The UK is a lovely country but the one thing it certainly isn’t famous for are its soaring mountains or challenging thrilling hiking trails. Secret to most people, there is a National Three Peaks challenge which tries to spread the word about the picturesque yet very little known adventure of hiking Snowdon. The challenge actually involves hiking UK’s highest peaks – Snowdon (Wales), Scafell Pike (England) and Ben Nevis (Scotland) within the whooping 24 hours. Yes, hours! Not days or weeks 😀 And yes, they are actual peaks 😀 The highest soaring at 1,345m above sea level. But let’s not get too excited just yet!
As soon as the idea of this challenge came knocking on my door, I was suddenly intrigued. ”If there is a whole national challenge aiming to hike up these hills, they must be worth it”, I thought. So when my bestie got me a zip line for my 26th birthday, it was no question that we’ll be doing it in Snowdon.
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How to get to Snowdon
We set off on our drive from London to Snowdon at around 5 am on a bank holiday Saturday in May. We set the navigation to take us to Pen-y-Pass Car park which is the closest car park to mount Snowdon. This is also the place where most trails start. The music was on and off we went! The drive was meant to take us about 5 hours but it took us about 6 and a bit to get to the car park. The drive itself was quite nice actually and the hours seemed to just fly by. Maybe it was the excitement! Although it was a weekend, the roads weren’t particularly busy. When we left England and started our way towards Snowdonia National park where mount Snowdon is resting, the roads started to get windier and narrower.
Luckily they were still pretty quiet so we (I mean my friend who was the designated driver) didn’t have to jump on the breaks every 5 min. Not only did the roads change when we got to Wales though. The whole scenery changed. From the side window, I was looking out at the endless flocks of sheep who were casually mowing the lawns. One would think that the sheep is the national animal of Wales because these fluffy balls of cuteness were everywhere. All sizes, all colours, everywhere 😀 !
We didn’t pass through any cities. All that seemed to be around were tiny villages with small houses kinda scattered in the middle of nowhere. We kept wondering how people could actually live there. There wasn’t any sign of supermarkets or anywhere people could actually go out! Nevertheless, the drive through the national park was nothing short of incredible which I why I strongly recommend that you drive to Snowdon.
Getting there by train
You can also get to Pen-y-Pass by train to Llandudno Junction which can be reached either via a train to Chester or Warrington Bank Quay. From there you’ll have to change 2 buses to get to Pen-y-Pass, first X19 followed by S2. The journey can take up to 6 hours from London Euston depending on which route you decide to take. If you are travelling with other people though, check the rental prices. Trains in the UK are mad expensive and renting a car might work out way cheaper than the train. And it’ll be way more scenic as well!
Snowdon by railway
Hiking Snowdon was very high up on my adventure list so for me it was the actual journey to the top that mattered the most. But if you’re not a hiking fan or don’t have the time to hike up and down Snowdon, don’t worry! Snowdon Mountain Railway’s got you covered. An authentic steam train helps you climb the hill by taking you from the village of Llanberis right to next to the summit. When we saw the train going down the hill in all its 18s grace and authenticity, we actually wanted to get single tickets to just go down but sadly they were all sold out. In fact, you can’t prebook single tickets (only returns) so it’ll be up to your luck whether you’ll get a ride if you’re only interested in a one-way journey.
Also, if you visit between Nov-March I’m afraid hiking will be the only way up as the railway is shut but at least you’ll get to spend as much time as you’d like once you reach the summit. If you buy a return train ticket, you actually only get 30 min at the summit at which point you have to go down. Sadly, it’s how the return ticket works.
Arriving at Pen-y-Pass
We arrived at Pen-y-Pass round lunch time. Sadly the whole car park was completely full so we couldn’t park there. This would not have been a big deal if there was anywhere else we could park but all streets leading up to and after Pen-y-Pass were covered with cards on both sides. So we drove past the car park and managed to find a spot a few kilometres down the road. It sure wasn’t ideal but we had no choice. So be prepared that this may happen to you too, especially if you visit on a weekend and arrive at a prime time.
