Eryri National Park

We took our first U.S. visitors to Wales' rugged Eryri Park (Eh-ruh-ri, or Snowdonia) since we enjoyed it so much on our first encounter. This time it was a bank holiday weekend with outstanding sunshine, no chance of cooling rain and lots more traffic. We took a different route around Lake Tegid on this trip, where the narrow gauge train carries tourists back and forth (we missed a photo opportunity, not checking first what time the trains ran).

The route back up the mountain pass was a little unnerving this time, seeing as some were out to enjoy the curves and speed, and others had no regard for staying on their half of the narrow roads, but we managed. Some motorcyclists didn't do much for bikers' reputation by riding up and down fragile, restored peatlands at the summit carpark, and we saw they were not young roustabouts when they took their helmets off.

Peatlands are being restored after having been drained and cleared in the past. The heather is coming back.

Of course, I was fascinated by all the tiny plants low down in the boggy stuff, so got my knees soaked trying to photograph them. I was thrilled to find what I think is Polygala serpyllifolia (Heath milkwort), so much like our Maine Polygala paucifolia (Gaywings) in amongst the heather.

I also came across this berry, which Google lens refers to as an unripe bilberry or European blueberry (Vaccinium myrtillus), only ever foraged, not commercially used.

We did notice a lot of escaped, prolific-blooming rhododendrons across the countryside on our trip. Wikipedia (Snowdonia) has this entry about it: 

'One of the major problems facing the park in recent years has been the growth of Rhododendron ponticum.[46] This fast-growing invasive species has a tendency to take over and stifle native species. It can form massive towering growths and has a companion fungus that grows on its roots producing toxins that are poisonous to any local flora and fauna for a seven-year period after the Rhododendron infestations have been eradicated. As a result, there are a number of desolate landscapes.'