Snowdon
Encyclopedia
Snowdon is the highest mountain in Wales
, at an altitude of 1085 metres (3,559.7 ft) above sea level, and the highest point in the British Isles
outside Scotland
. It is located in Snowdonia National Park () in Gwynedd
, and has been described as "probably the busiest mountain in Britain". It is designated as a national nature reserve
for its rare flora and fauna.
The rocks that form Snowdon were produced by volcano
es in the Ordovician
period, and the massif has been extensively sculpted by glaciation, forming the pyramidal peak
of Snowdon and the arête
s of Crib Goch
and Y Lliwedd
. The cliff faces on Snowdon, including Clogwyn Du'r Arddu
, are significant for rock climbing
, and the mountain was used by Edmund Hillary
in training for the 1953 ascent of Mount Everest
.
Snowdon boasts some of the best views in Britain, and the summit can be reached by a number of well-known paths, the most demanding of which is the Snowdon Horseshoe. The summit can also be reached on the Snowdon Mountain Railway
, a rack and pinion
railway opened in 1896 which carries passengers the 4.7 miles (7.6 km) from Llanberis
to the summit station. The summit also houses a visitor centre called , built in 2006 to replace one built in the 1930s.
The name Snowdon is from the Old English for "snow hill", while the Welsh name – – means "the tumulus
", which may refer to the cairn thrown over the legendary giant Rhitta Gawr after his defeat by King Arthur
. As well as other figures from Arthurian legend, the mountain is linked to a legendary (water monster) and the (fairies).
quoted a later estimate of 3568 ft (1,087.5 m) above sea level at Caernarfon
. Recent surveys give the height of the summit as 1085 m (3,559.7 ft), making Snowdon the highest mountain in Wales, and the highest point in the British Isles
outside Scotland
. Snowdon is one of three mountains climbed as part of the National Three Peaks Challenge
.
.
In addition to plants that are widespread in Snowdonia, Snowdon is home to some plants rarely found elsewhere in Britain. The most famous of these is the "Snowdon lily", Lloydia serotina
, which is also found in the Alps
and in North America. It was first discovered by Edward Lhuyd
in Wales, and was later named in his honour by R. A. Salisbury
.
era. At that time, most of modern-day Wales was near the edge of Avalonia
, submerged beneath the ancient Iapetus Ocean
. In the Soudleyan stage of the Caradoc age, a volcanic
caldera
formed, and produced ash flows of rhyolitic
tuff
, which formed deposits up to 500 metres (1,640.4 ft) thick. The current summit is near the northern edge of the ancient caldera; the caldera's full extent is unclear, but it extended as far as the summit of Moel Hebog
in the south-west.
Snowdon and its surrounding peaks have been described as "true examples of Alpine topography
". The summits of Snowdon and Garnedd Ugain are surrounded by cwms
, rounded valleys scooped out by glaciation. Erosion by glaciers in adjacent cwms caused the characteristic arête
s of Crib Goch
, Crib y Ddysgl and Y Lliwedd
, and the pyramidal peak
of Snowdon itself. Other glacial landforms that can be seen around Snowdon include roches moutonnées
, glacial erratic
s and moraine
s.
.
of the Snowdon range.
Other lakes include Llyn Du'r Arddu below Clogwyn Du'r Arddu – 1901 feet (579.4 m) high, 5 acres (2 ha), Llyn Teyrn near Pen-y-pass – 1237 feet (377 m) high, 5 acres (2 ha), and several smaller pools.
in the United Kingdom. Clogwyn Du'r Arddu
is often colloquially known as 'Cloggy' among climbers, and was the site of the first recorded climb in Britain, in 1798. It was carried out by two botanists, Reverends Peter Williams and William Bingley, while searching for rare plants. It is now considered to be one of the best cliffs in Britain for rock climbing.
Y Lliwedd
was also explored by early climbers, and was the subject of a 1909 climbing guide, The Climbs on Lliwedd by J. M. A. Thompson and A. W. Andrews, one of the first in Britain.
Snowdon was used by Edmund Hillary
and his group during preparations for their successful 1953 expedition to climb Mount Everest
.
The first recorded ascent of Snowdon was by the botanist Thomas Johnson
in 1639. However, the 18th-century Welsh historian Thomas Pennant
mentions a "triumphal fair upon this our chief of mountains" following Edward I
's conquest of Wales in 1284, which could indicate the possibility of earlier ascents.
Snowdon offers some of the most extensive views in the British Isles. On exceptionally clear days, Ireland
, Scotland
, England
, and the Isle of Man
are all visible, as well as 24 counties, 29 lakes and 17 islands. The view between Snowdon and Merrick
(southern Scotland) is the longest theoretical line of sight in the British Isles at 144 miles (231.7 km).
A number of well-established footpaths lead to Snowdon's summit from all sides, and can be combined in various ways. The circular walk starting and ending at and using the route and the route over is called the Snowdon Horseshoe, and is considered "one of the finest ridge walks in Britain". The routes are arranged here anticlockwise, starting with the path leading from Llanberis. During winter, all these routes become significantly more dangerous and many inexperienced walkers have been killed over the years attempting to climb the mountain via the main paths.
, and is considered the easiest and least interesting route to the summit of Snowdon. It is the route used by the annual Snowdon Race
, with a record time of less than 40 minutes recorded from the start to the summit.
The section of the Llanberis Path beside the railway near the summit has been called the "Killer Convex"; in icy conditions, this convex slope can send unwary walkers over the cliffs of Clogwyn Du'r Arddu. Four people died there in February 2009.
, to the west of the mountain, served by the A4085
and Snowdon Ranger railway station
. This was formerly the Saracen's Head Inn, but was renamed under the ownership of the mountain guide John Morton. It is "probably the oldest path to the summit".
The route begins with zigzag
s through "lush green turf", before reaching a flatter bog
gy area in front of Llyn Ffynnon-y-gwas. The path then climbs to Bwlch Cwm Brwynog, and then snakes along the ridge above Clogwyn Du'r Arddu towards the summit. This path meets the railway, the Llanberis Path, the Crib Goch path, and the combined Pig Track and Miners' Track all within a short distance, just below the summit.
, west of Snowdon, gently up on to Llechog, a broad ridge dropping west from the summit. It is considered one of the easier routes to the summit, with the advantage that the summit is visible from the start, but is one of the least used routes. It climbs at a shallow gradient to Bwlch Main, shortly southwest of the summit, from where it climbs more steeply, meeting up with the Watkin Path at a site marked with a large standing stone a few hundred metres from the summit. An alternative start begins at Pitt's Head
on the A4085 road
.
, a railway owner who had attempted to build a railway tunnel under the English Channel
, and had a summer home in Nant Gwynant
near the start of the path. It was originally designed as a donkey track and opened in 1892.
