The Ultimate Guide to Climbing Mount Snowdon

Thinking about climbing Mount Snowdon? Get route comparisons, packing tips, and honest lessons from my own first soggy summit day.

I still vividly recall my friend and I standing at 7 am in a Llanberis car park, with a coffee that was lukewarm on the M6 somewhere near jct 11. We were staring up at a mountain shrouded from base to summit in cloud. My friend Dave looked at me and said, “So… we just walk up then?” It was six hours and one hail shower later that we got our answer. It came courtesy of a gang of nine-year olds on the final ridge, and it was a quite profoundly humbling one: yes, sort of.

So, welcome, you’ve found me here probably after Google searching “climbing Mount Snowdon” at 11 o’clock one evening whilst trying to book the trip you don’t feel quite prepared for. I have been right where you are. This is the article that someone should have given me before I pulled on my trainers (which I promise will come to this later) and set off into Snowdonia for the first time. From complete novices and families wanting a straightforward walk, to ambitious hikers keen to tackle the scramble over Crib Goch, I will get you to what actually matters. If you’re also looking beyond the usual hiking routes, take a look at 17 Rare, Unique Experiences You’ll Love in Iceland. You’ll find plenty of inspiration for making your next adventure feel just as memorable.

Wait, is this climbing or hiking?

I will start with this as it confuses people. Generally, if someone enquires about “climbing Snowdon”, they mean walking up it – hiking. No ropes, harnesses or climbing expertise are required for most of the routes up Wales’s highest mountain.

The only one of these worth noting really is Crib Goch. It’s a proper knife edge ridge and genuine scrambling (you need to use hands as well as feet), with serious drops on both sides. It is strictly for the competent, and I would say even then, only in the driest, calmest weather (more on this later).

To the rest of us? It’s a long, often very steep, sometimes very muddy hike rather than a climb, per se. So less Everest and more something akin to a very enthusiastic, incredibly attractive staircase someone never quite got around to finishing.

How difficult is it, actually?

Here’s the truthful answer; it depends entirely on what path you decide to take. Even the easy one will require work (disregarding the Llanberis Path name). Understanding difficulty is arguably the very first thing to do when attempting to climb Snowdon, as it will impact all other decisions you are making throughout the day.

At 1085 metres Snowdon is the highest peak in Wales and England. Starting from the majority of points takes you on something like a 7-9 mile round trip, taking up some 900-1000m of altitude gain. To give that some perspective, it’s equivalent to climbing some 200 flights of stairs. The only problem is that these stairs are of loosely scree with occasional damp-and-slippery conditions and no bannister rail!

Reasonably fit, this is me; I can run for a few hours, and I don’t think anything of a day on my feet. Even then my legs started making noise by the time we hit the midway cafe (yes, about midway up, there’s a cafe; will be returning to this). Don’t let anyone tell you this is a gentle stroll; most adults of a reasonable fitness level plus the kids can do it, but you’ve earned your pub meal after.

Choosing Your Route: The Decision That Actually Matters Most

This is arguably the most critical decision that you can make. It’s also the bit that all the articles tend to skim over and get wrong. If you get it wrong you are going to be bored on a walk that was too easy when you craved an adventure. Or worse, you could be in deep trouble on a route too difficult for you. Anybody serious about climbing Snowdon would do well to begin with this decision before considering any gear or weather. The official Eryri National Park Authority guide is a good place to begin, with the routes clearly graded.

Here’s how the main routes stack up against each other:

Route	Distance	Time	Difficulty	Best For
Llanberis Path	9 miles	5–6 hours	Easiest	The uninitiated, the families, the virgin explorers
Pyg Track	7m	5–6 hrs	Moderate	most favored; scenic vista for the first part.
Miners’ Track	8 miles	5–6 hrs	Moderate	Beautiful lakes; easy-going beginning
Snowdon Ranger Path	8 miles	(5–6 hours)	Moderate	Quietest, most tranquil route
Watkin Path	8 miles	6–7 h	Hard	Most pronounced and precipitous increase
Rhyd Ddu Path	8 miles	For 5–6 hours	Moderate	Which is underestimated and not so crowded:
Crib Goch	7 miles	6–7 hrs	Very difficult (scramble)	<br>

Llanberis Path

It’s a well maintained and straightforward trail. I didn’t see any particularly challenging sections. However, with all the ups and downs, it might be tiring to first time hikers. The scenery along the trail is pleasant but not overwhelmingly spectacular. It’s best for people who enjoy a leisurely hike, with enough opportunity for rest and enjoying the view.

As a point of reference my initial attempt was via Llanberis Path, and I really do suggest this as the first approach. It mostly traces the path of the Snowdon Mountain Railway. That gives it two advantages. It’s not too steep, and should you give up (which mine nearly did), there is the comfort of knowing the train is travelling somewhere in your vicinity. It’s a bit like running a marathon adjacent to a bus route – you won’t get on but you know it’s there.

Pyg Track & Miners’ Track

These are the ones that are going to appear on pretty much every instagram photo of Snowdon, and there’s a reason for this. They are some of the most rewarding for the effort, with stunning views looking out across dramatic lakes with the sheer jagged edges of Crib Goch to your left as you climb. I did these in a loop on my second visit (Pyg then Miners’). For me they’re quite possibly the best way to do the mountain, but they’re definitely a little more rocky underfoot and exposed.

Snowdon Ranger Path

If you’re looking for peace then the Snowdon Ranger Path is the one for you. I used it once, over a Bank Holiday weekend, when trying to escape from the hoards on Snowdon. Only about a dozen other hikers met me on my entire climb. That compared to a dozen thousand on the Pyg Track the same day – seemed like the Oxford Street sale.

