Walk leader: Miles
Meet time: 8.30am
Start time: 9am
Estimated finish time: 3pm to 3.30 pm.
Distance: About 9 miles (14.5 kilometres).
Ascent: About 3250 feet (991 meters).
Ramblers walk grading: A (Strenuous).
Start point: Pen Y Pass Car Park.
Postcode: LL55 4NY
Car parking: Pen Y Pass Car Park. Strongly recommend parking up at 8am or even earlier! For those who have stayed over it may be best to car share so the group can meet up with fewer cars. Please contact the walk leader for more details about this.
It is the responsibility of each walker to make sure they understand where to park. If you are not sure where the car parking/meeting point is, you must contact the walk leader at the latest the day before the walk. You should not rely on mobile phones or postcodes. There is often no mobile reception near walk meeting points and postcodes are for the nearest place nearby but should only serve as a guideline. Please allow plenty of time to find a parking space so that walks can start promptly.
Description: Starting from the Pen-y-pass YHA we follow the Miner’s Track to reach the reservoir of Llyn Llydaw. We then leave the Miner’s Track and cross a foot bridge to pick up the path that ascends to Y Lliwedd. Now Y Lliwedd is the first mountain of the day with a great escarpment upon its northern side and long grassy slopes on its southern side. There are twin summits of Y Lliwedd with the East Peak being 893 meters high and the nearby West Peak being 898 meters high. Besides offering immense views it also offers a great approach to Snowdon.
Once leaving the tops of Y Lliwedd a bit of height is lost before we begin the final ascent to Snowdon itself which is a steep 1000 feet pull-up to the top. The summit of Snowdon, Yr Wyddfa, also has a high-up train station (which is the easy way up the mountain). Snowdon is 1085 meters high, the highest point in Wales, and the next highest mountain in the UK is several hundred miles up north being Ben More.
After Snowdon we lose a little height to approach the third and final mountain of the day: Garnedd Ugain, which is 1065 meters high, and the second highest mountain in Wales. Now the Crib Goch route culminates with Garnedd Ugain though thankfully we are avoiding Crib Goch entirely.
We descend from Garnedd Ugain via the Pyg Track and then Miner’s Track passing by the lake of Glaslyn and the reservoir of Llyn Llydaw before returning back to Pen-y-pass.
Please fill out the Registration Form to join by 10pm on Friday 15 May if you are coming on this walk. If this doesn’t work then please contact the walk leader, Miles, on 07842 783319 (text or phone, WhatsApp, or message on Facebook (Miles Saunders-Priem)). When you register online, I will reply within 24 hours.
Please check the weather and bring appropriate clothing (waterproofs and spare warm clothing), footwear and enough food and water. The leader reserves the right to turn away any walker not suitably equipped. The leader may cancel the walk or modify the route dependent on conditions.
Car sharing may be possible – please contact the walk leader to arrange.
New members: please note the walk leader may ask for more information about your walking experience. This is to ensure you have the fitness required to complete the walk that is planned safely.
Attending? Please register your intent to join the walk using the booking form below before 6pm the eve of the walk.
Registration Form
One form entry per person please. Resubmit the form if registering additional persons.
You may also wish to consider carrying an ICE card. Available here: