Who wouldn’t want to escape the city after months of lockdown? Last weekend I finally took the plunge and decided to swap the concrete of London for the rocky slopes of Mount Snowdon.
Where is Mount Snowdon?
Mount Snowdon is in North Wales and can be found in Snowdonia National Park, a region known for outstanding natural beauty.
It has the kind of magic that explains why Tolkien took inspiration from the Welsh landscape in his famous novels – The Lord of the Rings. The mountain is the highest in both Wales and England, offering views over Snowdonia, Anglesey, Pembrokeshire and even Ireland on a sunny day. It stands at 1085m and offers 8 different trails to reach its summit.
How to get there
Reaching Mount Snowdon is pretty easy – even all the way down from the Big Smoke. Along with my buddies, we took the fastest train from Euston Station up to Bangor.
It took 3h 25m, and only another further 25m to Snowdon by car. We rented a car-hire from Bangor but you could easily get a taxi and it shouldn’t cost too much.
Which route should you take up Mount Snowdon?
It really depends on what you want in terms of difficulty and scenery. Some routes are definitely easier than others, while other routes offer more in the way of scenery. I had my heart set on the most difficult route, Crib Goch, but in typical British fashion the weather was not on my side. It had been raining cats and dogs the day before, as well as on the morning of the climb, so my friends were no longer keen on doing it and began weighing up alternative routes. Pussies.
On the morning of the hike we stopped off at a lovely cafe called Caffi Caban and I got talking to a very helpful waitress who said her favourite route was the Pyg Track. She said the scenery, in her opinion, was the best and the route still offered a decent challenge – not too easy and not too difficult. This seemed like a good compromise to me.
She also explained that if we changed our minds about doing Crib Goch, there was a path that led to it from the Pyg Track. Good to know the option was there if we changed our minds.
My experience of the Pyg Track
The start of the route packed a punch with a rocky ascent and stunning views of the Glyderau mountain range and of the Llanberis Pass.
First impressions exceeded expectations and to make things better, it had stopped raining. Rays from the sun were starting to creep out from between the clouds and were hitting the mountain tops in a way that made the whole landscape look like it was being blessed by the Gods.
The scenery just kept getting better and better as little waterfalls emerged and the sound of nature intensified. At any moment I expected little hobbits to appear out from the under the rocks and over the hilltops.
After about an hour’s walking I reached Bwlch y Moch and the glistening waters of Llydaw came fully into view below.
I noticed the path splitting into two at this point, with the path on the right leading up Crib Goch – just as the waitress had said it would. We flirted with the idea of going up, but the lake had a magnetic quality that we couldn’t seem to pull ourselves away from. Besides, the Pyg Track had served us well so far so we figured it wasn’t morally right to abandon her after she had given us so much already!
Staying faithful to the Pyg Track, I hopped over the wooden stile and stopped for a little photo opportunity until my group told us that we needed to crack on. From Bwlch y Moch the path climbed gradually to the intersection of the Pyg Track and the Miners’ Track, which is marked by a standing stone. Staring up in front of me was the daunting summit of Mount Snowdon, it looked super bad-ass but it didn’t seem too far away – perhaps another 40 mins of uphill climbing.
My thighs were getting a little tired but overall I was in good form with plenty of energy left for the final slog. It was nothing like climbing Ben Nevis, maybe this had to do with the cool temperature making conditions much more comfortable. Excuse me if I sound like I’m bragging, but I hadn’t yet broken out in a sweat.
At this point the path climbed steeply in a zig-zag pattern until I reached Bwlch Glas, a junction where several of the paths join together. I was surprised how many had also climbed, the Pyg Track was not that busy so i guess they did other available routes. I turned left towards the summit and carried on walking for another 10 minutes.
In the distance I was surprised to spot a cafe. It spoilt the overall feeling of being on a summit but I’m sure the prospect of food and shelter has been a welcome sight for many climbers over the years. It wasn’t opened by the time we arrived – or maybe it was still closed due to covid. On top of this, is the opportunity to get a train back down to the base of the mountain but it wasn’t running either and I’ve read it’s quite expensive too.
The summit was marked by steps leading up to a large cairn so we waited in line and took an obligatory photo. On a clear day, 18 lakes and 14 peaks over 914 metres (3000ft) can be seen. Sometimes, you can even see as far as Ireland, the Isle of Man and the Lake District. I stayed on the summit for a little while and witnessed the weather change from completely cloudy to almost completely clear skies. Now this was the real reward. If there’s a more beautiful place in Britain I haven’t found it yet.
How long did it take?
It took me around 2h 20m to reach the summit and that included stopping for quite a few photos. The descent took another 2 hours so in total it took around 4h 20m.
To my surprise, I didn’t really find it difficult – or at least much less than Ben Nevis which felt like it went on forever. I’d like to think that maybe I’m fitter than a year ago but I really doubt that to be the case hah!
List of routes up Mount Snowdon from easiest to hardest
1. Llanberis path is said to be the easiest hiking route and was once used to carry people up on pony back. However it is the longest route at 9 miles (there and back) in distance and is most popular with tourists.
Begins at: LL55 4TY
2. Snowdon Ranger Path is a straightforward path, and were it not for the steepness of the middle section, it would be classed as the easiest route.
Begins at: LL54 7YS
3. The Miner’s track starts extremely flat and weaves around some beautiful lake and the base of the mountains. However it gets tougher when you have to climb up to the path that meets the Pyg Track. On the decent from the summit we decided to go back down onto the Miner’s Track for a change of scenery.
4. The Pyg track varies in gradient along the way with a pretty steep last climb as you clamber the scree to the summit. Here you’ll certainly need to watch your step but it’s nothing too extreme. I’m happy I chose this route – the views are spectacular.
Both the Pyg and the Miner’s track start and finish at Pen-y-pass where there is a carpark – LL55 4NY.
5. Rhyd Ddu path from what I’ve read this route seems to be a pretty easy for the first half but then develops some thinner, steeper ridge climbs as you clamour closer to the top. It’s no Crib Goch, but it definitely hosts some of the narrowest walking ridges.
Begins at: LL54 6TN
6. Snowdon South Ridge seems to be the lesser known path up Snowdon and therefore probably has the least crowds. The trickiest part is the scrambling and exposure on Bwlch Main. It also joins the Rhy Ddu path up to the summit.
Begins at: LL54 6TN
7. Watkin’s path was suggested to me by a friend I bumped into in Wales (sometimes the world can feel so small!). He said it’s great fun if you’re looking for more of a challenge because there are some extremely steep sections. If I go back to Mount Snowdon I’d be really interested to do this route.
Begins at: LL55 4NL
8. Crib Goch is considered the most challenging from what I’ve heard but the waitress I spoke to at the cafe said she didn’t find it too hard. However, since it is an exposed grade 1 scramble, it does make it more technical and risky than the others. One for next time, eh.
What to pack
It is important you pack the necessary equipment to make the climb as easy and comfortable as possible. Here’s my recommended kit-list:
Clothing
- Thick socks and a pair spare incase they get wet passing the waterfalls
- Hiking boots
- Base layers
- Mid-layer top (Hoodies/Jackets)
- Comfortable trousers
- Insulated jacket
- Water proof jacket
- Lightwear gloves
- Wool/synthetic hat – it gets super windy on the summit
- Sunhat in the summer
Gear
- Water bottle
- Trekking poles (if you are prone to sore knees)
- Backpack
- Sun Glasses
Additional
- Power adaptor
- Camera
- Sunscreen
- Snacks and drinks
- Plasters
Happy hiking!
