Snowdon Hiking Guide: Maps, Routes and Planning Your Ascent
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At 1,085m (3,560ft), Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa in Welsh) is the highest mountain in Wales and one of the most climbed mountains in Britain. Around 600,000 people visit the summit each year. Unlike many serious mountains, Snowdon offers a range of routes to suit different abilities, from a straightforward path walkable by fit beginners to narrow ridges that demand confident scrambling skills.
Snowdon also forms one of the mountains of the Three Peak Challenge, the three highest peaks in England (Scafell Pike), Scotland (Ben Nevis) and Wales (Snowdon).
Whatever route you choose, a good map and solid preparation are essential.
Snowdon at a Glance
- Height: 1,085m (3,560ft)
- Location: Snowdonia National Park, North Wales
- Welsh name: Yr Wyddfa
- Number of main routes: six
- Most popular route: the Llanberis Path
- Return distance: 14km to 22km depending on route
- Typical time: 4 to 7 hours return
- Recommended map scale: 1:25,000 for route navigation; 1:50,000 for general orientation
The Six Main Routes
The Llanberis Path
The Llanberis Path is the longest but most straightforward ascent route, starting from the village of Llanberis on the north-western side of the mountain. It follows the line of the Snowdon Mountain Railway for much of its length, making it easy to navigate even in poor visibility. The path is well-maintained and broad, with steady rather than steep gradients for most of the ascent.
Key stats:
- Start point: Llanberis village (grid ref SH 582 598)
- Distance: 14.5km return
- Ascent: 973m
- Grade: moderate
The Pyg Track
The Pyg Track is widely regarded as the finest route on Snowdon. Starting from Pen-y-Pass car park, it traverses the shoulder of Crib Goch before contouring around the Glaslyn basin to reach the summit ridge. The path involves some rocky sections and minor scrambling near the top, but nothing technical. The views across the Glaslyn and Llydaw lakes are exceptional.
Key stats:
- Start point: Pen-y-Pass car park (grid ref SH 647 556)
- Distance: 11km return
- Ascent: 720m
- Grade: moderate to strenuous
The Miners' Track
Also starting from Pen-y-Pass, the Miners' Track follows an old copper mining route along the shores of Llyn Llydaw and Glaslyn before a steep final climb to join the Pyg Track near the summit. The lower section along the lakeside is flat and easy; the upper section is steep and loose. It is a popular choice for descent when combined with the Pyg Track for ascent.
Key stats:
- Start point: Pen-y-Pass car park (grid ref SH 647 556)
- Distance: 11km return
- Ascent: 720m
- Grade: moderate (lower), strenuous (upper)
The Snowdon Ranger Path
One of the oldest routes on the mountain, the Snowdon Ranger Path starts from the Snowdon Ranger Youth Hostel on the western side of Llyn Cwellyn. It is a quieter route than the Llanberis or Pen-y-Pass options, with good views across the Nantlle Ridge throughout the ascent. The upper section crosses open moorland and can be boggy.
Key stats:
- Start point: Snowdon Ranger YHA (grid ref SH 565 551)
- Distance: 14.5km return
- Ascent: 960m
- Grade: moderate
The Rhyd Ddu Path
Starting from the village of Rhyd Ddu on the south-western flank, this route approaches the summit via the long Bwlch Main ridge. The ridge section is narrow in places with good drops on either side, which can feel exposed in wind or mist but involves no scrambling. It is quieter than the Pen-y-Pass routes and offers fine views over the Nantlle Valley.
Key stats:
- Start point: Rhyd Ddu car park (grid ref SH 570 526)
- Distance: 14.5km return
- Ascent: 900m
- Grade: moderate to strenuous
The Watkin Path
The most demanding of the six standard routes, the Watkin Path starts from Nantgwynant on the southern side of the mountain and involves the steepest ascent of any of the main paths. The upper section involves loose scree and requires care. The reward is that the southern approach sees far fewer walkers, and the route passes the impressive Gladstone Rock, where the Prime Minister opened the path in 1892.
Key stats:
- Start point: Nantgwynant car park (grid ref SH 628 506)
- Distance: 14km return
- Ascent: 1,060m
- Grade: strenuous
Which Route Should You Choose?
For first-time walkers with a reasonable level of fitness, the Llanberis Path is the safest and most accessible choice. It is long but never steep or technical, and it follows the railway line, which provides a useful handrail for navigation.
For walkers who want the best scenery and do not mind some rough ground underfoot, the Pyg Track is the outstanding choice. Combined with a descent via the Miners' Track, it makes a superb circular route from Pen-y-Pass.
