⛰️ Hiking Snowdon – The Highest Mountain in Wales

I’m leading this hike for London Social Hiking and sharing it here so my KoZa Trails crew know when I’m out on the trails in the UK. 😊

👉 Please note: all sign-ups and payments need to be done through London Social Hiking’s Meetup page here:
Hiking Snowdon – The Highest Mountain in Wales

RSVPs on KoZa Trails are just to show interest and don’t secure a spot. Shout if you’ve got any questions—it would be lovely to see some familiar faces! ################# Join our final Snowdon trip of 2026 and climb the highest peak in Wales (1,085m)! We'll be staying at Plas y Brenin, just 10 minutes from Snowdon, with iconic views of the summit right from our living room. It's rarely available to book. As Britain's most prestigious mountain training centre, where instructors qualify, it's an atmospheric and unique place to stay.

Please book early: we need to confirm final numbers with the centre by 9 October. After that, we may not be able to accept new bookings, and anyone joining late may need to arrange their own accommodation.

We’ve created a list of FAQs to help answer your questions.

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Spend a weekend enjoying some of the best mountain scenery Wales has to offer!

Departing London early on Saturday morning, we'll head to Snowdon – the highest mountain in Wales, at 1,085 metres above sea level. Starting from Pen-y-Pass mountain pass, we'll climb via the Pyg Track – one of the most popular and scenic routes to the summit. On the way, we'll enjoy exceptional views of the glacial lakes of Llyn Llydaw and Glaslyn, dramatic cliffs and the surrounding peaks of the Snowdon massif. We'll descend via the Miners' Track, so called because it was originally built to serve the Britannia Copper Mine on the slopes of Snowdon. After an initial steep section, the path becomes an easy, gradual downhill along the shores of the lakes and past the historic mine buildings. After the hike, we'll take a short drive to Plas y Brenin, where we'll check in and enjoy a well-deserved dinner (kitchen open until 8pm, bar until 11pm).

On Sunday, after a hearty Full English breakfast at Plas y Brenin (included), we'll head to the most beautiful valley in Snowdonia National Park – the Ogwen Valley, famous for its towering mountains, crystal-clear lakes and dramatic glacial landscapes. It's one of the best places in Britain to see evidence of tremendous geological events and glacial activity that shaped this landscape, and Charles Darwin came here more than once to study them. We'll do a circular route around Llyn Idwal, a lake cradled in a glacial valley beneath sheer cliffs, then climb up to the Devil's Kitchen (Twll Du), a dark cleft in the headwall, before returning along the shore of Llyn Ogwen. It's a shorter, easier walk than Saturday's, with plenty of options to cut it short for anyone who'd prefer to take it easy. After the hike, we'll drive to the scenic village of Betws-y-Coed for lunch, before heading back to London.

ITINERARY

Saturday:

06:45 Meet outside Hotel Novotel London West, 1 Shortlands, W6 8DR (a five-minute walk from Hammersmith Station)
07:00 Sharp departure
12:30-18:30 Hike to Snowdon via the Pyg and Miners' Tracks (difficulty: Difficult, distance: 12km, ascent: 810m)
18:45 Check-in at Plas y Brenin, dinner and free time (kitchen open until 8pm, bar until 11pm)

Sunday:

07:45 Breakfast (included)
09:00 Departure
09:15-12:30 Ogwen Valley walk via Llyn Idwal, Llyn Ogwen and the Devil's Kitchen (difficulty: Moderate, distance: 8km, ascent: 450m)
13:00-14:30 Lunch and free time to explore souvenir shops in Betws-y-Coed
14:30 Departure
21:00 London, Hammersmith

DIFFICULTY & EQUIPMENT

Please note that this trip requires a good level of fitness. Sturdy hiking boots with ankle support and waterproof clothing are essential.

PRIVATE ROOM

The default option is a shared twin room at the hotel (you'll share your room with somebody from our group of the same gender). A small number of private rooms, for your own use, is available for £30 extra – let us know if you would like an upgrade!

TRANSPORT

As on most of our trips, we'll travel in a comfortable 16-seater minibus.

LUGGAGE

You can bring two small bags with you: one cabin size personal item bag (up to 10kg) and one smaller hiking backpack to fit under the seat. During the hike, you can leave your luggage in the minibus.