At times there’s nothing but mist ahead and the rocks beneath your feet. It’s easy to see how people get lost up here. But when there’s a break in the cloud the lakes below, flat and steely grey, and the peaks above reveal themselves it’s easy to understand why so many people are drawn here. Sheep watch on in the distance, unbothered by the drizzle. Above on the path there’s a flicker of motion and two boys come hurtling down the narrow track on mountain bikes, sending stones tumbling off the edge into the mist as they pass.
Yr Wyddfa, AKA Snowdon, is one of the most popular mountain routes in the UK. Since staying at the foot of Scafell Pike but not having the weather to attempt the climb, I’ve been itching to get up a mountain. The highest mountain in Wales seemed like a good place to start.
This was a short weekend trip with the sole focus being to get up the mountain but we managed to pack in some sightseeing too. Basing ourselves in Caernarfon, we spent the evening pre-hike walking alongside the castle walls and glimpsing the mountains through the clouds.
This base was a deliberate choice as we knew we wanted to take the Snowdon Ranger path up the mountain, a less popular alternative to the Llanberis Path, but one that wouldn’t be too challenging for our first attempt as it didn’t involve scrambling. The route is overall 13km (eight miles) there and back and took us about three and a half hours walking time, not including a long stop to defrost at the top. Best. Hot chocolate. Ever. That said, the Eryri National Park website advises that all hikes on Snowdon are considered challenging and need a good level of fitness, with this particular route estimated at taking around six hours on average.
The Snowdon Ranger path is apparently the oldest route up the mountain. Taking an intial zigzag incline through farmland, with stunning views over the lake below, before a gradual climb up the steeper parts of the mountainside. Although there are no scrambling sections on this route, the terrain is rough. We were lucky that it was just a light drizzle from the start and it did stop, although visibility was fairly poor on the way and particularly at the top. Luckily I’d been forewarned that views were pretty unlikely from the top, so be prepared for this. It’s just part of the experience.
I’d also been warned about how cold it is at the top which I was grateful for – you’ll definitely need layers. I started the walk in leggings, a top and a waterproof jacket and needed a fleece, hat and gloves at the top, even on a relatively warm June day.
Llanberis Mountain Rescue Team recieved 326 call outs in 2024, making them one of the busiest mountain rescue teams in the UK and have warned of the dangers of climbing unprepared. If you’re going to climb, always check the mountain forecast before you go, be prepared, bring your layers and turn back if the conditions aren’t favourable. The mountain will be there another day!
If you’re looking for a quieter alternative route up the mountain, this is definitely the one to do. It does join up with the Llanberis Path and the Snowdon Mountain Railway, which is a bit gruelling at the end as you get caught in all the traffic to the top as people get off. Overall, it’s a nice quiet route with great views of the lakes, and we only passed a handful of people both on the way up and down, as well as some mountain-bikers throwing themselves down the slippery rocks.
To finish our weekend in Wales we stopped at Newborough forest and beach on the coast of Anglesey before leaving. One of the most wild and beautiful beaches I’ve been to in the UK. Pine forest gives way to stretches of wind-whipped sand and views across the sea to the mountains beyond. You can walk onto Llanddwyn Island to see the lighthouse from Newborough carpark, as well as the chance of spotting seals.
Which mountain should I climb next?
