   |
Vital Statistics:
| Length: | 9½mls (14.5km) |
| Ascent: | 4,517ft (1,377m) |
| Time: | 8hrs |
| Grade: |  |
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:
 2 Welsh Mountains |
 0 Wainwrights |
 2 Welsh Nuttalls |
 0 Welsh Deweys |
 0 Wainwright Outlying Fells |
 2 Welsh Marilyns |
 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 this walk and other nearby walks on these unique free-to-access Interactive Walk Planning Maps:
1:25,000 scale OS Explorer Map (orange/yellow covers):
1:50,000 scale OS Landranger Map (pink/magenta covers):
Some Photos and Pictures from Walk gw117 Snowdon and Yr Aran via The Watkin Path from Bathania, Nantgwynant
In no particular order . . .
My mountain dog Degla, admiring the view (near the top of the PYG/Miners' Track) off Mount Snowdon
Llyn Llydaw from a gap in the crags near Bwlch y Saethau on the upper slopes of Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa)
The awe inspiring view from Snowdon's summit featuring Llyn Llydaw with Carnedd Moel Siabod beyond
My big sister Louise and my brother-in-law Dave at the top of Snowdon last September
Crib Goch (centre right) with the PYG Track (mid path) and the Miners' Track (coming up the valley) seen from the summit of Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa)
Y Lliwedd, Y Lliwedd (East Top) and Y Lliwedd Bach from the Watkin Path on Bwlch Ciliau
Send us your photographs and pictures from your walks and hikes
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