Snowdon Horseshoe Hike Guide
If you are heading to Snowdonia to climb some mountains, then it’s odds on that the highest peak in Wales will be at the top of your list.
Although there are several routes up and down Yr Wyddfa, there is one classic that stands head and shoulders above the others in terms of wow factor, the Snowdon Horseshoe.
The horseshoe is arguably one of the finest day hikes and ridge walks in the UK, and depending on what you're like with heights, will either leave you either astonished or crapping your pants.
The route encompasses everything that’s great about the Snowdon Massif, from jaw-dropping views, tricky knife-edge scrambles, and a certain solitude which you won’t find at the summit of Snowdon.
Key information
Summits: Crib Goch (923m), Garnedd Ugain (1,065m), Snowdon (1,085m), Y Lliwedd (895m)
Route Length: 7.5 miles / 12 km
Hike Duration: 6-9 hours
Elevation Gain: 830m / 2,725 ft
Route Difficulty: Vary hard
Technical elements - Grade one scrambling
Parking & Start point: Pen-y-Pass Car Park
Things to know before tackling the Snowdon Horseshoe
As Snowdon is one of, if not the most popular mountain in Britain, the summit and sections of this hike will be outrageously busy, especially on weekends. Crib Goch and Y-Lliwedd will be the quietest sections of the hike, so enjoy the solitude while you can.
Personally I’d avoid hiking Snowdon on a weekend and head for another peak in Snowdonia instead. However If you do have your heart set on the summit, try to start as early as possible (I’m talking pre sunrise early) to secure a parking space and beat some of the crowds.
Is Crib Goch really that bad?
The Snowdon Horseshoe involves traversing Crib Goch, a notorious knife-edge ridge which in sections is no wider than 1.5m and has drops of several hundred meters either side.
It is a precarious and exposed ridgeline, which is no joke. Tragically, walkers have died falling from the ridge and the mountain rescue team is often called out to help stranded or injured climbers who either get stuck or injured falling from the ridge.
No matter how many YouTube videos you may have watched, Crib Goch should really be tackled by competent hikers, who have a head for heights are are comfortable scrambling. In addition it should only be hiked in clear, calm, and dry weather.
Please do not attempt this route in adverse weather conditions (wind, rain, or fog) as it will be a recipe for disaster and you might end up as a statistic on the mountain rescue website.
If you are looking for a less challenging and dangerous route to the summit of Snowdon then a full description of the 6 alternative routes can be found here. My recommendation would be to ascend via the Pyg track and descend via the Miners Path. Both start and finish at the Pen-y-Pass car park.
How long is the Crib Goch route?
The distance From the bottom of Crib Goch to to the summit of Garnedd Ugain is 1.6 miles and involves 1,500 ft of ascent. Expect this section of the route to take between 1.5 to 4 hours depending on your ability and fitness levels.
Are there facilities on the Snowdon Horseshoe?
There are toilets located at Pen-y-pass car park which tend to be open from pre-sunrise to sunset. Tragically, there is also café and toilets located at the mountain railway station just below the summit. These are often closed outside of the trains operating hours so I would check the website and make sure you evacuate the bowels before you set off.
Where to park for the Snowdon Horseshoe
While this hike starts and finishes at Pen-y-Pass car park you will have a hard time securing a space. There is room for a round 30 cars and during the summer months and school holiday it is pre booking only and cost £25.
Outside of these dates if you are lucky enough to secure a space, it will cost £10 for the day.
If the car park is full and your planning on tackling this hike early, the next best option would be to park a the pay and display layby’s next to the Pen Y Gwryd Hotel. Parking here costs £4 all day (coins only) and will add an additional 2.5km to the hike.
If you’re not planning on setting off early I would park in the nearby villages of Llanberis or Nant Peris and catch the Snowdon Sherpa bus up to the Pen-y-Pass car park.
This unique bus service uses the road network which runs around the base Snowdon. You can hop on and off at any point and it costs £2 per journey. More information about the bus service, including a full timetable, can be found here.
DO NOT park on the side of the mountain roads leading up to the Pen-y-Pass. Not only does this block access for emergency vehicles but you will return to your car to find a £60 parking ticket slapped across your windshield. Not the nicest treat after 7 hours of hiking.
The Route
Starting and finishing at the Pen-y-pass car park, the Snowdon horseshoe can be tackled in a clockwise or anti-clockwise fashion. I would recommend tackling the route in an anti-clockwise fashion. Ascending Crib Goch first while you are still fresh and so you hopefully don’t run into any oncoming traffic whilst on the precarious ridgeline.
From the Pen-y-Pass car park follow the Pyg track, which runs to the left of toilet block. The path is well engineered and is very easy to follow. If the weather is clear you will be able to see the triangular peak of Crib Goch directly in front of you.
After 1.3 miles the path will level off at a cross junction and you will see the dual styles at Bwlch y Moch. Turn right, just after the stone wall and ascend the path which runs alongside the metal fence up towards Crib Goch.
The path to Crib Goch branches off to the right
The initial section of the climb isn’t at all technical and is mainly a tedious loose scree path which rises gently up to a smooth, rocky section, Don’t let this fool you into false sense of security as you will eventually reach a craggy wall – known as the ‘bad step’. - which will signal where the tricky scrambling begins.
The flat, rocky section just before the bad step, the Pyg track can be seen to the right of Jack
From here you’ll have to use your best judgement pick you way through the crags and gully’s as the path becomes significantly steeper and more difficult. It best to look up and well ahead and pick a route which doesn’t lead you into a dead end, as the last thing you want to do is have to down climb.
