Snowdon Accommodation

Mount Snowdon is probably the most popular summit in Snowdonia National Park

Mount Snowdon - walk, climb or take the train

Snowdon Mountain Railway - the alternative way up to the summit

Snowdon Summit (Yr Wyddfa)

The popular Mount Snowdon Summit

Llanberis is the most popular centre from which to ascend Snowdon

Mount Snowdon Horseshoe & Railway Wales

Mount Snowdon is probably the most climbed mountain in Snowdonia. As the highest mountain it dominates the mountain map of Wales. There are plenty of recreational activity ideas from hiking up one of the routes to Snowdon's summit that offer a variety of levels of difficulty; or for an adventure weekend away in the UK, the Llanberis Pass is one of the most famous rock climbing areas. For more in depth exploration, one of the many courses held by outdoor adventure centres in Wales can help you develop your climbing skills.

For the less adventurous - or the plain tired - Mt Snowdon's summit can also be reached by the Snowdon Mountain Railway.

Mount Snowdon

Mount Snowdon is the highest mountain in Wales and is probably the busiest in peak season with 200,000 feet treading the paths to the summit each year. The height of Mt Snowdon, Yr Wyddfa (The Tumulus), is 1,085 metres (3,560 feet) above sea level.

As the highest peak in Wales, Snowdon is one of three mountains climbed as part of the Three Peaks 24 Hour Challenge including Ben Nevis in Scotland and Scafell Pike in the Lake District. It offers some of the finest walking, scrambling and climbing with a long winter season for ice climbing.

Most people come to Snowdon for the hiking and views from the summit. There are several routes up Snowdon: the Llanberis Path - the longest and easiest and the one the mountain railway follows; The Miners' Track - the easiest of the three routes from Pen-y-Pass; the Pig or Pyg Track - a stoney ascent from the western end of Pen-y-Pass car park; the Snowdon Ranger Path which visitors once tackled with the guidance of the Snowdon Ranger. It is now less popular with people preferring the Llanberis Path or the shorter, steeper ones from Pen-y-Pass. Rhydd Ddu Track with two paths - one from Pitt's Head Rock two and a half miles northwest of Beddgelert and the other from the National Park car park in Rhyd-Ddu; and finally the Watkin Path - the most spectacular southern route with the greatest height gain. Once you're up the mountain there is, of course, also the famous ridge walk the Snowdon Horseshoe (see below).

Pen-y-Pass car park at the eastern end of the Llanberis Pass is the base for the Miners Track, the Pig Track and the Snowdon Horseshoe. Llanberis is the other main setting off point for the Llanberis Path and the Snowdon Mountain Railway.

Snowdon Horseshoe North Wales

The Snowdon Horseshoe is the best ridge walk in Wales - one of the best Britain. It is also the most dramatic and potentially the most dangerous! It's not for the faint-hearted as it's a high level, rocky walk along two knife-edge aretes to Bwlch Coch and Crib Goch. High winds and winter conditions make this a dangerous place at which times it should be avoided or only to be tackled by the most experienced and appropriately equipped.

There are several routes up to the Snowdon Horseshoe so make sure you know you're way before setting off. One way is from Pen-y-Pass car park, up the Pig Track that climbs diagonally across the mountain to reach the pass at Bwlch Moch. There are two paths from this point the left being the easier of the two.

Once the steep and exposed summit of Crib Goch is reached, you will find outstanding views into the Llanberis Pass, Cwm Glas and into the hollow the Horseshoe encloses - that is if you can stand the height and the vertical drops either side!

Snowdon Mountain Railway

Snowdon Mountain Railway was built between December 1894 and February 1896 to cater for the throngs of Victorian tourists that were then flocking to the area.

As it is the quick way to a Snowdonian summit it is still the most popular railway. The train leaves from Llanberis Station and takes passengers within 66 feet of the summit of Mount Snowdon (3,560ft (1085m)) - an excellent alternative for those who don't fancy the slog of hiking up Snowdon's mountain paths to the top. In summer it can get very busy so in peak season it might be as well to book or take an early train.

The railway runs between mid March to the first week of November inclusive, although at either end of the season the train may only go as far as the lower Clogwyn stop. There are other facilities at the station in Llanberis including a Film Theatre that shows a thirteen minute virtual journey by way of the "To The Summit of Snowdon" film, as well as a cafe, take-away, gift shops and toilets.

At the summit of Mt Snowdon is the Summit Cafe and gift shop. This has always been a little lack-lustre and something of a disappointment when you've hiked up the mountain enjoying the openness and peace to find yourself elbow to elbow with hordes of other visitors trying to get pictures of the view or a quick cup of tea! However, the summit buildings are undergoing a makeover and are due to be open for the 2007 season. The plans are for a landscape and "green" eco-friendly building with a slanted roof so as not to impair the view, a rainwater collection system for recycling and efficient energy consumption, use of local materials, separate access for train travellers and walkers to cut down on overcrowding and glass walls for views of the summit and Moel Hebog. Hopefully it will be open by the time you get there, so that if you have made the effort to reach the top and are feeling rather pleased with yourself, you'll still be able to purchase the 'I climbed Snowdon' certificates, T-shirts and the unique Snowdon Mountain Railway postal label!

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