Walk gw117 Snowdon and Yr Aran via The Watkin Path from Bathania, Nantgwynant

The longest but prettiest route up Snowdon


Route outline for walk gw117:

Nantgwynant  -  Bethania  -  Castell  -  Gladstone Rock  -  The Watkin Path  -  Bwlch Ciliau  -  Bwlch y Saethau  -  The Scree Path  -  Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa)  -  Rydd Ddu Path  -  Clogwyn Du  -  Allt Maenderyn  -  Yr Aran  -  Clogwyn Birth  -  Nantgwynant



Points of Interest/Notes on this walk:

The Watkin Path was started by Sir Edward Watkin, a 19th century railway entrepreneur, to connect his summer house in Nantgwynant to the summit of Snowdon. Prime Minister William Gladstone (aged 82) officially opened the (incomplete) Watkin Path from Gladstone Rock in 1892 and the National Trust finally completed the route in 2002 - some 110 years after it was first started.

The building on the summit of Snowdon (Hafod Eryri - The Snowdon Summit Visitor Centre and Cafe) is thought to be the home of the highest house mice in England and Wales!


Peaks, Summits and Tops reached on this walk:

hewitt
2
Welsh
Mountains
Wainwright
0
Wainwrights
 Welsh Nuttalls
2
Welsh
Nuttalls
Dewey
0
Welsh
Deweys
Wainwright Outlying Fell
0
Wainwright
Outlying Fells
marilyn
2
Welsh
Marilyns
Bridget
0
Bridgets

Peak Bagging Statistics for this walk:

The highest point of this walk is Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa) at 1085m (3561ft). Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa) is classified as a Welsh Mountain (Hewitt) (1st highest in Wales,Highest in England & Wales) Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa) is also known as a Welsh Nuttall (1st highest in Wales,Highest in England & Wales) and a Welsh Marilyn (1st highest in Wales, 43rd highest in the UK). Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa) means 'The Burial Place' in Welsh and is pronounced 'ur-oo-ith-va'. The summit of Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa) is marked by an Ordnance Survey Trig Point. Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa) is the highest point in the county of Gwynedd, the highest point in Snowdonia National Park and the highest point in England and Wales.

Completing this walk will also take you to the top of Yr Aran at 747m (2452ft). Yr Aran is classified as a Welsh Mountain (Hewitt) (53rd highest in Wales, 124th highest in England & Wales) Yr Aran is also known as a Welsh Nuttall (65th highest in Wales, 151st highest in England & Wales) and a Welsh Marilyn (24th highest in Wales, 489th highest in the UK). Yr Aran means 'The Mountain' in Welsh and is pronounced 'ur-a-ran'. The summit of Yr Aran is marked by a cairn.


You can find more walks near this one on these unique free-to-access Interactive Walk Planning Maps: (click/TAP to select)

Snowdonia National Park


1:25,000 scale OS Explorer Map (the ones with orange/yellow covers):

OL17 Snowdon/Yr Wyddfa and Conwy Valley/Dyffryn Conwy


1:50,000 scale OS Landranger Map (the ones with pink/magenta covers):

115 Snowdon & Caernarfon


Some Photos and Pictures from Walk gw117 Snowdon and Yr Aran via The Watkin Path from Bathania, Nantgwynant

In no particular order . . .

Walk gw117 Snowdon and Yr Aran via The Watkin Path from Bathania, Nantgwynant - Cardigan Bay from Snowdon summit

Cardigan Bay from Snowdon summit

Photo: David Cartwright (6)

Walk gw117 Snowdon and Yr Aran via The Watkin Path from Bathania, Nantgwynant - It's a bit foggy but here is a photo of me and our little hiking Jack Russell at the top of Snowdon :)

It's a bit foggy but here is a photo of me and our little hiking Jack Russell at the top of Snowdon :)

Photo: Cheeta Lagas (1)

Walk gw117 Snowdon and Yr Aran via The Watkin Path from Bathania, Nantgwynant - The summit of Snowdon with friends

The summit of Snowdon with friends

Photo: Emma Cella (1)

Walk gw117 Snowdon and Yr Aran via The Watkin Path from Bathania, Nantgwynant - Llyn Padarn and Llanberis from Snowdon

