Walk gw198 The Welsh 3000's (Snowdon Area) from Pen-y-Pass

A classic horseshoe walk - but Crib Goch is not for the faint hearted!


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!


Peaks, Summits and Tops reached on this walk:

hewitt
4
Welsh
Mountains
Wainwright
0
Wainwrights
 Welsh Nuttalls
6
Welsh
Nuttalls
Dewey
1
Welsh
Dewey
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 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).
  • 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):

OS Explorer OL17 Snowdon/Yr Wyddfa and Conwy Valley/Dyffryn Conwy


1:50,000 scale OS Landranger Map (pink/magenta covers):

OS Landranger 115 Snowdon & Caernarfon


Some Photos and Pictures from Walk gw198 The Welsh 3000's (Snowdon Area) from Pen-y-Pass

In no particular order . . .

Walk gw198 The Welsh 3000's (Snowdon Area) from Pen-y-Pass - The Watkin Path on Bwlch Ciliau and Y Lliwedd from the top of the Scree Path close to the summit of Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa)

The Watkin Path on Bwlch Ciliau and Y Lliwedd from the top of the Scree Path close to the summit of Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa)

Photo: Gerald Murphy (8)

Walk gw198 The Welsh 3000's (Snowdon Area) from Pen-y-Pass - Climbing Crib Goch with Llyn Llydaw in the background

Climbing Crib Goch with Llyn Llydaw in the background

Photo: Will Caesar (8)

Walk gw198 The Welsh 3000's (Snowdon Area) from Pen-y-Pass - James, James Lawton and Pete on Snowdon

James, James Lawton and Pete on Snowdon

Photo: Brian Dexter (9)

Walk gw198 The Welsh 3000's (Snowdon Area) from Pen-y-Pass - Llyn Llydaw from the summit of Mount Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa)

Llyn Llydaw from the summit of Mount Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa)

Photo: Andy Holliday (4)

Walk gw198 The Welsh 3000's (Snowdon Area) from Pen-y-Pass - On Crib Goch

On Crib Goch

Photo: Dave Blanchard (2)

Walk gw198 The Welsh 3000's (Snowdon Area) from Pen-y-Pass - Me, my fella and two of the kids at the top of Snowdon

Me, my fella and two of the kids at the top of Snowdon

Photo: Christina Cooke (1)

Walk gw198 The Welsh 3000's (Snowdon Area) from Pen-y-Pass - Glaslyn from Snowdon

Glaslyn from Snowdon

Photo: Paul Gillett (2)

Walk gw198 The Welsh 3000's (Snowdon Area) from Pen-y-Pass - On the PYG Track climbing Mount Snowdon

On the PYG Track climbing Mount Snowdon

Photo: Leslie Williams (3)

Walk gw198 The Welsh 3000's (Snowdon Area) from Pen-y-Pass - On the Pyg track heading for Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa)

On the Pyg track heading for Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa)

Photo: Richard Nicholls (10)

Walk gw198 The Welsh 3000's (Snowdon Area) from Pen-y-Pass - Alix and Molly on Crib Goch

Alix and Molly on Crib Goch

Photo: Paul Gasson (1)

Walk gw198 The Welsh 3000's (Snowdon Area) from Pen-y-Pass - Llanberis Pass with Y Garn (Glyderau) beyond from near Crib y Ddysgl on the Llanberis Path near the top of Mount Snowdon

Llanberis Pass with Y Garn (Glyderau) beyond from near Crib y Ddysgl on the Llanberis Path near the top of Mount Snowdon

Photo: Linda Royston (6)

Walk gw198 The Welsh 3000's (Snowdon Area) from Pen-y-Pass - Llechog (Llanberis Path) and the lesser known Tryfan (Snowdon) from The Pass of Llanberis

Llechog (Llanberis Path) and the lesser known Tryfan (Snowdon) from The Pass of Llanberis

Photo: Mike Griffiths (20)

Walk gw198 The Welsh 3000's (Snowdon Area) from Pen-y-Pass - My uncle on the summit of Mount Snowdon

My uncle on the summit of Mount Snowdon

Photo: Tommy Guns (1)

