Snowdon

Wikipedia contributors · CC BY-SA · EN · 04/10/2026

Snowdon , or Yr Wyddfa , is a mountain in Snowdonia in North Wales. With an elevation of 1085 m above sea level, it is the highest mountain in Wales, and the highest in the British Isles south of the Scottish Highlands. Snowdon is designated a national nature reserve for its rare flora and fauna, and is located within Snowdonia National Park.

The rocks that form Snowdon were produced by volcanoes in the Ordovician period, and the massif has been extensively sculpted by glaciation, forming the pyramidal peak of Snowdon and the arêtes of Crib Goch and Y Lliwedd. It is part of the larger Snowdon range, which includes Garnedd Ugain, Yr Aran, and Moel Eilio. There are several lakes on the mountain, the largest of which is Llyn Llydaw (110 acre), located on the eastern flank at 1430 ft.

The mountain has been described as the "busiest in the United Kingdom", and in 2022 it was climbed by 543,541 walkers. There are six main paths to the summit, the most popular of which begins in the village of Llanberis to the north. The summit can also be reached using the Snowdon Mountain Railway, which carried 98,567 passengers in 2021. The rack railway, which opened in 1896, operates over 4+3/4 mi, from Llanberis to the Summit station. It generally operates from March to the end of October, with trains running to the summit station from May. The cliff faces on Snowdon, including Clogwyn Du'r Arddu, are significant for rock climbing, and the mountain was used by Edmund Hillary in training for the 1953 ascent of Mount Everest. The mountain, alongside Ben Nevis in Scotland and Scafell Pike in England, is climbed as part of the National Three Peaks Challenge.__TOC__

Toponymy

The name "Snowdon" is first recorded in 1095 as Snawdune, derived from the Old English elements snaw and dun, meaning "snow hill". The mountain is sometimes referred to as "Mount Snowdon", a name shared with mountains in Canada and New Zealand, but this usage is considered incorrect by some of whose who have written about the mountain.

An early source for the Welsh language name of the mountain, "Yr Wyddfa", is a Latin charter belonging to Aberconwy Abbey, which lists caput Wedua Vaur as one of the boundaries of the abbey's lands. The charter is dated 1198; however, this date has been disputed by Colin Gresham, who dates it to the early thirteenth century, and Charles Insley and Huw Pryce, who date it to the period immediately following the conquest of Gwynedd by Edward I in 1282–3. Gresham, citing Ifor Williams, considers capud to be a translation of Welsh pen y, and states that Wedua Vaur gives the modern Wyddfa Fawr.

The element gwyddfa in this context means 'height, promontory', and also appears in the Welsh name for the town of Mold, Yr Wyddgrug. Gwyddfa later developed the meaning "burial cairn", and there is a legend that the giant Rhita is buried under the mountain's summit cairn. One legend claims that Rhita was defeated and buried on the mountain by King Arthur, and another states that Rhita was killed by the giant Idris who lived on the mountain Cadair Idris. The mountain is also linked to other figures from Arthurian legend, a legendary Afanc (water monster) and the Tylwyth Teg (fairies).

In November 2022, the national park authority announced that it would refer to the mountain exclusively as "Yr Wyddfa". Following a two-year transition period, in November 2024, the Eryri National Park Authority announced that the name would be kept, following its success in gaining support and adoption by businesses and media.

Environment

Geography and geology

A 1682 survey estimated that the summit of Snowdon was at an elevation of 3720 ft; in 1773, Thomas Pennant quoted a later estimate of 3568 ft above sea level at Caernarfon. It was long believed to be the tallest mountain on the island of Great Britain until measurements taken in the 18th century confirmed that Ben Nevis and several other Scottish peaks were taller. Recent surveys give the height of the summit as 1085 m, making Snowdon the highest mountain in Wales, and the highest point in the British Isles outside Scotland.

The rocks which today make up Snowdon and its neighbouring mountains were formed in the Ordovician Period. At that time, most of modern-day Wales was near the edge of Avalonia, submerged beneath the ancient Iapetus Ocean. In the Soudleyan (former British regional) stage of the Caradoc (British regional) epoch, a volcanic caldera formed, and produced ash flows of rhyolitic tuff, which formed deposits up to 500 m thick. The current summit is near the northern edge of the ancient caldera; the caldera's full extent is unclear, but it extended as far as the summit of Moel Hebog in the south-west.