The start of the Watkin Path has been described as "the prettiest beginning" of the routes up Snowdon. It begins at Bethania on the A498 and climbs initially through old broadleaved woodland. After leaving the woods, the path climbs past the waterfalls of the Afon Llan to the glacial cirque
of Cwm Llan, crossing a disused incline
from an abandoned slate quarry. It then reaches Plas Cwmllan, formerly the home of the quarry manager for the South Snowdon Slate Works beyond, and later used for target practice
by commando
s during the Second World War. Near Plas Cwmllan, is the large boulder known as Gladstone Rock, which bears a plaque commemorating a speech given in 1892 by William Ewart Gladstone
, the then 83-year-old Prime Minister
, on the subject of Justice for Wales. The slate workings in Cwm Llan were opened in 1840, but closed in 1882 due to the expense of transporting the slate to the sea at Porthmadog
. Various buildings, including barracks and dressing sheds, remain.
From the slate quarries, the Watkin Path veers to the north-east to reach Bwlch Ciliau, the col between Snowdon and Y Lliwedd
, which is marked by a large orange-brown cairn
. From here, it heads west to meet the Rhyd Ddu Path at a standing stone shortly below the summit of Snowdon.
Scenes from Carry On... Up the Khyber were filmed on the lower part of the Watkin Path in 1968, with the Watkin Path representing the Khyber Pass
in the film. One of the stars of the film, Angela Douglas
, unveiled a plaque at the precise location where filming took place in 2005 to commemorate the location filming and it forms part of the North Wales Film and Television Trail, run by the Wales Screen Commission.
is more frequently used for descent than ascent, and forms the second half of the Snowdon Horseshoe walk, the ascent being over Crib Goch. It is reached by following the Watkin Path down to Bwlch y Saethau, and then continuing along the ridge to the twin summits of Y Lliwedd. The path then drops down to Cwm Dyli to join the Miners' Track towards Pen-y-Pass.
, at an altitude of around 350 metres (1,148.3 ft), and is the most popular route to the summit of Snowdon. It begins by skirting Llyn Teyrn before climbing slightly to cross the causeway over Llyn Llydaw
. It follows the lake's shoreline before climbing to Glaslyn
, from where it ascends steeply towards Bwlch Glas. It is joined for most of this zigzag ascent by the Pig Track, and on reaching the summit ridge, is united with the Llanberis Path and Snowdon Ranger Path. Derelict mine buildings are encountered along several parts of the path.
. All routes which tackle Crib Goch are considered mountaineering routes or scrambles
.
(SMR) is a narrow gauge rack and pinion
mountain railway
that travels for 4.75 miles (7.6 km) from Llanberis
to the summit of Snowdon. It is the only public rack and pinion railway in the United Kingdom
, and after more than 100 years of operation it remains a popular tourist attraction
. Single carriage trains are pushed up the mountain by either steam locomotive
s or diesel locomotive
s. It has also previously used diesel railcars
as multiple unit
s. The railway was constructed between December 1894, when the first sod was cut by Enid Assheton-Smith (after whom locomotive No.2 was named), and February 1896, at a total cost of £63,800 (£ as of ).
When the Snowdon Mountain Railway
was opened in 1896, a hotel was built at the terminus, near the summit. This was replaced in the 1930s by a restaurant designed by Sir Clough Williams-Ellis
, which later served as a café
and gift shop
. Having become increasingly dilapidated, this building was described by Prince Charles
as "the highest slum in Wales". Its state led to a campaign to replace the building. In April 2006, Snowdonia National Park Authority with the support of the Snowdonia Society
agreed a deal to start work on a new café and visitor centre complex. By mid-October 2006 the old building had been largely demolished.
The new RIBA
Award-winning £8.4 million visitor centre, , designed by Ray Hole Architects
in conjunction with Arup
and built by Carillion, was officially opened on 12 June 2009 by First Minister Rhodri Morgan
. The Welsh National Poet, Gwyn Thomas
, composed a new couplet for the new building, displayed at its entrance and on the windows, which reads " / The summit of Snowdon: Here you are nearer To Heaven"). The name Hafod Eryri was chosen from several hundred put forward after a competition was held by the BBC. is Welsh
for an upland residence, while is the Welsh name for Snowdonia
.
In Welsh folklore, the summit of Snowdon is said to be the tomb
of Rhitta Gawr, a giant
. This is claimed to be the reason for the Welsh
name Yr Wyddfa, literally meaning "the tumulus
". Rhitta Gawr wore a cloak made of men's beards, and was slain by King Arthur
after claiming Arthur's beard. Other sites with Arthurian connections include Bwlch y Saethau, on the ridge between Snowdon and Y Lliwedd, where Arthur himself is said to have died. A cairn, Carnedd Arthur, was erected at the site and was still standing as late as 1850, but no longer exists. According to the folklore, Arthur had Bedivere
throw his sword Excalibur
into Glaslyn
, where Arthur's body was later placed in a boat to be carried away to Afallon. Arthur's men then retreated to a cave on the slopes of Y Lliwedd, where they are said to sleep until such time as they are needed. Merlin
is supposed to have hidden the golden throne of Britain among the cliffs north of Crib y Ddysgl when the Saxons invaded.
Glaslyn was also the final resting place of a water monster, known as an (also the Welsh word for beaver
), which had plagued the people of the Conwy valley. They tempted the monster out of the water with a young girl, before securing it with chains and dragging it to Glaslyn. A large stone known as Maen Du'r Arddu, below Clogwyn Du'r Arddu, is supposed to have magical powers. Like several other sites in Wales, it is said that if two people spend the night there, one will become a great poet while the other will become insane. Llyn Coch in Cwm Clogwyn has been associated with the Tylwyth Teg
(fairies), including a version of the fairy
bride legend.
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
, at an altitude of 1085 metres (3,559.7 ft) above sea level, and the highest point in the British Isles
British Isles
The British Isles are a group of islands off the northwest coast of continental Europe that include the islands of Great Britain and Ireland and over six thousand smaller isles. There are two sovereign states located on the islands: the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and...
outside Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
. It is located in Snowdonia National Park () in Gwynedd
Gwynedd
Gwynedd is a county in north-west Wales, named after the old Kingdom of Gwynedd. Although the second biggest in terms of geographical area, it is also one of the most sparsely populated...
, and has been described as "probably the busiest mountain in Britain". It is designated as a national nature reserve
National Nature Reserve
For details of National nature reserves in the United Kingdom see:*National Nature Reserves in England*National Nature Reserves in Northern Ireland*National Nature Reserves in Scotland*National Nature Reserves in Wales...
for its rare flora and fauna.
The rocks that form Snowdon were produced by volcano
Volcano
2. Bedrock3. Conduit 4. Base5. Sill6. Dike7. Layers of ash emitted by the volcano8. Flank| 9. Layers of lava emitted by the volcano10. Throat11. Parasitic cone12. Lava flow13. Vent14. Crater15...
es in the Ordovician
Ordovician
The Ordovician is a geologic period and system, the second of six of the Paleozoic Era, and covers the time between 488.3±1.7 to 443.7±1.5 million years ago . It follows the Cambrian Period and is followed by the Silurian Period...
period, and the massif has been extensively sculpted by glaciation, forming the pyramidal peak
Pyramidal peak
A pyramidal peak, or sometimes in its most extreme form called a glacial horn, is a mountaintop that has been modified by the action of ice during glaciation and frost weathering...
of Snowdon and the arête
Arete
Areté is the term meaning "virtue" or "excellence", from Greek ἈρετήArete may also be used:*as a given name of persons or things:**Queen Arete , a character in Homer's Odyssey.***197 Arete, an asteroid....
s of Crib Goch
Crib Goch
Crib Goch is described as a "knife-edged" arête in the Snowdonia National Park in Gwynedd, Wales. The name means red comb in the Welsh language, presumably referring to the serrated ridge and the colour of some of the rocks....
and Y Lliwedd
Y Lliwedd
Y Lliwedd is a mountain, connected to Yr Wyddfa in the Snowdonia National Park, North Wales.Its summit lies 2,946 ft above sea level....
