Climbing Yr Wyddfa: which Snowdon path to choose, and how to stay safe

At 1,085 metres, Yr Wyddfa is the highest mountain in Wales and England, and it is climbed by more people than any sensible mountain should be. That popularity is misleading. The Eryri National Park Authority is blunt about it: every path to the summit is hard, none should be thought of as easy, and the weather – more than 5,100mm of rain a year – can change the mountain completely in an hour. This guide is about choosing the right way up for you, getting to the start without a parking fiasco, and knowing when the train is the smarter choice.

The six main paths, compared

The National Park lists six main routes. Ordnance Survey's guide gives these approximate figures for each (times exclude stops):

• Llanberis Path – about 14.8km, 987m of ascent, around six hours. The longest but most gradual, starting from Llanberis village, with the best public transport links.
• Pyg Track – about 10.8km, 807m of ascent, around four and a half hours. The shortest, but rocky and steep from the start at Pen y Pass (already at 359m). Parts of it lead towards Crib Goch, so navigation matters.
• Miners' Track – about 13.5km, 810m of ascent, around five hours. Also from Pen y Pass, it passes Llyn Llydaw and its causeway and the lake of Glaslyn, then joins the Pyg Track for a steep final climb. Pyg up and Miners' down is a popular loop.
• Rhyd Ddu Path – about 13km, 1,050m of ascent. Approaches from the west via the ridge of Bwlch Main, with views over the Nantlle valley. Often described as quieter, though busy in summer.
• Snowdon Ranger Path – about 12.7km, 966m of ascent. Starts near Llyn Cwellyn, about a mile and a half from Rhyd Ddu, and curves round Llyn Du'r Arddu. Parking is very limited.
• Watkin Path – about 12.6km and the greatest ascent of the standard routes, with loose scree and steep drops near the top. One of the hardest.

Then there's Crib Goch, the knife-edge ridge that forms part of the Snowdon Horseshoe. The National Park describes it as a 400m ridge that is extremely dangerous and technical. It is a scramble for experienced mountaineers, not a short cut.

Our verdict: which route for whom

• First time, steady fitness: the Llanberis Path. It's long, but the gradient is the kindest, and the railway is there if you'd rather ride than walk.
• Fit, confident walkers who want scenery: Pyg up, Miners' down from Pen y Pass. The lakes on the Miners' Track are the best views on the mountain for the effort.
• Want fewer people: Rhyd Ddu or the Snowdon Ranger, with the caveat that "quieter" is relative in July.
• Experienced and looking for a challenge: the Watkin, or the full Horseshoe with Crib Goch if you have the scrambling skills and the right conditions.

Whatever you choose, the National Park's advice is to try some moderate mountain walks first, carry a map and compass and know how to use them, and check the Yr Wyddfa Live website for weather and ground conditions before you go.

The railway: up, down or both

The Snowdon Mountain Railway is a Victorian oddity that still works. It opened officially on 6 April 1896 and climbs about 4.7 miles from Llanberis using the Abt rack system, a toothed rail between the running rails that meshes with the locomotive's pinions. The opening day was marred by a fatal derailment near Clogwyn, which led to lighter loads and the gripper rails still used today.

The climb takes about an hour at an average of around five miles an hour, and a return trip with a stop at the top takes about two and a half hours. At the summit is Hafod Eryri, the visitor building opened in 2009.

Two things to know. First, the railway closes from November to mid-March. Second, in bad weather trains may not reach the summit and can terminate lower down at Rocky Valley Halt; wind speed is measured at Clogwyn to decide. If the summit matters to you, have a plan B.

Getting to the start: parking and buses

This is where many days go wrong. Pen y Pass car park, at the start of the Pyg and Miners' tracks, has run on a pre-booked system through JustPark this year, and the National Park says planning ahead is essential between March and November. Car parks at other trailheads fill early too – Rhyd Ddu by around 8am and the Watkin by around 7.30am in busy periods.

The better answer is the Sherpa'r Wyddfa bus. You can park at Nant Peris, Llanberis or Caernarfon and ride up to Pen y Pass, and the network also reaches Bangor. Drop-offs at Pen y Pass are allowed if someone is driving you.

After the mountain: Swallow Falls and Harlech

If you have a spare day, two classic stops sit on either side of the national park.

To the east, near Betws-y-Coed, the River Llugwy pours through a rocky cleft at Swallow Falls. The older Welsh name, Rhaeadr y Wennol, means "the waterfall of the swallow" – a prominent rock splits the flow into two streams like a swallow's tail – while the later Rhaeadr Ewynnol means "the foaming waterfall". The landowner gave the falls to the council in 1913, and there is a charge to visit. It's a good stop after rain, when the mountain itself may be off the menu.

To the south-west, Harlech Castle stands on its steep rocky outcrop. Edward I built it between 1282 and 1289, with Master James of St George designing a "walls within walls" layout. It held out against Madog ap Llywelyn in 1294–95, fell to Owain Glyndŵr in 1401, was retaken a year later, and during the Wars of the Roses endured a seven-year siege, said to be the longest in British history and the origin of the song "Men of Harlech". Since 1986 it has been part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site with Edward's other castles in Wales.

If you only have one day

Take the Sherpa'r Wyddfa bus to Pen y Pass, walk up the Pyg Track and down the Miners' Track, and keep an eye on the forecast all morning. If the cloud is down and the wind is up, swap the summit for Swallow Falls and come back another day – the mountain will still be there.

Plan it

• Getting there: Llanberis is the hub for the railway and the Llanberis Path; the Sherpa'r Wyddfa bus connects Llanberis, Nant Peris, Caernarfon and Bangor with Pen y Pass.
• Where to base yourself: Llanberis for the railway and the northern paths; Betws-y-Coed for Swallow Falls; the Harlech coast if the castle is a priority.
• Best time of year: July and August usually bring the fairest weather but also the biggest crowds. The railway runs from mid-March to the end of October.
• Booking tips: Book railway tickets and any Pen y Pass parking in advance, and check current parking arrangements with the National Park before you travel, as they change by season.
• Kit: Waterproofs, warm layers, map, compass, torch and whistle, even in summer.