From the classic Snowdon Horseshoe to the lesser-known Nantlle Ridge, here are the best summit-bagging ridge walks in Snowdonia – featuring epic scrambles and maximum adventure
If you’re seeking an unforgettable hiking experience, Snowdonia is a must-visit destination – one of the best across all of Britain. Eryri National Park, to use its official Welsh name, is the largest national park in Wales, stretching over 823 square miles and boasting nine distinct mountain ranges. The centrepiece, of course, is the iconic Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa), Wales’ highest mountain at 1,085m, followed closely by Tryfan – a sharply-spined peak so dramatic it has been labelled the UK’s favourite mountain in several high-profile surveys.
But there is so much more to Eryri National Park than just Snowdon and Tryfan. The Glyders are a majestic world of jumbled rocks; the Carneddau are the largest area above 3,000ft anywhere in Britain south of the Highlands; and the lesser-known ranges of Moel Hebog, Moelwyns and Arenigs offer world-class hillwalking away from the touristy crowds. The options are near-endless.
The best way to experience Eryri’s famous mountains is on a circular ridge walk. There is just something perfect about a high-level, summit-bagging, horseshoe-shaped route. You get high, stay high and, ultimately, enjoy the wonderful sense of completeness of coming full circle. There are some absolute classic horseshoe ridge walks in Snowdonia, including the Snowdon Horseshoe and Glyderau Traverse, as well as several lesser-known ridges including Nantlle and the Rhinogs.
Inov8 ambassador and prolific hiker James Forrest, who is best-known for climbing 1,001 peaks across the UK and Ireland, including all 189 ‘Nuttall’ 2,000ft-er peaks in Wales, suggests his favourites. Here is his round-up of 7 of the Best Horsehose Ridge Walks in Snowdonia.
1. Snowdon Horseshoe – 11.3km, 1,091m ascent
This route is a little bit Marmite-y: will you love or hate it? Some absolutely deplore the Snowdon crowds and see the train, the summit cafe, the car parking chaos and the trig pillar queues as everything that’s wrong with the UK’s mountains. Others see only a world class horseshoe ridge walk with truly captivating scenery. Whichever camp you’re in, there’s no doubting this is a spectacular hike, taking in Wales’ highest peak (Yr Wyddfa) and its most iconic scramble (Crib Goch). To avoid the crowds, go mid-week or off-season, and then you might just have a quieter experience of the Snowdon Horseshoe – a high-level loop of Llyn Llydaw via the grade one Crib Goch saw-tooth arête, Snowdon’s summit and then the Y Lliwedd ridge.
2. Carneddau Traverse – 16.4km, 1,109m ascent
The Carneddau to the north of the A5, on the shores of Llyn Ogwen, are famed as the largest area of land above the magical 3,000ft mark anywhere in Britain south of the Scottish Highlands. Or, in other words, this is serious mountain terrain – high, wild and uncompromising. It’s no surprise, therefore, that this route is one of the toughest ridge walks in Snowdonia, requiring good fitness, competent navigation and a strong mental attitude. The classic Carneddau Traverse route begins with a stiff ascent of Pen yr Ole Wen, before slogging it over the monsters of Carnedd Dafydd and Carnedd Llewelyn (Wales’ fourth and third highest mountains respectively), before descending the shapely arête of Pen yr Helgi Du.
3. Glyderau Traverse – 9.5km, 1,014m ascent
Second in popularity only to Snowdon, the Glyders are an enticing group of mountains wedged between the Llanberis and Nant Ffrancon passes. Named after the twin peaks of Glyder Fach and Glyder Fawr, the range includes six peaks over 3,000ft, the dramatic Tryfan – Britain’s favourite mountain according to readers of Trail magazine – and the much-photographed, impossibly balanced slab known as the Cantilever Stone. It is a world of rock and not much else: giant fields of jumbled boulders, rivers of scree, fissured cliffs and crags, and innumerable wonky turrets, spiky towers and fine summits. There are loads of routes to bag the Glyderau, including iconic scrambles such as Bristly Ridge and Y Gribin. But this route takes on another. Starting at Ogwen, you’ll climb the rough-hewn north ridge of Tryfan (a grade one scramble), before bagging the twins Fach and Fawr and descending by Devil’s Kitchen. #
4. Nantlle Ridge – 12.8km, 842m ascent
The Nantlle Ridge is one of the premier – but lesser-known and seldom-visited - ridge walks in Snowdonia, offering an exhilarating hike that combines stunning summits with a bit of scrambling, all while remaining approachable and not overly technical. Starting in Rhyd-Ddu, the adventure begins with a challenging ascent of Y Garn, followed by the graceful climb of Mynydd Drws-y-coed. If you’re feeling energetic, you can do an optional out-and-back to Garnedd-goch. But we’d suggest simply descending north-west to pick up the Snowdonia Slate Trail back to Rhyd-Ddu.
5. Cnicht – 11km, 628m ascent
Known perhaps somewhat optimistically as the Welsh Matterhorn, Cnicht may be 3,789m shorter than its Swiss namesake, but it more than compensates for its lowly stature with its compelling beauty. This fin-like, triangular peak towers sweepingly over the village of Croesor, asserting its position as the jewel in the crown of the Moelwyns range. It’s not exactly as challenging, rugged or tough as bigger Snowdonia horseshoe walks, but a climb of Cnicht (689m) from Croesor before returning via Cwm Croesor is still a delightful half-day outing.
6. Rhinogydd Traverse – 31.7km, 2,065m ascent
Ok, so it’s not a circular horseshoe ridge walk at all, but this linear, long-distance route is too good not to include in our list. The Rhinogydd Traverse is a two or three-day adventure through a rugged, wild, forgotten mountain range in Wales' wild west. Nestled between the sea and the heart of Eryri National Park, the Rhinogs are a place where you’re more likely to encounter wild goats than other hillwalkers, making it a perfect escape for those seeking solitude. The journey begins at Talsarnau train station, traverses the peaks of Rhinog Fawr, Rhinog Fach, Y Llethr, Crib-y-rhiw, and Diffwys, before concluding in the vibrant seaside town of Barmouth.
7. Cader Idris – 9.8km, 944m ascent
Cadair Idris, or Cader Idris to traditionalists, is a mountain shrouded in myth. It derives its name, meaning ‘Chair of Idris’, from the Welsh legend of a giant who created a mountainous seat for stargazing. It’s a beloved peak, a south Snowdonia icon, and one of Wales’ highest peaks. There are many ways up Cadair Idris – including the Pony Path, Foxes Path, George Climb and Llanfihangel y Pennant Path to name but a few. But one of the best is this route, a classic high-level loop of Llyn Cau via the Minffordd Path, starting at the A487 in Minffordd.