. The cliff faces on Snowdon, including Clogwyn Du'r Arddu
Clogwyn Du'r Arddu
Clogwyn Du'r Arddu, on the north flank of Snowdon, is considered by many to be one of the best climbing cliffs in Britain. It is north-facing and comparatively remote . The name is Welsh and probably means "black cliff of the plough"...
, are significant for rock climbing
Rock climbing
Rock climbing also lightly called 'The Gravity Game', is a sport in which participants climb up, down or across natural rock formations or artificial rock walls. The goal is to reach the summit of a formation or the endpoint of a pre-defined route without falling...
, and the mountain was used by Edmund Hillary
Edmund Hillary
Sir Edmund Percival Hillary, KG, ONZ, KBE , was a New Zealand mountaineer, explorer and philanthropist. On 29 May 1953 at the age of 33, he and Sherpa mountaineer Tenzing Norgay became the first climbers known to have reached the summit of Mount Everest – see Timeline of climbing Mount Everest...
in training for the 1953 ascent of Mount Everest
Mount Everest
Mount Everest is the world's highest mountain, with a peak at above sea level. It is located in the Mahalangur section of the Himalayas. The international boundary runs across the precise summit point...
.
Snowdon boasts some of the best views in Britain, and the summit can be reached by a number of well-known paths, the most demanding of which is the Snowdon Horseshoe. The summit can also be reached on the Snowdon Mountain Railway
Snowdon Mountain Railway
The Snowdon Mountain Railway is a narrow gauge rack and pinion mountain railway in Gwynedd, north-west Wales. It is a tourist railway that travels for from Llanberis to the summit of Snowdon, the highest peak in England and Wales....
, a rack and pinion
Rack and pinion
A rack and pinion is a type of linear actuator that comprises a pair of gears which convert rotational motion into linear motion. A circular gear called "the pinion" engages teeth on a linear "gear" bar called "the rack"; rotational motion applied to the pinion causes the rack to move, thereby...
railway opened in 1896 which carries passengers the 4.7 miles (7.6 km) from Llanberis
Llanberis
Llanberis is a village in Gwynedd, North Wales, lying on the southern banks of Llyn Padarn in Snowdonia. It takes its name from Saint Peris, an early Welsh saint.According to the United Kingdom Census 2001, the population of Llanberis was 1,954...
to the summit station. The summit also houses a visitor centre called , built in 2006 to replace one built in the 1930s.
The name Snowdon is from the Old English for "snow hill", while the Welsh name – – means "the tumulus
Tumulus
A tumulus is a mound of earth and stones raised over a grave or graves. Tumuli are also known as barrows, burial mounds, Hügelgrab or kurgans, and can be found throughout much of the world. A tumulus composed largely or entirely of stones is usually referred to as a cairn...
", which may refer to the cairn thrown over the legendary giant Rhitta Gawr after his defeat by King Arthur
King Arthur
King Arthur is a legendary British leader of the late 5th and early 6th centuries, who, according to Medieval histories and romances, led the defence of Britain against Saxon invaders in the early 6th century. The details of Arthur's story are mainly composed of folklore and literary invention, and...
. As well as other figures from Arthurian legend, the mountain is linked to a legendary (water monster) and the (fairies).
Height
A 1682 survey estimated that the summit of Snowdon was at a height of 3720 feet (1,133.9 m); in 1773, Thomas PennantThomas Pennant
Thomas Pennant was a Welsh naturalist and antiquary.The Pennants were a Welsh gentry family from the parish of Whitford, Flintshire, who had built up a modest estate at Bychton by the seventeenth century...
quoted a later estimate of 3568 ft (1,087.5 m) above sea level at Caernarfon
Caernarfon
Caernarfon is a Royal town, community and port in Gwynedd, Wales, with a population of 9,611. It lies along the A487 road, on the east banks of the Menai Straits, opposite the Isle of Anglesey. The city of Bangor is to the northeast, while Snowdonia fringes Caernarfon to the east and southeast...
. Recent surveys give the height of the summit as 1085 m (3,559.7 ft), making Snowdon the highest mountain in Wales, and the highest point in the British Isles
British Isles
The British Isles are a group of islands off the northwest coast of continental Europe that include the islands of Great Britain and Ireland and over six thousand smaller isles. There are two sovereign states located on the islands: the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and...
outside Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
. Snowdon is one of three mountains climbed as part of the National Three Peaks Challenge
National Three Peaks Challenge
The National Three Peaks Challenge is a mountain-endurance challenge in Great Britain, with a history of over 40 years, in which participants attempt to climb the highest peaks of each of the island's three countries...
.
Environment
The unique environment of Snowdon, particularly its rare plants, have led to its designation as a national nature reserveNational Nature Reserve
For details of National nature reserves in the United Kingdom see:*National Nature Reserves in England*National Nature Reserves in Northern Ireland*National Nature Reserves in Scotland*National Nature Reserves in Wales...
.
Flora
Lloydia serotina
Lloydia serotina is an arctic-alpine flowering plant of the lily family. It is the only member of the genus Lloydia to live outside central and eastern Asia, and is widespread across western North America, from Alaska to New Mexico, and in Europe is found in the Alps and Carpathians, as well as in...
, which is also found in the Alps
Alps
The Alps is one of the great mountain range systems of Europe, stretching from Austria and Slovenia in the east through Italy, Switzerland, Liechtenstein and Germany to France in the west....
and in North America. It was first discovered by Edward Lhuyd
Edward Lhuyd
Edward Lhuyd was a Welsh naturalist, botanist, linguist, geographer and antiquary. He is also known by the Latinized form of his name, Eduardus Luidius....
in Wales, and was later named in his honour by R. A. Salisbury
Richard Anthony Salisbury
Richard Anthony Salisbury FRS was a British botanist. While he is remembered as a valuable worker in horticultural and botanical sciences, several bitter disputes caused him to be ostracised by his contemporaries.-Life:...
.
Geology
The rocks which today make up Snowdon and its neighbouring mountains were formed in the OrdovicianOrdovician
The Ordovician is a geologic period and system, the second of six of the Paleozoic Era, and covers the time between 488.3±1.7 to 443.7±1.5 million years ago . It follows the Cambrian Period and is followed by the Silurian Period...
era. At that time, most of modern-day Wales was near the edge of Avalonia
Avalonia
Avalonia was a microcontinent in the Paleozoic era. Crustal fragments of this former microcontinent underlie south-west Great Britain, and the eastern coast of North America. It is the source of many of the older rocks of Western Europe, Atlantic Canada, and parts of the coastal United States...
