Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa)
On Gingerguide's self-guided Cardiff & Snowdonia audio tour, Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa) is a stop worth about ~240 min. Stand in front of it, press play for a short narrated story, and put any follow-up question to the built-in AI guide.
- Type nature
- Suggested visit ~240 min
- Cardiff & Snowdonia Cardiff & Snowdonia guide
About Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa)
The roof of Wales at 1,085 metres, the highest peak south of the Scottish Highlands, climbed on foot or by Britain's only rack-and-pinion mountain railway from Llanberis to a station near the top.
Snowdon, officially Yr Wyddfa, is the highest mountain in Wales at 1,085 metres (3,560 ft), and the highest point in the British Isles south of the Scottish Highlands. It lies within Eryri (Snowdonia) National Park in Gwynedd. Its Welsh name is traditionally understood to mean 'the tumulus' or 'burial mound'; legend says the giant Rhita Gawr lies beneath the summit cairn.
Since 6 April 1896 the Snowdon Mountain Railway, the only public rack-and-pinion mountain railway in the UK, has climbed 4.7 miles from Llanberis to a summit station at 1,065 metres, just below the true top. The Hafod Eryri summit visitor centre opened in 2009. Snowdon is one of the busiest mountains in Britain, with about 543,541 people reaching the summit in 2022. The railway runs seasonally and may terminate below the summit in poor weather.
Did you know? Snowdon's Welsh name, Yr Wyddfa, means roughly 'the burial mound'. Legend says a giant named Rhita Gawr lies buried beneath the stone cairn that marks the very summit.
How much time do you need at Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa)?
Around ~240 min works well for Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa) — time to look properly and listen to its story on the spot. Linger if you like; nothing on a self-guided walk is on a clock.
Should you stop at Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa)?
Yes — Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa) made the cut as one of 13 places the Gingerguide team researched and narrated across Cardiff & Snowdonia. The story tells you why it is worth the stop, and the AI guide fills in anything you still wonder.
Nearby stops in Cardiff & Snowdonia
Day 2 of the Cardiff & Snowdonia in 2 days itinerary →
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Hear the story of Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa)
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