In this travel guide, we’ll share how to climb Yr Wyddfa from Pen-y-Pass which is also known as Snowdon! Whether you’re on a hiking day trip or a weekend stay from London, we cover a variety of ways to help you plan your trip hiking in Eryri National Park. We also share how to get to Yr Wyddfa from Betws-y-Coed – a lovely local village in Wales. Let’s find out how to hike Yr Wyddfa!
It’s a bucket list moment to reach the top of Yr Wyddfa (Snowdon) and we’re so excited to share with you how to hike Wales’s most popular summit.
After living in Canada for two years, we have become even more nature obsessed than we were before, but as we live in London, we don’t get to hike as much as we’d like. So we rented a car, booked a glamping tent and made our way to North Wales to hike and explore the Welsh countryside!
If you’re wondering how to hike Yr Wyddfa (Snowdon) from Pen-y-Pass and Betws-y-Coed, then this guide is perfect for you! We’ll show you how to get to the lovely town of Betws-y-Coed from London or South England and how to spend a weekend surrounded by nature and sheep!
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Yr Wyddfa is the highest mountain in Wales standing at 3,560ft! It’s located in Eryri National Park, also known as Snowdonia National Park in North Wales. The mountain was first climbed in 1639 and now gets more than 700,00 visitors a year!
Yr Wyddfa became even more popular when it became part of the Three Peaks Challenge. This challenge is one of the most popular hiking adventures in the UK and consists of climbing the tallest mountain in Wales, England and Scotland all within 24 hours, 48 hours or 3 days.
Luckily Yr Wyddfa, Snowdon, is actually considered the easiest to climb out of Ben Nevis (Scotland) and Scafell Pike (England), but hiking in Eryri National Park still comes with challenges!
Quick Tips for How to Climb Yr Wyddfa
- Weather can be unpredictable – Check the weather before you go! It can play a massive part in your adventure to the top of Yr Wyddfa and you need to be wearing the right clothes or have the right gear in case something unpredictable happens.
- Parking isn’t cheap – Parking at Pen-y-Pass prices start at £20 and need to be booked in advance! Check it our here.
- There’s a shuttle bus from nearby Welsh towns
- It can get very busy in July and August – when the school holidays start, Yr Wyddfa gets busier!
Why are there two names for Snowdon?
So you may be wondering why we keep calling Snowdon – Yr Wydffa.
At the end of 2022, the Welsh authorities voted to change its English name back to its Welsh name. The mountain remains the same but it will now be called Yr Wyddfa. There will be a long transitioning period until everyone is aware and marketing can change over.
When we reached the top of Yr Wyddfa all of the signs and souvenirs in the shop still say Snowdon, but maybe this will change in the future.
Snowdon is now named Yr Wydffa and Snowdonia National Park is now named Eryri National Park, back to its previous Welsh roots.
How to pronounce Yr Wyddfa: Uhr-With-Va
Yr is Uhr, Wydd is With and Fa is Va
How to pronounce Eryri National Park: Er-Ruh-Re National Park
Er is Er, Ry is Ruh and Ri is Re
Did you know? Eryri National Park was named in 1951 and became the third National Park in the UK!
Where to stay in Eryri National Park (Snowdonia National Park)
When thinking about how to climb Yr Wyddfa, you may need a place to stay. Eryri National Park is home to wonderful campsites, glamping, guesthouses and hotels. Here are a few we recommend:
- Betws-y-Coed – Find a hotel here!
- Beddgelert – Stay in Bryn Dinas Camping Pods!
- Llanberis – Best hostel to stay!
- Tir y Coed – Stay in Tir y Coed Country House!
- Bangor – Here’s a beautiful hotel in Bangor!
- Pen-y-Pass – Best hostel to stay!
Where to stay in Betws-y-Coed:
Hotel / Guesthouse in Betws-y-Coed – Church Hill House ££ – A lovely guesthouse in the heart of the village – Find on Booking.com here!
Camping in Betws-y-Coed – Cwmlanerch Campsite and Cottages £ – Our favourite campsite in Eryri National Park! We have stayed here twice with our own tent and renting a Bell Tent (a really cool experience if you don’t have camping gear).