, submerged beneath the ancient Iapetus Ocean
Iapetus Ocean
The Iapetus Ocean was an ocean that existed in the Neoproterozoic and Paleozoic eras of the geologic timescale . The Iapetus Ocean was situated in the southern hemisphere, between the paleocontinents of Laurentia, Baltica and Avalonia...
. In the Soudleyan stage of the Caradoc age, a volcanic
Volcano
2. Bedrock3. Conduit 4. Base5. Sill6. Dike7. Layers of ash emitted by the volcano8. Flank| 9. Layers of lava emitted by the volcano10. Throat11. Parasitic cone12. Lava flow13. Vent14. Crater15...
caldera
Caldera
A caldera is a cauldron-like volcanic feature usually formed by the collapse of land following a volcanic eruption, such as the one at Yellowstone National Park in the US. They are sometimes confused with volcanic craters...
formed, and produced ash flows of rhyolitic
Rhyolite
This page is about a volcanic rock. For the ghost town see Rhyolite, Nevada, and for the satellite system, see Rhyolite/Aquacade.Rhyolite is an igneous, volcanic rock, of felsic composition . It may have any texture from glassy to aphanitic to porphyritic...
tuff
Tuff
Tuff is a type of rock consisting of consolidated volcanic ash ejected from vents during a volcanic eruption. Tuff is sometimes called tufa, particularly when used as construction material, although tufa also refers to a quite different rock. Rock that contains greater than 50% tuff is considered...
, which formed deposits up to 500 metres (1,640.4 ft) thick. The current summit is near the northern edge of the ancient caldera; the caldera's full extent is unclear, but it extended as far as the summit of Moel Hebog
Moel Hebog
Moel Hebog is a mountain in Snowdonia, north Wales which dominates the view west from the village of Beddgelert...
in the south-west.
Snowdon and its surrounding peaks have been described as "true examples of Alpine topography
Orography
Orography is the study of the formation and relief of mountains, and can more broadly include hills, and any part of a region's elevated terrain...
". The summits of Snowdon and Garnedd Ugain are surrounded by cwms
Cirque
Cirque may refer to:* Cirque, a geological formation* Makhtesh, an erosional landform found in the Negev desert of Israel and Sinai of Egypt*Cirque , an album by Biosphere* Cirque Corporation, a company that makes touchpads...
, rounded valleys scooped out by glaciation. Erosion by glaciers in adjacent cwms caused the characteristic arête
Arete
Areté is the term meaning "virtue" or "excellence", from Greek ἈρετήArete may also be used:*as a given name of persons or things:**Queen Arete , a character in Homer's Odyssey.***197 Arete, an asteroid....
s of Crib Goch
Crib Goch
Crib Goch is described as a "knife-edged" arête in the Snowdonia National Park in Gwynedd, Wales. The name means red comb in the Welsh language, presumably referring to the serrated ridge and the colour of some of the rocks....
, Crib y Ddysgl and Y Lliwedd
Y Lliwedd
Y Lliwedd is a mountain, connected to Yr Wyddfa in the Snowdonia National Park, North Wales.Its summit lies 2,946 ft above sea level....
, and the pyramidal peak
Pyramidal peak
A pyramidal peak, or sometimes in its most extreme form called a glacial horn, is a mountaintop that has been modified by the action of ice during glaciation and frost weathering...
of Snowdon itself. Other glacial landforms that can be seen around Snowdon include roches moutonnées
Roche moutonnée
In glaciology, a roche moutonnée is a rock formation created by the passing of a glacier. When a glacier erodes down to bedrock, it can form tear-drop shaped hills that taper in the up-ice direction.-Name:...
, glacial erratic
Glacial erratic
A glacial erratic is a piece of rock that differs from the size and type of rock native to the area in which it rests. "Erratics" take their name from the Latin word errare, and are carried by glacial ice, often over distances of hundreds of kilometres...
s and moraine
Moraine
A moraine is any glacially formed accumulation of unconsolidated glacial debris which can occur in currently glaciated and formerly glaciated regions, such as those areas acted upon by a past glacial maximum. This debris may have been plucked off a valley floor as a glacier advanced or it may have...
s.
Climate
The English name "Snowdon" comes from the Old English , meaning "snow hill", as Snowdon often has a covering of snow. Although the amount of snow on Snowdon in winter varies significantly, 55% less snow fell in 2004 than in 1994. The slopes of Snowdon have one of the wettest climates in Great Britain, receiving an annual average of more than 200 inches (508 cm) of precipitationPrecipitation (meteorology)
In meteorology, precipitation In meteorology, precipitation In meteorology, precipitation (also known as one of the classes of hydrometeors, which are atmospheric water phenomena is any product of the condensation of atmospheric water vapor that falls under gravity. The main forms of precipitation...
.
Lakes
A number of lakes are found in the various cwmsCirque
Cirque may refer to:* Cirque, a geological formation* Makhtesh, an erosional landform found in the Negev desert of Israel and Sinai of Egypt*Cirque , an album by Biosphere* Cirque Corporation, a company that makes touchpads...
of the Snowdon range.
- Llyn LlydawLlyn LlydawLlyn Llydaw is a lake in Snowdonia National Park on the flanks of Snowdon, Wales' highest mountain. This long thin lake has formed in a cwm about one-third of the way up the mountain....
– 1430 feet (435.9 m) high, 110 acres (44.5 ha) – lies in Cwm DyliCwm DyliCwm Dyli is the location of a hydro-electric power station on the southern flank of the Snowdon range in North Wales. The station was built in 1905 by the Porthmadog, Beddgelert and South Snowdon Railway company, backed by North Wales Power and Traction Co Ltd to supply electricity to its own...
, Snowdon's eastern cwm, and is one of Snowdonia's deepest lakes, at up to 190 ft (57.9 m) deep. Various explanations of its name have been put forward, including ("ash"), from ashen deposits along the shore, to ("BrittanyBrittanyBrittany is a cultural and administrative region in the north-west of France. Previously a kingdom and then a duchy, Brittany was united to the Kingdom of France in 1532 as a province. Brittany has also been referred to as Less, Lesser or Little Britain...
"). It contains evidence of a crannogCrannogA crannog is typically a partially or entirely artificial island, usually built in lakes, rivers and estuarine waters of Scotland and Ireland. Crannogs were used as dwellings over five millennia from the European Neolithic Period, to as late as the 17th/early 18th century although in Scotland,...
settlement, and was the location of a 10 foot dugout canoe described in the Cambrian Journal in 1862. The lake is significantly coloured by washings from the copper mines nearby, and is used by the Cwm Dyli hydroelectric power station, which opened in 1906. The lake is crossed by a causewayCausewayIn modern usage, a causeway is a road or railway elevated, usually across a broad body of water or wetland.- Etymology :When first used, the word appeared in a form such as “causey way” making clear its derivation from the earlier form “causey”. This word seems to have come from the same source by...
, built in 1853 and raised in the 20th century to prevent the causeway from flooding frequently. - GlaslynGlaslynGlaslyn is a lake in the Snowdonia National Park in Gwynedd, north-west Wales.It is found at approximately above sea level in a cwm on the eastern flanks of Snowdon...
