The best places to watch the sunrise in Snowdonia National Park
The 823 square miles of Wales’ oldest and largest national park can lay claim to some of the most sensational scenery in the UK.
In this blog post I have listed nine incredible locations to watch the sunrise from in Snowdonia National Park.
Some involve setting the alarm super early and hiking in the dark, whilst others simply require you to step out of your vehicle and cross the road!
This list is far from exclusive. Snowdonia is home to so many majestical mountains and lovely low-level bodies of water, which given the right conditions would make incredible spots to watch the sunrise.
In fact some of the best locations are usually the lesser known spots where you’ll find no-one around. You simply have to set that alarm (or dont sleep at all) and have the endeavour to seek the locations out.
At a glance:
Snowdon
Crib Goch
Y Garn
Pen yr Ole Wen
Ogwen Valley
Moel Siabod
Llyn Padarn
Cregennen Lakes
Llyn Nantlle Uchaf
What I use to pick and plan sunrise locations
I personally use an app called PhotoPills to choose sunrise locations and help plan my compositions for sunset, sunrise, and the milky way.
I have no affiliation with the company and I hate paying for apps (It costs a one off fee of £9.99) when there are free ones available, but PhotoPills was definitely worth the investment.
Not only does it allow you to see where the sun will rise and set, months and even years into the future, but it is packed full of amazing features. One of which is the augmented reality mode which uses your phones camera to show you exactly which point on the horizon the sun will rise and where it will set.
Safety tips and advice around hiking at sunrise
Pack a head torch - A head torch will make that first part of the journey safer, easier, and more comfortable. It will also mean you have some battery left on your phone to take photos and navigate your way back down.
Pack extra layers - I always pack a spare top, a lightweight down jacket, hat, and gloves in my bag. So when I do reach the summit I can quickly layer up and stay warm while I’m waiting for the sun to rise.
Take some snacks a plenty of water - Make sure to pack something to eat and drink on the summit as it will help with warmth, energy levels, and make the descent much more enjoyable. No one likes a hangry hiker.
Snowdon Summit
Wales highest mountain can easily lay claim to being the best sunrise spot in Snowdonia.
From the summit of the 1,086m peak you are afforded breathtaking panoramic views over the national park, and being able to watch the sunrise makes that view even more special.
If you are lucky during the colder winter months you may even catch a cloud inversion, like I did back in December 2020.
The only problem with this location is crowds. Due to its popularity and sensational views, the summit of Snowdon is prone to attracting a rather large numbers of people, even at sunrise.
I recently slept near the summit and awoke at 4:30 am to already find 60 people on the top of the mountain. The views were sensational but the busy-ness of it all can often take away from the experience.
You also have to factor in climbing Snowdon. Even the fittest amongst you will need a minimum of 2 hours to reach the top. Depending on your fitness levels I would personally set off 2.5-3 hours before sunrise in order to get up there in plenty of time.
There are six main routes to reach the summit, details of which can be found here.
The shortest route with the least amount of elevation gain is the Pyg Track. However this starts at the Pen-y-Pass , which during the summer months is pre-booking only.
Because of the awkward parking scenario, the two routes I would recommend using in the summer would be the Llanberis Path or the Rhydd Du path. I’d personally avoid the Watkin path as it has the most amount of elevation gain and involves a horrible steep scramble at the end.
Crib Goch
Standing at 923m, Crib Goch or the ‘Red ridge’, is a knife edge, grade one scramble and the most exhilarating way to get up or down Snowdon.
Due to the lack of crowds alongside its magnificent views, you could actually argue that Wales’s most notorious ridge is actually a better place to watch the sunrise than the summit of Snowdon.
Do to the danger of the ridgeline, which has lead to multiple fatalities, his route should not be attempted by those who have a fear of heights, aren’t comfortable scrambling, or undertaken in any adverse weather conditions.
The start point for Crib Goch is the Pen-y-Pass car park, which is pre-booking only during the summer months.
If you haven’t booked a space, I would recommend parking next to the Pen-Y-Gwryd Hotel. This costs £4 all day and will ad an extra mile (one way) and 100m of elevation gain to your hike. If you follow the road it should take you 15-25 minutes to reach the Pen-y-Pass, so dont forget to factor this into your start time.
Once at the Pen-y-Pass follow the Pyg track before branching off onto Crib Goch. I would give yourself at least 90 minutes (if not longer) in order to reach the top of Crib Goch for sunrise.
Pen-yr-Ole Wen
Lying at the southern end of the Carneddau range, the 978m Pen yr Ole Wen is the seventh highest mountain in Snowdonia.
Pyramidal in appearance, the mighty mountain towers high above the Ogwen valley and offers sensational views from its summit towards Tryfan, the Glyderau, and Y-Garn.
The peaks prominence alongside the unobstructed views you get looking down the Ogwen valley and over towards the Glyderau is what makes it such a great location to watch the sunrise.
The easiest route to the summit is from western end of Llyn Ogwen. Free parking is available on the roadside between Gwern Gof Uchaf and the Lake.
