Joe Brown

• 7 miles,

• 4250ft ascent

• 5 hours

• Start Grid Ref 557647

Perhaps the finest walk and scramble in Britain!  It involves scrambling (i.e. use of hands and feet) and follows the very narrow Crib Goch ridge, from which a slip will probably be fatal.  It is not for the inexperienced or those who suffer from vertigo.   Although it can be done in either direction Crib Goch is usually taken at the beginning.  Start from Pen-y-pass car park (557647).

Set off from the top right-hand corner, following the Pyg Track to Bwlch Goch - the gap which opens the vista of Llyn Llydaw and Lliwedd.  Here turn right beside a fence, just before reaching a twin stile.  A walking section brings you to the foot or the rock.  

There are several different routes up the rock band, this is the most used.  Start leftwards up a groove from the lowest point up.  Optionally, part way up one can move out and up rightwards across the columnar 'organ pipes'.

Either way the difficulties soon ease. Move rightwards to the bottom of a slabby area with a rock wall on your right. The slabby rock can be taken direct, or more easily at its left edge.  100ft. higher the scrambling eases. You have now completed the most difficult section, although the most exposed is still to come.  Follow the ridge upwards - preferably sticking to its crest.  Finally reach the end of Crib Goch.  Many people assume this to be the summit, but in fact the highest point is part way along the ridge.

Follow the crest. The bold (or is it fool-hardy) will walk casually along it without using their hands, the timid will crawl, but most opt to walk just below the crest with their hand upon it. Before reaching Bwlch Goch there are the three pinnacles obvious in silhouette from the valley.  The first two, which are the more difficult, can be easily avoided by the path that runs below them.  The last, just beyond a gully is taken moving slightly right from the bottom of the nick, and is less daunting than it looks.

Beyond this the grassy col at Bwlch Goch marks the end of the Crib Goch ridge (the hardest section of the route), although Crib-y-Ddysgyl is still to come. It is possible to escape downhill to either side from here.  Several more scrambling sections remain before reaching the trig. point on Garnedd Ugain.  At one point an obvious flake of rock split by a crack faces you as you approach.  The purist will ascend this crack with a few strong pulls but an easier ascent can be made my taking a line a little to the left.  Above there are two options, one keeping near to the crest, the other further along the left flank.  Another rock step has a fairly inconspicuous painted arrow pointing upwards.  Follow this, since although going to the left may appear to be the easy option it leads to difficult ground, the scene of several accidents.  From Garnedd Ugain it is only a few minutes downhill to join the Llanberis path, and a few minutes more to the summit of Snowdon.  Although it is possible to take a direct line south-west from the summit it is strongly discouraged, especially at busy times.  The face is loose and any dislodged rocks may injure people on the Watkin Path which crosses below.  Instead follow the south-east ridge for about 250m. to reach a marker stone at the start of a flat area.  This indicates where the Watkin Path turn off the ridge.   Follow it down to Bwlch y saethau. Half a mile further on, at Bwlch y Ciliau the Watkin Path turns downhill.  Continue onwards and upwards to the West summit of Lliwedd.  Again purists will stick to the edge of the cliffs, although a rather tedious path ascends a bit further around to the right. The East summit is just beyond. Continue over Lliwedd Bach, and easily now on grassy paths. Finally, the path drops abruptly off to the left; a steepish rocky section follows, before the path becomes easier – again footpath work is currently in hand on this section and should both ease the descent and reduce the erosion that has occurred here over the years.  This leads path eventually to the Miners track near the end of the causeway.  From here it is an easy stroll back to the car-park.