Walking up Snowdon with Kids

Q. We are thinking of taking our two children to Snowdonia in May and we're not sure whether it's suitable for them to walk up Snowdon. We have done this before ourselves, but wondered if anyone has taken their kids, and what paths are recommended.

Their ages are 6 and 11; very active and fit kids.

Sue Hutson, London

A. We've been up Snowdon with children as young as 1-year old (in a baby carrier) and have had them walking up from 4 / 5 or so, no problem. I think the main thing is to be on one of the easier paths (e.g. Llanberis / Ranger), be sure of good weather and be prepared to turn back and not press on taking un-necessary risks if something goes wrong (e.g. weather turns).

Andrew Brittain, Southampton

A. I noticed Lots of families walking up. Some better prepared than others. The weather was nice but if it turns, think about who is carrying warm and wetproof clothing spare food etc. Some people I passed on way back down where heading up. With at least an hours walk to top left for their ability. They asked me how far to the top.They had taken 2-3 hours to that point. I could work out they wouldn't be up and down before last light. They didn't have any torches or even a day sack. It can be done if prepared planned and with good footwear. A lady had to airlifted off because she went over on her ankle wearing trainers.

Oliver Myles, Bulford

A. We Took our four daughters (age 11, 10, 8, 6 yrs old) up to the summit of Mt Snowdon on Saturday, 27 June. Chose the Llanberis path as all advice said it was the easiest, although potentially the longest. Took loads of snacks. Really wasn't too hard at all for them. Took 3.5hrs to get to the summit. An hour's stop in the cafe for food, toilet and the shop! 2.5 hrs to get back down. The youngest did find it a bit cold at the top (no view for us - only clouds), even though she had plenty of clothes on - I think she was just tired and hungry. There is a steep bit not long after the Halfway House, but the path is wide nearly all the way that it never felt unsafe to have the children there. The older ones had no trouble at all. They are all relatively fit and active, but perfectly do-able. So glad we did it.

Emma Smith, Reading

A. Climbed Snowdon last week - June 2015 - with our three boys aged 6 (just turned), 8 and 10. Did lots of research into the routes and despite advice to do the Llanberis path, we actually opted for the PYG path up and Miner's down, since we thought it would suit our adventurous boys more. PYG is a rocky route and scrambly in places but it never felt unsafe - just be careful not to blindly follow other more experienced scramblers up to the ridge of Crib Goch! We watched the weather for Snowdon Summit and picked our day for great views and max safety and comfort. Obviously good footwear, clothes food, drink, map etc. Took us 3.5 hours up and 3 down, but that was with snack and stone-skimming stops along the way. Our 6 year old is fit but small for his age and he managed it fine, though we got a diverse mixture of both incredulous and approving glances and remarks along the way from other walkers- in fact he talked all the way up, imagining the mountain was a giant monster called Rocko and that we were walking on his back! We have done lots of walking with them, including scrambly paths, but never anything this high before. Only you know your kids and what they are capable of, but if you think they're up to it, go for it! For young children, the distance rather than the height may be of greater concern. Our boys are rightly proud and are eager now to do other peaks.

Sally Curtis, Wednesbury

A. We did this walk with a 5, 9 ,10, 11 years olds and we have never done anything line this before I ain't the fittest person going either love my kebabs but we did the llanberis route up and the miners down and we did it in 6 hours with stoppages too very please with ourself sand I wasn't aching one bit so ease we did it now we r looking for another adventure oh and I will add we took a 15 week old German shep with us too he loved it.

Kay Wallis, Hull

A. The answer in my opinion lies in how experienced the parents are at mountaineering. Plus you know your kids best. The dangers lie with parents who've never done any mountains before and therefore have little clue what to expect or how to deal with changing weather situations etc for their own safety, let alone doing it with children. If you are experienced and confident, then take them - you're right to choose May as the days are long and you'll have lots of time. I took my 2 up Snowdon aged 6 & 9 in June on a good weather day and up the Rhudd Dhu path/South ridge descent. They were getting very tired towards the end, so maybe not the best choice, but lots of snacks and drink stops kept them going. The previous year I took my son aged 5 up Tryvan and he loved it!

Cheryl , Shropshire

A. We just climbed Snowdon with twin boys aged 10 - one is pretty sporty, the other is far more of a bookworm, and they both managed it really well. We came up the Pyg Track (having already walked up 6km from Nant Peris car park) and back down via the Miner's Track which is very pretty.) We saw families with much smaller children zipping up and down the path. The only people in difficulty were the ones carrying babies (not easy to scramble with a child in a front facing sling) and people who clearly thought it was a stroll up a hill. I heard a couple of children whining but most, including mine, seemed really happy and were loving the challenge. Dogs of every size were having a go too, including some really plucky ones with the shortest ever legs who had to give it several goes to get up some of the scrambly bits. Great atmosphere! The easiest path (allegedly - didn't do it ourselves) is Llanberis. Pyg and Miners have a bit of scrambling which boys love. We're not physically very sporty, and only trained by doing a few jogs in the local woods and climbing Box Hill once, so if we can get up and down without any mishaps or aches and pains,then fit and active children should find it a doddle. Highly recommended.

