At a glance
Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa, 1,085m) has six walking routes to the summit. The Pyg Track from Pen-y-Pass is the most scenic for first-timers; the Llanberis Path is the easiest and most crowded; the Watkin Path is the most demanding. All routes require waterproofs, walking boots, and a map — conditions above 600m can deteriorate rapidly regardless of valley weather. The Snowdon Mountain Railway is the non-walking alternative to the summit.
The Six Routes Compared
Llanberis Path — 9 miles return | 995m ascent | 3–5 hours | Easy-Moderate. Starts from Llanberis village; the most popular route and the one that follows the Mountain Railway line for much of its length. Wide, well-marked, and consistently graded — but very crowded in summer. Best for first-timers who want a straightforward mountain day.
Pyg Track — 7 miles return | 726m ascent | 3–4 hours | Moderate. Starts from Pen-y-Pass car park (359m). The finest mountain scenery of any Snowdon route — the path traverses above Llyn Llydaw with views into the glacial cwms before the zig-zag ascent of the east face. Most experienced walkers' preferred route; combine with the Miners' Track for a circular option.
Miners' Track — 8 miles return | 726m ascent | 3–4 hours | Easy-Moderate. Also starts from Pen-y-Pass. Follows the old copper miners' route across the reservoir lakes (Llyn Teyrn, Llyn Llydaw, Glaslyn) before a steep final section joining the Pyg Track. The flattest and most accessible lower section of any route — good for those who want to see the mountain lakes without committing to the full summit.
Watkin Path — 8 miles return | 1,040m ascent | 4–5 hours | Strenuous. Starts from Nantgwynant car park (45m) — the lowest of any Snowdon trailhead. Passes Gladstone Rock and a Victorian slate quarry before the steep and loose final section above Cwm Llan. The most demanding route; less crowded than the eastern paths; recommended for experienced walkers only.
Rhyd Ddu Path — 8 miles return | 920m ascent | 3.5–4.5 hours | Moderate. Starts from Rhyd Ddu village on the A4085. A quieter and less-known alternative with exceptional views west to the Llŷn Peninsula and Cardigan Bay. A narrow ridge section on the upper route requires careful footwork in poor weather. The least-crowded of the main Snowdon routes.
Ranger Path — 8 miles return | 945m ascent | 3.5–4.5 hours | Moderate. Starts from Snowdon Ranger Youth Hostel on the A4085, the oldest guide route on the mountain. Less scenic than the eastern routes but quieter; popular with those who combine it with the Rhyd Ddu descent for a point-to-point walk with vehicle shuttle.
Practical advice for walking Snowdon
- Check the weather — Mountain Weather Information Service (MWIS) provides Snowdonia-specific forecasts; check on the morning of your walk, not the day before.
- Start early — Pen-y-Pass car park fills before 7am on summer weekends; use the Sherpa'r Wyddfa bus from Llanberis or Caernarfon instead.
- Carry the right map — OS Explorer OL17 (Snowdon and Conwy Valley) at 1:25,000 scale; the summit plateau is featureless in cloud and GPS alone is not reliable.
- Wear appropriate footwear — walking boots with ankle support; trail runners are acceptable in dry summer conditions on well-maintained paths but inadequate in wet or winter conditions.
- Descend before 4pm — the summit can get cold rapidly after mid-afternoon even in summer; the Mountain Railway stops running at a fixed time and walkers who miss it descend in deteriorating light.
- Respect the summit closure — the summit café (Hafod Eryri) closes at a fixed time each day; plan your ascent timing accordingly.
Find it on the map
Frequently asked questions
The Llanberis Path is the easiest and most popular route up Snowdon — 9 miles return, 3–5 hours, starting from Llanberis village (90m) to the summit (1,085m). The path is the widest and most clearly marked of all the Snowdon routes, follows the line of the mountain railway for much of its length, and has a gradual enough gradient to be manageable by most reasonably fit walkers. It is, however, the most crowded route in summer, with thousands of walkers per day in July and August.
The Pyg Track from Pen-y-Pass is the best first-time choice for walkers with moderate fitness — 7 miles return, 3–4 hours, with more dramatic scenery than the Llanberis Path and a better sense of genuine mountain achievement. It starts at Pen-y-Pass (359m), passes above Llyn Llydaw, and ascends the zig-zag path on Snowdon's east face to the summit. The views across the glacial cwms are exceptional on clear days. Combine with the Miners' Track for descent (or vice versa) for a circular route using the same car park.
Allow 3–5 hours for the ascent depending on route, fitness, and weather conditions. The Pyg Track takes 2–2.5 hours up and 1.5–2 hours down. The Llanberis Path takes 2.5–3.5 hours up and 2–2.5 hours down. The Watkin Path (most demanding) takes 3–4 hours up. These timings assume moderate fitness; add 30–60 minutes in wet or windy conditions, which slow the descent considerably. Allow extra time at the summit — the view on a clear day demands more than 10 minutes.
The Watkin Path is the most demanding of the six Snowdon routes — 8 miles return, ascent of 1,040m, starting from Nantgwynant (45m). Its final section involves a steep and loose rock scramble above Cwm Llan that is significantly harder than any other route. It is less crowded than the Pyg, Llanberis, and Miners' paths. Gladstone Rock — where William Ewart Gladstone opened the path in 1892, aged 83 — is passed on the lower section. Recommended for experienced walkers only; the loose rock on the final climb is challenging in wet conditions.
Yes — and it is generally recommended. The most popular combination is ascending by the Pyg Track and descending by the Miners' Track (or vice versa); both start and end at Pen-y-Pass, making a natural circuit of 7 miles. The Llanberis Path can be descended after ascending by the Pyg Track if you can arrange transport between Pen-y-Pass and Llanberis (Sherpa'r Wyddfa bus in summer). Walking up on the mountain railway and descending on foot is permitted (but not vice versa — the railway does not operate as a rescue service for exhausted walkers).
Essential kit for any Snowdon route: waterproof jacket and trousers (conditions change rapidly above 600m regardless of valley weather), warm mid-layer, walking boots with ankle support, 1:25,000 OS map and compass (Explorer OL17 — Snowdon), sufficient water (at least 1.5 litres), food for the full day, charged mobile phone, and a first aid kit. In winter (November–March), add: microspikes or crampons, ice axe (and knowledge of how to use it), hat and gloves. Do not attempt Snowdon in poor visibility without navigational confidence and a map — the summit plateau is featureless in cloud.