Parked so far down from the car park, we really didn’t fancy the hours walk back to the car park. It felt like we were gonna waste time and were way too excited to start going up. So what do you do when you’re lazy to walk back for hours? You take the first trampled path and start the hike 😀 ! That’s what we did anyway! The original idea was when we get to Pen-y-Pass to see which trail we wanted to follow. Well, you could say that the path chose us!
Finding the best trail to the summit
When we crossed the little lake going down the valley, we were there, at the bottom of mount Snowdon. Ready to conquer it not knowing where we were going or how we were meant to get to the top. Snowdon is only 1,085m so not exactly Everest. The initial meters were actually pretty mild and even though the path we thought we had started to follow vanished as we took a few steps, it was still pretty easy to keep going up. We were lucky with the weather so at that point our hike actually felt a bit like a slow walk in the park. There were only a couple of people at the distance so it almost felt like we had the entire place to ourselves which felt pretty awesome. We kept walking and walking trying to find some sign of a marked trail.
As we kept going up, the grass was starting to get super damp even though the sun was shining and it was a pretty hot day. It was starting to get a bit challenging. Walking was no longer as easy. There were no clear paths so we didn’t know if we were even going up. Basically, we had to find an actual trail and follow that to the summit. Nonetheless, the landscapes were phenomenal even at this low altitude. There were numerous places where water was flowing down the hill, gently forming mini waterfalls ideal for filling up our water bottles. And washing off some of the sweat that was starting to travel down our faces and backs.
We walked up for about an hour, only spotting the occasional sheep proudly rushing ahead of us, but with still no sign of a clear trail. We have already started thinking of going to Pen-y-Pass to restart the hike when we saw a lot of people in the distance going one after another. They were following a trail! Yuppeeee. The sporadic walking about was over. We didn’t have a clue which path that was or how difficult or exciting it was. The fact that it was a clear stone marked trail was enough to get us excited. Later on we would realise that we had taken the Pyg trail which I think is the best trail we could have taken.
Lake views and rocky pathways
Once on the Pyg trail and with other hikers around, we certainly started to enjoy the hike a lot more. As we continued to follow the path, it wasn’t long before the most amazing views I’ve seen in the UK opened up before my eyes. We pushed a little wooden gate open and our eyes filled with the reflection of the most amazing mountain lake I had ever seen. This was Llyn Llydaw, peacefully floating in its basin impressing hikers with its gorgeous colour and surrounding hills at its backdrop. I had never seen anything like it in the UK.
The colour of this lake was a fine blend of crystal clear blue going towards a darker green spectrum inviting us to jump right into it. It looked so peaceful and so perfect! The clouds resting atop of the hills just above the lake were transforming the landscape to make up for the perfect shot! I could see the summit very clearly from this point but frankly, I didn’t want to leave. In fact, this was the perfect spot for a bit of rest so we sat on the salt stone-like formations overlooking the lakes. It was the most scenic lunch I’ve ever had and I didn’t have to pay for a fancy restaurant or expensive meal :P!
After we calmed down our excitement, we continued our hike just to get to this gorgeous lake a few meters up to the hill. This blend of blue and green waters was hiding just around the corner. This sure was another perfect spot for a little pause but we just said ‘Hi’ to the many sheep walking up and down the hill seemingly undisturbed and continued on the way to the top.
This is when the hike really started to get tough on us. Although in relatively good shape, we did have a few moments of struggle as the hills were getting rockier and steeper. It was evidently proving difficult not only for us but for everyone around. Some people were even using hiking sticks to push themselves up. Others on the way back were sliding down on their bums doing their best not to fall off the more vertical bits. The last 30 min to an hour were pretty much like that. A lot of people were starting to gather because we were all taking longer to move up and down. The actual distance wasn’t that much but the slower pace was making it feel endless. This is where having water running down the hills came super handy as we made stops to refresh and refill the water bottles.