– 1970 feet (600.5 m) high, 18 acres (7.3 ha) – lies higher up Cwm Dyli than Llyn Llydaw. It was originally called , and has a depth of 127 feet (38.7 m). For a long time, it was believed to be bottomless, and is also the location for various myths. - Llyn Ffynnon-y-gwas – 1430 feet (435.9 m) high, 10 acres (4 ha) – lies in Cwm Treweunydd, Snowdon's north-western cwm, and is passed by the Snowdon Ranger path. It was enlarged by damming for use as a reservoir for use by slate quarries, but the level has since been lowered, and the lake's volume reduced to 24000 cubic metres (847,552 cu ft).
Other lakes include Llyn Du'r Arddu below Clogwyn Du'r Arddu – 1901 feet (579.4 m) high, 5 acres (2 ha), Llyn Teyrn near Pen-y-pass – 1237 feet (377 m) high, 5 acres (2 ha), and several smaller pools.
Rock climbing
The Snowdon massif includes a number of spectacular cliffs, and holds an important place in the history of rock climbingRock climbing
Rock climbing also lightly called 'The Gravity Game', is a sport in which participants climb up, down or across natural rock formations or artificial rock walls. The goal is to reach the summit of a formation or the endpoint of a pre-defined route without falling...
in the United Kingdom. Clogwyn Du'r Arddu
Clogwyn Du'r Arddu
Clogwyn Du'r Arddu, on the north flank of Snowdon, is considered by many to be one of the best climbing cliffs in Britain. It is north-facing and comparatively remote . The name is Welsh and probably means "black cliff of the plough"...
is often colloquially known as 'Cloggy' among climbers, and was the site of the first recorded climb in Britain, in 1798. It was carried out by two botanists, Reverends Peter Williams and William Bingley, while searching for rare plants. It is now considered to be one of the best cliffs in Britain for rock climbing.
Y Lliwedd
Y Lliwedd
Y Lliwedd is a mountain, connected to Yr Wyddfa in the Snowdonia National Park, North Wales.Its summit lies 2,946 ft above sea level....
was also explored by early climbers, and was the subject of a 1909 climbing guide, The Climbs on Lliwedd by J. M. A. Thompson and A. W. Andrews, one of the first in Britain.
Snowdon was used by Edmund Hillary
Edmund Hillary
Sir Edmund Percival Hillary, KG, ONZ, KBE , was a New Zealand mountaineer, explorer and philanthropist. On 29 May 1953 at the age of 33, he and Sherpa mountaineer Tenzing Norgay became the first climbers known to have reached the summit of Mount Everest – see Timeline of climbing Mount Everest...
and his group during preparations for their successful 1953 expedition to climb Mount Everest
Mount Everest
Mount Everest is the world's highest mountain, with a peak at above sea level. It is located in the Mahalangur section of the Himalayas. The international boundary runs across the precise summit point...
.
Ascents
Thomas Johnson (botanist)
Thomas Johnson has been called "The Father of British Field Botany" but has been largely neglected, no doubt largely due to the very scanty records of his life which have survived. Such as there are, moreover, in any cases confuse rather than help the biographer, owing to the popularity of the...
in 1639. However, the 18th-century Welsh historian Thomas Pennant
Thomas Pennant
Thomas Pennant was a Welsh naturalist and antiquary.The Pennants were a Welsh gentry family from the parish of Whitford, Flintshire, who had built up a modest estate at Bychton by the seventeenth century...
mentions a "triumphal fair upon this our chief of mountains" following Edward I
Edward I of England
Edward I , also known as Edward Longshanks and the Hammer of the Scots, was King of England from 1272 to 1307. The first son of Henry III, Edward was involved early in the political intrigues of his father's reign, which included an outright rebellion by the English barons...
's conquest of Wales in 1284, which could indicate the possibility of earlier ascents.
Snowdon offers some of the most extensive views in the British Isles. On exceptionally clear days, Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, and the Isle of Man
Isle of Man
The Isle of Man , otherwise known simply as Mann , is a self-governing British Crown Dependency, located in the Irish Sea between the islands of Great Britain and Ireland, within the British Isles. The head of state is Queen Elizabeth II, who holds the title of Lord of Mann. The Lord of Mann is...
are all visible, as well as 24 counties, 29 lakes and 17 islands. The view between Snowdon and Merrick
Merrick, Galloway
Merrick is the highest mountain in the Southern Uplands of southern Scotland and is part of the Range of the Awful Hand.The shortest route of ascent is from the car park in Glen Trool...
(southern Scotland) is the longest theoretical line of sight in the British Isles at 144 miles (231.7 km).
A number of well-established footpaths lead to Snowdon's summit from all sides, and can be combined in various ways. The circular walk starting and ending at and using the route and the route over is called the Snowdon Horseshoe, and is considered "one of the finest ridge walks in Britain". The routes are arranged here anticlockwise, starting with the path leading from Llanberis. During winter, all these routes become significantly more dangerous and many inexperienced walkers have been killed over the years attempting to climb the mountain via the main paths.
Llanberis Path
The Llanberis Path is the longest route to the summit, and has the shallowest gradient. It follows the line of the Snowdon Mountain RailwaySnowdon Mountain Railway
The Snowdon Mountain Railway is a narrow gauge rack and pinion mountain railway in Gwynedd, north-west Wales. It is a tourist railway that travels for from Llanberis to the summit of Snowdon, the highest peak in England and Wales....
, and is considered the easiest and least interesting route to the summit of Snowdon. It is the route used by the annual Snowdon Race
Snowdon Race
The Snowdon Race is a ten-mile endurance running competition in Gwynedd, from Llanberis to the peak of Snowdon. Contestants must make the five miles up the Llanberis Path to the summit and return back down. Currently entrants must be over-18 to compete in either the men's or women's race...
, with a record time of less than 40 minutes recorded from the start to the summit.
The section of the Llanberis Path beside the railway near the summit has been called the "Killer Convex"; in icy conditions, this convex slope can send unwary walkers over the cliffs of Clogwyn Du'r Arddu. Four people died there in February 2009.
Snowdon Ranger Path
The Snowdon Ranger Path begins at the youth hostel beside Llyn CwellynLlyn Cwellyn
Llyn Cwellyn is a reservoir in North Wales which supplies drinking water to parts of Gwynedd and Anglesey. It lies on the Afon Gwyrfai in Nant y Betws between the Snowdon Massif and Mynydd Mawr in the northern part of Snowdonia National Park. It has an area of , and is over deep...
, to the west of the mountain, served by the A4085
A4085 road
The A4085 is a 20-mile road between Caernarfon and Penrhyndeudraeth in North Wales that runs through the scenic Aberglaslyn Pass. There are several locations where the road is of substandard width....
and Snowdon Ranger railway station
Snowdon Ranger railway station
Snowdon Ranger is a station on the narrow gauge Welsh Highland Railway, which was built in 1878 as the North Wales Narrow Gauge Railways Moel Tryfan Undertaking to carry dressed slate to Dinas Junction on the LNWR....
