At 1,085 metres (3,560 feet), Snowdon — Yr Wyddfa in Welsh, a name officially recognised as equal to Snowdon since 2022 — is the highest peak in Wales and England, and one of the most climbed mountains in the world. Around half a million people make the ascent each year. The name Yr Wyddfa means “the great tomb” — traditionally said to be the burial place of the giant Rhita Gawr, slain by King Arthur. Whether you believe the legend or not, there is something genuinely ancient about this mountain: it has been a place of pilgrimage, copper mining and mythologising for at least four thousand years.
George Mallory used the ridges of Snowdon as training ground before his Everest expeditions in the early 1920s. Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay trained in Wales before the 1953 summit. The mountain has drawn mountaineers, painters, poets and ordinary walkers since the 18th century, when Thomas Pennant’s tour accounts made it famous across Britain. From Betws-y-Coed the drive to the nearest trailheads is 25 to 40 minutes, making the village one of the best-placed bases in Snowdonia.
The summit visitor centre, Hafod Eryri, opened in 2009, replacing what Prince Charles once called “the highest slum in Wales” — the old cafe that had perched on the summit since the Victorian era. The new building is low, stone-clad and designed to sit almost invisibly in the ridge. Inside: a cafe serving hot food and drinks, toilets, and a small exhibition on Snowdon’s geology, ecology and cultural history. On a clear day the view from the summit trig point is extraordinary — the entire Snowdonia massif, the Glyderau and Carneddau ranges, the Llyn Peninsula, Anglesey, and on exceptional days the Wicklow Mountains of Ireland, the Isle of Man and the fells of the Lake District. Cloud covers the summit on the majority of days; checking the Mountain Weather Information Service the evening before is not optional.
Snowdon is one of the most important sites for arctic-alpine plants in Britain. The Snowdon lily (Lloydia serotina) grows here and in a handful of other Welsh mountain locations — its only sites in Britain. Look for it in June and early July on rocky ledges and cliff faces. Mountain avens, purple saxifrage and moss campion also grow on the higher slopes. Peregrine falcons nest on the crags and are regularly seen in summer. Choughs — the red-billed crow of Welsh heraldry — are resident year-round and frequently spotted near the summit. Red kites, now common across Snowdonia, are often seen soaring over the lower valleys on the approach.
For Pen-y-Pass (Pyg Track and Miners’ Track): A5 west to Capel Curig, then A4086 south through the Llanberis Pass — about 25 minutes. The Llanberis Pass itself is spectacular; allow a few minutes to stop at the lay-bys and look up at the Crib Goch ridge. For Llanberis (mountain railway and Llanberis Path): continue north on the A4086 from Pen-y-Pass — around 30 minutes total. Llanberis is worth time in its own right: see llanberis.com for a full guide to the town, including Electric Mountain, Dolbadarn Castle and Lake Padarn. For the western routes (Rhyd Ddu, Snowdon Ranger): allow 35–40 minutes via the A498 through Beddgelert.
Pen-y-Pass car park fills before 7am on summer weekends and bank holidays — if you arrive at 8am in August, you will not park there. The Snowdon Sherpa bus is a far better option from Betws-y-Coed: a network of services connecting the village to Pen-y-Pass, Llanberis and other trailheads. No parking stress, no fee, drops you at the start. Routes and timetables at snowdon.com. If driving, the Nant Peris overflow car park is 2km below Pen-y-Pass and fills more slowly. Llanberis has the most parking of any trailhead town.
All six routes require proper walking boots (not trainers), waterproofs and warm layers regardless of the valley weather. Times are approximate return figures for a fit walker; add an hour or more if walking with children or stopping often at the summit.
Pyg Track — 12km return · 720m ascent · 5–6 hrs · From Pen-y-Pass. The most popular route and justifiably so. Well-graded, dramatic views of Glaslyn and the emerald-blue Llydaw lake below, and a ridge approach that gives the proper feeling of a mountain ascent. Rocky in places; trekking poles help on the descent. The final pull up to the ridge above Glaslyn is the hardest section — take it slowly.
Miners’ Track — 14km return · 720m ascent · 5–6 hrs · From Pen-y-Pass. Follows the old copper-mining tramway past three lakes — Llyn Teyrn, Llyn Llydaw and the vivid Glaslyn at the foot of the summit pyramid. Broader and gentler than the Pyg Track for most of its length, then steeper where the two routes converge. A good first-time Snowdon route. The abandoned copper mine workings at Glaslyn are fascinating; some of the old buildings are still visible.
Llanberis Path — 14km return · 974m ascent · 5–7 hrs · From Llanberis. The longest but most gradual ascent; it follows the mountain railway line nearly all the way. The most forgiving route for those less comfortable with steep or rocky terrain. Busy in summer — the railway passes several times on the way up — but the steady gradient rewards steady effort. Begin at Llanberis, which deserves at least a half-day in its own right.