Llyn Padarn and Llanberis from Snowdon

Photo: David Atherton (9)

Walk gw117 Snowdon and Yr Aran via The Watkin Path from Bathania, Nantgwynant - Pool above Glaslyn, Snowdon

Pool above Glaslyn, Snowdon

Photo: David Atherton (4)

Walk gw117 Snowdon and Yr Aran via The Watkin Path from Bathania, Nantgwynant - My big sister Louise and my brother-in-law Dave at the top of Snowdon last September

My big sister Louise and my brother-in-law Dave at the top of Snowdon last September

Photo: Nicola Shipston (1)

Walk gw117 Snowdon and Yr Aran via The Watkin Path from Bathania, Nantgwynant - Me and my wife on Mount Snowdon

Me and my wife on Mount Snowdon

Photo: Ian Miller (1)

Walk gw117 Snowdon and Yr Aran via The Watkin Path from Bathania, Nantgwynant - Cardigan Bay from Snowdon summit

Cardigan Bay from Snowdon summit

Photo: David Cartwright (8)

Walk gw117 Snowdon and Yr Aran via The Watkin Path from Bathania, Nantgwynant - Yr Aran at the end of the Allt Maenderyn Ridge from Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa)

Yr Aran at the end of the Allt Maenderyn Ridge from Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa)

Photo: Will Caesar (10)

Walk gw117 Snowdon and Yr Aran via The Watkin Path from Bathania, Nantgwynant - My son in law Mark waking up on the top of Snowdon with fabulous clouds down below

My son in law Mark waking up on the top of Snowdon with fabulous clouds down below

Photo: Eve Conner (1)

Walk gw117 Snowdon and Yr Aran via The Watkin Path from Bathania, Nantgwynant - The Snowdon Mountain Railway with Llyn Padarn and Llanberis beyond

The Snowdon Mountain Railway with Llyn Padarn and Llanberis beyond

Photo: Ian Lilley (6)

Walk gw117 Snowdon and Yr Aran via The Watkin Path from Bathania, Nantgwynant - View back down the South Ridge to Yr Aran from the summit of Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa)

View back down the South Ridge to Yr Aran from the summit of Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa)

Photo: Gerald Murphy (11)

Walk gw117 Snowdon and Yr Aran via The Watkin Path from Bathania, Nantgwynant - Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa) Summit

Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa) Summit

Photo: Richard Nicholls (12)

Walk gw117 Snowdon and Yr Aran via The Watkin Path from Bathania, Nantgwynant - Myself in September on the final approach to Snowdon summit via the Rhyd Ddu path

Myself in September on the final approach to Snowdon summit via the Rhyd Ddu path

Photo: Patrick Craven (1)

Walk gw117 Snowdon and Yr Aran via The Watkin Path from Bathania, Nantgwynant - Glaslyn from Snowdon

Glaslyn from Snowdon

Photo: Paul Gillett (2)

Walk gw117 Snowdon and Yr Aran via The Watkin Path from Bathania, Nantgwynant - Glaslyn (bottom), Llyn Llydaw and Y Lliwedd (right) from the top of The PYG/Miners' Track, Snowdon

Glaslyn (bottom), Llyn Llydaw and Y Lliwedd (right) from the top of The PYG/Miners' Track, Snowdon

Photo: Peter Dryden (2)

Walk gw117 Snowdon and Yr Aran via The Watkin Path from Bathania, Nantgwynant - Homeward Bound from the summit of Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa) via the South Ridge

Homeward Bound from the summit of Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa) via the South Ridge

Photo: Gerald Murphy (13)

Walk gw117 Snowdon and Yr Aran via The Watkin Path from Bathania, Nantgwynant - Snowdon from The Watkin Path

Snowdon from The Watkin Path

Photo: Mike Smart (8)

Walk gw117 Snowdon and Yr Aran via The Watkin Path from Bathania, Nantgwynant - Glaslyn and Llyn Llydaw from Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa)

Glaslyn and Llyn Llydaw from Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa)

Photo: Charlotte Drysdale (1)


. . . load all 147 walk photos from Walk gw117 Snowdon and Yr Aran via The Watkin Path from Bathania, Nantgwynant


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