. This was formerly the Saracen's Head Inn, but was renamed under the ownership of the mountain guide John Morton. It is "probably the oldest path to the summit".
The route begins with zigzag
Zigzag
A zigzag is a pattern made up of small corners at variable angles, though constant within the zigzag, tracing a path between two parallel lines; it can be described as both jagged and fairly regular....
s through "lush green turf", before reaching a flatter bog
Bog
A bog, quagmire or mire is a wetland that accumulates acidic peat, a deposit of dead plant material—often mosses or, in Arctic climates, lichens....
gy area in front of Llyn Ffynnon-y-gwas. The path then climbs to Bwlch Cwm Brwynog, and then snakes along the ridge above Clogwyn Du'r Arddu towards the summit. This path meets the railway, the Llanberis Path, the Crib Goch path, and the combined Pig Track and Miners' Track all within a short distance, just below the summit.
Rhyd Ddu Path
The Rhyd Ddu path, also called the Beddgelert Path, leads from the village of Rhyd DduRhyd Ddu
Rhyd Ddu is small village in Snowdonia, North Wales.Rhyd Ddu is well known as a popular starting point for walks up Snowdon , Moel Hebog, Yr Aran and the Nantlle Ridge....
, west of Snowdon, gently up on to Llechog, a broad ridge dropping west from the summit. It is considered one of the easier routes to the summit, with the advantage that the summit is visible from the start, but is one of the least used routes. It climbs at a shallow gradient to Bwlch Main, shortly southwest of the summit, from where it climbs more steeply, meeting up with the Watkin Path at a site marked with a large standing stone a few hundred metres from the summit. An alternative start begins at Pitt's Head
Pitt's Head
Pitt’s Head is a distinctive rock located at grid reference , close to the A4085 road in Gwynedd, Wales. Its distinction lies in a resemblance to the profile of politician William Pitt the Younger.-Geography:...
on the A4085 road
A4085 road
The A4085 is a 20-mile road between Caernarfon and Penrhyndeudraeth in North Wales that runs through the scenic Aberglaslyn Pass. There are several locations where the road is of substandard width....
.
Watkin Path
The Watkin Path is "the most demanding route direct to the summit of Snowdon", since it starts at the lowest elevation of any of the main routes. It was first conceived by Edward WatkinEdward Watkin
Sir Edward William Watkin, 1st Baronet was an English railway chairman and politician.- Biography :Watkin was born in Salford, Lancashire, the son of a wealthy cotton merchant, Absalom Watkin who was noted for his involvement in the Anti-corn Law League.After a private education, he returned to...
, a railway owner who had attempted to build a railway tunnel under the English Channel
English Channel
The English Channel , often referred to simply as the Channel, is an arm of the Atlantic Ocean that separates southern England from northern France, and joins the North Sea to the Atlantic. It is about long and varies in width from at its widest to in the Strait of Dover...
, and had a summer home in Nant Gwynant
Nant Gwynant
Nant Gwynant is a valley in Snowdonia, Gwynedd, north Wales. The A498 road descends into the valley in about two miles from Pen-y-Gwryd; it follows the Nant Cynnyd, the Afon Glaslyn and alongside Llyn Gwynant, then beside the Nant Gwynant river to Llyn Dinas and passing below Dinas Emrys to...
near the start of the path. It was originally designed as a donkey track and opened in 1892.
The start of the Watkin Path has been described as "the prettiest beginning" of the routes up Snowdon. It begins at Bethania on the A498 and climbs initially through old broadleaved woodland. After leaving the woods, the path climbs past the waterfalls of the Afon Llan to the glacial cirque
Cirque
Cirque may refer to:* Cirque, a geological formation* Makhtesh, an erosional landform found in the Negev desert of Israel and Sinai of Egypt*Cirque , an album by Biosphere* Cirque Corporation, a company that makes touchpads...
of Cwm Llan, crossing a disused incline
Inclined plane
The inclined plane is one of the original six simple machines; as the name suggests, it is a flat surface whose endpoints are at different heights. By moving an object up an inclined plane rather than completely vertical, the amount of force required is reduced, at the expense of increasing the...
from an abandoned slate quarry. It then reaches Plas Cwmllan, formerly the home of the quarry manager for the South Snowdon Slate Works beyond, and later used for target practice
Target practice
Target practice refers to any exercise in which projectiles are fired at a specified target, usually to improve the aim of the person or persons firing the weapon....
by commando
Commando
In English, the term commando means a specific kind of individual soldier or military unit. In contemporary usage, commando usually means elite light infantry and/or special operations forces units, specializing in amphibious landings, parachuting, rappelling and similar techniques, to conduct and...
s during the Second World War. Near Plas Cwmllan, is the large boulder known as Gladstone Rock, which bears a plaque commemorating a speech given in 1892 by William Ewart Gladstone
William Ewart Gladstone
William Ewart Gladstone FRS FSS was a British Liberal statesman. In a career lasting over sixty years, he served as Prime Minister four separate times , more than any other person. Gladstone was also Britain's oldest Prime Minister, 84 years old when he resigned for the last time...
, the then 83-year-old Prime Minister
Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the Head of Her Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom. The Prime Minister and Cabinet are collectively accountable for their policies and actions to the Sovereign, to Parliament, to their political party and...
, on the subject of Justice for Wales. The slate workings in Cwm Llan were opened in 1840, but closed in 1882 due to the expense of transporting the slate to the sea at Porthmadog
Porthmadog
Porthmadog , known locally as "Port", and historically rendered into English as Portmadoc, is a small coastal town and community in the Eifionydd area of Gwynedd, in Wales. Prior to the Local Government Act 1972 it was in the administrative county of Caernarfonshire. The town lies east of...
. Various buildings, including barracks and dressing sheds, remain.
From the slate quarries, the Watkin Path veers to the north-east to reach Bwlch Ciliau, the col between Snowdon and Y Lliwedd
Y Lliwedd
Y Lliwedd is a mountain, connected to Yr Wyddfa in the Snowdonia National Park, North Wales.Its summit lies 2,946 ft above sea level....
, which is marked by a large orange-brown cairn
Cairn
Cairn is a term used mainly in the English-speaking world for a man-made pile of stones. It comes from the or . Cairns are found all over the world in uplands, on moorland, on mountaintops, near waterways and on sea cliffs, and also in barren desert and tundra areas...
. From here, it heads west to meet the Rhyd Ddu Path at a standing stone shortly below the summit of Snowdon.
Scenes from Carry On... Up the Khyber were filmed on the lower part of the Watkin Path in 1968, with the Watkin Path representing the Khyber Pass
Khyber Pass
The Khyber Pass, is a mountain pass linking Pakistan and Afghanistan.The Pass was an integral part of the ancient Silk Road. It is mentioned in the Bible as the "Pesh Habor," and it is one of the oldest known passes in the world....
in the film. One of the stars of the film, Angela Douglas
Angela Douglas
Angela Douglas , born Angela McDonagh, is an English actress.-Early life:She was born in Gerrards Cross, Buckinghamshire...
, unveiled a plaque at the precise location where filming took place in 2005 to commemorate the location filming and it forms part of the North Wales Film and Television Trail, run by the Wales Screen Commission.