For the other villages, find your accommodation at Booking.com here! If you’re looking for campsites – Pitchup or Campsites are two great sites to find exactly what you need. We actually booked our camping experience through Airbnb although we have camped there with a personal tent before.
Also check out our 1 day Highlands Road Trip from Edinburgh
How to Climb Yr Wyddfa from Pen-y-Pass: Snowdon (2025)
Okay, finally we’re onto climbing Yr Wyddfa from Pen-y-Pass also known as how to hike Snowdon! We’ll show you exactly how we got to Yr Wyddfa from London and a few alternative trails at Pen-y-Pass to reach the summit. Here’s how to hike Yr Wyddfa!
Arriving in Betws-y-Coed
Hiking in Yr Wyddfa can be a day trip, but we wanted to experience Eryri National Park a little more. We rented a car in London using Turo (a car-sharing marketplace) and booked a Bell Tent in Betws-y-Coed – Find the link here! and then we hit the road towards North Wales.
These are the only things that we booked in advance although Betws-y-Coed has lots of activities such as ZipWorld!
Betws-y-Coed is an enchanting Welsh village with a small river running through it. It’s close to the base of Yr Wyddfa and is the gateway village to the National Park! Betws-y-Coed is one of the best places to stay to conquer the mountain.
As we drove most of our first day we decided to climb Yr Wyddfa the next morning which gave us time to rest and prepare.
How to get from Betws-y-Coed to Pen-y-Pass
If you have a car, you may think that the easiest way is to drive to Pen-y-Pass. The parking at Pen-y-Pass is very limited and there isn’t enough space for all the hikers.
The best way to get from Betws-y-Coed to Pen-y-Pass is by bus! The Sherpa bus runs once every hour from Betws-y-Coed to Pen-y-Pass with many other links in the area. The price for the Sherpa bus is £6 for an all-day ticket – make sure to keep your ticket to scan on your return!
The great bus system means that hikers can park in Bangor, Caernarfon, and Llanberis (plus more) and catch the bus to Pen-y-Pass. when you’ve finished hiking, simply wait for the next bus to take you back to your car.
This also helps with the congestion of traffic in the area and means people can hike Yr Wyddfa more efficiently!
Parking – It’s mandatory to pre-book the Pen-y-Pass car park from April to October. Parking starts from £20 and it has to be made at least 1 hour before arrival. Saturdays are the most popular day! Book your parking in advance here!
How to Hike Yr Wyddfa from Pen-y-Pass
Altogether there are eight trails that take you to the top of Yr Wyddfa and there are three main trails from Pen-y-Pass to the summit of the mountain.
- Pyg Track
- Miners Track
- Crib Goch
How to climb Yr Wyddfa on the Pyg Track
One of the most popular ways to climb Yr Wyddfa from Pen-y-Pass is ascending the rough Pyg Track and descending down the slightly smoother Miners Track. Both of these trails are incredible and we actually did these two trails in reverse.
The Pyg Track offers beautiful views of the lakes in the mountains and starts quite rocky. The trail is up and down for a while before seeing the summit and then it’s all up from there! We highly recommend hiking in proper walking shoes or hiking boots. The ground isn’t too forgiving!
- Difficulty – The Pyg Track is considered a challenging route and is the second hardest trail from Pen-y-Pass.
- Pyg Track distance – 7 miles (around 11 km there and back)
- Average time to hike – Around 6 hours there and back.
How to climb Yr Wyddfa on the Miners Track
Climbing Yr Wyddfa via the Miners Track is one of the easiest trails from Pen-y-Pass. The route is a lovely slight incline around the lakes before joining onto the Pyg Track and becoming a steep hike to the summit. The lakes (Glaslyn and Llydaw) are magical to look at from down below or above!
We took this route up to Yr Wyddfa and loved it – but most people use this trail coming down and even take a dip in the lakes. We would definitely recommend Miners Track and if you’re not confident with hiking, just take lots of breaks going up to catch your breath.
The Miners Track gets its name due to the reason it was built – for miners carrying copper from Britannia Copper Works to Pen-y-Pass. Although mining stopped in 1916, it’s still possible to see signs of mining!
- Difficulty – The Miners Track is also quite challenging, but half of the trail is on a paved path. It’s the easiest trail from Pen-y-Pass to Yr Wyddfa and we would recommend it!