The Watkin Path is for experienced walkers only: the ascent is sustained and the upper section requires care, particularly in wet conditions. Descending via the Watkin Path is not recommended for inexperienced walkers.
Whichever route you choose, the summit ridge is shared by all routes from the Bwlch Glas junction upwards, and in mist or cloud the final approach to the summit requires careful navigation.
Which Maps Do You Need?
1:25,000 for Route Navigation
For walking any of Snowdon's six routes, a 1:25,000 scale OS map gives the best combination of detail and clarity. At this scale, 4 centimetres equals 1 kilometre on the ground, and contour lines are drawn at 5-metre intervals. On a mountain with as much varied terrain as Snowdon, this level of detail matters: distinguishing the Pyg Track from the Miners' Track, or identifying the correct descent from the summit ridge in cloud, is much easier with a 1:25,000 map.
The Snowdon summit area and all six standard routes are covered in the UK Maps walking range:
- Snowdon 25k Walking Map: covers the full summit massif and all six main routes at 1:25,000. The standard choice for walkers doing any of the principal ascent paths.
1:50,000 for Wider Orientation
A 1:50,000 map of Snowdonia gives a broader view of the national park, showing how Snowdon relates to the surrounding ridges, valleys, and starting villages. At this scale 2 centimetres equals 1 kilometre, and the map covers a much larger area on the same sheet. It is useful for planning your approach and for understanding the wider geography of Snowdonia, but the 10-metre contour interval makes it less precise for summit navigation.
Many walkers carry both: the 1:50,000 for the journey to the start point and general context, and the 1:25,000 for the ascent itself.
All maps are available as high-resolution 300 DPI PDF downloads: Snowdon Walking Maps
Planning Your Ascent
Best Time of Year
Snowdon is walkable year-round, but conditions vary considerably by season.
Spring and summer (April to September) are the most popular months. Days are long, paths are largely dry, and the summit cafe (the highest cafe in Wales) is usually open. Bank holidays and summer weekends can be very busy, particularly at Pen-y-Pass: book the car park in advance or take the Sherpa bus from Llanberis or Nantgwynant.
Autumn (October to November) brings shorter days and unpredictable weather but fewer crowds and often outstanding visibility on clear days. The lower slopes display good autumn colour. Early starts are essential.
Winter (December to March) brings snow and ice to the upper mountain from around November onwards. In full winter conditions, the routes above Bwlch Glas become serious mountaineering terrain requiring crampons, an ice axe, and the skills to use them. The Llanberis Path in deep snow is not a beginner's route. Check conditions with the Snowdonia National Park weather service before setting out in the colder months.
Weather
Snowdon sits in one of the wettest parts of Wales. Cloud and rain can arrive quickly at any time of year, and the summit is frequently in mist. Always check the Mountain Weather Information Service (MWIS) forecast for Wales before setting out. A day that starts clear in Llanberis can become very different above 900m.
Pen-y-Pass Parking
Pen-y-Pass is the most popular start point for the Pyg and Miners' tracks, but the car park is small and fills extremely early on busy days, often before 7am in summer. Book the car park online in advance via the Snowdonia National Park website, or travel by Sherpa bus from Llanberis (which connects to the car park every 30 minutes in season). There is no overflow parking at the pass itself.
Navigation on the Summit Ridge
The summit of Snowdon at Yr Wyddfa is clearly marked and the Hafod Eryri visitor centre makes it easy to identify in clear conditions. In mist or cloud the summit ridge and the upper sections of the Pyg and Miners' tracks can be confusing. The junction of Bwlch Glas, where routes converge for the final approach, is marked by a standing stone; from here the path to the summit is broad and well-cairned.
Descent in poor visibility is where navigational mistakes most commonly occur. Know which route you plan to descend before you start, and identify it on your map at the Bwlch Glas junction rather than at the summit.
What to Carry
- OS map at 1:25,000 and a compass
- Waterproof jacket and trousers
- Warm layers (temperature drops roughly 3 degrees Celsius per 300m of ascent)
- Food and water for the full day
- Headtorch in case the return runs late
- First aid kit
- A printed or downloaded copy of the Pen-y-Pass bus timetable if using the Sherpa service
OS Maps for Snowdon
All walking maps for Snowdon are available as instant PDF downloads, produced from up-to-date Ordnance Survey data under licence number AC0000848283:
Available at 1:25,000 (recommended for route navigation on all six paths) and 1:50,000 (general orientation and wider Snowdonia coverage). All maps are supplied as 300 DPI PDF files suitable for printing at A3, A2, A1, or larger.
Also planning walks in Wales? Browse our full range of Welsh walking maps, including maps for the Brecon Beacons, Pembrokeshire Coast Path, and Offa's Dyke.