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 - 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 - The top of Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa) is in sight!

The top of Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa) is in sight!

Photo: Laura Whitfield (1)

Walk gw117 Snowdon and Yr Aran via The Watkin Path from Bathania, Nantgwynant - Bwlch Ciliau, Y Lliwedd Bach and Y Lliwedd from the Finger Post at top of Scree Path near the summit of Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa)

Bwlch Ciliau, Y Lliwedd Bach and Y Lliwedd from the Finger Post at top of Scree Path near the summit of Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa)

Photo: Gerald Murphy (12)

Walk gw117 Snowdon and Yr Aran via The Watkin Path from Bathania, Nantgwynant - Me at the top of Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa) as part of my 3 Peaks Challenge

Me at the top of Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa) as part of my 3 Peaks Challenge

Photo: Tim Williams (4)

Walk gw117 Snowdon and Yr Aran via The Watkin Path from Bathania, Nantgwynant - Glaslyn (front) and Llyn Llydaw with The Pyg Track (far left) and the Miners' Track (centre left) from Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa)

Glaslyn (front) and Llyn Llydaw with The Pyg Track (far left) and the Miners' Track (centre left) from Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa)

Photo: Cathy Crompton (3)

Walk gw117 Snowdon and Yr Aran via The Watkin Path from Bathania, Nantgwynant - On the summit of Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa) with Crib Goch (left) and Llyn Llydaw (right) in the background

On the summit of Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa) with Crib Goch (left) and Llyn Llydaw (right) in the background

Photo: Eric Sharp (1)

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

Me and my wife on Mount Snowdon

Photo: Ian Miller (1)

Walk gw117 Snowdon and Yr Aran via The Watkin Path from Bathania, Nantgwynant - Vince Wetton on the summit of Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa) in 2010

Vince Wetton on the summit of Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa) in 2010

Photo: Robert Taylor-Marriott (2)

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

Llyn Llydaw from Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa)

Photo: Mick Coxon (3)

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

Llanberis from Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa)

Photo: Barry Lugg (16)

Walk gw117 Snowdon and Yr Aran via The Watkin Path from Bathania, Nantgwynant - The Watkin Path, Nantgwynant and Cnicht on the horizon from the summit of Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa)

The Watkin Path, Nantgwynant and Cnicht on the horizon from the summit of Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa)

Photo: Victoria Ashley (1)

Walk gw117 Snowdon and Yr Aran via The Watkin Path from Bathania, Nantgwynant - Andy Brown on Snowdon during the Three Peaks Challenge

Andy Brown on Snowdon during the Three Peaks Challenge

Photo: Andy Brown (7)

Walk gw117 Snowdon and Yr Aran via The Watkin Path from Bathania, Nantgwynant - Friends on the summit of Yr Aran in the snow with Beddgelert below (left centre) and Moel Hebog on the horizon (right)

Friends on the summit of Yr Aran in the snow with Beddgelert below (left centre) and Moel Hebog on the horizon (right)

Photo: Kate Smith (2)

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

Y Lliwedd and the Watkin Path from Mount Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa)

Photo: Will Caesar (17)

Walk gw117 Snowdon and Yr Aran via The Watkin Path from Bathania, Nantgwynant - Me at the summit of Snowdon

Me at the summit of Snowdon

Photo: Gary Daluzvieira (1)

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

Glaslyn and Llyn Llydaw from Snowdon

Photo: David Atherton (8)

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

Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa) Summit Cafe

Photo: Richard Nicholls (13)

Walk gw117 Snowdon and Yr Aran via The Watkin Path from Bathania, Nantgwynant - Our family walk up Snowdon!

Our family walk up Snowdon!

Photo: Tamalyn Roberts (4)

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

Glaslyn and Llyn Llydaw from Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa)

Photo: Charlotte Drysdale (1)

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)


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


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