The Watkin Path

The Watkin Path is the most demanding of the main Snowdon routes — the longest ascent, the greatest vertical gain, and the most spectacular scenery. Starting in the valley of Nantgwynant, it climbs through ancient oak woodland, past the most historically resonant landmark on any Snowdon path, into the high cwm of Cwm Llan, and up the South Ridge to the summit. It is not a route for beginners, but for experienced hillwalkers it is the most rewarding approach of all.

Gladstone Rock and the Path's Origins

The Watkin Path takes its name from Sir Edward Watkin, a Victorian railway magnate who owned the Nantgwynant estate and had the path constructed in the 1890s. The path was officially opened on 13 September 1892 by William Ewart Gladstone — the Liberal Prime Minister — who was then 83 years old. Gladstone addressed a crowd of thousands from a large flat rock that still bears his name, Gladstone Rock (SH 619 511), on the lower part of the path. He spoke in Welsh and English about the rights of small nations — an oblique reference to Welsh Home Rule.

The ceremonial opening of a mountain path by a sitting Prime Minister is extraordinary by any measure. The Watkin Path was the first mountain path in Britain to be dedicated to the public as a right of way. Gladstone Rock is marked on OS maps and easily identified as a large flat-topped boulder beside the path.

Route Description

Begin at the NRW car park in Nantgwynant (the Snowdon Sherpa S97 service also serves this starting point). The path heads north through the Nantgwynant valley, immediately entering Hafod y Llan — an ancient oak woodland managed by the National Trust, one of the last substantial areas of native Atlantic oak wood in Eryri. The trees are hung with lichen; damp, mossy, and atmospheric even in summer.

Gladstone Rock is reached after about 1km. The path continues past impressive waterfalls — Cwm Llan waterfall is particularly fine — before emerging above the treeline into the open cwm. The ruins of Plas Cwm Llan, a slate quarrying settlement, appear in the middle of the cwm — roofless buildings slowly returning to the hillside.

The path climbs steadily through Cwm Llan, with the cliffs of Yr Wyddfa's south face towering ahead. The gradient increases sharply as the path makes for the South Ridge — the narrow spine connecting the false summit of Bwlch Main to the true summit. The final section involves steep, loose ground with some scrambling — significantly more demanding than the routes from Pen-y-Pass, and requiring care in descent.

From the South Ridge, the summit is close. The views south and west from the ridge — across the Glaslyn valley to the Moelwynion and beyond — are spectacular, and completely different from the views available from the northern and eastern routes.

What to Expect

The Watkin Path is quieter than the northern routes — the Nantgwynant car park is smaller, the approach less convenient, and the route's reputation for difficulty keeps many away. This is a recommendation in disguise: the Watkin Path offers the most varied and beautiful ascent of Yr Wyddfa, with woodland, waterfall, industrial archaeology, and serious mountain terrain all in one route.

The descent by the same path is strenuous on the knees and ankles — the loose upper section is harder going down than up. An alternative for confident navigators is to descend via the South Ridge to Bwlch Cwm Llan and then take the Rhyd Ddu Path west to Rhyd Ddu village (served by the Welsh Highland Railway and Sherpa buses), making a one-way traverse of the mountain.

Key Practical Point

The Nantgwynant car park is small and fills early on summer weekends. The Snowdon Sherpa S97 runs from Caernarfon via Beddgelert to Nantgwynant — using it avoids the parking problem entirely and allows a linear walk from Nantgwynant to Pen-y-Pass (descending Pyg or Miners' Track) or in reverse.