a real appreciation of what it takes for spend time in cold conditions. As well beginning to build some basic building blocks of winter hills/mountain work!

Some of the things we covered, included weather, avalanche dangers, planning, navigation, heat management, winter tools work, footwork and scrambling techniques. As well as answering all queries and questions and passing on his personal knowledge and experience.

All while still exploring Ogwen Valley, (Carnedd Dafydd, sub - cneifion rib and Moel Siabod)

I would not hesitate to book again for future skills courses.

David L.

We have just had an excellent weekend with Mark learning winter skills. He is hugely informed about all things related to the mountains and how we react when we are up there. He is also patient, measured in that he does not give too much information at once and personable. If you need to improve your hill walking, climbing or general mountain knowledge and skills, i would highly recommend Mark as your teacher and guide.

Jack E.

Excellent winter skills course. Mark our instructor was extremely informative and precise in his delivery of technique/information whilst also allowing the group to make some small mistakes, which were then used as learning points to improve on

Tom S.

An absolutely great couple of days doing the winter skills course with Mark Handford as our instructor.
He is so knowledgeable, has so much varied experience to draw from and his calm and relaxed way of teaching made it super easy to learn. We had a wide range of mountain weather which Mark made excellent use of to teach with. Thoroughly enjoyed it, I've definitely come away having got what i expected/wanted from the course and a lot more on top. The group of people we did it with were absolutely great which made the weekend even more enjoyable.

natalie anne G.

Mark is FREAKING AWESOME. If you want someone who is not only knowledgeable but also an amazing human being, book Mark. I learned so many new things, gained confidence in my skill set and had an amazing time whilst doing that. Mark is very calculated and was essential to planning a trip in pretty terrible weather. He built upon skills each day- I could go on & on. Do yourself a favor and book Snowdonia Adventures if you want to get after it in Wales.

Adrian J.

Great day of transceiver training with Mark. Lovely guy, lots of information and a fun day.

SYD M.

Eva K.

Our coasteering trip was AMAZING! Richard, our guide was really knowledgeable and relaxed and matched our group’s ability perfectly. We absolutely loved everything from the booking of the event to the event itself. We will definitely be back to book again. Thanks again for a great unforgettable morning.

Wenallt C.

Kim and I have travelled to Nantlle lots of times over the past couple of years, and ever since we first set eyes on the Nantlle Ridge, we dreamt of scaling it.

We weren’t however brave enough to do it on our own. Knowing that it’s a full day’s hike, we didn’t want to risk spending time trying to find the starting point or getting lost (which is how hiking a new route can sometimes go).

So we were ever so pleased to discover Snowdonia Adventures and find that they did a guided tour of the Nantlle Ridge.

On Thursday 3rd October we successfully hiked the Nantlle Ridge with our Snowdonia Adventures tour guide Mark.

I hadn’t had a guided hike before, so wasn’t sure what to expect, but we couldn’t have asked for a better experience than the one that we had with Mark.

His knowledge of hiking, climbing, and Wales is fascinating and in depth; it was fantastic to reach a summit with someone who knew the name and history of every town, hill, mountain and beach that you could see from up there, provide you with interesting and useful information about your surroundings, and answer any question you threw them.

All throughout the day we were made to feel incredibly safe in Mark’s competent hands. He’s got 25 years’ experience running his business, climbs, hikes and skis on his own time, and has been involved in mountain rescues. There’s no doubt when you’re with him that he’s going to keep you on a safe path. Not only did he keep us safe, but he also tailored the hike to our skill level and needs, which made for an exciting day while keeping the level of challenge to just the right amount.

Mark was also incredibly entertaining. Witty, with enough stories and laughs to fill the entire day if you want them. Really great company.

We were so pleased that we’d booked a guide for our dream ridge walk and that we didn’t try to chance it on our own. Mark was a fabulous guide, and we wouldn’t have wanted to complete it with anybody else. In-fact I don't think we would have completed it without him.

We highly recommend Snowdonia Adventures for an incredible adventure and exceptional value for money! Book yourself in and get up there!

Sam L.

Updated Nov'24. This is my 2nd booking and review for this provider as per google guidelines. I recently completed a novice navigation skills course. Mark instructs with absolute clarity and gives prompt, constructive and developmental feedback in a friendly manner. This means you are learning progressively from the first hour. He adapts his coaching style to suit the different skill levels of learners in the group and was highly attuned to how this changed throughout the 2 days as energy dropped and the weather became more challenging for navigating. Mark is incredibly patient, equanimous and emotionally intelligent. He is exceptionally skilled but extremely modest. I concur with other reviewers in that he also makes learning fun and enjoyable whilst maintaining professional boundaries. If you are thinking of booking a course or a hike just do it. Mark is fantastic, I learnt so much from his expert guidance and feel far more confident in my navigation skills as a result.
Sep24 - I joined a guided hike of the Carneddau with Mark and had a fab day hiking a new area for me and in terrain that I would not have tackled on my own. Mark made it easy and enjoyable. Highly recommend if you want to build confidence in hiking different parts of Snowdonia

Stephen J.

