Walk gw136 The Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa) Horseshoe from Pen-y-Pass

A classic - but Crib Goch is not for the faint hearted!


Route outline for walk gw136:

Pen-y-Pass  -  Pyg Track  -  Bwlch y Moch  -  Craig Fach  -  Crib Goch  -  Garnedd Ugain (Crib y Ddysgl)  -  Snowdon Mountain Railway  -  Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa)  -  The Scree Path  -  Bwlch y Saethau  -  Bwlch Ciliau  -  Y Lliwedd  -  Y Lliwedd (East Top)  -  Lliwedd Bach  -  Gallt y Wenallt  -  Afon Glaslyn  -  Miners' Track  -  Pen-y-Pass



Points of Interest/Notes on this walk:

There is a Snowdon Sherpa bus service that links all the main car parks and starting points for the main routes up Snowdon - including Pen-y-Pass - and the fare is cheaper than parking for the day at Pen-y-Pass- if you can find a space that is. You can buy tickets from the driver (Pen-y-Pass is pronounced 'Pen-uh-pass'). See The Snowdon Sherpa for details.

The final push onto the summit ridge is very steep and often has a large snow cornice quite late into Spring. It can be extremely dangerous for the ill equipped.

The Crib Goch ridge is not for the faint hearted. It is very exposed and airy in places and can be extremely dangerous - particularly in adverse weather conditions.

The Snowdon Mountain Railway is the only rack railway in Great Britain. It was opened in April 1896 and has been ferrying people to the summit of Snowdon ever since. To date, the Snowdon Mountain Railway has suffered only one fatality.On the day it opened one of the engines briefly lost control near the summit, tempting a passenger to leap from the train. He died from injuries.

Note: The descent from Gallt y Wenallt to Afon Glaslyn is down very steep grass and can be dangerous. In wet weather descend N from point 6 to join and follow the Miners' Track back to Pen y Pass (see walk gw198 for route details).

'Pyg' (as in Pyg Track) is and abbreviation for Pen-y-Gwryd - the hotel at the bottom of the pass.

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
4
Welsh
Mountains
Wainwright
0
Wainwrights
 Welsh Nuttalls
7
Welsh
Nuttalls
Dewey
1
Welsh
Dewey
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 Garnedd Ugain (Crib y Ddysgl) at 1066m (3499ft). Garnedd Ugain (Crib y Ddysgl) is classified as a Welsh Mountain (Hewitt) (2nd highest in Wales, 2nd highest in England & Wales)

Garnedd Ugain (Crib y Ddysgl) is also known as a Welsh Nuttall (2nd highest in Wales, 2nd highest in England & Wales). Garnedd Ugain (Crib y Ddysgl) means 'Dish Ridge' in Welsh and is pronounced 'kreeb ee thysgl'.

The summit of Garnedd Ugain (Crib y Ddysgl) is marked by an Ordnance Survey Trig Point.

You will also reach the summit of Crib Goch at 923m (3029ft). Crib Goch is classified as a Welsh Mountain (Hewitt) (14th highest in Wales, 20th highest in England & Wales)

Crib Goch is also known as a Welsh Nuttall (15th highest in Wales, 23rd highest in England & Wales). Crib Goch means 'Red Ridge' in Welsh and is pronounced 'kreeb g-och'.

The summit of Crib Goch is marked by a rocky outcrop.

Along the way you will also bag:


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 gw136 The Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa) Horseshoe from Pen-y-Pass

In no particular order . . .