From the roadside head past the cottage and climb alongside the Afon Lloer up towards the summit. The route is 3km in length and involves around 660m of elevation gain. I would give yourself at least 90 minutes in order to reach the summit.
I’ve never actually been up here for sunrise but as Sarahs’s Instagram can attest to, the views look pretty epic!
Y Garn
Often overlooked for the surrounding peaks in the Ogwen Valley, Y Garn is one of my favourite mountains in Snowdonia.
The 10th highest peak in Wales has arguably one of the best summit views in the National Park which can easily be reached in a little over an hour.
From the summit you have 360 degree panoramic views and a plethora of compositions to choose from. In one direction you have panorama of Pen-yr-Ole Wen, the Ogwen Valley, Tryfan, and the Glyderau.
Swinging south you then have the Snowdon Massif, Llanberis, and the layers of southern Snowdonia. Then along the ridge to the north west you have Elidir Fawr.
At times it’s almost too much to take in and can actually be a distraction when trying to decide what to focus your attention on.
Parking is once again available at the Ogwen Visitor centre or on the side of the A5. The shortest route to the summit is straight up its north face which is 2.6km in length (one way) and involves 630m of elevation. Alternatively you can head past Llyn Idwal and up through Devils Kitchen which is 4.6km one way.
Moel Siabod
This solitary peak may not the highest mountain in Snowdonia, however the views from its 872m summit are absolutely sensational.
On a clear day you’ll have panoramic views across the national park alongside being able to see 13 of the 14 Welsh 3,000s. The summit’s isolated location and views towards Snowdon make it a great spot to not only watch the sunrise but also watch the sunset.
The best way to reach the summit is from Pont Cyfyng which is situated on the A5 between Betws-y-Coed and Capel Curig. Details of that route and how to Hike Moel Siabof can be found below
Ogwen Valley
A great low level alternative if you dont fancy climbing a mountain.
Not only will you not have to do much walking, you will also have a huge range of locations and compistions to choose from.
For those who really dont want to move, then the Ogwen boathouse, situated on the side of the A5 opposite the National Trust Ogwen cottage, is a great option. Parking is available at the Ogwen Visitor centre and can be reached by hopping over the stone wall.
Another location in the ogwen Valley is Cwm Idwal, which is situated just above the Ogwen valley.
The great thing about Cwm Idwal is that it offers so many compositions of the surrounding mountains. One of the most popular is the view looking back towards Pen-yr-Ole Wen, which can be snapped from the valley below or from the Devils Kitchen.
Parking is available at the Ogwen Visitor centre or on the side of the A5. From there Cwm Idwal is easily reachable via a short 1km walk which involves less than 100m of elevation gain.
Cregennan Lakes
A series of two stunning mountain lakes situated on the northern slopes of Cader Idris in southern Snowdonia.
Unbeknownst to many, this hidden gem of a spot is hardly visited with tourists often flocking to hike the neighbouring Cader Idris or driving further north to hotspots of Snowdonia National Park.
What makes this location so special is the stunning mountainous surroundings alongside a gorgeous wooden boathouse which sits on the lakes northern shore.
The lake, which is owned by the National trust, is incredibly accessible with free parking situated on its shoreline. Access is either from Dollgellau via a narrow mountain road which involves passing through a closed farm gate, or via very steep mountain road from the village of Arthog.
The Lonely Tree, Llyn Padarn
this iconic Snowdonia photography spot is often top of a landscape photographers must visit list.
The magical warped tree sits alone on the pebbled foreshore of Llyn Padarn and has a magnificent mountainous backdrop, which on a clear and calm day can provide stunning mirror like reflections.
Due to the uniqueness, sheer beauty, and accessibility of this location, don’t expect to have the place to yourself especially if the conditions look promising.
Free parking is available is small gravel car park on the southern shores of the lake, just outside of Llanberis. From the car park follow the path along it shoreline into the forested glade. After a hundred or so meters the Lonely Tree should appear on your right hand side.
If the spot is a little busy then there are plenty more compositions available looking down the lake from the forsetd glade.
LLyn Nantlle Uchaf
A stunning lake located at the eastern end of Snowdonia beneath the shadow of the Nantlle ridge.
What makes this location so special is the lakes mountainous backdrop alongside the series of wooden boats which occupy its western shoreline.
Parking is available on the side off the B4418 on its western shoreline. From there you simply have to hop over a gate and walk 30m along a wooden walkway to the edge of the lake,
A word of warning, tread carefully when visiting this location. The lake is located on private land which belongs to a rather disgruntled farmer. He did get quite irate when he found myself and several other photographers snapping away one morning. So much so that I have officially been banned from visiting this location again.
So there we have it my nine favourite places to watch the sunrise in Snowdonia National park.
Like I have already mentioned there are so many other locations in the national park to watch the sunrise from, both high and low. . You just have to do a little planning and have the endeavour to go and seek them out.
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For more travel, & photography inspiration around Wales check out my in-depth guides to each of my favourite regions below.
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