Snowdonia could be removed from national park’s logo after Welsh name change

The Snowdonia National Park Authority is considering updating its logo to align with its Welsh-only naming approach
The Snowdonia National Park Authority is considering updating its logo to align with its Welsh-only naming approach

Snowdonia could remove its English name from the national park’s logo after it said that using its Welsh name had been a success.

Snowdonia National Park Authority voted to replace Snowdon with Yr Wyddfa, and Snowdonia with Eryri, in all official communications in November 2022.

Surveys found strong support for this policy among locals and visitors, the authority said.

In a report, which will be presented to the authority on Wednesday, the logo’s use of the term “Snowdonia” is identified as a challenge.

It said: “The authority’s logo still includes the term ‘Snowdonia’, which creates inconsistency. Updating the logo to align with the Welsh-only naming approach could reduce this confusion.”

Authored by Ioan Gwilym, the head of communications at the national park, the report proposes aligning the logo with a strategic commitment to “protecting and promoting the Welsh language and our cultural heritage”.

‘Heritage preservation’

The report reveals that a trademark to use Eryri National Park Authority had already been secured for use in all materials that are not legal or statutory in nature.

Should the updated logo be approved, it would be updated immediately online followed by a phased transition elsewhere.

The report praised the name change for enhancing the reputation of the area and fostering community support, saying the initiative was “gradually influencing perceptions” and promoting the importance of heritage preservation.

It claimed many local businesses and media outlets had already adopted the Welsh names and argued that the name change was part of a global movement to celebrate indigenous and native place names.

The authority said this had created “increasing consistency and visibility of the Welsh identity associated with the park”.

The report will also recommend pronunciation guides should be made available.

John Pughe Roberts, a Gwynedd councillor, had earlier put forward a motion asking the park to discontinue use of Snowdon and Snowdonia, claiming that many were “complaining that people are changing house names, rock names, renaming the mountains”.