Ascending Yr Wyddfa

Yr Wyddfa means ‘The Grave’ and is thought to refer to the resting place of the legendary Rhitta Gawr, a giant of ancient times who rose to prominence as the strongest and most violent leader in the ancient kingdom of Gwynedd. His eventual demise came at the hands of King Arthur, who fought him in single combat on the summit of the highest mountain.

The battle was fierce amid the mists and encircling winds as they fought each other with their swords (Excalibur for Arthur, of course) and shields, followed by fists and feet. Arthur prevailed and, with his men, out of respect for Rhitta Gawr, piled rocks onto the fallen giant, creating the mountain we know today, Yr Wyddfa (Snowdon).

Previously known by its anglicised name, Snowdon, this epic peak now goes by ‘Yr Wyddfa,’ which is pronounced ‘err with-va.’ Similarly, the national park it sits in, once Snowdonia, is now Eryri, pronounced ‘Er-ruh-re.’ To learn more about Welsh pronunciations, read our guide here.

Llanberis Path

Most visitors to the summit of Yr Wyddfa arrive via the Snowdon Mountain Railway steam engines, which draw carriages up almost 8 km/5 miles from the village of Llanberis. The railway opened in 1896 to encourage tourists to visit the area, and it has done a sterling job ever since.

Walking alongside the railway is the easiest ascent of the mountain. It takes the least steep route, passing the Halfway House before taking the shoulder of Clogwyn Du’r Arrdu, a magnificent climbing cliff, to reach Hafod Eryri visitor centre and café and, a little beyond that, the summit.

Distance: 7.6 km / 4.7 miles each way | Approx: 6 hours round trip

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Miners Track

This route benefits from starting at Pen Y Pass, already 1,180 ft/360 m up the slopes of Yr Wyddfa. However the technicalities of walking increase with a steepening path and more challenging terrain.

This is offset by the splendid mountain scenery as it walks past high mountain lakes (Llyn in Welsh) and under the vertiginous cliffs of Lliwedd before arriving at the col (Bwlch in Welsh) between Garnedd Ugain and the summit. A short ascent leads behind the visitor centre to the top.

Distance: 6.4 km / 4 miles | Approx: 6 hours round trip

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Pyg Track

The Pyg Track is the shortest route up the mountain with the least amount of ascent but it is technically challenging underfoot.

The track enters the bowels of the mountain at Bwlch Moch overlooking Llyn Llydaw and contours under Crib Goch joining the Miners Track to the summit.

Distance: 5.6 km / 3.5 miles | Approx: 6 hours round trip

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Watkin Path

This path is physically demanding. It involves the most ascent at 3,281 ft/1,000 m and is continuously steep after the first mile. It is also very scenic, starting in ancient woodland and passing spectacular waterfalls and old quarry workings.

It reaches Bwlch Ciliau between Lliwedd and Yr Wyddfa, and the path rears up a scree slope and tricky steps to join the South Ridge route just below the summit.

Distance: 7.2 km / 4.5 miles | Approx: 6 hours round trip7 hours round trip

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Snowdon Ranger Path

Before the railway was built up Yr Wyddfa (Snowdon), a new rail line ran along the southern flank of Snowdon, linking Caernarfon and Beddgelert. This line attracted many visitors to the area, many of whom ascended the mountain from this direction.

The path begins at the Snowdon Ranger Hostel and skirts the slopes of Clogwyn Du’r Arrdu before joining the Llanberis path before the summit.

Distance: 8 km / 5 miles  | Approx: 7 hours round trip

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Rhyd Ddu Path

From the small village of Rhyd Ddu, this path approaches Yr Wyddfa (Snowdon) from the west. It reaches the Llechog ridge before ascending steeply to Bwlch Main and the summit.

The surrounding fields teem with sheep, the farming of which is the dominant agricultural produce of North Wales. This has helped create a landscape traversed by dry stone walls typical of the area.

Distance: 6.4 km / 4 miles | Approx: 6 hours round trip

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South Ridge

For those seeking tougher and more intimidating terrain, the South Ridge offers both. The route leaves the Rhyd Ddu Path and heads for the ridge above Alt Maender.

With its precipitous drops to the east side overlooking Cwm Tregalan, this route is more challenging than some of the others listed. It reaches Bwlch Main to rejoin the Rhyd Ddu path towards the summit.

Distance: 7.2 km / 4.5 miles | Approx:  7 hours round trip

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Crib Goch

The ridge between Crib Goch and Crib Y Ddysgl dominates this route. It is a knife edge in places that may require an à cheval technique to overcome. With a strong head for heights, it’s possible to walk along the ridge, but only in dry, windless conditions. Otherwise, most people gingerly tread and shuffle along without looking down the perilous slopes on either side.

This route is classified as a Grade 1 scramble, which requires the use of ropes, with severe consequences of a fall. Beyond Crib Goch, the ascent of Crib y Ddysgl does relent a little, but your guard should still be up. Reaching Bwlch Glas is the time to relax and enjoy the gentler walk to the summit.

Distance: 11.3 km / 7 miles | Approx: 7 hours round trip

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