Snowdon and its surrounding peaks have been described as "true examples of Alpine topography". The summits of Snowdon and Garnedd Ugain are surrounded by cwms, rounded valleys scooped out by glaciation. Erosion by glaciers in adjacent cwms caused the characteristic arêtes of Crib Goch, Crib y Ddysgl and Y Lliwedd, and the pyramidal peak of Snowdon itself. Other glacial landforms that can be seen around Snowdon include roches moutonnées, glacial erratics and moraines.

Climate

In winter, Snowdon often has a covering of snow (giving rise to its English name). Although the amount of snow on Snowdon in winter varies significantly, 55% less snow fell in 2004 than in 1994. The slopes of Snowdon have one of the wettest climates in Great Britain, receiving an annual average of more than 200 in of precipitation.

Flora and fauna

The environment of Snowdon, particularly its rare plants, has led to the designation of much of the eastern part of the massif as a national nature reserve. In addition to plants that are widespread in Snowdonia, Snowdon is home to some plants rarely found elsewhere in Britain. These include the "Snowdon lily", Gagea serotina, which is also found in the Alps and in North America; it was first discovered in Wales by Edward Lhuyd, and the genus Lloydia (now included in Gagea) was later named in his honour by Richard Anthony Salisbury. Snowdon lies in the northern part of Snowdonia National Park, which has also provided some legal protection since the park's establishment in 1951.

Otters, polecats, and goats have been seen near or on the mountain, although pine martens have not been seen for many years. Birds that can be seen include the raven, red-billed chough, peregrine, osprey, merlin, red kite and moorland birds.

Lakes

A number of lakes are found in the various cwms of the Snowdon range:

Llyn Llydaw – 1430 ft high, 110 acre – lies in Cwm Dyli, Snowdon's eastern cwm, and is one of Snowdonia's deepest lakes, at up to 190 ft deep. Various explanations of its name have been put forward, including lludw ("ash"), from ashen deposits along the shore, to Llydaw ("Brittany"). It contains evidence of a crannog settlement, and was the location of a 10 x dugout canoe described in the Cambrian Journal in 1862. The lake is significantly coloured by washings from the copper mines nearby, and is used by the Cwm Dyli hydroelectric power station, which opened in 1906. The lake is crossed by a causeway, built in 1853 and raised in the 20th century to prevent the causeway from flooding frequently.

Glaslyn – 1970 ft high, 18 acre – lies higher up Cwm Dyli than Llyn Llydaw. It was originally called Llyn y Ffynnon Glas, and has a depth of 127 ft. For a long time, it was believed to be bottomless, and is also the location for various myths.

Llyn Ffynnon-y-gwas – 1430 ft high, 10 acre – lies in Cwm Treweunydd, Snowdon's north-western cwm, and is passed by the Snowdon Ranger path. It was enlarged by damming for use as a reservoir by slate quarries, but the level has since been lowered, and the lake's volume reduced to 24000 m3.

Other lakes include: Llyn Du'r Arddu below Clogwyn Du'r Arddu, at a height of 1901 ft, 5 acre; Llyn Teyrn near Pen-y-pass, at a height of 1237 ft, 5 acre; and several smaller pools.

Leisure activities

Snowdon has been described as "the busiest mountain in Britain", with some 543,541 people having walked up the mountain in 2022. There are six main walking paths, which can be combined in various ways. In addition, the circular walk starting and ending at Pen-y-Pass and using the Crib Goch route and the route over Y Lliwedd, both of which involve scrambling, is called the Snowdon Horseshoe, and is considered "one of the finest ridge walks in Britain". The routes are arranged here anticlockwise, starting with the path leading from Llanberis. In winter conditions, all these routes become significantly more dangerous and the Llanberis Mountain Rescue Team state that "additional skills, equipment and knowledge are required". Many inexperienced walkers have been killed over the years attempting to climb the mountain via the main paths.

The mountain itself may also be viewed on takeoff and approach to both Manchester Airport and Liverpool John Lennon Airport on very clear days, and even from Howth Head in Dublin, Ireland.

On 26 June 2018, Sam Laming became the first ever Wingsuit pilot to perform a 'Proximity Flight' over a UK mountain, by flying approximately 30 metres over Snowdon's summit, after jumping from a helicopter with fellow wingsuit camera pilot, Mike Hitchcock.

