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Can anyone advise on best / most enjoyable Snowdon route, family friendly? Had a Google but still unsure.
The easiest would be the Miner's Track from PyG (top of Llanberis Pass). A far nicer one but longer is the Watkin Path from Nant Gwynant.
Very early to beat the crowds - Miners/Pyg Track from Pen y Pass car park.
I like the Watkin path, but it's definitely a longer and higher walk.
If not, join the queue for the bus or slog up the boring way alongside the railway.
Whatever you do, be prepared for silly crowds, selfish and unaware numpties. 🙁
The easiest and probably busiest route is the Llanberis path.
Alternatively take the bus to Pen y Pass and walk up the Miners track. This is a little bit steeper than the Llanberis path in places.
However both the above are likely to be very busy.
You start lower with the Watkin path and it is a little exposed with loose ‘scree’ at the top - wouldn’t be my first choice with young ones.
Rhyd Ddu path from Beddgelert will be one of the quieter routes, good views as well. However there is a little bit of exposure at the top bit - depends on your families experience of hiking.
The safe bet, but busy route, would be the Llanberis path followed by the Miners track.
The miners/pyg is scenic and interesting but the family friendliness will depend on your family. There's some quite big rock steps and semi scrambling for little legs. Nothing too technical but something to consider.
Llanberis is the easy option (but still a challenge and very scenic)
As already mentioned it can get busy. Unless you are desperate to 'bag' Snowdon it might be worth looking at other walks. There's loads of great walking around and pretty much anywhere but Snowdon will be peaceful.
It depends how old, fit and keen your kids are really. The Snowdon Ranger Path is probably the easiest way up and won't be that busy for the first 2/3rds of the route
https://snowdonia.gov.wales/walk/snowdon-ranger/
FWIW, the Watkin Path is very steep in parts.
Bear in mind, the 'easy' Llanberis path is still a challenge - it's probably harder coming down as it's quite steep until windy tunnel - hard work getting down there, especially with a 'fubar'ed knee - really shouldn't have done it. It's 5 miles each way, so takes a while.
We did it at 1am, coming down before 9am - still fairly busy, but as we got nearer the bottom - 8am on wards, there were loads going up.
Crib Goch + brown pants Its character building at its finest.
At Easter we went up the PYG track after getting the Sherper bus to Pen y Pass then walked down the Watkin path to the campsite we were staying at Llyn Gwynant. As mentioned before, the Watkin path has a lot more (~300m) height gain and very scrambly in places, I wouldn't want to walk up it with our daughter. The PYG track was much more enjoyable for her.
Instead of listening to us clowns, try this website as i think it will give you everything you need.
https://www.walkupsnowdon.co.uk/paths-up-snowdon-in-order-of-difficulty/
+1 on go up another hill for a nicer family day out and a better mountain experience.
Crib Goch + brown pants Its character building at its finest.
Two of mine loved it - and do still define it as one of the best/scariest/motivating days on the hill.
The smaller of the two (he's now 6'2") is currently en route to meet the oldest one for a week of scrambling and walking in the Alps...
Yay, harder stuff done.
I think the best walk in all of Wales is the Nantlle Ridge on a nice day. Put a car at each end and you've got one of the very finest ridge walks you'll ever do in the UK, amazing views of Snowdonia, Anglesey and the Lleyn Peninsula. It's a steep start to the day from Rhyd Ddu and there is a short spot of very easy scrambling but the rest is just a glorious ridge walk and you'll often only see 5 people up there all day.
Crib Goch at night in winter, with flipflops and shorts. MWahahaah!
I think the best walk in all of Wales is the Nantlle Ridge on a nice day.
I agree. Cracking day out.
Q: Best family walk up snowdon?
A: Here's my kids on Crib Goch
STW at its best
I've done a few of them (I won't do Crib Goch though) with my dog in all seasons and times.
Llanberis route is an easy but long boring slog but has plentiful car parking.
Pyg/Miners, is the least elevation gain as Pen-Y-Pass car park is high up but has a slightly tricky middle section as mentioned above. Car park is tiny and you need too be there well before 6:00am to get a spot - or use the Sherpa bus.
Watkin path has the most elevation gain as it starts from near sea level. Parking is also fairly small and fills quickly. The top section to the summit is a scramble.
My favourite is the Rangers path. It's quiet and parking is always available. The car park also has a festival style porta loo. The route up is okay with no scrambles.
It's a nice drive down from the Rangers carpark to Beddgelert to visit Gelerts grave afterwards.
As mentioned above - it will be extremely busy at the summit. I only ever go in winter or late on a Sunday evening. It's also fairly taxing if you aren't used to hill walking but my recommendation for a family would be Llanberis or Rangers.
1. Watkin path late Sunday evening.
2. Descending down Rangers - Bert in his elements in -5c (-15 windchill) summit temps (Finland dog)
3. Gelerts grave.
4. Happy about a big day out.
5. Llanberis path.
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I love that Gelerts head is so smooth and shiny from all the people that pet him 🙂
I love snowdon - For this, I'd recommend the rangers path, or pyg/miners if you don't mind crowds.
It still makes me laugh that there is a walking route up snowdon that you'll see practically no-one on even in the middle of summer (until you get to the summit)
How important is the summit? FIL lives nr beddgellert so been on snowdon loads but only to the top once on a proper bluebird day. All the other times it’s been in the cloud so not bothered.
cnicht is good if you want something good and not busy. Went up last summer on one of the days the news was reporting hour queues to the snowdon summit cairn and saw about ten other people all day.
I love that Gelerts head is so smooth and shiny from all the people that pet him
Despite being the most cynical and emotionally stunted bloke ever I still shed a tear when reading the gravestone and patted Gelerts head!
Despite being the most cynical and emotionally stunted bloke ever I still shed a tear when reading the gravestone and patted Gelerts head!
Totally. We made the mistake of ending up there shortly after our dog died last year. Big, Big mistake. I was a wreck for the rest of the day.
Go somewhere else?
It depends on the family age/fitness/experience but there are many flatter family-friendly routes with utterly gorgeous views of Snowdon(ia)
Do you know that the story about Gelert the faithful hound was made up by an enterprising hotelier?
Do you know that the story about Gelert the faithful hound was made up by an enterprising hotelier?
yep! I knew this and I still shed a tear!
😆
You must be fun at Parties.
Do you know that parties were originally an artificial construct made up by an enterprising hotelier?
Do you know that Hoteliers were originally an artificial construct made up by an enterprising wolfhound?
@craig24 - did you decide which route to take?
As many have said Snowdon is great but can get ridiculously busy nowadays (even before the pandemic it was very busy). I understand that the kids might want to go up it as it's the biggest but there are some fantastic walks in the area on quieter hills
I'm sure we can come up with more suggestions if needed
Thanks, lots of input from everyone.
I’m thinking of the combination of Pyg and Miners, I know it’ll be very busy though. Possibly parking further away and getting the Sherpa bus.
100% get the Sherpa. Plenty of places to park in/near llanberis.
I’m thinking of the combination of Pyg and Miners, I know it’ll be very busy though. Possibly parking further away and getting the Sherpa bus.
IIRC it's really expensive to park at Pen-Y-Pass carpark in the summer season and has to be booked online. There is a park-n-ride for the Sherpa bus a mile or so back down the road towards Llanberis. The road has a few unofficial parking areas but is lethal (derestricted with walls and no pavements).
Did it in February when it was clear but cold.
Raring to go, zonked out after!
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