Crib y Ddysgl routes, easiest to hardest: times, distances and GPX

Peakify lists 6 measured routes up Crib y Ddysgl, traced on OpenStreetMap paths from the start to the summit. Distances and ascent are one way, to the top.

Crib y Ddysgl routes, easiest to hardest

Sorted by grade, easiest first: Easy, Moderate, Hard, then Scramble. Routes with the same grade keep the order in which Peakify's editors listed them.

Crib y Ddysgl route times by Naismith's rule

The times above use Naismith's rule: 5 km/h on the flat plus 10 minutes for every 100 m of ascent, rounded to the nearest 5 minutes. "There and back" doubles the distance and counts the ascent once, for coming down the same way. Naismith assumes a fit walker and no stops, so add time for breaks, a heavy pack, rough or snowy ground, and a group that moves at its slowest member's pace.

Each Crib y Ddysgl route

Llanberis Path via Bwlch Glas

The long, steady Llanberis Path to Bwlch Glas, then a short climb north to the summit. It starts from Llanberis Path start at Victoria Terrace. 6.8 km one way with 950 m of ascent. About 2h 55m to the summit and 4h 20m there and back by Naismith's rule. Grade: Moderate.

Pyg Track via Bwlch Glas

A hard mountain walk to the summit from Pen y Pass car park. It starts from Pen y Pass car park. 5.2 km one way with 720 m of ascent. About 2h 15m to the summit and 3h 15m there and back by Naismith's rule. Grade: Hard.

Miners' Track via Bwlch Glas

A hard mountain walk to the summit from Pen y Pass car park. It starts from Pen y Pass car park. 6.7 km one way with 750 m of ascent. About 2h 35m to the summit and 3h 55m there and back by Naismith's rule. Grade: Hard.

East Ridge via Crib Goch

A grade 1 scramble to the summit from Pen-y-Pass. It starts from Pen-y-Pass. 4.1 km one way with 730 m of ascent. About 2h 0m to the summit and 2h 50m there and back by Naismith's rule. Grade: Scramble.

Crib Goch North Ridge from Blaen y Nant

A grade 1 scramble to the summit from Blaen y Nant footpath junction. It starts from Blaen y Nant footpath junction. 4.4 km one way with 930 m of ascent. About 2h 25m to the summit and 3h 20m there and back by Naismith's rule. Grade: Scramble.

Fox's Path and Crib Goch North Ridge

A grade 1 scramble to the summit from Pen-y-Pass Pyg Track start. It starts from Pen-y-Pass Pyg Track start. 5.5 km one way with 800 m of ascent. About 2h 25m to the summit and 3h 30m there and back by Naismith's rule. Grade: Scramble.

Crib y Ddysgl route GPX

Download a GPX for each route with a track: Llanberis Path via Bwlch Glas, Pyg Track via Bwlch Glas, Miners' Track via Bwlch Glas, East Ridge via Crib Goch, Crib Goch North Ridge from Blaen y Nant, Fox's Path and Crib Goch North Ridge. Each is an ascent-only planning track from the start to the summit, plotted on OpenStreetMap paths and not checked on the ground.

Before you pick a route

The grade describes the ground in fair weather. Wind, rain, cloud and ice change it: a Moderate path can be hard to follow in mist, and a scramble in strong gusts is a different proposition from the same rock on a calm day. Check whether it is safe to climb Crib y Ddysgl today and the Crib y Ddysgl 14-day forecast before you set off, and allow for the walk out in daylight.

Planning a day on Crib y Ddysgl routes

The walking times above use Naismith's rule, which assumes a fit walker on good paths with short stops. Most groups take longer: add a quarter for a mixed group, more for children or heavy packs, and plan the descent as carefully as the climb, because tired legs and fading light cause more trouble on the way down than on the way up.

Start early. Car parks at popular starts fill by mid-morning in summer and at weekends, and an early start leaves spare daylight if the weather turns or the walk takes longer than planned. In winter, work back from sunset and leave a margin of at least an hour.

Carry a map and compass and know how to use them, even on a well-trodden path; a phone battery fails fastest in cold, wet weather. Pack a waterproof jacket and trousers, a warm layer, a hat and gloves in every season, plus food, water and a head torch. Tell someone your route and when you expect to be back.

If you are new to Crib y Ddysgl, choose the easiest route in the table for a first ascent and save the harder lines for a settled day when you know the mountain. Turning back is always an option; the summit will still be there.

Questions about Crib y Ddysgl

What is the easiest route up Crib y Ddysgl?

Climb the Llanberis Path to Bwlch Glas, then take the short path north to the summit.

How much time does each Crib y Ddysgl route take?

Llanberis Path via Bwlch Glas: about 2h 55m up and 4h 20m there and back. Pyg Track via Bwlch Glas: about 2h 15m up and 3h 15m there and back. Miners' Track via Bwlch Glas: about 2h 35m up and 3h 55m there and back. East Ridge via Crib Goch: about 2h 0m up and 2h 50m there and back. Crib Goch North Ridge from Blaen y Nant: about 2h 25m up and 3h 20m there and back. Fox's Path and Crib Goch North Ridge: about 2h 25m up and 3h 30m there and back. Times are by Naismith's rule (5 km/h plus 10 minutes per 100 m of ascent), before stops.

Can I get a GPX file for a Crib y Ddysgl route?

Yes. Open a route below and download its GPX: an ascent track from the start to the summit, plotted on OpenStreetMap paths.