Snowdon routes, easiest to hardest: times, distances and GPX

Peakify lists 11 measured routes up Snowdon, traced on OpenStreetMap paths from the start to the summit. Distances and ascent are one way, to the top.

Snowdon 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.

Snowdon 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 Snowdon route

Llanberis Path

A long, steady path beside the railway to the summit. It starts from Llanberis. 6.9 km one way with 979 m of ascent. About 3h 0m to the summit and 4h 25m there and back by Naismith's rule. Grade: Moderate.

Pyg Track

A rocky path from Pen y Pass round the side of Crib Goch to Bwlch Glas. It starts from Pen y Pass car park. 5.3 km one way with 740 m of ascent. About 2h 20m to the summit and 3h 20m there and back by Naismith's rule. Grade: Moderate.

Miners' Track

A wide track past Llyn Teyrn, Llydaw and Glaslyn, then a steep, loose climb to join the Pyg Track below Bwlch Glas. It starts from Pen y Pass car park. 6.8 km one way with 770 m of ascent. About 2h 40m to the summit and 4h 0m there and back by Naismith's rule. Grade: Moderate.

Rhyd Ddu Path

A quieter path from the west with views over the Nantlle Ridge. The final section runs along the narrow Bwlch Main ridge. It starts from Rhyd Ddu station car park. 5.9 km one way with 900 m of ascent. About 2h 40m to the summit and 3h 50m there and back by Naismith's rule. Grade: Moderate.

Snowdon Ranger Path

One of the oldest paths up, zig-zagging from Llyn Cwellyn and then climbing beside the cliffs of Clogwyn Du'r Arddu. It starts from Llyn Cwellyn car park (Snowdon Ranger). 6.4 km one way with 940 m of ascent. About 2h 50m to the summit and 4h 10m there and back by Naismith's rule. Grade: Moderate.

Watkin Path

The biggest climb of the main paths, from near sea level past waterfalls and old quarries. The last stretch up the summit cone is steep, loose scree. It starts from Pont Bethania car park, Nant Gwynant. 6.5 km one way with 1,015 m of ascent. About 3h 0m to the summit and 4h 20m there and back by Naismith's rule. Grade: Hard.

South Ridge (Allt Maenderyn)

Leaves the Rhyd Ddu Path for the quieter south ridge over Allt Maenderyn, then climbs the narrow, exposed crest of Bwlch Main to the summit. It starts from Rhyd Ddu station car park. 6.5 km one way with 900 m of ascent. About 2h 50m to the summit and 4h 5m there and back by Naismith's rule. Grade: Hard.

Crib Goch

A grade 1 scramble along a knife-edge arête, then over Crib y Ddysgl to the summit. Very exposed. Not a place to be in strong wind, rain or ice. It starts from Pen y Pass car park. 5.1 km one way with 880 m of ascent. About 2h 30m to the summit and 3h 30m there and back by Naismith's rule. Grade: Scramble.

Y Lliwedd traverse

From Pen y Pass over the cliffs of Y Lliwedd and Bwlch y Saethau to the summit: a grade 1 scramble with big drops on the north side. More climbing than the 723 m net figure, with re-ascents along the ridge. It starts from Pen y Pass car park. 7.0 km one way with 723 m of ascent. About 2h 35m to the summit and 4h 0m there and back by Naismith's rule. Grade: Scramble.

Fox's Path and Crib Goch North Ridge

A faint, exposed approach with serious route finding, then the grade 1 North Ridge onto Crib Goch's knife-edge crest. For experienced scramblers in dry, calm weather only. Extra re-ascents beyond the 723 m net figure. It starts from Pen y Pass car park. 6.5 km one way with 723 m of ascent. About 2h 30m to the summit and 3h 50m there and back by Naismith's rule. Grade: Scramble.

Crib Goch North Ridge from Blaen y Nant

A remote approach up Cwm Glas to the grade 1 North Ridge and the Crib Goch crest. Very exposed, with no easy way off once on the ridge. It starts from Blaen y Nant, Llanberis Pass. 5.3 km one way with 903 m of ascent. About 2h 35m to the summit and 3h 40m there and back by Naismith's rule. Grade: Scramble.

Snowdon route GPX

Download a GPX for each route with a track: Llanberis Path, Pyg Track, Miners' Track, Rhyd Ddu Path, Snowdon Ranger Path, Watkin Path, South Ridge (Allt Maenderyn), Crib Goch, Y Lliwedd traverse, Fox's Path and Crib Goch North Ridge, Crib Goch North Ridge from Blaen y Nant. 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 Snowdon today and the Snowdon 14-day forecast before you set off, and allow for the walk out in daylight.

Planning a day on Snowdon 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 Snowdon, 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 Snowdon

What is the easiest route up Snowdon?

The Llanberis Path is the longest and gentlest route.

How much time does each Snowdon route take?

Llanberis Path: about 3h 0m up and 4h 25m there and back. Pyg Track: about 2h 20m up and 3h 20m there and back. Miners' Track: about 2h 40m up and 4h 0m there and back. Rhyd Ddu Path: about 2h 40m up and 3h 50m there and back. Snowdon Ranger Path: about 2h 50m up and 4h 10m there and back. Watkin Path: about 3h 0m up and 4h 20m there and back. South Ridge (Allt Maenderyn): about 2h 50m up and 4h 5m there and back. Crib Goch: about 2h 30m up and 3h 30m there and back. Y Lliwedd traverse: about 2h 35m up and 4h 0m there and back. Fox's Path and Crib Goch North Ridge: about 2h 30m up and 3h 50m there and back. Crib Goch North Ridge from Blaen y Nant: about 2h 35m up and 3h 40m 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 Snowdon route?

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