The views from the summit
After a total of about 5 hours of hiking Snowdon, we finally reached the top. It was such a rewarding feeling to reach the summit and look down. From the top, the views were simply astonishing. There was nothing else around but endless scenes of hills, gorgeous pure lakes, excited hikers at the distance, the trails that could very clearly be traced and of course sheep who somehow managed to make it right to the very top. Mystery I can’t quite explain 😀 ! This is when we realised that we had taken the most scenic and probably also the most challenging trail to hiking Snowdon. Yes, this was the Pyg trail. I call it the lake trail though because that’s the trail that goes past the main and most eye-popping lakes surrounding mount Snowdon. Budget a bit more time to spend up here.
The views from each side of the summit are quite unique and you’re bound to want to indulge in the views for a good hour at least. Make sure you have an extra layer to put on once you reach the top though. We were lucky that we got a pretty hot day for hiking Snowdon, but at the summit, it was still pretty windy and much colder so having another layer to put on sure made me happy.
The mistake you must NOT make
After we memorised the views from the top, we had to start going down. It was about 5 pm and we really didn’t have much time before getting dark. From the summit, we could see how much there is to walk if we followed the Pyg trail on the way back. Even the thought of walking down the same way made us frown. So we decided to take the path of the Snowdon railway and follow the rails down the mountain.
We walked for about 30-40min. At that time we didn’t really know where the train was departing from or how long it would take if we follow this route. Not many people were going down this way either so we didn’t have anyone to ask. After a bit more walking, we saw a lady walking up the same way we were going down. So we asked her: ”How long does it take to walk down this way”. To which she replied: ”A few hours, but then you have to walk for 10 km to Pen-y-Pass”. 10 km? This was impossible. It was getting dark and we didn’t have that much time.
So we decided that it was an appropriate time to be adventurous and go off trail. Never, ever do this. Even if on a seemingly mild hike as hiking Snowdon. Where we were standing we could see the road at the very far far distance. The walk down seemed fine with nothing too impossible to cross. What a big mistake?! The path was rough even at the start. It was manageable but it certainly felt that this wasn’t somewhere we were meant to be going down from. But we continued.
We could see the road and that made us feel as if we’re super near. We weren’t! After walking for about an hour, there it was, the just jump we had to do to move further forward. Yes, I’m talking about jumping from the cliffs. If wasn’t a big jump but it was all covered in rocks. And not only that but they were moist rocks covered in moss making the whole surface extremely slippery. Nevertheless, we jumped! It was getting dark. We had to rush. Didn’t even think that having made this jump, there’s not going back up!!!
We thought the worse was over. But how wrong were we! Just a few meters down, we were stuck! We had to jump again but this time it was way more dangerous. There was nothing else in front of us but vertical cliffs layered above other cliffs. It wasn’t a high jump but it sure was enough to smash our heads if we didn’t jump right on top of the only one narrow rock that looked fairly flat. This was the scariest situation I had ever been in.
It was getting dark. We had a ton more to walk and I was stuck! My friend turned towards the cliff as if to kiss it and jumped somehow but I just couldn’t! I spent about 20 min thinking and strategising how I can jump without slipping and killing myself on these cliffs. It felt more like 2 hours than 20 min though! I wanted to hang onto moss but if was falling off, I wanted to hug the cliff but it was so wet that my palms were splitting off. Tried to stuck my foot in between the cliffs to balance but there weren’t wide enough. I was so close to breaking down in tears. I couldn’t figure a way out!
But I kept repeating to myself that I shouldn’t shake or do anything that’ll make me lose balance. I started thinking we might have to be rescued because there was no way of jumping off. But there wasn’t even phone signal up there so how the hell were we gotta make the call?! It was terrifying. So with all the calmness, I could find, I jumped! And luckily, I didn’t slip!
But my legs were shaking and my heart was pounding. All I could think about was how there could be another one of these coming! Luckily that was it but the thought was terrifying me every time I let it get to me. After another hour or so of walking down, we finally made it to the road. I couldn’t believe we actually survived this. It was so dangerous. Not just the jumps but the entire climb down was so rough and so well covered in moss and water. On the way down we saw a couple of things dropped by others who had clearly made the same mistake as us and gone off trail. But please don’t ever make this same mistake as well!
