Route outline for walk gw198:
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 - 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.
'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!
Peak Bagging Statistics for this walk:
![]() 4 Welsh Mountains |
![]() 0 Wainwrights |
![]() 6 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 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 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).
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).
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); Y Lliwedd (East Top) at 893m (2931ft). Y Lliwedd (East Top) is known as a Welsh Nuttall (20th highest in Wales, 32nd highest in England & Wales); Lliwedd Bach at 818m (2685ft). Lliwedd Bach is known as a Welsh Nuttall (37th highest in Wales, 78th 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)
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 gw198 The Welsh 3000's (Snowdon Area) from Pen y Pass
In no particular order . . .

Crib Goch, Craig Fach and The PYG Track from the summit of Mount Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa)

Clare on the summit of Garnedd Ugain (Crib y Ddysgl) with Crib Goch in the background (bottom right)

My mountain dog Degla, admiring the view (near the top of the PYG/Miners' Track) off Mount Snowdon
. . . load all 307 walk photos from Walk gw198 The Welsh 3000's (Snowdon Area) from Pen y Pass
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