   |
Vital Statistics:
| Length: | 7½mls (12km) |
| Ascent: | 4,100ft (1,250m) |
| Time: | 6½hrs |
| Grade: |  |
Route outline for walk gw136:
Pen-y-Pass - Pyg Track - Bwlch y Moch - Craig Fach - Crib Goch - Garnedd Ugain (Crib y Ddysgl) - Snowdon Mountain Railway - Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa) - The Scree Path - Bwlch y Saethau - Bwlch Ciliau - Y Lliwedd - Y Lliwedd (East Top) - Lliwedd Bach - Gallt y Wenallt - Afon Glaslyn - Miners' Track - Pen-y-Pass
Points of Interest/Notes on this walk:
There is a Snowdon Sherpa bus service that links all the main car parks and starting points for the main routes up Snowdon - including Pen-y-Pass - and the fare is cheaper than parking for the day at Pen-y-Pass- if you can find a space that is. You can buy tickets from the driver (Pen-y-Pass is pronounced 'Pen-uh-pass'). See The Snowdon Sherpa for details.
The final push onto the summit ridge is very steep and often has a large snow cornice quite late into Spring. It can be extremely dangerous for the ill equipped.
The Crib Goch ridge is not for the faint hearted. It is very exposed and airy in places and can be extremely dangerous - particularly in adverse weather conditions.
The Snowdon Mountain Railway is the only rack railway in Great Britain. It was opened in April 1896 and has been ferrying people to the summit of Snowdon ever since. To date, the Snowdon Mountain Railway has suffered only one fatality.On the day it opened one of the engines briefly lost control near the summit, tempting a passenger to leap from the train. He died from injuries.
Note: The descent from Gallt y Wenallt to Afon Glaslyn is down very steep grass and can be dangerous. In wet weather descend N from point 6 to join and follow the Miners' Track back to Pen y Pass (see walk gw198 for route details).
'Pyg' (as in Pyg Track) is and abbreviation for Pen-y-Gwryd - the hotel at the bottom of the pass.
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:
 4 Welsh Mountains |
 0 Wainwrights |
 7 Welsh Nuttalls |
 1 Welsh Dewey |
 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 Garnedd Ugain (Crib y Ddysgl) at 1066m (3499ft). Garnedd Ugain (Crib y Ddysgl) is classified as a Welsh Mountain (Hewitt) (2nd highest in Wales, 2nd highest in England & Wales)
Garnedd Ugain (Crib y Ddysgl) is also known as a Welsh Nuttall (2nd highest in Wales, 2nd highest in England & Wales). Garnedd Ugain (Crib y Ddysgl) means 'Dish Ridge' in Welsh and is pronounced 'kreeb ee thysgl'.
The summit of Garnedd Ugain (Crib y Ddysgl) is marked by an Ordnance Survey Trig Point.
You will also reach the summit of Crib Goch at 923m (3029ft). Crib Goch is classified as a Welsh Mountain (Hewitt) (14th highest in Wales, 20th highest in England & Wales)
Crib Goch is also known as a Welsh Nuttall (15th highest in Wales, 23rd highest in England & Wales). Crib Goch means 'Red Ridge' in Welsh and is pronounced 'kreeb g-och'.
The summit of Crib Goch is marked by a rocky outcrop.
Along the way you will also bag:
- Y Lliwedd at 898m (2947ft). Y Lliwedd is classified as a Welsh Mountain (Hewitt) (17th Wales, 26th Eng & Wal), a Welsh Nuttall (18th highest in Wales, 29th highest in England & Wales) and a Welsh Marilyn (8th Wales, 240th highest in the UK). Y Lliwedd means 'The Hue' in Welsh and is pronounced 'uh-thl-ee-weth'.
The summit of Y Lliwedd is marked by a cairn.
- Y Lliwedd (East Top) at 893m (2931ft). Y Lliwedd (East Top) is known as a Welsh Nuttall (19th highest in Wales, 31st highest in England & Wales). Y Lliwedd (East Top) means 'The Hue' in Welsh and is pronounced 'uh-thl-ee-weth'.
The summit of Y Lliwedd (East Top) is marked by a cairn.
- Lliwedd Bach at 818m (2685ft). Lliwedd Bach is known as a Welsh Nuttall (37th highest in Wales, 78th highest in England & Wales).
- Gallt y Wenallt at 619m (2032ft). Gallt y Wenallt is known as a Welsh Nuttall (173rd highest in Wales, 408th highest in England & Wales).
- Craig Fach at 609m (1999ft). Craig Fach is classified as a Welsh Dewey (2nd highest in Wales, 3rd highest in England & Wales). Craig Fach means 'Small Crag' in Welsh and is pronounced 'cry-g vacht'.
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 gw136 The Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa) Horseshoe from Pen-y-Pass
In no particular order . . .
Myself, Willo, Barnsey and Mark at the top of Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa) in September!
Nantgwynant with Ysgafell Wen and Cnicht on the horizon from the summit of Y Lliwedd
The Watkin Path, Nantgwynant and Cnicht on the horizon from the summit of Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa)
Y Lliwedd Bach (centre), Y Lliwedd (East Top) and Y Lliwedd (far right) from the north east ridge
Glaslyn (front) and Llyn Llydaw with The Pyg Track (far left) and the Miners' Track (centre left) from Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa)
Crib Goch in all its glory with Garnedd Ugain (Crib y Ddysgl) (right) and Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa) (left) beyond from the start of Crib Goch
Llyn Llydaw from a gap in the crags near Bwlch y Saethau on the upper slopes of Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa)
. . . load all 241 walk photos from Walk gw136 The Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa) Horseshoe from Pen-y-Pass
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