⛰️ Hiking Snowdon – The Highest Mountain in Wales

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Explore Britain’s most stunning trails in a small group of up to 14, travelling together by private minibus to beautiful, remote locations not easily reached by public transport.

On this trip, we're going to stay in the UNESCO World Heritage town of Caernarfon – only a short walk from one of the most famous castles in Wales!

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

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The Snowdonia National Park boasts vast areas of natural beauty and unique scenery. It is also known as “Eryri”, a Welsh name that can be translated as “the place of the eagles”. Covering 838 square miles, it is the largest and oldest national park in Wales. There are nine mountain ranges here and they cover over half of the national park’s surface.

Departing from London early on Saturday morning, we'll head to Snowdon – the tallest mountain in Wales, at an elevation of 1085 metres above sea level. Starting from Pen-y-Pass mountain pass, we'll climb Snowdon via the Pyg Track, which offers one of the most popular and scenic routes to the summit. On our way, we'll enjoy exceptional views of the beautiful glacial lakes of Llyn Llydaw and Glaslyn, dramatic cliffs and the surrounding peaks of the Snowdon Massif mountain range. The descent is via the Miners' Track. It's so called as it was originally built to serve the Britannia Copper Mine on the slopes of Snowdon. After an initial steep descent, we'll follow an easy and gradual downhill path along the shores of beautiful lakes, past the historic mine buildings. After the hike, we’ll travel to the medieval, UNESCO World Heritage town of Caernarfon to check in to our hotel, enjoy dinner and relax.

On Sunday, we'll visit the hidden gem – the Aber Valley on the north coast, with its spectacular cascade of waterfalls. The Aber Falls tumble down 40 metres from the Carneddau mountain range, and have earned the title of the most “Instagrammable” 📸 waterfall in the UK. We'll follow the North Wales Path along the scenic hillsides and enjoy superb views of the coastline and Lafan Sands. After the hike, we'll take a short drive back to Caernarfon, where you'll have time for lunch and also to visit the superb UNESCO-listed Caernarfon Castle. This large royal fortress was built on the orders of King Edward I of England during his conquest of Wales in the late 13th century, and is recognised around the world as one of the best-preserved examples of medieval military architecture.

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
13:30-19:00 Hike to Snowdon via the Pyg and and Miners' Tracks (difficulty: Difficult, distance: 12km, ascent: 810m)
19:30 Check-in at Premier Inn Caernarfon Hotel, dinner and free time

Sunday:

07:00 Breakfast
08:00 Departure
08:30­-12:00 Hike to the Aber Falls (difficulty: Easy, distance: 11km, ascent: 320m)
12:30-14:45 Lunch in Caernarfon, free time to visit the medieval UNESCO-listed Caernarfon Castle and explore souvenir shops
14:45 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 £35 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.

BOOKING

To keep ticket prices down and avoid PayPal/Meetup fees (£20 extra per ticket), we kindly ask for payment by bank transfer. Please include your Meetup name and the trip as the payment reference (e.g. John Snowdon). As places are limited, we can hold your place for 24 hours.

Business Account Name: London Social Hiking Limited
Sort Code: 20-17-20
Account Number: 63116514

We'll let you know by changing your status to “Paid” as soon as the payment is cleared. You can check your status next to your name in the attendees list of the event. You don’t need a paid Meetup subscription to do this – just close any pop-up windows and continue.

THE PRICE OF £278 INCLUDES

• Transport throughout the trip
• Experienced, professional PSV minibus driver
• Guiding on all hiking routes by an experienced and qualified Mountain Leader
• One night's accommodation at a hotel in shared twin rooms (you'll share your room with somebody from our group of the same gender)
• Professional event organisation
• Group first aid kit with qualified first aiders
• Admin fee
• 20% VAT

THE PRICE DOES NOT INCLUDE

• Personal insurance (for cancellation, accident, health, emergency evacuation and loss, theft of or damage to baggage and personal effects, and personal trekking insurance)
• Food

HOW TO CONTACT US

For all enquiries, please PM Anna (the main organiser) via Meetup. Alternatively, you can email us at info@lshiking.co.uk We'll usually get back to you within 4 hours.

Your guide will be Milena (07869815577, only for use during the hike). Please get in touch if you have any difficulty locating the meeting point or need help during the trip.

WHAT TO BRING

• Suitable hiking shoes with ankle support
• Waterproof and windproof jacket and trousers (if there is a chance of rain)
• Gloves/hat/cap
• Water bottle (min 1L)
• Nuts and energy snacks to last you during the trip
• Walking poles (optional)

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REFUND POLICY

You can check our refund policy here.