Britain : Wales : Snowdonia :
Snowdon

Snowdon and Crib Goch
(Picture used with permission from Wilderness Wales)

Snowdon is the highest mountain in England and Wales at 1085 metres, yet it isn't the hardest to climb. You can even go up on the train from the town of Llanberis in the valley below. But it's more fun (and a lot cheaper) to walk up.

Snowdon with Llyn Llydaw below
(Picture used with permission from Wilderness Wales)

The most common starting point is from Pen-y-Pass near Llanberis, which gives you a head start at over 300 metres above sea level. From here, there's a variety of routes, from tarmacked paths right to the summit, or the knife-edge ridge of Crib Goch.

The Crib Goch ridge

Crib Goch is a long arete up to Snowdon's summit, on the northern half of the Snowdon Horseshoe. To the north of the ridge, there is a near-vertical drop of a few hundred metres into the corrie below. But to the south, the slope is less steep and covered in scree, so if you want to chicken out you can escape down the side.

The hardest part of Crib Goch is the pinnacles near the end, where there is some exposed scrambling over rock towers. After that, the path joins the railway for the last half-kilometre to the summit.

The summit of Snowdon offers the highest café in Britain. The summit station has a pub, café, souvenir shop, and of course somewhere dry when it's raining. And you can post a letter at the summit and it will arrive with a postmark of Snowdon.

The Y Lliwedd ridge from Snowdon

On the other side of the Horsheshoe, the Y Lliwedd ridge is less exposed than Crib Goch but still gives great views back to the summit, the three lakes below, and the other high peaks around.

Snowdon and Crib Goch from Y Lliwedd

A page about Snowdon can't be passed without mentioning Pete's Eats, a walkers-only café in Llanberis (where the Snowdon Railway starts from). Muddy boots and all, you can go in and get fed enormous portions, especially the fry-ups. And the cups of tea, they're not just cups, they're bowls. I don't need to describe where it is, just look out for the huge blue building on a corner, with the bright red window shades.

Pubs

There is a pub/café on the summit of Snowdon. Llanberis is nearby, where there are a few pubs and cafés (look out for Pete's Eats).

Maps

Snowdon is covered by these maps:

• OS Outdoor Leisure (scale 1:25,000) 17 : Snowdonia - Snowdon & Conwy Valley
• OS Landranger (scale 1:50,000) 15 : Snowdon/Yr Wyddfa & Caernarfon