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 - On the way up Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa) on the PYG track with Cribau and Y Lliwedd prominent in the background

On the way up Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa) on the PYG track with Cribau and Y Lliwedd prominent in the background

Photo: Chris Jones (3)

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

Crib Goch from Snowdon

Photo: Paul Gillett (1)

Walk gw117 Snowdon and Yr Aran via The Watkin Path from Bathania, Nantgwynant - My dad on the summit of Yr Aran in the snow with Cnicht & Moelwyn Mawr on the horizon (left centre) and Lyn Dinas in the Nantgwynant valley below (right)

My dad on the summit of Yr Aran in the snow with Cnicht & Moelwyn Mawr on the horizon (left centre) and Lyn Dinas in the Nantgwynant valley below (right)

Photo: Kate Smith (1)

Walk gw117 Snowdon and Yr Aran via The Watkin Path from Bathania, Nantgwynant - The viewpoint plaque on the summit of Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa)

The viewpoint plaque on the summit of Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa)

Photo: Gerald Murphy (10)

Walk gw117 Snowdon and Yr Aran via The Watkin Path from Bathania, Nantgwynant - On Snowdon with Y Lliwedd beyond

On Snowdon with Y Lliwedd beyond

Photo: David Atherton (5)

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

Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa) Summit

Photo: Charlotte Drysdale (5)

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 - Climbing Snowdon

Climbing Snowdon

Photo: David Atherton (3)

Walk gw117 Snowdon and Yr Aran via The Watkin Path from Bathania, Nantgwynant - Our family walk up Snowdon!

Our family walk up Snowdon!

Photo: Tamalyn Roberts (4)

Walk gw117 Snowdon and Yr Aran via The Watkin Path from Bathania, Nantgwynant - The last of the National 3 Peaks 24hr Challenge before descending to finish in 23 hours 45 minutes. <br>What a tight finish, just time for this photo!

The last of the National 3 Peaks 24hr Challenge before descending to finish in 23 hours 45 minutes.
What a tight finish, just time for this photo!

Photo: Wayne Hill (94)

Walk gw117 Snowdon and Yr Aran via The Watkin Path from Bathania, Nantgwynant - . . . round the other side of the cafe at the top of Snowdon

. . . round the other side of the cafe at the top of Snowdon

Photo: Oliver Hunter (2)

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

Temperature inversion seen from Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa)

Photo: Charles Brown (2)

Walk gw117 Snowdon and Yr Aran via The Watkin Path from Bathania, Nantgwynant - On the summit of Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa) with Y Lliwedd in the background

On the summit of Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa) with Y Lliwedd in the background

Photo: Tom Shaw (8)

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

Climbing the Watkin Path up Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa)

Photo: Gerald Murphy (1)

Walk gw117 Snowdon and Yr Aran via The Watkin Path from Bathania, Nantgwynant - Near the summit of Mount Snowdon

Near the summit of Mount Snowdon

Photo: Mark Davies (10)

Walk gw117 Snowdon and Yr Aran via The Watkin Path from Bathania, Nantgwynant - Me at the top of Snowdon

Me at the top of Snowdon

Photo: Sallyanne Rose (1)

Walk gw117 Snowdon and Yr Aran via The Watkin Path from Bathania, Nantgwynant - Y Lliwedd and the Watkin Path from Mount Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa)

Y Lliwedd and the Watkin Path from Mount Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa)

Photo: Will Caesar (17)

Walk gw117 Snowdon and Yr Aran via The Watkin Path from Bathania, Nantgwynant - Cwm Llan and Yr Aran (right - in shadow) from Bwlch y Saethau on the upper slopes of Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa)

Cwm Llan and Yr Aran (right - in shadow) from Bwlch y Saethau on the upper slopes of Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa)

Photo: Tom Shaw (6)

Walk gw117 Snowdon and Yr Aran via The Watkin Path from Bathania, Nantgwynant - Llyn Peris, Llanberis and the Snowdon Mountain Railway from Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa)

Llyn Peris, Llanberis and the Snowdon Mountain Railway from Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa)

Photo: Cathy Crompton (1)

Walk gw117 Snowdon and Yr Aran via The Watkin Path from Bathania, Nantgwynant - At the top of Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa) with Kate, Ross and Robbie!

At the top of Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa) with Kate, Ross and Robbie!

Photo: Rosie Woodward (1)


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


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