Walks and Walking in Snowdon – The Miners and PYG Tracks

Walks and Walking in Snowdon – The Miners and PYG (Pig) Tracks

Our day starts driving up to the Youth Hostel at Pen-y-Pass, Llanberis, Gwynedd. The morning was absolutely beautiful and the sky was clear blue. We were all strapped up in sensible walking clothes, sturdy walking boots and much needed walking poles. Lunch and extra layers were all packed in our rucksacks and away we went!

We couldn’t help but stop at Pen-y-Gwryd to take a picture of the lake that looked like a sheet of glass and was absolutely breathtaking.

The Lake at Pen-y-Gwryd

When we arrived at Pen-y-Pass we decided to take the Miners Track up and then the PYG Track back. That way we got some really good views of the lakes; Llyn Llydaw and Llyn Glaslyn. At the beginning of the walk you can turn left along the Miners Track or right for an early climb up to the PYG Track with the walk covering about 8 miles of very interesting scenery.

The Start of the Miners Track in Snowdon

We turned left along the Miners Track which is one beautiful long, and for the most part paved, track up to the mine ruins (which is where we were supposed to turn right to join the PYG Track above us!). However, we were seduced by the frozen lake so stopped to take loads of photos and breathe in that amazing clean, crisp and very fresh air.

This is where we should have turned right to meet the PYG Track

Frozen lake at Llyn Llaslyn Snowdon

The track was built during the 1800’s to serve Britannia Copper Mines which were abandoned in 1917.  Mine Manager Arthur Lockwood drove his car to Llyn Glaslyn, and the track to this point at the lake still resembles a road so is a good walking surface. When the lake came to an end we followed some other walkers up a very steep and snowy path to where the summit lies.

Scrambling up to the PYG Track Snowdon

The view back down to Llyn Glaslyn in Snowdon from the PYG Track

The PYG Track then meets the Llanberis Path  and, at this point you turn left and follow the track to be at the top in about 10 minutes.

As with all Snowdon walks, you then turn back and walk the way you came. However, we walked back along the PYG Track to Pen-y-Pass taking one last glance back towards Snowdon and what was a fantastic and enthralling walk.

One last view of Snowdon as we make our way along the PYG Track to Pen-y-Pass

Walks and Walking in Snowdon – The Llanberis Path

Walks and Walking Snowdon in Wales along the Llanberis Path.

I completed this Wales walk last March 2010 when there had been quite a bit of snow, although the day we walked The Llanberis Path the weather was absolutely fantastic; crystal clear blue skies and wonderful fresh air.

I highly recommend you ensure you have the correct equipment for this walk at this time of year; sensible layers, a windproof jacket, gloves, woolly hat, sturdy walking boots with a vibram sole, walking poles and ice axes just in case.

For this walk I decided to wear my bright red Bear Grylls jacket and walking trousers from the Bear Grylls Survival Clothing range.

The Llanberis Path is the longest and most popular pathway up to Snowdon, is roughly 5 miles from the railway station to the summit and is very easy to follow. From LLanberis we had a quick look around before finding the main car park for the station. Passing the car park we turned right to a small road and a small square where we found a gate at the far end. This is the start of the walk as it makes it’s way up a roughish by-road and the railway now on our right.

The LLanberis Path with Mount Snowdon behind me

The walk basically follows a parallel path to the railway line and there is a left hand turn that steadily rises until we head under the railway line up to Halfway House. Now the harder part of the walk commences but the beautiful sight of a frozen lake, Llyn Du’r Arddu,  still manages to put big smiles on our faces as we look down at Cwm Brwynog.

As we circle around the cwm we walk underneath the railway line at Clogwyn Station and this is wear the walk started to get very exciting with most people stopping to put their crampons on and swapping walking poles for ice axes.

We decided to stop here for lunch and admired the most stunning of views looking back at Llanberis Pass.

Moving on the pathway swings round to the south under the dome of Crib y Ddysgl and finishes close by the railway and the terminus is then reached.  We then walked back the way we came!