Over
The route over Y LliweddY Lliwedd
Y Lliwedd is a mountain, connected to Yr Wyddfa in the Snowdonia National Park, North Wales.Its summit lies 2,946 ft above sea level....
is more frequently used for descent than ascent, and forms the second half of the Snowdon Horseshoe walk, the ascent being over Crib Goch. It is reached by following the Watkin Path down to Bwlch y Saethau, and then continuing along the ridge to the twin summits of Y Lliwedd. The path then drops down to Cwm Dyli to join the Miners' Track towards Pen-y-Pass.
Miners' Track
The Miners' Track begins at the car park at Pen-y-PassPen-y-Pass
Pen-y-Pass is a mountain pass in Snowdonia, Gwynedd, north-west Wales. It is a popular location from which to walk up Snowdon, as three of the popular routes can be started here...
, at an altitude of around 350 metres (1,148.3 ft), and is the most popular route to the summit of Snowdon. It begins by skirting Llyn Teyrn before climbing slightly to cross the causeway over Llyn Llydaw
Llyn Llydaw
Llyn Llydaw is a lake in Snowdonia National Park on the flanks of Snowdon, Wales' highest mountain. This long thin lake has formed in a cwm about one-third of the way up the mountain....
. It follows the lake's shoreline before climbing to Glaslyn
Glaslyn
Glaslyn is a lake in the Snowdonia National Park in Gwynedd, north-west Wales.It is found at approximately above sea level in a cwm on the eastern flanks of Snowdon...
, from where it ascends steeply towards Bwlch Glas. It is joined for most of this zigzag ascent by the Pig Track, and on reaching the summit ridge, is united with the Llanberis Path and Snowdon Ranger Path. Derelict mine buildings are encountered along several parts of the path.
Pig Track
The "Pig Track", or "Pyg Track" (both spellings may be encountered), also leads from Pen-y-Pass. The track climbs over Bwlch y Moch on the eastern flanks of Crib Goch, before traversing that ridge's lower slopes. Above Glaslyn, it is joined by the Miners' Track for the zigzag climb to Bwlch Glas between Snowdon and Garnedd Ugain. Regarding its name, the website of the Snowdonia National Park Authority states:Crib Goch route
The traverse of is "one of the finest ridge walks in Britain", and forms part of the well-known Snowdon Horseshoe, a circuit of the peaks surrounding Cwm Dyli. The path follows the Pig Track before separating off from it at and leading up the side of Crib GochCrib Goch
Crib Goch is described as a "knife-edged" arête in the Snowdonia National Park in Gwynedd, Wales. The name means red comb in the Welsh language, presumably referring to the serrated ridge and the colour of some of the rocks....
. All routes which tackle Crib Goch are considered mountaineering routes or scrambles
Scrambling
Scrambling is a method of ascending rocky faces and ridges. It is an ambiguous term that lies somewhere between hillwalking and rock climbing. It is often distinguished from hillwalking by defining a scramble as a route where hands must be used in the ascent...
.
Snowdon Mountain Railway
The Snowdon Mountain RailwaySnowdon Mountain Railway
The Snowdon Mountain Railway is a narrow gauge rack and pinion mountain railway in Gwynedd, north-west Wales. It is a tourist railway that travels for from Llanberis to the summit of Snowdon, the highest peak in England and Wales....
(SMR) is a narrow gauge rack and pinion
Rack railway
A rack-and-pinion railway is a railway with a toothed rack rail, usually between the running rails. The trains are fitted with one or more cog wheels or pinions that mesh with this rack rail...
mountain railway
Mountain railway
A mountain railway is a railway that ascends and descends a mountain slope that has a steep grade. Such railways can use a number of different technologies to overcome the steepness of the grade...
that travels for 4.75 miles (7.6 km) from Llanberis
Llanberis
Llanberis is a village in Gwynedd, North Wales, lying on the southern banks of Llyn Padarn in Snowdonia. It takes its name from Saint Peris, an early Welsh saint.According to the United Kingdom Census 2001, the population of Llanberis was 1,954...
to the summit of Snowdon. It is the only public rack and pinion railway in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, and after more than 100 years of operation it remains a popular tourist attraction
Tourist attraction
A tourist attraction is a place of interest where tourists visit, typically for its inherent or exhibited cultural value, historical significance, natural or built beauty, or amusement opportunities....
. Single carriage trains are pushed up the mountain by either steam locomotive
Steam locomotive
A steam locomotive is a railway locomotive that produces its power through a steam engine. These locomotives are fueled by burning some combustible material, usually coal, wood or oil, to produce steam in a boiler, which drives the steam engine...
s or diesel locomotive
Diesel locomotive
A diesel locomotive is a type of railroad locomotive in which the prime mover is a diesel engine, a reciprocating engine operating on the Diesel cycle as invented by Dr. Rudolf Diesel...
s. It has also previously used diesel railcars
Railcar
A railcar, in British English and Australian English, is a self-propelled railway vehicle designed to transport passengers. The term "railcar" is usually used in reference to a train consisting of a single coach , with a driver's cab at one or both ends. Some railways, e.g., the Great Western...
as multiple unit
Multiple unit
The term multiple unit or MU is used to describe a self-propelled carriages capable of coupling with other units of the same or similar type and still being controlled from one driving cab. The term is commonly used to denote passenger trainsets consisting of more than one carriage...
s. The railway was constructed between December 1894, when the first sod was cut by Enid Assheton-Smith (after whom locomotive No.2 was named), and February 1896, at a total cost of £63,800 (£ as of ).
Summit buildings
The first building on the summit of Snowdon was erected in 1838 to sell refreshments, and a licence to sell intoxicating liquor was granted in 1845.When the Snowdon Mountain Railway
Snowdon Mountain Railway
The Snowdon Mountain Railway is a narrow gauge rack and pinion mountain railway in Gwynedd, north-west Wales. It is a tourist railway that travels for from Llanberis to the summit of Snowdon, the highest peak in England and Wales....
was opened in 1896, a hotel was built at the terminus, near the summit. This was replaced in the 1930s by a restaurant designed by Sir Clough Williams-Ellis
Clough Williams-Ellis
Sir Bertram Clough Williams-Ellis, CBE, MC was an English-born Welsh architect known chiefly as creator of the Italianate village of Portmeirion in North Wales.-Origins, education and early career:...
, which later served as a café
Café
A café , also spelled cafe, in most countries refers to an establishment which focuses on serving coffee, like an American coffeehouse. In the United States, it may refer to an informal restaurant, offering a range of hot meals and made-to-order sandwiches...
and gift shop
Gift shop
A gift shop is a store primarily selling souvenirs relating to a particular topic or theme. The items sold often include coffee mugs, stuffed animals, t-shirts, postcards, handmade collections and other souvenirs....
. Having become increasingly dilapidated, this building was described by Prince Charles
Charles, Prince of Wales
Prince Charles, Prince of Wales is the heir apparent and eldest son of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. Since 1958 his major title has been His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales. In Scotland he is additionally known as The Duke of Rothesay...
as "the highest slum in Wales". Its state led to a campaign to replace the building. In April 2006, Snowdonia National Park Authority with the support of the Snowdonia Society
Snowdonia Society
The Snowdonia Society is a members based environmental charity. Formed in 1967, it is concerned with all aspects of the Snowdonia National Park. Members take part in practical activities to improve the environment and engage in campaigns to prevent inappropriate development in the area...
agreed a deal to start work on a new café and visitor centre complex. By mid-October 2006 the old building had been largely demolished.