- Miners Track distance – 8 miles (around 12.8 km there and back)
- Average time to hike – Around 6 hours there and back.
How to hike Yr Wyddfa via the Crib Goch Scramble
The Crib Goch Scramble is only to be used by avid hikers and those who know how to handle hard hikes. Some of the trail is really exposed and ‘scramble’ really does mean scramble instead of walking or climbing.
Crib Goch translates to ‘red ridge’ in Welsh, and the ridges can be pretty scary. It’s pretty dangerous unless you know what you’re doing and isn’t worth risking in bad weather.
- Difficulty – Crib Goch Scramble is the hardest trail and Pen-y-Pass and should only be done by advanced hikers! There’s a lot of sharp scrambling involved and it’s not safe for beginners.
- Crib Goch Track distance – 7 miles (around 11 km there and back)
- Average time to hike – Around 7 hours there and back.
The summit of Yr Wyddfa
Once you reach the top of the summit, you’ll find the top of the railway train and a building to hide from the wind. Inside the building is a cafe with a communal seating area, a tourist shop and public toilets.
Getting to the top of the highest mountain in Wales is a great achievement and there’s a risen piece of rock with a dial that people love to take photos with. When we visited on a Saturday, the queues were at least 25 people long and on busier days with nicer weather the queues can be even longer
It’s still possible to walk around the area and get 360 views of the impressive mountains and lakes (only if it’s a clear day).
Now you know how to climb Yr Wyddfa from Pen-y-Pass, you can pick the same or an alternative route on the way back down.
How long does it take to climb Yr Wyddfa from Pen-y-Pass (Snowdon)?
It averagely takes around 5-6 hours to climb Yr Wyddfa from Pen-y-Pass there and back. We completed the hike in 5 hours and did a little bit of running down the last bit of the trail to get the Sherpa bus back to Betws-y-Coed. As we’re not experienced hikers, we definitely thought it would take 6-7 hours!
Spend the evening in Betws-y-Coed or at your Campsite
In Betws-y-Coed, there are lots of restaurants, chip shops and cafes to find dinner after your day of hiking Yr Wyddfa. Here’s a few places we recommend:
- Hangin’ Pizzeria £-££ – lots of seating and amazing pizza with vegan options (location)
- Abbasi’s Indian Cuisine £-££ – a lovely Indian restaurant in North Wales (location)
- Olif £-££ – the best place for Tapas in Betws-y-Coed (location)
You can also find the same experience in towns like Beddgelert and Llanberis around the edges of the mountain.
One of the best ways to reward yourself for climbing Yr Wyddfa is a campfire and smores! Which is exactly what we did – we loved this campsite so much and the Bell Tent is the perfect place to stay if you have no camping gear but want to stay in nature.
We booked the Bell Tent through Airbnb – Find the link here! Cwmlanerch Campsite and Cottages also have a website where you can book a reservation for normal camping – here’s the website!
Explore Eryri National Park (Snowdonia National Park)
After hiking Yr Wyddfa from Pen-y-Pass, it’s time to explore some of the other areas in the National Park. We drove back to London on a Sunday and left around 3pm as it’s a 4.5-6 hour drive. Here’s a few spots that we explored before our journey back to London.
- Harlech Beach & Harlech Castle – A beautiful long strip of beach and a castle on the land! It was very windy on our visit, but on clear sunny days, this is the perfect place to be!
- Lunch – We stopped off at Penrhyndeudraeth to grab some lunch before hitting the road and we would highly recommend The Eating Gorilla for some healthy food! (location)
- Scenic drive back to London – You’ll want to stop every few minutes on the drive through Eryri National Park, it’s incredible!
Alternative trails to Yr Wyddfa (not from Pen-y-Pass)
Although this travel guide is about how to hike Yr Wyddfa from Pen-y-Pass, we just wanted to mention a few alternative trails in case these stand out to you more! There’s also a Railway that will take you to the top for those that can’t or don’t want to hike.
How to climb Yr Wyddfa via Llanberis Path (the Pony Path)
- Difficulty – This is considered the easiest trail to reach the summit of Yr Wyddfa and it follows the train tracks leading to the top. It’s also the busiest trail.
- Llanberis Path distance – 9 miles (around 14.4 km there and back)
- Average time to hike – Around 6 hours there and back.
