Not everyone who starts out on Snowdon’s main paths is intending to reach the summit. A family group with young children might just want a shorter, easier walk to a picnic spot, or sometimes plans change and it’s decided that a shorter walk is the better option.
It’s worth pointing out that with the exception of the Pyg Track, all the paths have a noticably easier first half, which seems a good reason for doing shorter walks.
These routes will give a good feeling of walking in the mountains without the exertion of doing the full walk.
(See the main paths for maps and a description of the relevant part of the route.)
- On the Pyg Track, a popular shorter round is to walk up to the Intersection (2½ miles), then turn down the Miners’ Track (3¼ mile back). This round cuts 2 miles of the summit round and avoids the steep last mile. This is also a handy option if the weather deteriorates. This route can, of course, be done in reverse, but we would recommend the direction suggested.
Other options will involve going out and back along the same path:
- On the Miners’ Track a popular shorter walk is up to Llyn Llydaw (1½ miles), which has very little uphill, or up to Glaslyn lake (3 miles), which has a final section of ascent.
The Miners’ Track on the way to Llyn Llydaw. In the background is the Snowdon Horseshoe.
- On the Watkin Path a popular destination is the waterfalls (1 mile), or maybe up to the Gladstone rock (1½ miles). These two both avoid the much steeper second half of the Watkin Path which starts after the old slate quarry.
- On the Llanberis Path it is a pleasant walk up to the Halfway House café (2½ miles), after which the serious uphill starts.
- On the Rhyd Ddu Path the best short walk out is to the path crossroads at Pen ar Lôn (1 mile), then carrying on straight ahead to the old slate quarry at Bwlch Cwm Llan (2½ miles) which overlooks the Watkin Path.
- On the Snowdon Ranger Path the half-way point is where the path passes Llyn Ffynnon y Gwas (2 miles), after which the path gets much steeper.