Mount Snowdon lies at the heart of the Snowdonia National Park, an area of unspoiled natural beauty in Central Wales. At 3,560 feet, it is the tallest mountain in Wales and the tallest in the UK outside the Scottish Highlands. The range of routes leading to the higher reaches of the mountain, however, makes it a firm favourite with families and you don’t have to be an expert climber or hiker to access some of the most stunning views in the UK.
There are six main routes to the summit and the Snowdon Sherpa Bus runs a shuttle service around the base of the mountain. This shuttle connects both the starting points of the six routes and the villages that surround Snowdon, making it easy to explore the area and find the route that suits you best.
The paths up to the top of Snowdon, which have names like Llanberis Path, Pyg Track and Rhyd Ddu Path vary in length between seven and a half and nine miles, with the longer paths often being less steep. In most cases, the climb to the top should take approximately three hours.
For the less energetic, take the Snowdon Mountain Railway. The only rack and pinion railway in the UK that can be used by the public, it has been ferrying people up and down Snowdon since it was opened in 1896.
At the summit you can soak up stunning views across the UK, taking in, on a clear day, 24 counties, 29 lakes and 17 islands. If the weather is against you, take shelter in the award-winning visitors’ centre Hafod Eryri, which was opened in 2009.
