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!
Peak Bagging Statistics for 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 the highest point in the county of Gwynedd, the highest point in Snowdonia National Park and the highest point in England and Wales.
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). Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa) is also classified as a Welsh Marilyn (1st highest in Wales, 43rd highest in the UK).
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). Yr Aran is also classified as a Welsh Marilyn (24th highest in Wales, 489th highest in the UK).
This walk is on Ordnance Survey Maps:
OS Explorer Map OL17 | |
1:25,000 scale (Orange Covers) |
|
OS Landranger Map 115 | |
1:50,000 scale (Pink Covers) |
Some Photos and Pictures from Walk gw117 Snowdon and Yr Aran via The Watkin Path from Nantgwynant
In no particular order . . .

Me dismounting The Cioch (or Cioch Buttress) on the South West ridge of Sgurr Sgumain (Sgurr Alasdair) in The Cuillin Hills, Isle fo Skye

Crib Goch, Craig Fach and The PYG Track from the summit of Mount Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa)
. . . load all 229 walk photos from Walk gw117 Snowdon and Yr Aran via The Watkin Path from Nantgwynant
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