At a glance
Pen-y-Pass (359 m, LL55 4NY) is the starting point for the Pyg Track, Miners' Track, Crib Goch and the full Snowdon Horseshoe. The car park fills before 6am on summer weekends — use the Snowdon Sherpa bus (S2 from Llanberis, S4 from Betws-y-Coed). The historic YHA hostel provides café and toilet facilities at the pass.
About Pen-y-Pass
Pen-y-Pass — "Top of the Pass" in Welsh — sits at 359 metres at the high point of the A4086 between Llanberis and the Nant Gwynant valley. It is one of the most famous mountain starting points in Britain: from this narrow col, three of Snowdon's most popular routes branch out, and on a summer morning the pass is alive with walkers preparing for the ascent above.
The history of Pen-y-Pass as a mountaineering base goes back to the early 20th century, when the hotel at the pass became a gathering point for climbers exploring Snowdonia's cliffs. Geoffrey Winthrop Young organised his famous Pen-y-Pass parties here before the First World War — gatherings that included some of the finest climbers of the era and helped establish Snowdonia as Britain's foremost mountain playground. The building is now a Youth Hostel, but its history as a mountaineering centre is commemorated inside.
Today, the pressure on Pen-y-Pass is significant: hundreds of walkers pass through on busy summer days, and the small car park creates serious traffic issues on the A4086. The Eryri National Park has invested in the Snowdon Sherpa bus network as the primary solution — buses run frequently from Llanberis and Betws-y-Coed and the experience of arriving by bus (and avoiding the parking stress) is genuinely better than driving.
Routes from Pen-y-Pass
- Pyg Track to Snowdon — 3.5 km one way, 720 m ascent, 2–2.5 hrs up. Direct and well-signed. The most popular Snowdon route from Pen-y-Pass.
- Miners' Track to Snowdon — 4.5 km one way, 720 m ascent, 2.5–3 hrs up. Longer but gentler early on, with beautiful lakeside walking via Llyn Llydaw.
- Crib Goch scramble — Grade 1 scramble. Branches from the Pyg Track to the east ridge — experienced scramblers only.
- Snowdon Horseshoe — Full circuit via Crib Goch, Snowdon summit and Y Lliwedd: 13 km, 1,000 m, 5–7 hours. One of the great mountain days in Britain.
- Glyderau from Pen-y-Pass — Cross the pass road south and ascend towards Glyder Fach — connects to the full Glyderau ridge.
Visiting tips
Getting there without driving
Take the Snowdon Sherpa S2 bus from Llanberis or the S4 from Betws-y-Coed — both stop directly at Pen-y-Pass. Check current timetables at Traveline Cymru. In summer, buses run from approximately 7am and are busy — book in advance if possible.
If you must drive
Arrive by 6am at the latest on summer weekends — the car park (LL55 4NY) fills very early. Once full, no parking is available on the A4086 verges (enforcement is active). A Park & Ride bus from Nant Peris is available when active — check Eryri National Park website for current arrangements.
Find it on the map
Frequently asked questions
Three major Snowdon routes and one world-class scramble begin at Pen-y-Pass. The Pyg Track (the most direct route to the summit, 3.5 km one way) and the Miners' Track (longer, via Llyn Llydaw, 4.5 km one way) are both straightforward walking routes — clearly signed and well maintained. The Crib Goch scramble (Grade 1) leaves the Pyg Track to take the east ridge of Crib Goch. All three can be linked into the full Snowdon Horseshoe.
The car park at Pen-y-Pass (LL55 4NY) is small and extremely busy — on summer weekends it fills before 6am, and queuing on the A4086 causes significant disruption. The Eryri National Park strongly recommends using the Snowdon Sherpa bus service instead. The S2 runs from Llanberis and the S4 from Betws-y-Coed via Nant Gwynant — both stop directly at Pen-y-Pass. Check Traveline Cymru for current timetables.
The Pyg Track is the most popular walking route from Pen-y-Pass to Snowdon's summit — shorter and more direct than the Miners' Track, taking approximately 2.5 hours ascent. The path climbs steadily to the Bwlch y Moch (Pass of the Pigs) before zigzagging up the final ridge to the summit. On the descent, it can be combined with the Miners' Track (via Llyn Llydaw) for a circular route.
The Miners' Track was built to serve the Britannia Copper Mine on the slopes of Snowdon. Starting from Pen-y-Pass, it follows a wide, gentle path along the shores of Llyn Llydaw, Glaslyn and Llyn Teyrn before climbing steeply to the summit ridge. It is longer (4.5 km) but gentler in its early stages than the Pyg Track, and the lakeside sections make it particularly scenic.
Pen-y-Pass Youth Hostel (YHA) occupies the historic building at the pass — originally the Gorphwysfa Hotel (1847), it has been a hostel since 1931 and is one of the most famous YHA properties in Britain. It provides accommodation, café and toilet facilities for walkers. On busy summer days, the facilities can be overwhelmed — be prepared to be self-sufficient.