Mountain Walking in Snowdonia

Map key

Overview map

Introduction

Geology

History

Wildlife

Getting there

Getting around

Where to stay

When to go

Equipment

Mountain rescue

Using this guide

Place names

The Carneddau

Walk 1 Tal y Fan

Walk 2 Aber Falls and the Northern Carneddau

Walk 3 Cwm Eigiau Horseshoe

Walk 4 The Southern Carneddau

Walk 5 Cwm Llafar Horseshoe

The Glyderau

Walk 6 Gallt yr Ogof and Y Foel Goch

Walk 7 Glyderau from Pen-y-Gwryd

Walk 8 Tryfan by the North Ridge and Heather Terrace

Walk 9 Tryfan Without Fears

Walk 10 Cwm Bochlwyd and Glyder Fach

Walk 11 Y Garn and the Devil’s Kitchen

Walk 12 Elidir Fawr and Y Garn

Betws-y-Coed

Walk 13 Llyn Crafnant and Llyn Geirionydd

Walk 14 Llyn y Parc and Conwy View

Snowdon

Walk 15 Moel Eilio Horseshoe

Walk 16 Snowdon Horseshoe

Walk 17 Snowdon via Miners’ Track and PyG Track

Walk 18 Lliwedd via Miners’ Track and Y Gribin

Walk 19 Snowdon via the Watkin and the Rhyd Dhu Paths

Walk 20 Yr Aran

Eifionedd

Walk 21 Cwm Pennant and the Moel Hebog Ridge

Walk 22 Mynydd Mawr

Walk 23 Nantlle Ridge

Siabod and the Moelwyns

Walk 24 Moel Siabod

Walk 25 Aberglaslyn Gorge and Llyn Dinas

Walk 26 Cnicht and Cwm Croesor

Walk 27 The Moelwyns

The Rhinogs

Walk 28 Rhinog Fawr by the Roman Steps

Walk 29 Rhinog Fach and Y Llethr

Dolgellau, Cadair Idris and the South

Walk 30 Precipice Walk, Dolgellau

Walk 31 Cadair Idris by the Pony Path

Walk 32 Cadair Idris from Minffordd

Walk 33 The Dolgoch Falls and Tarrenhendre

Bala

Walk 34 Rhobell Fawr

Walk 35 Cwm Cywarch Horseshoe and Aran Fawddwy

Walk 36 Traverse of the Aran Ridge

Walk 37 Arenig Fawr and Moel Llyfnant

Walk 38 Cadair Berwyn and Pistyll Rhaeadr

The Welsh 3000s

Day 1 Snowdon and the Glyderau

Day 2 Carneddau

Appendix A Route summary table

Appendix B Welsh/English glossary

Appendix C Useful contacts

September 2021

Walk 15 (Moel Eilio Horseshoe)

October 2019

Walk 16 Snowdon Horseshoe and Walk 19 Snowdon by the Watkin Path

August 2018

Route updates and corrections

A superb pocket sized publication that is easily followed and will lead to many happy days in these magnificent mountains.

When this new publication from Cicerone Press arrived and I started reading it, it transported me back forty years to the mid 70s when I attended my Mountain Leadership Training and . Evaluation Courses at the Plas y Brenin Outdoor Centre near Capel Curig and also to Scout camps I had organised and led at Bala some forty eight miles further south. Many of the northern areas in the book - the Carneddau, the Glyderau, Snowdon and its satellites, the Eifioneed and the Moelwyns were visited during my Mountain Leadership Training Board weeks in 1975 as training exercises and during the assessment week the following year, whilst the Rhinogs was the area where I took part in the Karrimor Mountain Marathon in 1979. Walks around Bala were completed during the Scout camp there in 1978 with the 9th Airedale Scouts.

The book has been compiled by Terry Fletcher, best known as the former editor of Dalesman and Cumbria magazines, who has been walking and climbing in these parts of Wales for over 50 years. The book is divided into nine sections, with mostly four or five walks in each section (two smaller sections have two walks each whilst the Glyderau has seven walks) with the 40 walks ranging from three miles and 230 feet of climbing up to 12% miles with 3350 feet of climbing.and all distances and ascents in between.

The book concludes with a two day walk over the fifteen Welsh 3000s, covering 31 miles and 13,000 feet of climbing which Terry describes as "one of the most demanding challenges of British walking". Each walk has a detailed map of the route to be undertaken and an excellent route description. At the beginning of the book there are details of the geology, history, transport, accommodation, equipment, mountain rescue, use of the guide and place names, whilst at the end there are appendices of a route summary table, a Welsh/English glossary and a list of useful contacts. The 220 page book is also punctuated with 110 full colour photographs taken on the various routes.

For both newcomers to Welsh mountaineering and also seasoned veterans this is a superb pocket sized publication that is easily followed and will lead to many happy days in these magnificent mountains of Northern Wales.

John Burland

Terry Fletcher has produced a great, compact, little guide in his Mountain Walking in Snowdonia book. Jampacked with 38 routes from the A55 in the north down to Cader Idris in the south and Bala in the East it covers the full rage of the National Park. The guide also covers the famous Welsh 3000ers in my favourite way, over 2 days. It uses OS 1:50000 mapping and the routes are graded Easy, Moderate and Strenuous with any scrambles graded in the UK 1-3 system. So it’s very easy to understand.

The guides covers all the iconic routes the area including the brilliant Tryfan North Ridge and the Snowdon Horseshoe as well as some more out of the way days out in places like The Rhinogs which lie in the rain shadow and feel very remote. So there is something for everyone here, whether you are just starting out or a regular visitor looking for something you haven’t done before (there’s plenty in there).

The guide has a good introduction with all the logistics you need to enjoy your stay in the area, he also offers an insight into the flora, fauna, history and geology of the park. Each route has a detailed description with the distance and total ascent As well as a neat introduction, the route map and one or two photos so plenty of information to help you around the route. That’s not to say you don’t need to take a map and compass with you, no-one should venture out with adequate equipment and the skills to use them. The guide comes with a plastic cover to help protect it from the elements, you have been warned!

Mountain Walking in Snowdonia comes highly recommended and would be especially useful for someone just getting into mountain walking as the guide has a great progression of routes. There are definitely plenty of walks for me to do in places I’ve never been to and I’m sure there will be some for you too.

Dave Sarker, Climbing Gear Reviews

"A good, clear and well-written introduction to hill walking in Snowdonia, complete with the usual reliable OS mapping favoured by Cicerone."

Roly Smith, Outdoor Focus