The new RIBA
Royal Institute of British Architects
The Royal Institute of British Architects is a professional body for architects primarily in the United Kingdom, but also internationally.-History:...
Award-winning £8.4 million visitor centre, , designed by Ray Hole Architects
Ray Hole Architects
Ray Hole Architects is an English architectural practice, based in Croydon, specialising in cultural and leisure-based projects.Their work includes the VW and Bentley Pavilions at Autostadt ; Ripley's Believe It or Not! Museum at the London Pavilion, Piccadilly Circus; Hafod Eryri, the new £8.4M...
in conjunction with Arup
Arup
Arup is a global professional services firm headquartered in London, United Kingdom which provides engineering, design, planning, project management and consulting services for all aspects of the built environment. The firm is present in Africa, the Americas, Australasia, East Asia, Europe and the...
and built by Carillion, was officially opened on 12 June 2009 by First Minister Rhodri Morgan
Rhodri Morgan
Hywel Rhodri Morgan is a Welsh Labour politician who, as First Secretary for Wales, and subsequently First Minister, was leader of the Welsh Assembly Government from 2000 to 2009. A former leader of Welsh Labour, he was the Assembly Member for Cardiff West from 1999 to 2011...
. The Welsh National Poet, Gwyn Thomas
Gwyn Thomas (poet)
Professor Gwyn Thomas , is a Welsh poet, academic and a former National Poet for Wales.Raised in Tanygrisiau and Blaenau Ffestiniog, Thomas was educated at Ysgol Sir Ffestiniog, University of Wales, Bangor and Jesus College, Oxford; Prof Thomas is presently Emeritus Professor of Welsh at the...
, composed a new couplet for the new building, displayed at its entrance and on the windows, which reads " / The summit of Snowdon: Here you are nearer To Heaven"). The name Hafod Eryri was chosen from several hundred put forward after a competition was held by the BBC. is Welsh
Welsh language
Welsh is a member of the Brythonic branch of the Celtic languages spoken natively in Wales, by some along the Welsh border in England, and in Y Wladfa...
for an upland residence, while is the Welsh name for Snowdonia
Snowdonia
Snowdonia is a region in north Wales and a national park of in area. It was the first to be designated of the three National Parks in Wales, in 1951.-Name and extent:...
.
Folklore
Tomb
A tomb is a repository for the remains of the dead. It is generally any structurally enclosed interment space or burial chamber, of varying sizes...
of Rhitta Gawr, a giant
Giants (Welsh folklore)
Giants or cewri feature prominently in Welsh folklore and mythology. Among the most notable are Bendigeidfran fab Llyr, a mythological king of Britain during the Second Branch of the Mabinogi, Idris Gawr of Cader Idris, and Ysbaddaden Bencawr, the chief antagonist of the early Arthurian tale How...
. This is claimed to be the reason for the Welsh
Welsh language
Welsh is a member of the Brythonic branch of the Celtic languages spoken natively in Wales, by some along the Welsh border in England, and in Y Wladfa...
name Yr Wyddfa, literally meaning "the tumulus
Tumulus
A tumulus is a mound of earth and stones raised over a grave or graves. Tumuli are also known as barrows, burial mounds, Hügelgrab or kurgans, and can be found throughout much of the world. A tumulus composed largely or entirely of stones is usually referred to as a cairn...
". Rhitta Gawr wore a cloak made of men's beards, and was slain by King Arthur
King Arthur
King Arthur is a legendary British leader of the late 5th and early 6th centuries, who, according to Medieval histories and romances, led the defence of Britain against Saxon invaders in the early 6th century. The details of Arthur's story are mainly composed of folklore and literary invention, and...
after claiming Arthur's beard. Other sites with Arthurian connections include Bwlch y Saethau, on the ridge between Snowdon and Y Lliwedd, where Arthur himself is said to have died. A cairn, Carnedd Arthur, was erected at the site and was still standing as late as 1850, but no longer exists. According to the folklore, Arthur had Bedivere
Bedivere
In Arthurian legend, Sir Bedivere is the Knight of the Round Table who returns Excalibur to the Lady of the Lake. He serves as King Arthur's marshal and is frequently associated with Sir Kay...
throw his sword Excalibur
Excalibur
Excalibur is the legendary sword of King Arthur, sometimes attributed with magical powers or associated with the rightful sovereignty of Great Britain. Sometimes Excalibur and the Sword in the Stone are said to be the same weapon, but in most versions they are considered separate. The sword was...
into Glaslyn
Glaslyn
Glaslyn is a lake in the Snowdonia National Park in Gwynedd, north-west Wales.It is found at approximately above sea level in a cwm on the eastern flanks of Snowdon...
, where Arthur's body was later placed in a boat to be carried away to Afallon. Arthur's men then retreated to a cave on the slopes of Y Lliwedd, where they are said to sleep until such time as they are needed. Merlin
Merlin
Merlin is a legendary figure best known as the wizard featured in the Arthurian legend. The standard depiction of the character first appears in Geoffrey of Monmouth's Historia Regum Britanniae, written c. 1136, and is based on an amalgamation of previous historical and legendary figures...
is supposed to have hidden the golden throne of Britain among the cliffs north of Crib y Ddysgl when the Saxons invaded.
Glaslyn was also the final resting place of a water monster, known as an (also the Welsh word for beaver
Beaver
The beaver is a primarily nocturnal, large, semi-aquatic rodent. Castor includes two extant species, North American Beaver and Eurasian Beaver . Beavers are known for building dams, canals, and lodges . They are the second-largest rodent in the world...
), which had plagued the people of the Conwy valley. They tempted the monster out of the water with a young girl, before securing it with chains and dragging it to Glaslyn. A large stone known as Maen Du'r Arddu, below Clogwyn Du'r Arddu, is supposed to have magical powers. Like several other sites in Wales, it is said that if two people spend the night there, one will become a great poet while the other will become insane. Llyn Coch in Cwm Clogwyn has been associated with the Tylwyth Teg
Tylwyth teg
The Tylwyth Teg is the common term in Wales for fairies. A synonym, Bendith y Mamau, means "Blessing of the Mothers". Until the early 19th century it was commonly believed that the Tylwyth Teg, described as ethereal, beautiful and fair-haired, dwelt in a number of places in Wales as genii loci...
(fairies), including a version of the fairy
Fairy
A fairy is a type of mythical being or legendary creature, a form of spirit, often described as metaphysical, supernatural or preternatural.Fairies resemble various beings of other mythologies, though even folklore that uses the term...
bride legend.
External links
- Webcams from the Snowdon Weather Stations Project
- Walking Routes up Snowdon
- Mountain and Local Guide Snowdon.com
- Computer-generated virtual panoramas from Snowdon1: north; south
- Free printable contour map of Snowdon and the routes up download map
