Hiking in Snowdonia

Welcome to Llanberis! This tranquil British town in the heart of Snowdonia National Park has a rich history and superb hiking trails as is the perfect jumping off point for tackling Mount Snowdon. There’s no packing and unpacking on this centre based trip and your accommodation is a highlight, with 30 acres of gardens and woodlands including the ruins of a 12th century castle. After you’ve checked into your hotel, meet your leader and the rest of your group at a Welcome Meeting in the early afternoon then enjoy an easy hike around beautiful Llyn Padarn, one of the two lakes that create the Llanberis pass, where you can immerse yourself in Snowdonia’s spectacular surroundings. Tonight you may like to join your group for a meal at a local restaurant or pub.

After breakfast, ease into your adventure with a classic round of two peaks located directly above Llanberis, a circuit that’s popular with the locals. Kicking off from your hotel, follow a sturdy trail up a broad ridge, eventually leading to a summit sitting at 726m. Take in views of Mount Snowdon, which you’ll be tackling tomorrow, then continue over the tops of Foel Gron and Foel Goch, before dropping back down to Llanberis where you may like to settle into a cosy pub for a well-deserved drink. (B)

Snowdon is the highest and most famous peak in Wales. There are many ways to reach the top - including a railway – but we’ll enjoy a fantastic point to point hike. Walking on a Friday avoids the crowds and ensures we don’t contribute to over tourism. A local bus takes us to Pen y Pass, meaning we start from 349m above sea level - a helpful boost on a long mountain day. We will follow a trail called the Pyg track, which offers grand mountain scenery, with Crib Goch on our right and Snowdon ahead of us. Eventually, we will reach the high pass at Bwlch Glas then hike alongside the mountain railway before the final push to the summit. After summit selfies, we will descend by an alternative route that takes us directly back to our hotel in Llanberis. (B)

Today you may like to take it easy with a less challenging walk after Mount Snowdon. If not, join your guides for the short transfer on the local bus to Capel Curig, where you’ll begin another classic Welsh mountain traverse. Your route today hikes up the Cfen y Capel ridgeline, then onto the summit of Y Foel Goch. From here, a final ascent takes you to the summit of Glyder Fach, 994m above sea level. A short detour allows you to explore the spectacular rock formations of Castell y Gwynt, including the famous Cantilever Stone. Descend south on a steep path, leading down to the Pass of Llanberis, from where you’ll hop on the local bus back to the village. With tired but happy legs, find a lively pub to celebrate your peak-bagging time in Snowdonia National Park. (B)

After breakfast, we will take a short walk to the National Slate Museum which has been designed as if the quarrymen and engineers have just downed tools and left the Victorian era workshops for home. Talks and demonstrations including slate-splitting provide a fascinating insight into the heritage and culture of this mountain region. After our museum visit, your trip comes to an end and you can catch the bus back to Bangor to connect with trains for onward travel. (B)