Not everything you read about Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa) on the internet is true. These facts, however, are true :
- The oldest person to walk to the summit
The oldest known people to walk up Snowdon were both aged 90:
Henry Thackwell, an American, achieved this in 1978, and more recently, Cliff Wilkinson from Rhos-on-Sea achieved this in 2021, accompanied by family members who included his two daughters and his son. (Read about it here.)
In 2021, 89-year-old Laurie Brophy from Pencoed walked up Snowdon to complete the Welsh Three Peaks challenge. (Read about it here.)
In May 2025, 87-year-old John Woodhouse walked to the summit, accompanied by one of his daughters, aged 63.
John with his daughter, Andrea. They were raising money for Parkinson’s UK in memory of John’s wife, Patsy.
The oldest married couple to walk up Snowdon were possibly Regina and David Evans, who achieved this in 2017 when both were aged 82.
- The youngest person to walk to the summit
In July 2019, 3-year-old Jaxon Krzysik walked up unaided, completing the Three Peaks over 3 months. Over the years we have encountered several 3-year-olds who have walked to the summit.
- The fastest person to run up Snowdon.
In 1985 Kenny Stuart ran from Llanberis to the summit in 39 minutes and 47 seconds.
- The fastest person to run up and down Snowdon
The men’s record, set in the Snowdon Race, stands at 1:02:29, set by Kenny Stuart in 1985. The women’s record stands at 1:12:48, set by Carol Greenwood in 1993.
- The most times up and down in a day
The Snowdon 24 race sees individuals or relay teams running up and down the Llanberis Path as many times as possible in 24 hours. The record number of times for an individual is 9 times for a male, and 8 times for a female.
- The Snowdon Mountain Railway
The railway from Llanberis to the summit was constructed in less than 13 months. Once the permanent way had been dug, the track was laid in just 72 working days.
- The most ascents as a train driver
Raymond Foulkes was a train driver for 34 years, making an average of 24 trips a week for 8 months of the year. In that time he made about 25,000 ascents.
- Fossils at the summit
The brachiopod fossils which can be found in places on the bedrock at the summit were formed under the sea some 450 million years ago.
- King Arthur connection
Arthur allegedly slew the giant Rhita Gawr on Snowdon; the first cairn at the summit was reputedly his burial place. Arthur died later at Bwlch y Saethau on Snowdon when fighting Mordred’s army. His body was allegedly carried down to the water’s edge at Glaslyn, below Snowdon’s peak, to be met by three maidens in a boat. Glaslyn is also the lake where Arthur commanded Sir Bedivere, one of his knights, to throw Excalibur (his sword, Caledfwlch in Welsh), thereby returning it to the Lady of the Lake.
- The height of Snowdon
Although most sources will tell you that the height of Snowdon in feet is 3,560 ft, it’s actually 3,559 ft. (Our blog article here explains in more detail.)
- Mountains higher than Snowdon
Scotland has 75 peaks higher than Snowdon (with a prominence of over 30 m / 98 ft). However, if considering a greater prominence of over 600 m (1,969 ft), Snowdon is listed 19th in the UK.
- The paths up Snowdon
There is only a mile difference between the shortest and the longest of the main paths up Snowdon. In order of length, these are: Pyg Track (3½ miles), Rhyd Ddu Path (3¾ miles), Snowdon Ranger Path (4 miles), Miners’ Track (4¼ miles), Watkin Path (4¼ miles), Llanberis Path (4½ miles).
- Oldest map
Matthew Paris was a Benedictine monk whose map of Britain (c.1250) is believed to be the earliest map to show Snowdon. It is labelled as ‘Snaudun’.
- Hafod Eryri
When Hafod Eryri, the summit building was built, every single piece of it had to come up by train. The building cost £8.35m.
- Olympic torch
In 2012, the year of the London Olympics, the Olympic flame was carried to the top of Snowdon.
- The King
King Charles walked to the summit of Snowdon in 1969 (when he was Prince Charles, and about to become invested as the Prince of Wales).
- Films
Part of the James Bond film ‘The world is not enough‘ was filmed on Snowdon, as was part of ‘Carry on up the Khyber‘.
- Busy!
About 600,000 people walk up Snowdon every year. Another 140,000 go up by train.
- Rescue
Last year the Llanberis Mountain Rescue Team were called out over 250 times to incidents on Snowdon.
- Temperature
The temperature at the summit is often some 10°c cooler than at the base of the mountain.
- Old names
The oldest reference to the name ‘Snowdon’ possibly dates from 1095. An Anglo-Saxon Chronicle describes how King William Rufus, in his campaign against the Welsh, proceeded as far as ‘Snawdun’.
The oldest reference to the Welsh name ‘Yr Wyddfa‘ possibly dates from 1198, in a charter drawn up by Llywelyn Fawr, in which he awarded land as far as ‘Wedduavaur’ (‘Wyddfa Fawr‘) to the monks of Aberconway.
- A popular map
The O.S. map of Snowdon/Yr Wyddfa (Explorer OL17) is the Ordnance Survey’s best selling map.
- Private land
Virtually all of Snowdon is private land, with Rights of Way across it.
(There’s more facts on their way …..)