Walk gw117 Snowdon and Yr Aran via The Watkin Path from Bathania, Nantgwynant

The longest but prettiest route up Snowdon


Route outline for walk gw117:

Nantgwynant  -  Bethania  -  Castell  -  Gladstone Rock  -  The Watkin Path  -  Bwlch Ciliau  -  Bwlch y Saethau  -  The Scree Path  -  Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa)  -  Rydd Ddu Path  -  Clogwyn Du  -  Allt Maenderyn  -  Yr Aran  -  Clogwyn Birth  -  Nantgwynant



Points of Interest/Notes on this walk:

The Watkin Path was started by Sir Edward Watkin, a 19th century railway entrepreneur, to connect his summer house in Nantgwynant to the summit of Snowdon. Prime Minister William Gladstone (aged 82) officially opened the (incomplete) Watkin Path from Gladstone Rock in 1892 and the National Trust finally completed the route in 2002 - some 110 years after it was first started.

The building on the summit of Snowdon (Hafod Eryri - The Snowdon Summit Visitor Centre and Cafe) is thought to be the home of the highest house mice in England and Wales!


Peaks, Summits and Tops reached on this walk:

hewitt
2
Welsh
Mountains
Wainwright
0
Wainwrights
 Welsh Nuttalls
2
Welsh
Nuttalls
Dewey
0
Welsh
Deweys
Wainwright Outlying Fell
0
Wainwright
Outlying Fells
marilyn
2
Welsh
Marilyns
Bridget
0
Bridgets

Peak Bagging Statistics for this walk:

The highest point of this walk is Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa) at 1085m (3561ft). Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa) is classified as a Welsh Mountain (Hewitt) (1st highest in Wales,Highest in England & Wales)

Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa) is also known as a Welsh Nuttall (1st highest in Wales,Highest in England & Wales) and a Welsh Marilyn (1st highest in Wales, 43rd highest in the UK).

Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa) means 'The Burial Place' in Welsh and is pronounced 'ur-oo-ith-va'.

The summit of Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa) is marked by an Ordnance Survey Trig Point. Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa) is the highest point in the county of Gwynedd, the highest point in Snowdonia National Park and the highest point in England and Wales.

Completing this walk will also take you to the top of Yr Aran at 747m (2452ft). Yr Aran is classified as a Welsh Mountain (Hewitt) (53rd highest in Wales, 124th highest in England & Wales)

Yr Aran is also known as a Welsh Nuttall (65th highest in Wales, 151st highest in England & Wales) and a Welsh Marilyn (24th highest in Wales, 489th highest in the UK).

Yr Aran means 'The Mountain' in Welsh and is pronounced 'ur-a-ran'.

The summit of Yr Aran is marked by a cairn.


You can find more walks near this one on these unique free-to-access Interactive Walk Planning Maps: (click/TAP to select)

Snowdonia National Park


1:25,000 scale OS Explorer Map (the ones with orange/yellow covers):

OL17 Snowdon/Yr Wyddfa and Conwy Valley/Dyffryn Conwy


1:50,000 scale OS Landranger Map (the ones with pink/magenta covers):

115 Snowdon & Caernarfon


Some Photos and Pictures from Walk gw117 Snowdon and Yr Aran via The Watkin Path from Bathania, Nantgwynant

In no particular order . . .

Walk gw117 Snowdon and Yr Aran via The Watkin Path from Bathania, Nantgwynant - On the Watkin Path enroute to Mount Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa)

On the Watkin Path enroute to Mount Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa)

Photo: Christine Jeffries (1)

Walk gw117 Snowdon and Yr Aran via The Watkin Path from Bathania, Nantgwynant - Llyn Llydaw from the summit of Mount Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa)

Llyn Llydaw from the summit of Mount Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa)

Photo: Andy Holliday (4)

Walk gw117 Snowdon and Yr Aran via The Watkin Path from Bathania, Nantgwynant - Cardigan Bay from Snowdon summit

Cardigan Bay from Snowdon summit

Photo: David Cartwright (6)

Walk gw117 Snowdon and Yr Aran via The Watkin Path from Bathania, Nantgwynant - Crib Goch (centre right) with the PYG Track (mid path) and the Miners' Track (coming up the valley) seen from the summit of Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa)