Hi, did a beginners 2 day navigation course with Mark a few weeks ago. Learnt a lot and have being using what l learned on my mountain walks. Highly recommend Snowdonia Adventures.

sonja G.

Excellent 2 day beginner navigation course, learnt alot in a fun enviroment. Very well presented and Mark was brilliant. I have hearing loss and Mark never once slipped up on this and made me feel fully inclusive within our group. I googled lots of other similar courses and this was by far the cheapest too 🙂 highly reccommend.

Ged

I did the NNAS bronze course with Mark. I've done lots of intermediate-level walks, mainly in Cumbria, but learned a huge amount on this course, which is exactly what I wanted. Mark is very knowledgeable, a great teacher and I'm sure can tailor his approach to suit your needs. I really enjoyed the 2 days and hope to return and do the NNAS silver. Highly recommended.

Eryl H.

Enjoyable, interesting and useful 3 day course in basic skills. Mark is a fantastic instructor, knowledgeable, clear, entertaining and very patient.

Lasse K.

Excellent three day bespoke course to plug holes in my land navigation. In a nutshell, I got immersive and adaptive coaching in a magnificent mountain environment. The adverse weather during course (driving rain, near zero temperatures and low visibility) increased my confidence to navigate in a challenging environment.

Jane H.

Rob lead myself and a group of 7 middle aged ladies (mixed abilities and experience) up Snowdon for my sister in laws 50th birthday. Weather conditions were extremely challenging but Rob remained calm, cheerful and encouraging. We honestly couldn't have done it without him, he was amazing! We would have no reservations in recommending him or the fantastic experience/satisfaction we had completing the climb.

Victoria O.

The whole day from start to finish was amazing!
George and Rachel were really professional, knowledgeable and ensured that safety was paramount.
The days events were extreme and exciting, there was lots packed into the 3 hours and it was the best canyoning I have done.
Thank you, George and Rachel, for a great day!

Holly C.

3 years ago

We did the winter skills course and it was absolutely brilliant. The guide had unparalleled mountaineering experience and local knowledge most importantly he made it a fun weekend for all involved. We would highly recommend.

Emma P.

We booked onto a winter skills course in Snowdonia, and despite the absence of snow, Mark led a fantastic 2 days of general mountaineering and navigation skills. I really appreciated how Mark adapted to unsatisfactory weather conditions to provide a great experience, interesting and useful content, and kept spirits high with his enthusiasm. Thank you!

Gareth H.

Did the 2 day Winter Mountaineering Foundation Skills course with Mark and had a fantastic time. Mark's ability to assess the skills and confidence of the group and progress everyone accordingly was very evident. I would thoroughly recommend Snowdonia Adventures to anyone

Ashley H.

Used Snowdonia adventures to navigate up Snowdon and Mark our guide was a great guy! Full of knowledge and what a laugh he is. I would highly recommend using this if you have no idea where you need to go and what path to be on. Mark was great and knows Snowdon like the back of his hand he even knows what certain rocks look like on specific paths. Next time I want to climb a new mountain or ridge I'll definitely be keeping him in mind!

Andrew B.

Recently went coasteering with a group of friends led by Mark and Ginge.
Fantastic experience, highlight of everyone’s trip! Couldn’t recommend more

Fay S

We did a 5 days Winter Skills course last year with Mark and couldn't recommend it more. We learned so much about being safe in winter in the mountains, and now have knowledge and skills to use ourselves. Thank you Mark and Snowdonia Adventures for such a great week!

John H.

4 years ago

Took part in the Carneddau hike on a baking hot day with our guide, Mark. Mark was an excellent guide, very knowledgeable about the area and of the wildlife/nature. He also took the time to continually check on the well-being of those taking part and that we had enough water etc (given the heat).
The hike is also worth doing for the excellent views you get from the summits :)

Ian C.

3 Day Mountain Skills course - I thoroughly enjoyed the experience, covered a multitude of navigation skills which has given me a solid foundation to build upon in the future. Mark was great company and has an impressive knowledge of all things outdoors. Highly recommended.

Chris S.

5 years ago

Would recommend this to anyone as an excellent way to spend half a day. Mark the instructor was very helpful and knowledgeable regarding the local area. The activity itself was great fun, Mark quickly assessed the level of the group and tailored the route / jumps appropriately. Will do this again next year for sure.

Book now, you will not regret it if you enjoy the sea and exploring the local area with a different twist. Good value for money and good fun had by all of the family.