Walk gw198 The Welsh 3000's (Snowdon Area) from Pen-y-Pass - 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 gw198 The Welsh 3000's (Snowdon Area) from Pen-y-Pass - The Pyg Track route up Mount Snowdon from Pen-y-Pass

The Pyg Track route up Mount Snowdon from Pen-y-Pass

Photo: Mark Davies (5)

Walk gw198 The Welsh 3000's (Snowdon Area) from Pen-y-Pass - Llyn Llydaw from Snowdon

Llyn Llydaw from Snowdon

Photo: David Atherton (7)

Walk gw198 The Welsh 3000's (Snowdon Area) from Pen-y-Pass - 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 gw198 The Welsh 3000's (Snowdon Area) from Pen-y-Pass - Garnedd Ugain (Crib y Ddysgl), Crib Goch, Craig Fach, The PYG Track, Llyn Llydaw and Y Lliwedd from the summit of Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa)

Garnedd Ugain (Crib y Ddysgl), Crib Goch, Craig Fach, The PYG Track, Llyn Llydaw and Y Lliwedd from the summit of Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa)

Photo: Chris Player (15)

Walk gw198 The Welsh 3000's (Snowdon Area) from Pen-y-Pass - 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)

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)

Photo: Hazel Pyper (3)

Walk gw198 The Welsh 3000's (Snowdon Area) from Pen-y-Pass - Falling off Snowdon with The Miners' Track and Llyn Llydaw beyond

Falling off Snowdon with The Miners' Track and Llyn Llydaw beyond

Photo: Dade Murphy (1)


. . . load all 241 walk photos from Walk gw198 The Welsh 3000's (Snowdon Area) from Pen-y-Pass


Send us your photographs and pictures from your walks and hikes

We would love to see your photographs and pictures from walk gw198 The Welsh 3000's (Snowdon Area) from Pen-y-Pass. Send them in to us as email attachments (configured for any computer) along with your name and where the picture was taken to:

and we shall do our best to publish them.

(Guide Resolution = 300dpi. At least = 660 pixels (wide) x 440 pixels (high).)

Send us your walking and hiking photographs and pictures from walk gw198 The Welsh 3000's (Snowdon Area) from Pen-y-Pass via Facebook

You can also submit photos from walk gw198 The Welsh 3000's (Snowdon Area) from Pen-y-Pass via our Facebook Page.

NB. Please indicate where each photo was taken.





Do not miss our pick of the Best Walks in Britain


Follow go4awalk.com on Twitter Follow go4awalk.com on Facebook






Find new Friends to go walking with

Walk all 214 Wainwrights in just 59 Walks. Download GPS Waypoints - Great Walks you must not miss!

Walk The Yorkshire Three Peaks Challenge Walk - All the Latest Route Information, GPS Waypoints and Split Times to keep you on Schedule

Walk The British Three Peaks Challenge Walk - All the Latest Route Information and GPS Waypoints

See our pick of The Best Walks in The Lake District - Great Walks you must not miss!

Walk our pick of the Best Lake District Ridge Walks - Great Walks you must not miss!

Walk our pick of the Best Lake District Walks to do in the rain - Great Walks you must not miss!

Walk our pick of The Best Walks in Snowdonia - Great Walks you must not miss!

Walk our pick of The Best Ridge Walks in Wales - Walks you must not miss!

Walk our pick of The Best Walks in The Brecon Beacons - Great Walks you must not miss!

Walk our pick of The Best Walks in The Yorkshire Dales - Walks you must not miss!

Walk our pick of The Best Walks in The Peak District - Walks you must not miss!

Walk our pick of The Best Walks in The Forest of Bowland - Walks you must not miss!

Walk our pick of The Best Walks in Shropshire - Walks you must not miss!

Walk our pick of The Best Walks in Cheshire - Walks you must not miss!

Walk our pick of The Best Walks in Lancashire - Walks you must not miss!

Not sure where to walk next? Try Peak Bagging - Great Walks you must not miss!

Not sure where to walk next? Walk part of a National Trail - Great Walks you must not miss!

Walks with Downloadable and Uploadable GPS Waypoint Data

Walking Kit and Gear Tested by Walkers

Full Site Search