Crib Goch (centre right) with the PYG Track (mid path) and the Miners' Track (coming up the valley) seen from the summit of Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa)

Photo: Hazel Pyper (3)

Walk gw117 Snowdon and Yr Aran via The Watkin Path from Bathania, Nantgwynant - Me at the top of Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa) a couple of months back

Me at the top of Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa) a couple of months back

Photo: John Cottle (1)

Walk gw117 Snowdon and Yr Aran via The Watkin Path from Bathania, Nantgwynant - Me, Paul and Andy on top of Snowdon

Me, Paul and Andy on top of Snowdon

Photo: Paul Taylor (1)

Walk gw117 Snowdon and Yr Aran via The Watkin Path from Bathania, Nantgwynant - My daughter and I on top of Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa)

My daughter and I on top of Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa)

Photo: Sheila Shepheard (1)

Walk gw117 Snowdon and Yr Aran via The Watkin Path from Bathania, Nantgwynant - Yr Aran, Y Geuallt, Bwlch Cwm Llan, Allt Maederyn, Clogwyn Du and Bwlch Main from the Watkin Path on Bwlch Ciliau

Yr Aran, Y Geuallt, Bwlch Cwm Llan, Allt Maederyn, Clogwyn Du and Bwlch Main from the Watkin Path on Bwlch Ciliau

Photo: Gerald Murphy (6)

Walk gw117 Snowdon and Yr Aran via The Watkin Path from Bathania, Nantgwynant - Climbing Snowdon

Climbing Snowdon

Photo: David Atherton (2)

Walk gw117 Snowdon and Yr Aran via The Watkin Path from Bathania, Nantgwynant - Approaching Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa) Summit

Approaching Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa) Summit

Photo: Charlotte Drysdale (3)

Walk gw117 Snowdon and Yr Aran via The Watkin Path from Bathania, Nantgwynant - Approaching Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa) Summit

Approaching Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa) Summit

Photo: Charlotte Drysdale (4)

Walk gw117 Snowdon and Yr Aran via The Watkin Path from Bathania, Nantgwynant - Pool above Glaslyn, Snowdon

Pool above Glaslyn, Snowdon

Photo: David Atherton (4)

Walk gw117 Snowdon and Yr Aran via The Watkin Path from Bathania, Nantgwynant - Glaslyn from Snowdon

Glaslyn from Snowdon

Photo: Paul Gillett (2)

Walk gw117 Snowdon and Yr Aran via The Watkin Path from Bathania, Nantgwynant - The Snowdon Mountain Railway with Llyn Padarn and Llanberis beyond

The Snowdon Mountain Railway with Llyn Padarn and Llanberis beyond

Photo: Ian Lilley (6)

Walk gw117 Snowdon and Yr Aran via The Watkin Path from Bathania, Nantgwynant - Me on Snowdon

Me on Snowdon

Photo: James Stenson (1)

Walk gw117 Snowdon and Yr Aran via The Watkin Path from Bathania, Nantgwynant - Friends climbing Snowdon

Friends climbing Snowdon

Photo: Nick Hopkins (1)

Walk gw117 Snowdon and Yr Aran via The Watkin Path from Bathania, Nantgwynant - Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa) Summit

Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa) Summit

Photo: Charlotte Drysdale (5)

Walk gw117 Snowdon and Yr Aran via The Watkin Path from Bathania, Nantgwynant - My husband on the summit of Snowdon

My husband on the summit of Snowdon

Photo: Elizabeth Kidger (1)

Walk gw117 Snowdon and Yr Aran via The Watkin Path from Bathania, Nantgwynant - Cefn-Du, Moel Eilio (Llanberis), Foel Gron, Foel Goch and Moel Cynghorion from Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa)

Cefn-Du, Moel Eilio (Llanberis), Foel Gron, Foel Goch and Moel Cynghorion from Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa)

Photo: Chris Clarke (1)

Walk gw117 Snowdon and Yr Aran via The Watkin Path from Bathania, Nantgwynant - On the summit of Snowdon as part of a sponsored walk for Southmead Hospital, Bristol

On the summit of Snowdon as part of a sponsored walk for Southmead Hospital, Bristol

Photo: David Jefferies (2)


. . . load all 147 walk photos from Walk gw117 Snowdon and Yr Aran via The Watkin Path from Bathania, Nantgwynant


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