Walk gw136 The Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa) Horseshoe from Pen-y-Pass - The expeditionists - Tess, Andy, Roman, Sara and Nell take a well-earned break whilst climbing Snowdon via the PYG Track

The expeditionists - Tess, Andy, Roman, Sara and Nell take a well-earned break whilst climbing Snowdon via the PYG Track

Photo: Leslie Williams (9)

Walk gw136 The Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa) Horseshoe from Pen-y-Pass - James, James Lawton and Pete on Snowdon

James, James Lawton and Pete on Snowdon

Photo: Brian Dexter (9)

Walk gw136 The Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa) Horseshoe from Pen-y-Pass - Glaslyn, Llyn Llydaw and Y Lliwedd from the Miners' Track near the summit of Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa)

Glaslyn, Llyn Llydaw and Y Lliwedd from the Miners' Track near the summit of Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa)

Photo: Barry Lugg (15)

Walk gw136 The Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa) Horseshoe from Pen-y-Pass - Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa) Summit Cafe

Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa) Summit Cafe

Photo: Richard Nicholls (13)

Walk gw136 The Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa) Horseshoe from Pen-y-Pass - On Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa)

On Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa)

Photo: Maria Hackett (1)

Walk gw136 The Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa) Horseshoe from Pen-y-Pass - Vince Wetton on the PYG Track en-route to Snowdon<br>via Crib Goch in 2010

Vince Wetton on the PYG Track en-route to Snowdon
via Crib Goch in 2010

Photo: Robert Taylor-Marriott (1)

Walk gw136 The Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa) Horseshoe from Pen-y-Pass - On the Miners Track heading for Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa)

On the Miners Track heading for Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa)

Photo: Richard Nicholls (8)

Walk gw136 The Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa) Horseshoe from Pen-y-Pass - Myself in September on the final approach to Snowdon summit via the Rhyd Ddu path

Myself in September on the final approach to Snowdon summit via the Rhyd Ddu path

Photo: Patrick Craven (1)

Walk gw136 The Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa) Horseshoe from Pen-y-Pass - Lanberis Pass from the Pyg track above Pen y Pass

Lanberis Pass from the Pyg track above Pen y Pass

Photo: David Cartwright (10)

Walk gw136 The Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa) Horseshoe from Pen-y-Pass - Crib Goch from the Watkin Path on Bwlch Ciliau

Crib Goch from the Watkin Path on Bwlch Ciliau

Photo: Gerald Murphy (7)

Walk gw136 The Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa) Horseshoe from Pen-y-Pass - Andy Brown on Snowdon during the Three Peaks Challenge

Andy Brown on Snowdon during the Three Peaks Challenge

Photo: Andy Brown (7)

Walk gw136 The Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa) Horseshoe from Pen-y-Pass - On the PYG Track climbing Mount Snowdon

On the PYG Track climbing Mount Snowdon

Photo: Leslie Williams (3)

Walk gw136 The Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa) Horseshoe from Pen-y-Pass - Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa) Summit

Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa) Summit

Photo: Richard Nicholls (12)

Walk gw136 The Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa) Horseshoe from Pen-y-Pass - View back down the South Ridge to Yr Aran from the summit of Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa)

View back down the South Ridge to Yr Aran from the summit of Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa)

Photo: Gerald Murphy (11)

Walk gw136 The Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa) Horseshoe from Pen-y-Pass - On Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa) with Llyn Llydaw beyond

On Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa) with Llyn Llydaw beyond

Photo: Will Caesar (13)

Walk gw136 The Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa) Horseshoe from Pen-y-Pass - My husband on the summit of Snowdon

My husband on the summit of Snowdon

Photo: Elizabeth Kidger (1)

Walk gw136 The Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa) Horseshoe from Pen-y-Pass - Mount Snowdon through a gap in the mist from Garnedd Ugain (Crib y Ddysgl)

Mount Snowdon through a gap in the mist from Garnedd Ugain (Crib y Ddysgl)

Photo: Robert Thomas (1)

Walk gw136 The Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa) Horseshoe from Pen-y-Pass - Cardigan Bay from Snowdon summit

Cardigan Bay from Snowdon summit

Photo: David Cartwright (8)

Walk gw136 The Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa) Horseshoe from Pen-y-Pass - Ruin on the Miners' Track, Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa)

Ruin on the Miners' Track, Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa)

Photo: Barry Lugg (14)

Walk gw136 The Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa) Horseshoe from Pen-y-Pass - Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa) Summit

Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa) Summit

Photo: Charlotte Drysdale (5)


. . . load all 241 walk photos from Walk gw136 The Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa) Horseshoe from Pen-y-Pass


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