If you find yourself struggling with the height or exposure on this section, I would recommend that you turn around and head back to the Pyg track. The actual ridgeline will only get more precarious and exposed and you will save yourself and possible the mountain rescue a significant amount of hassle and time.
The view from half way up Crib Goch
Once you have tackled the bad step, the trail will ease off slightly and you will be able to give your hands a brief break. To reach the summit, navigate your way onto the you can either walk up the the spine of the mountain and follow it directly up to the summit.
The steep climb just after the bad step
Looking up the spine of Crib Goch towards the summit
Once you reach the summit you will not only be greeted by magnificent panoramic views over Snowdonia, but you will get your first glimpse of the precarious and notorious ridgeline which now lays in front of you.
First light on Crib Goch in late Spring
An autumn morning on Crib Goch
The Crib Goch Ridgeline
The easiest route is to traverse is slightly down to the left of the ridgeline. This section is easier and less exposed than the apex of the ridge, as you aren’t staring down the near vertical drop on the right hand side. That being said if you do have a head for heights you can carefully hike along the tip of the ridgeline for maximum exposure.
Either way feel free to use your hands, proceed at your own pace, and dont be afraid to stop.
Alongside the treacherous, near vertical drops, the main hazard here, especially on a busy day, will be other hikers (oh and that one idiot who has tried to take their dog up Crib Goch) Take your time, dont rush, and be respectful of other hikers who may be more or less competent than you.
Approaching the first pinncle
The Crib Goch Pinnacles
Once you have navigated the ridgeline you will approach the first of the three pinnacles. The easiest and quickest route is to stick to the left hand side and drop down and around the first two.
You will then reach a saddle with grassy gully which drops steeply down to the right hand side. Cross over this and climb back up and over the right hand side of the third pinnacle. This will be the trickiest part of the route so take you time and breath a sigh of relief once you’re through.
Descend down to Bwlch Coch and continue to hike up towards Crib y Ddysgl. This section of the route is very mellow , being made up of series of wide grassy level sections interspersed with several patches of rocky pinnacles.
You eventually reach the steep rocky face which you cannot go around. From here you have to weave and scramble your way through the rocky crags (you can either go left or right here) up to the Crib y Ddysgl ridge. Once over the initial climb the path will continue to rise gently across the spine of the ridge towards the trig point of Garnedd Ugain.
At 3,494ft, Garnedd Ugain is only 20m shorter than Snowdon but receives a fraction of the crowds. Enjoy a brief moment of solitude here before descending down to the train tracks at Bwlch Glas. This a saddle is one of the busiest sections of the route as it connects the Llanberis, Ranger, and Pyg tracks.
The view down towards the Pyg and Miners track. Crib Goch is on the left with Snowdon and Y-Lliwedd on the right
From the saddle turn left and follow the train tracks up to the summit of Wales highest mountain. The peak stands at 1085m (3581ft) and is the 23rd highest mountain in the UK.
The Welsh name for the mountain is 'Yr Wyddfa’. which is translated to grave, as it is believed that the giant Rhita Gawr was buried on the mountain. The more common English name of 'Snowdon' comes from the Saxon word "snow dune" which means "snow hill".
Depending on the time of the day and year of your visit, alongside the conditions you will either be treated to serene panoramic views across the whole of Snowdonia, or a jam packed summit which resembles a scene out of Mad Max and the Thunderdome.
The summit is either idyllic dream or a solo hikers nightmare. The first time I summited the mountain I was left bitterly disappointed, despite it being a bluebird day. The sheer number of people, amount of litter, and the pack seagulls encircling the peak tainted the summit experience and took away from the peaks magic aurora.
Since then my opinion of the summit has dramatically changed. In May 2021, I briefly had the summit to myself after hiking it the day before Wales-England lockdown ended.
Then back in December summited it mid-week for a sunrise cloud inversion and was left speechless by the mind blowing views. Some of the images of that day are in this blog however a full album can be found below.
From the summit head south past the café and join the path for the Watkin and Rhyd Ddu routes. Head left and descend the steep Watkin Path down to the flat Bwlch y Saethau. The top section of the descent is predominately made up of the horribly loose scree, and is very tricky underfoot
Once at the bottom continue along the path to your left, ignoring the Watkin Path which drops down into the valley on your right. If you venture off the path over to ridgeline on your left , you will be greeted by terrific views over Llyn Llydaw.
Llyn Lydaw from the saddle between Snowdon and Y-Lliwedd
From the saddle there are multiple routes which you can scramble up to the summit Y Lliwedd. The most exhilarating line hugs the edge and allows you to soak up the views and experience the exposure. The path is not obvious all the way, and you will need to make your way around some chunky boulders during the 140m ascent.
The first summit you will reach is known as West peak. At 898m it is the higher of Y-Lliwedd’s two summits. Continue the scramble along the ridge over the east peak before descending down towards Llyn Lydaw.
Once at the shoreline, head right and follow the Miners track for 1.5 miles back down to the Pen-y-Pass.
Looking across Y Lliwedd towards Snowdon
So there we have it, an in-depth, hike guide to the Snowdon Horseshoe. Did you find the blog useful? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below.
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You can find more Welsh hiking inspiration in the following blogs
For more travel & photography inspiration around Wales check out my in-depth guides to each of my favourite regions below.