Edie Sargent, Esher

A. We just got back from a short holiday to Snowdonia. We walked up the Snowdon Ranger Path which starts at the YHA with our 5 year old. The weather was cool, we took lots of food and drink and he managed to get up in 3 hours with only one 20 minute break! 2 paths were recommended to us, the Snowdon Ranger and the Llanberis. As we were staying in the Snowdon Ranger YHA it seemed to much of an opportunity to miss to start the walk from our front door! As well as that it is actually the shorter of the 2 routes, 3 1/2 miles versus 5 miles for the Llanberis. I guess one thing for the Llanberis path would be there would be a never ending supply of trains to help with entertainment.

Denise , Shropshire

A. We walked the llanberis path on 01/08/2010 with our two small children aged 5 3/4 and 3 1/2 it took us 3 hours 30 minutes up and they both walked all the way, it was hard work but very rewarding. We split the path down into sections which gave them a goal and a sense of achievement at different points on the way up. We stopped at the half way cafe for a quick drink. My advice would be if you are confident and well prepared (lots of high sugar snacks and drinks) it is worth the effort. Coming down they started getting tired but managed with determination. It took us 6 hours walking time in total with about an hour of stops up, at the top and on the way down. As parents we are suffering more today than they are but we are very pleased we did it.

Vicky French, Stroud

A. We climbed Snowdon in October with a 5 1/2 and 7 1/2. We went up the Pig [PYG] Track and down the Miners' track - Walk Map gw100 Mount Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa) from Pen y Pass.

All I would say is that we hit bad weather on the way up, we were soaked and then hit the wind at the top. This was the bit they did not like, we did think we would get the train down but it was not running due to the wind!! Our 7 1/2 year old fell half way back down causing the last bit to be a struggle.

However, it was a massive achievement, the children did enjoy it I would just be more cautious weather wise next time.

Oh just to add, our 5 1/2 year old boy has Perthes disease in his right hip. This did not hold him back but my husband and I are fit, experienced walkers and this was what helped us.

Naomi Bynoth, Shropshire

A. We have just returned from climbing Snowdon with our 4 year old girl and 7 year old boy. We went up the Watkin Path (Walk gw105 Snowdon via The Watkin Path from Nantgwynant) which is very steep at the last 100m and did get a bit frightening. However they were more worried about the clouds than the mountain.

If we were to go again I would use the easier slope on the other side (Walks gw126 Snowdon via The Llanberis Path, gw140 Snowdon via The Rhyd Ddu Path or gw110 Snowdon via The Snowdon Ranger Path).

Robin Thistlewood, Sheffield

A. Hey we just did the Llanberis path - walk gw186 Mount Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa) from Llanberis - today with my 5 year old daughter and 7 year old son.

I'm an experienced walker / climber so thought I'd give them a try. They loved it and walked all the way up to the summit and down again. Took about 7 hours in total but that included lunch also.

Beware of the severe weather changes and make sure your kids have waterproof jackets, trousers etc. Weather was severe today but when they were waterproofed up with a fleece on underneath they just kept on walking.

Dave H, Liverpool

A. We did it 18 months ago with our 3 boys, aged 4 and a half, 7 and 8. It was October half-term. They really enjoyed it but did mention they did not think it was quite so far!

We went up the PYG Track and back the Miners' Track - see walk gw100 Mount Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa) from Pen y Pass. It took us about 5 and a half hours. Take lots of snacks and water! and a packed lunch.

We are planning to do Ben Nevis h100 Ben Nevis from Achintee this summer! Our boys are now 6,8 & 10.

Good Luck!

Jo Campbell, Surrey

A. We have just got back from a jaunt up Snowdon on the trail alongside the railway with our 4 year old (3.5 hours to top) and 6 year (2.5 hours to top with this one). Both absolutely loved it and both got to the top and back. We were very fortunate with the weather but would not hesitate in taking them again.

Gary Phillips, St Albans

A. Some years ago I completed a number of Welsh 3000's in North Wales with two young nephews age 10 and 12 which included Snowdon. The advice I would give, for what it is worth, is to build up very slowly to what for kids is a major walk. Fit they may be but you can't do a marathon without proper all round training. If you do have a bad day, which can easily happen, you might put them off the joys of mountains for ever. So plan well ahead teach them the joys, and the dangers, slowly.

All the best

Tony Brindle

A. The easiest summer route up Snowdon is the route from Llanberis that follows the railway - see Walks up Snowdon for details.

Obviously, only you know your children - but (IMHO) 6 years old sounds a bit too young for a climb of this magnitude. Why not take them on the train instead? Or go up something smaller?

For a choice of other walks in Snowdonia see our interactive walk maps based on Ordnance Survey Explorer Maps -

OL17 Snowdon/Yr Wyddfa and Conwy Valley/Dyffryn Conwy,

OL18 Harlech, Porthmadog & Bala/Y Bala and

OL23 Cadair Idris & Bala Lake/Llyn Tegid.

Our interactive walk maps based on Ordnance Survey Landranger Maps -

115 Snowdon & Caernarfon,

124 Dolgellau & Porthmadog and

125 Bala & Lake Vyrnwy, Berwyn.

Or see The Best Walks in Wales and Walks in Snowdonia

In snow and icy conditions, all the routes up Snowdon are extremely dangerous and hazardous for the inexperienced and poorly equipped. See Walking Mount Snowdon in Winter for more details.

Mike (Editor)

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