What to Pack

I’ve spoken about trainers previously, and I’ll tell you, honestly my first ever climb of Snowdon was in trainers with about the same grip as a bar of soap. It rained. I fell twice. A very nice man shared the other half of his flapjack with me, out of what I can only assume was pity.

Don’t be me. Here’s what you actually need:

Good walking boots with ankle support, and a bit of grip – must-have even in summer
Waterproof jacket and trousers- it’s own weather on Snowdon, and from sunshine to side-ways rain can take about eleven minutes
The principle of layering. That baselayer, that warm mid-layer and then that waterproof shell. The summit will often be 10C colder and have a significantly higher wind speed than the car park
1.5–2 Litres (minimum) – there is nowhere to top up the water past the halfway cafe
Things with proper calories for snacking sandwiches, flapjacks, etc., not just a flapjack bar and good intentions.
A simple first aid kit and a charged mobile phone.
A map, or at least an offline downloadable route signal is patchy, visibility drops to a few metres remarkably fast under cloud cover.
If there is any possibility of being back near to twilight, then a head torch.

The mountain doesn’t care if it was 22 deg C and sunny when you got out of the car park. Give it some respect and it will give you some in return. AdventureSmart Wales’ very pragmatic and sensible safety checklist is well worth doing before you set off for your first trip up the mountain.

When To Go

From late spring to early autumn, May-September is the best time of the year. There are almost enough hours of daylight that you are not under pressure to get everywhere before dark, and busy but slightly less severe weather conditions.

Then again I did ascend one early October visit, and this was perhaps my best one. The numbers were few and far between, the autumn colours were breathtaking over all of Snowdonia, and the atmosphere was just so crisp and clear that the distant views looked almost unreal. The price for this is of course the diminished daylight hours, and the very real increased likelihood of ice around the top.

Winter approaches bring an entirely new proposition altogether – crampons, an ice axe, and a level of expertise I don’t possess, and wouldn’t dare claim to! Save winter Snowdon for a couple of years, as a novice, once you have gained a few hill-walking experiences away from Snowdon! Whatever the weather, check the Met Office’s mountain weather forecast the night before. In the morning you will find the weather on the summit may bear little resemblance to that of the car park!

Is Snowdon for kids/beginners?

In short: Yes, if you take the right path and have the right expectations.

The Llanberis Path is definitely the family path, and I’ve definitely seen 7 and 8 year olds reach the summit, normally fuelled by unholy amounts of enthusiasm and Haribo. You’ve just got to take it easy, start as early as possible, and take the correct rests. Don’t be ashamed to turn around if the weather changes or one of your party can’t make it. It’ll still be there.

I would suggest it’s the same for total beginners, no matter their age. Do not do the scramble on your first time up Snowdon, work towards that. It is a mountain that tends to bring over confident individuals (including myself, definitely!) down to earth.

And Crib Goch?

I’ll be honest with you, Crib Goch isn’t for the novice. I say this as a man who found it quite daunting on his own prior to the scramble.

This is a tight exposed ridge with severe falls either side, which is genuinely life threatening in low visibility or high winds – lives have been lost on this route. If you’re inexperienced, or not happy with scrambling, exposure and obsessive checking of the forecast, you should not be on this route. This route is awesome, thrilling, and provides one of the finest views in Wales. Don’t even contemplate doing this route unless you satisfy the first criteria. The top does look the same from every direction… It’s only about how it feels to get there.

The Easier Alternative: The Snowdon Mountain Railway

Now if the above paragraph has you sitting there thinking “that sounds like way too much effort”, then you are correct, and there is absolutely no shame in hopping on the train! Snowdon Mountain Railway runs from Llanberis to (nearly) the summit. It’s a really nice way to see the mountain if you do not fancy hiking up it, or are accompanying someone unable to.

I took my mum up the train a few years ago. The look on her face when we broke through the cloud layer near the top of the mountain is possibly one of my best memories of being on Snowdon (booth or no booth). Book in advance, they sell out (particularly in busy seasons).

In conclusion; my second stab at it:

Now I’ve looked back on that first wet, unprepared trudge up Llanberis Path, and I wouldn’t change a single cold, wet, tiring one of them. There’s a reason, whatever it is, that makes standing up on top totally worth it. That’s assuming the cloud clears enough to actually see something, which happens about fifty percent of the time.

If I could tell my former self one thing about climbing Mount Snowdon, it wouldn’t be to wear decent boots and waterproofs, or which route to take, though that would all have helped! I’d just say: start earlier than you think you need to, and don’t walk as fast as you’re feeling. Don’t be too ashamed to turn back, either, if the mountain is telling you that today is not your day. Snowdon isn’t going to disappear. It will be there next weekend, or next month, or next year, just as cloudy and temperamental, and all the more beautiful for it.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long is a day up Snowdon? Most climbs are completed within 5-7 hours, return, this will be dependent on your fitness and which route you choose as well as the number of breaks and photographs you wish to take on the way up and down.

Which is the easiest way up Snowdon? The Llanberis Path is widely agreed to be the easiest and least steep route up to the summit.

Do you need to be an experienced walker to ascend Snowdon? No – the majority of paths are open to moderately fit beginners. The only exception to this is Crib Goch, which is only suitable for experienced scramblers.

Is it possible to climb Snowdon in a day? Yes, nearly everybody does the return trip in just one day.

Are there trains to Snowdon? Yes, Snowdon Mountain Railway goes from Llanberis to close to the summit, for people who would prefer not to hike.