In 2021, John Harold, the director of the Snowdonia Society, reported that the number of visitors ascending Snowdon was exceeding capacity. At popular times walkers queue for upwards of 45 minutes for an opportunity to take a photo at the summit pillar.

Rock climbing

The Snowdon Massif includes a number of cliffs, and holds an important place in the history of rock climbing in the United Kingdom. Clogwyn Du'r Arddu, often colloquially known as 'Cloggy' among climbers, was the site of the first recorded climb in Britain, in 1798. It was carried out by Peter Bailey Williams and William Bingley, while searching for rare plants. It is now considered to be one of the best cliffs in Britain for rock climbing.

Y Lliwedd was also explored by early climbers, and was the subject of a 1909 climbing guide, The Climbs on Lliwedd by J. M. A. Thompson and A. W. Andrews, one of the first in Britain. Snowdon was used by Edmund Hillary and his group during preparations for their successful 1953 expedition to climb Mount Everest.

Paths

The first recorded ascent of Snowdon was by the botanist Thomas Johnson in 1639. However, the 18th-century Welsh historian Thomas Pennant mentions a "triumphal fair upon this our chief of mountains" following Edward I's conquest of Wales in 1284, which could indicate the possibility of earlier ascents.

The six main paths were mapped by the Google Trekker in 2015. The elevations and gradients given here are for the start point on a public road, based on Ordnance Survey mapping. Other definitions are possible so alternative figures can be found.

Llanberis Path

Length: 6.8 km. Elevation gain: 965 m. Overall gradient: 1 in 7.1 (14.1%).

The Llanberis Path is the longest route to the summit. It follows close to the line of the railway, and being the easiest ascent, it is the route used by the annual Snowdon Race, which has a record time of less than 40 minutes recorded from the start to the summit.

The section of the Llanberis Path above Clogwyn station has long been called the "Killer Convex"; in icy conditions, this convex slope can send unwary walkers over the cliffs of Clogwyn Du'r Arddu. Four people died there in February 2009.

Snowdon Ranger Path

Length: 6.3 km. Elevation gain: 935 m. Overall gradient: 1 in 6.7 (14.9%).

The Snowdon Ranger Path (Llwybr Cwellyn) begins at the youth hostel beside Llyn Cwellyn, to the west of the mountain, served by the A4085 and Snowdon Ranger railway station. This was formerly the Saracen's Head Inn, but was renamed under the ownership of the mountain guide John Morton. It is thought to be the oldest path to the summit.

The route begins with zigzags through turf, before reaching a flatter boggy area in front of Llyn Ffynnon-y-gwas. The path then climbs to Bwlch Cwm Brwynog, and then snakes along the ridge above Clogwyn Du'r Arddu towards the summit. This path meets the railway, the Llanberis Path, the Crib Goch path, and the combined Pyg Track and Miners' Track all within a short distance, just below the summit.

Rhyd Ddu path

Length: 5.8 km. Elevation gain: 905 m or 896 m depending on exact start point. Overall gradient: 1 in 6.4 (15.7%).

The Rhyd Ddu path, formerly called the Beddgelert Path, leads from the village of Rhyd Ddu, west of Snowdon, gently up on to Llechog, a broad ridge dropping west from the summit. It is considered one of the easier routes to the summit, with the advantage that the summit is visible from the start, but is one of the least used routes. It climbs at a shallow gradient to Bwlch Main, shortly southwest of the summit, from where it climbs more steeply, meeting up with the Watkin Path at a site marked with a large standing stone a few hundred metres from the summit. An alternative start begins at Pitt's Head on the A4085 road.

Watkin Path

Length: 6.2 km. Elevation gain: 1025 m. Overall gradient: 1 in 6.1 (16.5%).

The Watkin Path is "the most demanding route direct to the summit of Snowdon", since it starts at the lowest elevation of any of the main routes and has the steepest overall gradient. It was first conceived by Sir Edward Watkin, a railway owner who had attempted to build a railway tunnel under the English Channel, and had a summer home in Nant Gwynant near the start of the path. It was originally designed as a donkey track and opened in 1892.

Source and attribution

Adapted from “Snowdon” by English Wikipedia contributors. Main paragraphs and sections are retained; tables, reference markers and technical markup are omitted. This is an encyclopedic adaptation, not a personal review. Original revision and contributor history ↗. Text is shared under CC BY-SA 4.0 ↗. Check current visitor access, tickets and transport with the relevant operator.