Ascents Snowdon

1 ascents

1.1 llanberis path
1.2 snowdon ranger path
1.3 rhyd ddu path
1.4 watkin path
1.5 on y lliwedd
1.6 miners track
1.7 pyg track
1.8 crib goch route

ascents

sketch map of snowdon massif

legend

· grey: ridges

· red lines: paths

· orange lines: roads

· dotted grey line: snowdon mountain railway

the first recorded ascent of snowdon botanist thomas johnson in 1639. however, 18th-century welsh historian thomas pennant mentions triumphal fair upon our chief of mountains following edward s conquest of wales in 1284, indicate possibility of earlier ascents.

snowdon offers of extensive views in british isles. on exceptionally clear days, ireland, scotland, england, , isle of man visible, 24 counties, 29 lakes , 17 islands. view between snowdon , merrick (southern scotland) longest theoretical line of sight in british isles @ 144 miles (232 km).

snowdon has been described busiest mountain in britain , approximately 444,000 people having walked mountain in 2016. number of well-established , engineered footpaths lead snowdon s summit sides, , can combined in various ways. circular walk starting , ending @ pen-y-pass , using crib goch route , route on y lliwedd called snowdon horseshoe, , considered 1 of finest ridge walks in britain . routes arranged here anticlockwise, starting path leading llanberis. in winter conditions, these routes become more dangerous , llanberis mountain rescue team state additional skills, equipment , knowledge required . many inexperienced walkers have been killed on years attempting climb mountain via main paths.

these 6 main paths mapped google trekker in 2015.

llanberis path

the llanberis path longest route summit, , has shallowest gradient. largely follows line of snowdon mountain railway, , considered easiest , least interesting route summit of snowdon. route used annual snowdon race, record time of less 40 minutes recorded start summit.

the section of llanberis path beside railway near summit has been called killer convex ; in icy conditions, convex slope can send unwary walkers on cliffs of clogwyn du r arddu. 4 people died there in february 2009.

snowdon ranger path

the snowdon ranger path (foreground) crosses boggy area before ascending past llyn ffynnon-y-gwas.

the snowdon ranger path (welsh: llwybr cwellyn) begins @ youth hostel beside llyn cwellyn, west of mountain, served a4085 , snowdon ranger railway station. formerly saracen s head inn, renamed under ownership of mountain guide john morton. thought oldest path summit.

the route begins zigzags through turf, before reaching flatter boggy area in front of llyn ffynnon-y-gwas. path climbs bwlch cwm brwynog, , snakes along ridge above clogwyn du r arddu towards summit. path meets railway, llanberis path, crib goch path, , combined pyg track , miners track within short distance, below summit.

rhyd ddu path

the rhyd ddu path, called beddgelert path, leads village of rhyd ddu, west of snowdon, gently on llechog, broad ridge dropping west summit. considered 1 of easier routes summit, advantage summit visible start, 1 of least used routes. climbs @ shallow gradient bwlch main, shortly southwest of summit, climbs more steeply, meeting watkin path @ site marked large standing stone few hundred metres summit. alternative start begins @ pitt s head on a4085 road.

watkin path

plas cwmllan (right) , gladstone rock (left) in cwm llan, looking along watkin path

the watkin path demanding route direct summit of snowdon , since starts @ lowest elevation of of main routes. first conceived edward watkin, railway owner had attempted build railway tunnel under english channel, , had summer home in nant gwynant near start of path. designed donkey track , opened in 1892.

the start of watkin path has been described prettiest beginning of routes snowdon. begins @ bethania on a498 , climbs through old broadleaved woodland. after leaving woods, path climbs past waterfalls of afon llan glacial cirque of cwm llan, crossing disused incline abandoned slate quarry. reaches plas cwmllan, formerly home of quarry manager south snowdon slate works beyond, , later used target practice commandos during second world war. near plas cwmllan large boulder known gladstone rock, bears plaque commemorating speech given in 1892 william ewart gladstone, 83-year-old prime minister, on subject of justice wales. slate workings in cwm llan opened in 1840, closed in 1882 due expense of transporting slate sea @ porthmadog. various buildings, including barracks , dressing sheds, remain.

from slate quarries, watkin path veers north-east reach bwlch ciliau, col between snowdon , y lliwedd, marked large orange-brown cairn. here, heads west meet rhyd ddu path @ standing stone shortly below summit of snowdon.

scenes carry on... khyber filmed on lower part of watkin path in 1968, watkin path representing khyber pass in film. in 2005 1 of stars of film, angela douglas, unveiled plaque @ precise location filming took place, commemorate location filming, , forms part of north wales film , television trail, run wales screen commission.

over y lliwedd

y lliwedd (seen here in spring) sharp ridge south-east of summit of snowdon.

the route on y lliwedd more used descent ascent, , forms second half of snowdon horseshoe walk, ascent being on crib goch. reached following watkin path down bwlch y saethau, , continuing along ridge twin summits of y lliwedd. path drops down cwm dyli join miners track towards pen-y-pass.

miners track

the pyg track (above) , miners track (below) merge above glaslyn. crib goch visible @ top of picture.

the miners track (welsh: llwybr y mwynwyr) begins @ car park @ pen-y-pass, @ altitude of around 350 metres (1,150 ft), , popular route summit of snowdon. begins skirting llyn teyrn before climbing cross causeway on llyn llydaw. follows lake s shoreline before climbing glaslyn, ascends steeply towards bwlch glas. joined of zigzag ascent pyg track, , on reaching summit ridge, united llanberis path , snowdon ranger path. derelict mine buildings encountered along several parts of path.

pyg track

this standing stone marks point pyg track starts @ pen-y-pass

the pyg track (welsh: llwybr pyg), or pig track (both spellings may encountered), leads pen-y-pass. track climbs on bwlch y moch on eastern flanks of crib goch, before traversing ridge s lower slopes. above glaslyn, joined miners track zigzag climb bwlch glas between snowdon , garnedd ugain. regarding name, website of snowdonia national park authority states:

nobody knows why path called pyg track. s possible named after pass leads through, bwlch y moch (translated pigs pass) path spelled pig track . or, maybe because used carry pyg (black tar) copper mines on snowdon. possible explanation path named after nearby pen y gwryd hotel, popular amongst mountain walkers.

crib goch route

the traverse of crib goch has been described 1 of finest ridge walks in britain , , forms part of snowdon horseshoe, circuit of peaks surrounding cwm dyli. path follows pyg track before separating off @ bwlch y moch , leading east ridge of crib goch. routes tackle crib goch considered mountaineering routes or scrambles.