Discover the unique scenery of Snowdonia, on this day climb to the summit of Snowdon, the highest mountain in Wales, with MIC mountaineering instructor Richard.
Private
1 Day
All year
Intermediate
Intermediate
I invite you to join me on a wonderful adventure and climb Snowdon peak (1085 m), the highest mountain in Wales. Yr Wyddfa, as it is called in Welsh, is one of the most popular attractions in the country. Located in a unique environment, it was designated as a national nature reserve, for its rare flora and fauna.
And although Snowdon is a small mountain by world standards, its unique landscape and a cafe in the summit make it a very special place to visit. And there’s also a railway terminal on top of the mountain!
Snowdon lies in Snowdonia National Park, in Gwynedd. Thousands of visitors come to Snowdonia each year to enjoy its amazing landscapes and the exciting outdoor activities on offer. With a wide variety of terrain, there’s something for everybody here!
I will guide you on a great climb that will take us about 8 hours. We will enjoy beautiful scenery on our way to the summit. The climb doesn’t offer any particular technical difficulties: you just need to be able to walk over rough ground and deal with the elements while we climb.
There are 6 classic walking routes to the summit, although Miners and Pig Track converge after a couple of hours of walking. Also, we don’t need to go down through the same way we went up! We will choose the best one for you.
The routes to the summit are the following:
The Llanberis Track. This is the longest and easiest gradient route overall, and arguably the least interesting. Return trip: around 7 hours
The Pyg Track. It’s the shortest route to the summit and by far the most popular. Therefore, it can be very busy, so it’s better to avoid it in holiday periods.
The Miners Track. This route starts and finishes at the same point and can be used to vary the ascent/descent. Return trip: about 6 hours.
The Watkin Path. It starts from Nant Gwynant, to the south of Snowdon. It’s steep in places and offers lots of height gain. However, as it’s harder than other routes, it’s less popular and crowded. Allow 7 hours for the return trip.
The Rhydd Ddu Path. It’s a much quieter way when other routes are busy. It offers a reasonable gradient most of the way, with a fine airy finish. Return trip: 6/7 hours.
The Snowdon Ranger Path. Handy if you are staying in the Snowdon Ranger Youth Hostel. Return trip: 6/7 hours.
So contact me if you want to join me on this climb to Snowdon summit. You can send me a request and we can start planning right away! I would love to guide you up there.
You can also take a look at other scrambling days that I also guide: Snowdon Horseshoe and Crib Goch and North Ridge of Tryfan.
More info
Personal warm and wet weather gear are a must. Bring comfortable mountain boots (approach shoes) which offer good ankle support and a decent grip. Training shoes do not generally offer this. During the winter months it may be necessary to hire extra equipment such as ice axes and crampons, which can be hired locally. There may be a minimal charge for these.
Meeting point
How can I get to the trailhead/meeting point?
We will meet up in Llanberis. You can either get a public transportation bus to the start or a taxi.
Will I need to bring any technical equipment of my own?
You will need your own hiking clothing - including waterproof jacket with hood and waterproof trousers, warm layers, warm hat and thick gloves. You would need your own walking boots. If ice axe and crampons are needed then we will borrow them (included in price).
I’ve already gone up Snowdon via the Miners and Pyg. Are there different routes?
There are several other routes up, the Watkin path is excellent and little bit more challenging than the others.
Are you offering other outdoor/ adventure activities in the area of Snowdonia?
Yes sure! Please have a look at this page - https://www.explore-share.com/mountain-guide/richard-bale/ - which lists the different activities I offer in the area of Snowdonia
Is this program suitable for children?
Snowdon is achievable by the children, but it is a 12-kilometer round trip. The weather could also be pretty rough but if you are equipped for it then you should be ok. The route I would recommend would be the PyG Track.
What are some recommended accommodations near our adventure location?
5.0
(23)
Mountain Guide
I hold a Mountaineering Instructor Certificate (MIC). I am fully qualified to guide and instruct all aspects of mountaineering and climbing in the UK throughout the year. Also, I am a full member of the Mountain Training Association (MTA) and the Association of Mountaineering Instructors (AMI).
I love climbing and this passion has taken me all over the world, even to the summit of Mount Everest. I have also climbed in the Andes, as well as in the Alps, Norway and Canada. I reached the summit of Mount Everest on May 2001, as a member of the RAF Mountain Rescue Service Everest North Ridge expedition.
I first started mountaineering in Scotland with the RAF Mountain Rescue Service, over 20 years ago. Since then, I haven't stopped climbing and exploring new mountains in the UK and abroad. I have been a RAF Mountain Rescue Team Leader and also the Chief Instructor for 5 years. I have also climbed all the Munros, the Scottish peaks above 3000 feet.
I love climbing around North Wales and the rest of the UK. We have so many amazing climbing and scrambling spots to discover in this area! I enjoy taking my clients there for rock climbing, scrambling and mountain skills courses or for a guided day out.
We can set up a program according to your level and wishes. Contact me and we can start planning your next mountain adventure right away!
Languages
English
Certificates
AMI MIC
Man
Climbing with guide Guillaume was absolutely a highlight of my 2-week Europe vacation. Originally, we were planning on climbing in the Calanques, but the park was closed due to wind and fire danger. Guillaume chose another amazing location (Pic de Bretagne) based on my climbing abilities and preferences and kindly offered train station pick-up and hotel drop off, which I appreciated very much. The multi-pitch route we did was not only fun but also the right amount of challenge, which I thoroughly enjoyed. The communication from the team (Gauthier) was prompt and clear—highly recommend!
Maxine
Luis Silva was a great climbing guide and belayer! He taught me how to do moves that were difficult and encouraged me to try routes that were challenging for me! Because of his encouragement, I managed to complete these routes! I really enjoyed the climbs and completed 8 routes in the Sesimbra/Azoia area. The weather was perfect, no direct sun and cool enough to enjoy the climbs. Explore-Share made booking an outdoor climbing experience in Lisbon extremely easy. Luis, our guide, was fantastic, and the platform’s organization was flawless.
Valeriya
You’re simply the best!!! :))) Explore-Share made everything easy and stress-free. Will definitely use again.
Joshua
We had Léo as a guide for our day climb in Fonty. We were blessed with a knowledgeable, warm, and instructive guide. Communication with Léo and Ivan was smooth and swift. Explore-Share was excellent in arranging everything for our day climb. The communication was quick, and the platform was easy to use, making our adventure stress-free.
Cami
Patrick was a great guide. He took us on an intermediate Via Ferrata at Passo Sella. Renato was quick to respond with any outreach on the Explore-Share platform. The booking process was straightforward, and once Patrick was confirmed, all went well. It was a wonderful experience, and I’d highly recommend the platform.
4.8
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