Snowdonia National Park in North Wales is one of the most breathtaking walking destinations in the UK. It never ceases to leave you speechless while gazing at the rock-covered mountains surrounding you.
And if you’ve been looking for the best hikes in Snowdonia, you’ve come to the right place.
I’ll give you some insights into where to walk and hike in Snowdonia. With 823 square miles, nine mountain ranges and 15 peaks over 3000 ft, to explore, you’re spoiled for choice, so I’ll help you narrow it down.
9 Best Hikes In Snowdonia
Snowdonia was formed in the Ordovician Period around 485 million years ago and is thought to be caused by one of the most violent volcanic eruptions.
And thanks to that, you’ll find the mountainous landscapes very dramatic. And this has led hikers from all over the world and from the UK to come here.
#1 The Bochlwyd Horseshoe (Tryfan & Glyders Walk up Two Mountains)
- Trailhead: Car parking near Milestone Buttress
- Trail Length: 5 miles (8 km)
- Difficulty: Difficult
- Elevation Gain: 953 m (3,126 ft)
- Trail Type: Loop
I’m going to start this list off with my favorite walking route in Snowdonia, The Bochlwyd Horseshoe Circular Route. The trail is only 5 miles long and gains around 953 meters in elevation, but it involves scrambling most of the route and is a demanding hike.
Depending on your fitness level and scrambling skills, you should be able to do this hike in 5-10 hours.
I love this hike because it’s impossible to complete without using your hands, which can make it very exciting. It’s considered a Grade 1 scramble, but there are more complex variations if you’re up to the challenge and want to test your skill level.
The route takes you up the Tryfan North Ridge, one of Snowdonia’s most popular scrambling routes offering incredible views.
While hiking Tryfans north face, you’ll pass the famous “Cannon,” where you can take an excellent picture. And at the top of the mountain, you’ll find Adam & Eve; it’s said that if you jump from one rock to the other, you’ll gain the freedom of Tryfan.
From there, you’ll walk down the mountain’s south side to Glyder Fach (Small Mound), where you’ll find the famous Cantilever Stone, and then to its bigger brother Glyder Fawr (Big Mound).
Finally, you’ll head down to Y Gribin, which features yet another scramble, so take it slow and steady.
It’s considered one of the best hikes in Snowdonia, so make sure you check it out.
#2 The Snowdon Horseshoe
- Trailhead: Pen Y Pass, Snowdonia National Park
- Trail Length: 7 miles (11.2 km)
- Difficulty: Difficult
- Elevation Gain: 1,010 m (3,313.6 ft)
- Trail Type: Loop
Next, we’re going to look at my second favorite hike, but this one is not for the faint-hearted; only the hardiest hiker will want to take on the knife-edge ridge.
I’ve been hiking all my life, and I’ve taken some pretty big routes, but nothing has tested my nerve like the Snowdon Horseshoe, Crib Goch arête (ridge) in particular. It’s one of the most challenging hikes I’ve ever done and is a true mountain adventure.
The scramble loop starts at Pen-y-Pass car park, and I’d suggest you get there early because the car park fills up quickly.
From there, you’re going to take on the most intimidating part of your hike, the Crib Goch’s knife-point rocky ridge. It’s marked down as a Grade 1 scramble, but the thin edge and exposure on either side make it more challenging and will test your skill level.
As you shuffle along the ridge, you’ll eventually reach the final obstacle, the three pinnacles. If you’re up for the challenge, you can take them head-on; if not, you can skirt around the side.
Once the main challenge is out of the way, it gets a little less nerve-racking but still features some great scrambling. The next part of your journey takes you up Garnedd Ugain and Crib y Ddysgl.
If you pick the intelligent line, you shouldn’t have any issues, and you’ll quickly arrive at the route that takes you to Snowdon’s summit (one of the peaks in the 3 Peaks Challenge), where you’ll get stunning views of the mountain ranges. You’ll be taking the Llanberis Path hiking trail, which will likely be very busy.
From the summit of Mount Snowdon (the tallest mountain in Wales), you’ll walk past the cafe at the top and start your final scramble towards Lliwedd. Eventually, you’ll descend the mountain towards Llyn Llydaw before returning to Pen-Y-Pass
#3 Beddgelert & Aberglaslyn Walk
- Trailhead: Beddgelert or Nantmor National Trust Car Park
- Trail Length: 4.7 miles (7.7 km)
- Difficulty: Easy
- Elevation Gain: 361 m (1,184.3 ft)
- Trail Type: Loop
- If you’re looking for an easy walk in Snowdonia, you’ll be happy to know Beddgelert & Aberglaslyn Walk is a much easier hiking route than the ones above and is a great half-day hike.
- This route is excellent for people who are beginner hikers or without a high level of fitness to take on some of the more challenging routes or people who love a deep dive into mythology. I love walks that have a story.
- The hike takes you past Gelert’s Grave, which is said to be the resting place of Gelert. Gelert was the faithful hound of the Medieval Prince Llewelyn the Great, who killed his dog by accident.
- The story is that Gelert ran up to the Prince with a muzzle full of blood. He found the walls splattered with blood and an upturned cradle when looking for his son. Fearing his hound had killed his son, he drove his sword through the dog’s heart.
