Wales’ Highest Peak

Standing at 1,085 metres (3,560 feet) Snowdon is the tallest mountain in England and Wales. Known in Wales as ‘Yr Wyddfa’, it is situated in Snowdonia National Park, and was formed around 450 million years ago, in what’s known as the Ordovician period, from a combination of volcanic eruptions and glaciation.

There are several official routes up Snowdon with a range of difficulty levels. The most popular routes include the Watkin Path, Llanberis Path, Miners Path, Pyg Track, Rhyd Ddu Path and Snowdon Ranger, but for those not as keen on a trek - or simply with less time to spare - there is also the option of taking the famed Snowdon Mountain Railway.

The Snowdon Mountain Railway was completed in 1896, after just over a year of construction. This was quite the accomplishment, given that it was completed entirely through manual labour, with works using spades and picks to create the new line. The railway has both diesel and steam locomotives operating, with the journey taking approximately 2.5 hours (including a 30 minute stop at the summit).

At the summit can be found the Snowdon cafe, a particularly pleasing sight at the end of a long trek! It is thought that there has been a cafe at the summit for almost 200 years, which is quite impressive given it’s height. The cafe does close during extremely bad weather and at certain times of the year, but hopefully - you will be able to rest with a well-earned cup of tea and some cake with which to take in the stunning views!