The morale of the story: Follow the trail both up and down mount Snowdon!
What to wear when hiking Snowdon
Hiking Boots – I can’t stress how important hiking Snowdon with sturdy boots is. The ground is moist everywhere you don’t wal over cliffs so you are at risk of slipping if you don’t wear boots with a good grip. Hopefully, you won’t go down the dangerous way we did but even hiking up the Pyg trail requires reliable boots. The rocks are moist and sometimes sharp. The slope is steep at times and your ankles need to be supported especially on the way down. Just before hiking Snowdon, I bought myself a new pair of Salomon hiking boots.
Literally, without any exaggeration, these boots saved my life. If I had to do what I had to do with trainers or worse quality boots, who knows what would have happened. So I can’t recommend you enough to get a pair for yourself. To my surprise as well, the boots looked like brand new even after this mad adventure. And trust me, they went through a hell of a lot! They even kept my feet dry the whole way through and my ankles uninjured which honestly I could barely believe considering how crazy this trek was.
Wind proof jacket – If you’re lucky with the weather, you could get sunshine on the way up but when you reach the summit, you’re guaranteed to get a lot of wind. So having a wind proof jacket is a must. Put it in a backpack, on your waist or wherever you find suited but do take one with you. Not only will you not enjoy your achievement when you get to the top but you can also get a cold so be prepared. If the jacket has a hood, even better.
Layers – Yes, you’ll definitely want to undress or put more layers on at least a few times whilst hiking Snowdon. We did the hike when it was about 20 degrees Celsius so I only had a vest on. But having more layers to put on was key as the weather kept changing. So be prepared to undress and put layers on so come prepared!
What essentials to carry when hiking Snowdon
Water bottle – This goes without saying but make sure you bring a water bottle with you. And yes, just one bottle! You can refill from the mini waterfalls I was telling you about so don’t go armed with 5 litres of water 😀 ! You need to be as light as possible.
Snacks – The hike is only 1,085m but it isn’t a couple of hours job. So take snacks, a lot! Bring a filling lunch as well because you’re bound to starve by the time you reach the summit. There is a cafe when you reach the top but depending on when you get there, it might be shut so don’t rely on it for food.
Where to stay overnight before heading home
Our original idea was to camp at the bottom of the mountain. The preferred campsite when you’re going up the Pyg trail is the Tyisaf Campsite. Sadly when we visited the forecast was saying that it would rain so we booked a cute B&B a few minutes drive from Pen-y-Pass. It’s a place called Pengwern Cymunedol Cyf. We booked pretty last minute so we didn’t really have much choice. We got a very basic room but we were so tired that all we cared about was that we had a bed and a roof on top. The staff were lovely Welsh hosts who certainly made us feel welcomed so really can’t recommend this place enough. And we only paid about 20 GBP per person so that was nice! Oh, and if you’re going to the Zip World this B&B is perfect as it’s just a few minutes drive away. In case you’re not thinking of doing a zip line, definitely reconsider :P! It was so much fun.
Insider Tip: There is a cool village called Betws-y-Coed. If your budget allows, stay there overnight. Also, book early with Booking.com get the best price. Places in the region really go quickly so don’t leave it to the last minute.
If you book through the link below, I will get a small commission at no extra cost to you. 20% of the commission goes to support charitable environmental and children education projects.
Hiking Snowdon is a great adventure, especially if you go off trail (don’t do it 😀 )! So if you’re thinking of giving it a go, don’t think about it much longer and just go for it. It’s not a very difficult hike and you can definitely do it even if you have to stop a bit more often to catch your breath. We saw people of all ages and all physical shapes and they all seemed to enjoy it. So don’t stress if you’re not in your best shape. You can do it! Just make sure you go prepared and I’ll repeat this again, follow the trail 😀 !
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