Rhyd Ddu Path — 14km return · 900m ascent · 5–6 hrs · From Rhyd Ddu. A quiet western approach with superb views of the Nantlle Ridge and Beddgelert Forest that the eastern routes miss entirely. The ridge section near the top is exposed in strong westerly winds but the path is clear. A good choice for a second visit when you want to see a different side of the mountain.
Snowdon Ranger Path — 13km return · 900m ascent · 5–6 hrs · From Snowdon Ranger YHA. The oldest named route, used by Victorian mountain guides who charged a shilling for the ascent. Grassy lower slopes past Llyn Cwellyn, quieter than the eastern routes, with views across to the Nantlle hills. A satisfying and underused route.
Watkin Path — 14km return · 1,050m ascent · 6–7 hrs · From Nantgwynant. The most dramatic and most demanding route: the highest ascent of any path, with a steep and loose scree gully below the summit that can be serious in wet conditions. Pass the Gladstone Rock — where William Gladstone, aged 83, addressed 2,500 people in 1892 on Welsh home rule. Not recommended for first-timers or in poor weather. Full route maps and current conditions: snowdon.com.
Experienced walkers often combine routes into the classic Snowdon Horseshoe — a circular ridge walk over Crib Goch, Carnedd Ugain and Snowdon’s summit, descending via the Pyg Track. Crib Goch is a knife-edge ridge with genuine exposure and requires confident scrambling; it is not a walking route and should not be attempted without prior scrambling experience or in poor visibility. Those who are comfortable on it rate it among the finest mountain days in Britain. If in doubt, the Pyg Track up and Miners’ Track down is a satisfying circular alternative using the same car park.
The Snowdon Mountain Railway is the only public rack-and-pinion railway in Britain and one of Wales’s great Victorian engineering achievements. Opened in 1896, it climbs nearly five miles from Llanberis to the summit in around an hour each way on both heritage steam and modern diesel trains. The steam departures are limited in number and very popular. The railway runs from March to November. Book directly at snowdonrailway.co.uk — in July and August, trains fill weeks in advance. Return fares are around £30–36 for adults. Many walkers buy a one-way ticket (walk up, train down or vice versa) which combines the best of both. The railway also stops at the Clogwyn intermediate station, which provides access to the Llanberis Path mid-mountain — useful in deteriorating weather.
If you’re starting from Llanberis for the mountain railway or the Llanberis Path, the town deserves more than a rushed car-park departure. Electric Mountain (the underground Dinorwig pumped-storage power station) runs guided tours inside the hollowed-out mountain — an extraordinary industrial spectacle. Dolbadarn Castle, the 13th-century Welsh tower house overlooking Llyn Padarn, is free to visit and reaches in a short walk from the town centre. The lake itself is one of the finest in Snowdonia for paddleboarding and kayaking. See llanberis.com for a full guide to accommodation, eating and things to do in the town.
The Miners’ Track and Llanberis Path are the most family-friendly routes on foot, with the Llanberis Path the most forgiving gradient. Children who are comfortable on a long walk (8–10km) and accustomed to hills can manage either — but pace them carefully on the ascent and keep something in reserve for the descent, which is where tired legs cause most problems. Footwear matters enormously: trainers on wet rock are dangerous. The mountain railway from Llanberis is the obvious no-walking option and is perfectly suited to families with young children or those with limited mobility — book well ahead.
Snowdon in winter — roughly November through March — is a different mountain. Snow can lie on the upper slopes from October and the summit can be in full winter conditions while the valleys are clear. In icy conditions an ice axe and crampons are required and the ability to use them; walking poles are not a substitute. The mountain railway does not run in winter. The Llanberis Path and Miners’ Track in full winter conditions are serious mountaineering objectives. Check conditions carefully via mwis.org.uk and the Snowdonia National Park webcam before going.
Start before 7am from Betws-y-Coed for a summer Pen-y-Pass start. Check mwis.org.uk the evening before. Pack waterproofs, insulating layer, hat and gloves, OS map or downloaded offline map (OsmAnd or OS Maps app), food for the day, at least 1.5 litres of water per person. Mobile signal is poor on most of the mountain — download maps before you leave. Register your route with someone if going alone. Wear boots, not trainers. Book the mountain railway well in advance at snowdonrailway.co.uk. Full route information, live conditions and Sherpa bus timetables at snowdon.com.
Staying near the mountain for an early start? Llanberis has the best range of accommodation closest to the trailheads — book direct with local B&Bs and hotels for the best flexibility, or search Llanberis accommodation on Booking.com for a wider view of availability.
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