It’s the mountain everybody visiting Snowdonia wants to tackle. With so many different routes up there really is a difficulty grading for everyone. There is also the train but for those of us physically able to climb the mountain I feel like it’s a bit of a cop out! This post will walk you through the Snowdon Ranger Path. The views from the summit are spectacular and well worth the potentially gruelling hike.
Which Path?
Snowdon stands at an impressive 3560ft as the tallest mountain in Wales. This attracts a wide range of people that make the attempt to reach the top. Depending on experience people tend to use one of the following tracks:
- Llanberis Path
- Ranger Path
- Miners Track
- Pyg Track
- Rhyd Ddu Path
- Watkin Path
- Crib Goch
Following the typical university student camping trip we were VERY hungover and opted for one of the easier routes, the Snowdon Ranger Path.
Getting There…
Bright and early we parked in the National Park car park near Llyn Cwellyn opposite the Youth Hostel. From here it’s pretty easy to get to the trail. Turn right out of the car park and take the first left following the footpath signs. When you reach a fork in the path turn right, cross the train tracks and you’ll be on the Ranger Path. Snowdon here we come!
If you’re going to choose a different route to the summit and want to know where to park just head to the National Park website!
The Snowdon Ranger Path
Difficulty: Moderate
The path itself is pretty self explanatory. There’s not much scope for getting lost and it isn’t too taxing of an ascent. Best of all, the views are absolutely phenomenal, even from way down at the begining.
As you pass a farmhouse on your right, head through a gate and onto a fairly flat part of the trail. From here you will already be getting a brilliant view of Llyn Cwellyn, the lake on the opposite side of the road.
The zig-zag nature of the Ranger Path at this point means that the inclines are all gradual and every time you turn a corner you get even more incredible views across the water. The higher you climb the better the view gets!
Soon the path will begin to head away from Llyn Cwellyn and you’ll get your first proper view of the Snowdon summit! It may still look like a fair journey ahead but trust me, it’s so worth it.
The Perfect Rest Stop
Still, the path remains fairly flat as you head up towards Llyn Ffynnon-gwas where the it will begin to get a bit steeper. My hangover had truly gotten the better of me at this point so we took the opportunity to sit and have a rest looking out at the water below us. Snowdon is full of places to just sit and look out at the world. The views in every direction are phenomenal.
From here the Ranger Path gets gradually steeper. Again the path will begin to zig-zag. Take your time and carry on. Your hard work will be rewarded when the path begins to flatten out again. Heading towards the summit just look across to your right and on a clear day you’ll be able to see all the way to the sea!
As you walk through the scree you lose the path a little but it soon becomes clear again with summit not too far away now. Cairns begin to mark the final part of your ascent towards the highest point of Snowdon.
Eventually you will come across the train tracks again. Head across them and you’ll come to a bit of a cross-roads. Turn right and join onto the Llanberis path for the final few metres towards the summit. Keep the track on your right on you can’t go wrong. The path here is very easy to follow with steps up the the summit Cairn.
I genuinely couldn’t believe we had made it to the summit of Snowdon! What a feeling. I felt on top of the world. The view in every direction is absolutely phenomenal!
I must warn you that even on a warm day it is bloody cold up there, so as usual, bring layers! We headed down from the summit pretty quickly and had lunch a little bit further along the path looking out at the other mountains below. I could talk about the views for hours. They truly were magical.
Heading Back…
Because we had the car to think about we headed back down the same path we came up. Which wasn’t so bad because we got to look again at the incredible views we had already encountered on the way up.
Again, in reverse the path is easy to follow and not too strenuous. It may be one of the easiest paths but it sure does offer some of the best panoramas.
All in all I would have to say that our hungover plod up Snowdon via the Ranger Path was well worth the effort. I’ve repeated it so many times already but damn, those views were bloody brilliant!
Have you guys climbed Snowdon yet on this path or any other? I would love to hear about your experiences! Leave a comment below!
