UKC

Hi all 

We are two couples who will be walking Snowdon for the first time. So looking for advice on what path to take.  Myself and my husband do quite a bit of walking but the most challenging walk we did was cedar Idris in Snowdia last July. We found that ok ish but it was extremely hot so it was very hard work.  The other couple do no walking at all but are not unfit. So basically you could call us total beginners for a walk up Snowdon. Any advice on which path would be best for us would be very much appreciated. The trip is for my friends 50th birthday do hoping to make it pretty special if thst is at all possible.  Advice on parking would be good and anything else we need to know.

Thanks in advance.

The most straightforward way up in terms of walking and logistics way up is via the Llanberis path. You park at the Mountain Railway in Llanberis and the basically starts from there. It isn't the shortest, but is less steep than the other options.

Pick a cool day and you should be fine, just take it steady.

The Llanberis Path is certainly the easiest and safest for a novice team. It follows quite close to the mountain railway for most of the way so it isn't the most interesting for hill-walkers, but the other routes all involve some steeper terrain which might (or might not) prove a little daunting for your friends with no hill-walking experience at all. 

You pass several "stations" on the railway on the route (just platforms really). I'm not sure if you can hop on and off the train at any of these, but that might provide an option if the walk proved a bit too challenging. Someone on here may know the answer to that.

Yes, don't pick a day that's too hot, but also avoid a wet and/or windy day. It can be quite bleak up there even in summer if the weather is poor.

Martin

It's very unusual to be able to get on the train without a pre-booked ticket. Don't plan on it!

But if OP did Cader Idris, Llanberis path would be easy in comparison.

If you've walked up Cader Idris you shouldn't have a problem with any of the normal  routes up Snowdon 

To add: if you have a pre booked ticket and don’t get the train up, don’t expect your space on the way down to be available either.

Agreed, but I was responding taking into account that the other couple with the OP "do no walking" so I presume no hill-walking experience at all. 

Yep, I was wrong about hopping on and off the train. For my second ever mountain walking experience my father and I ascended Snowdon via the Rhyd Ddu path. My mother and younger brother came up by the train and then we all walked down. So, at least "hop-off" was possible then.

That was in 1963 though. It was also my father's first, and last, ever mountain walk, and the start of my mother's arthritis - with hindsight not a good plan - but I was too young (12) to be taking the blame, I hope.

Martin

Hi

Agreed that the Llanberis path is the way most novice walkers go.

It does has a very steep first 10 -15 minutes up a lane before getting on the path proper. This can knock the wind out of a lot of people right at the beginning. After that the path is a steady rise to Halfway house before climbing steeply again up to and past Clogwyn Station. It levels out again before a short pull to the summit.

If you allow somewhere in the window of 6 - 8 hours you could have a steady walk with breaks and take in the views.

If you have done Cader Idris then Snowdon should be within your compass. You need to have a think if the other couple you are taking would be ok with a 6  - 8 hour mountain day.

If not, there are plenty of shorter walks in Snowdonia. Like around Llyn Idwal for example or a smaller peak such as Moel Siabod, where on a clear day you would have an awesome view of Snowdon.

Personally if I was to introduce someone to walking in Snowdonia I would choose one of those two.

If you go with the Llanberis path there are sizeable car parks but the advice would be to arrive early, around 9am. Also bearing in mind you may have a long day.

Hope that helps.