The six main paths up Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa) are all different in their own way.
On this page you’ll be able see compare their various pros and cons.
Did you know that all the main path have been mapped using the Google Trekker, the outdoor portable version of StreetView? This means that they can be virtually ‘walked’ online. You can read more about this here.
The six main paths up Snowdon
Contents
Easiest or best?
People often ask which is the ‘easiest’ or the ‘best’ of the main paths.
- Most people will agree that the Llanberis Path is the easiest (but that doesn’t mean it’s easy – it’s long and uphill all the way, and you’ve still got a mountain to climb!).
- The shortest path, and the quickest, is the Pyg Track, but it’s rugged.
- The hardest of the main paths is the Watkin Path, given its combined length and ascent. (We are not including Crib Goch in this.)
- However, regarding the ‘best’ path, there will never be agreement; ask 6 different people and you’ll likely get 6 different answers. (Do you mean easiest, most accessible, most scenic, most dramatic, etc?)
What we can do, though, is to present a brief summary of the main pros and cons of each path so that you can decide for yourself.
General comments
All the main paths are well defined on the ground and easy to follow in good visibility (or fairly poor visibility, for that matter). For the most part they are wide enough for two people to walk side by side.
In good weather they are generally safe, and any sections which are exposed or will require hands are noted below or in the detailed path descriptions.
Timings will vary according to both the path chosen and the walker’s pace and fitness, but estimates are also given in the path descriptions.
Ranked from easiest to hardest
Ranking the six main paths from easiest to hardest isn’t that straightforward – it’s a little bit subjective (what might be easy for some might be challenging for others). Moreover, some paths have a mix of easier and harder sections (e.g. some might swap the Miners’ Track and the Rhyd Ddu Path on account of this).
Also, you should bear in mind that this isn’t necessarily the only criteria to consider. You can read more about the pros and cons of the paths below.
Comparison of height ascended and gradient
There is far more to choosing a path than just considering its length or the height ascended (the latter depending on the height of the start point). Nevertheless, for the sake of comparison, here are the details of the six main paths (ranked by total height ascended, from least to most):
| Path | Length (one way) | Start height | Total height ascended | Overall gradient |
| Pyg Track | 3½ miles / 5½ km | 359m | 726m / 2,381 ft | 1 : 7.8 |
| Miners’ Track | 4¼ miles / 7 km | 359m | 726m / 2,381 ft | 1 : 9.4 |
| Rhyd Ddu Path | 3¾ miles / 6 km | 190m | 895m / 2,936 ft | 1 : 6.74 |
| Snowdon Ranger Path | 4 miles / 6¼ km | 149m | 936m / 3,071 ft | 1 : 7 |
| Llanberis Path | 4½ miles / 7¼ km | 110m | 975m / 3,198 ft | 1 : 7.4 |
| Watkin Path | 4¼ miles / 7 km | 60m | 1025m / 3,362 ft | 1 : 6.67 |
The pros and cons of the different paths:
Llanberis Path
The pros:
- suitable for first-time walkers or large groups
- a reasonable overall gradient
- a straightforward, well-defined, wide path, and regarded as the safest and easiest (it’s a bridleway, and bikes and even horses can use it)
- no ‘clambering’ or scrambling at all; no hands needed
- a ‘safe’ path with no great exposure at any point
- a café halfway (open seasonally)
- served by a frequent bus service, and handy for the Park & Ride bus service
- on the ‘near side’ of the mountain for most people
- plenty of parking, and good facilities in Llanberis itself
Bikes and even horses can use the Llanberis Path. Here are a couple at Bwlch Glas.
The cons:
- the longest path
- a considerable amount of ascent because it starts low down
- it’s the busiest path by far (and popular with large groups)
- an initial steep tarmac section out of the village, with two later steep sections after halfway
- less dramatic views and less scenic for much of the lower part of the path
Bwlch Glas, where the Llanberis Path is joined by other paths
Pyg Track
The pros:
- suitable for fit first-time walkers
- a well-defined path
- the shortest, speediest route
- the least amount of ascent because it starts quite high up – at 359 m (1,180 ft)
- scenic, with dramatic views for much of the route
- often fairly sheltered from wind until the final ridge is reached
- ideal for making into a round with the Miners’ Track
- handy for the Park & Ride bus service
- on the ‘near side’ of the mountain for many
- a seasonal café at Pen y Pass
- an option of Crib Goch for those up to it
The cons:
- hard underfoot
- rugged, with some high steps and ‘clambery’ sections (not easy for shorter legs), and other challenging technical bits, e.g. hands needed briefly in 2 or 3 places
- a steep initial mile
- a fairly busy path
- often no space to park at Pen y Pass itself (though easily solved by Park & Ride)
Bwlch y Moch on the Pyg Track
Miners’ Track
The pros:
- suitable for fit first-time walkers
- the gentlest overall gradient
- the least amount of ascent because it starts quite high up – at 359 m (1,180 ft)
- a very easy first 2 miles, with a wide path
- scenic, with increasingly dramatic views
- often fairly sheltered from wind until the final ridge is reached
- ideal for making into a round with the Pyg Track
- handy for the Park & Ride bus service
- on the ‘near side’ of the mountain for many
- a seasonal café at Pen y Pass
The cons:
- fairly long
- a fairly busy path
- a steep section up to the Intersection, followed by the ruggedness of the Pyg Track, where hands are needed briefly in 2 or 3 places
- often no space to park at Pen y Pass itself (though easily solved by Park & Ride)
Between Bwlch Glas and the summit
Watkin Path
The pros:
- recommended for more experienced, fit walkers
- a fairly quiet path
- a path with a lot of variety
- scenic with good views, including to the coast, behind you, as you get higher
- the option of a round, returning using the South Ridge
The cons:
- it’s long because it starts so low
- it has the steepest overall gradient and the greatest amount of ascent
- part of the final ascent is steep and loose, with hands needed in a few places; coming down this section is not easy
- served by a less regular bus service
At the summit
Rhyd Ddu Path
The pros:
- the quietest path on Snowdon
- fairly short
- an easy start, though the top section is recommended for more experienced walkers
- scenic views all round for much of the way up
- the option of a round with the Snowdon Ranger Path or the South Ridge
The cons:
- Bwlch Main, a narrow exposed section near the top, can be scary for some
- it’s on the ‘far side’ of the mountain for many
- served by a less regular bus service
Hafod Eryri at the summit, and the view west
Snowdon Ranger Path
The pros:
- suitable for first-time walkers
- a quieter path
- easy to follow
- no hands needed at any point
- a ‘safe’ path with no great exposure at any point
- the option of a round with the Rhyd Ddu path
The cons:
- a steep start and a steep later section
- after halfway the path is rocky and uneven underfoot in places
- not as dramatic scenery as some other paths
- the summit is visible almost the whole way (not always good!)
- as a bridleway, bikes sometimes use it for descent
- on the ‘far side’ of the mountain for many
- served by a less regular bus service
Inscription by the entrance to Hafod Eryri
Summary Graphic
Country Walking magazine recently published the following graphic which summarises the paths on Snowdon. (It includes Crib Goch and Y Lliwedd which are not promoted as one of the six main paths.)
© Country Walking Magazine