How to climb Yr Wyddfa via Snowdon Ranger Path
- Difficulty – This is also considered a moderate hike and one of the easiest ways to climb Yr Wyddfa. It’s similar to Llanberis Path with the exception of some steeper areas. It’s also easier than Miners Track from Pen-y-Pass.
- Snowdon Ranger Path distance – 8 miles (around 12.8 km there and back)
- Average time to hike – Around 6 hours there and back.
How to hike Yr Wyddfa via Rhyd Ddu Path (Beddgelert Path)
- Difficulty – This is also considered a moderate hike from a different starting point in Eryri National Park.
- Rhyd Ddu Path distance – 8.5 miles (around 13.6 km there and back)
- Average time to hike – Around 6 hours there and back.
Snowdon Mountain Railway
The Snowdon Mountain Railway is the hike-free way to reach the top of Yr Wyddfa! The train starts at Llanberis station and takes around 1 hour to reach the summit. Passengers get to spend 30 minutes at the top before returning back down. The journey takes around 2.5 hours altogether!
There are two options when booking a train – the Traditional Diesel train and the Heritage Steam train! Find out more about Snowdon Mountain Railway on their website here!
Note – there’s no ticket office at the top so you can’t get the train down if you’ve hiked up Yr Wyddfa.
How long does it take to drive from London to Eryri National Park (Snowdonia National Park)
Driving from South London to Betws-y-Coed takes around 4.5-6 hours and will take almost 7 if you take a few breaks or get stuck in London traffic. As we rented a car via Turo the night before, we were ready to leave on Friday morning, but the traffic getting out of London was so slow!
It’s best to leave as early as possible to avoid lots of traffic especially on a weekend or during rush hour. Luckily it was all worth it so we could learn how to climb Yr Wyddfa!
Is it possible to climb Yr Wyddfa (Snowdon) from London in a weekend?
Yes it is – but quite exhausting! We travelled up on the Friday and left Sunday afternoon. If you were just hiking Yr Wyddfa on the Saturday and Sunday, you would probably have to start your climb early on Sunday morning.
We would also recommend parking at Pen-y-Pass to speed up your time. To accomplish a hike and the 5 hour drive in one day is going to be hard. The best way would be to share driving with your group!
Yr Wyddfa (Snowdon) Packing List
It’s always best to be prepared when climbing Yr Wyddfa, especially depending on the season. The weather can even be bad in July and storms or rain can be very unpredictable. Here’s a few essentials you may need to find before hiking Yr Wyddfa.
- Hiking Boots – a good pair of walking shoes are important for climbing Yr Wyddfa.
- A buff (neck scarf) – a lightweight type of scarf that can protect your neck and face!
- Waterproof Jacket – essential!
- Suncream – If it’s a hot day, there’s little shade.
- A good hiking bag – a comfortable bag that’s not too heavy is a good idea!
- Mini First Aid Kit – be prepared for anything!
- A reusable water bottle – keeping hydrated is also very important.
- Wireless earbuds – these are our favourite affordable earbuds.
- Portable power bank – charge your phone on the go!
Can a beginner climb Yr Wyddfa (Snowdon)?
Yes – but you do have to be able to carry yourself for 6 hours or more and have an okay level of fitness to walk uphill for at least 1-2 hours. Some hikers also have issues with their knees when descending hikes.
Although Yr Wyddfa is the highest mountain in Wales, some of the trails are actually very family-friendly. It will just take a long time to get to the top.
If you’re new to hiking and want to figure out how to climb Yr Wyddfa from Pen-y-Pass then take the Miners Track both ways as it’s flat for an hour of walking before hiking up.
Llanberis Path is another trail that is family-friendly and great for beginners to climb Yr Wyddfa. It’s possible to catch the bus there instead of starting the hike from Pen-y-Pass.
Another great beginner climb in the UK is Mam Tor in the Peak District!
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Don’t forget about Travel Insurance! – SafetyWing Nomad Insurance
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That’s the end of our How to Climb Yr Wyddfa (Snowdon) from Pen-y-Pass (2025)! Enjoy hiking in Welsh nature and if you need any more help planning – send us a message on Instagram (@thesunrisedreamers) or leave a comment below!
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