Parking
Pont Bethania Car Park, Nant Gwynant (SH 627 507), is reached via the A498. Parking is extremely limited; use the park bus service, which stops at Pont Bethania.
Overview
About Watkin Path
Why go
- Waterfalls, quarry remains and Gladstone Rock break up the climb
- A distinctive Cwm Llan approach to Yr Wyddfa
- A quieter alternative to the busiest summit routes
Heads up
- Extremely steep, loose finish with possible scrambling
- Very limited parking
- Long descent on rough mountain ground
This is not a good first mountain walk. The authority notes that alternative summit routes may suit first time Yr Wyddfa walkers better, and the neighbouring Rhyd Ddu Path is the natural comparison since the two share the final approach. Choose the Watkin Path if you already have hill experience and want the quarry history and Cwm Llan scenery, and accept a long, steep, loose finish in exchange. It is described as not among the busier routes, but it remains demanding throughout.
Parkwolf’s verdictIs this the right Yr Wyddfa route for youMap & elevation
The route
Plan your hike
Before you go
Parking
Safety
The highest, rockiest slopes around here are a summer buffet for grizzly bears.
Eryri Tour Guide
Your drive to Watkin Path, narrated.
Parkwolf is a GPS audio tour guide for Eryri National Park. As you drive, it chimes in with what’s ahead: hidden gems, upcoming stops, history, geology, and wildlife, right through your car’s speakers.
Recorded for this trailhead
Watkin Path from Pont Bethania0:00 / 0:30
“You're approaching the Watkin Path at Pont Bethania, a summit route that begins with waterfalls and old slate workings in Cwm Llan.”
Plays as you drive up to this trailhead in the Parkwolf Eryri Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
- The Crowd at Gladstone Rock
- The Climbers Above Hafod y Llan
- Llyn Dinas by the Glaslyn
- Llyn Gwynant and its lakeside campsite
- 298 audio storiesacross Eryri’s roads, triggered by GPS as you drive
- Wildlife heatmapsfor Grey Heron, Tawny Owl, Common Raven, and 9 more
- Works offlinemaps, 120 trails, 82 places, and audio download before you lose signal
- CarPlay readysimple controls built for the drive
“Fantastic app with many points of information… It’s great to just turn on while you’re driving and it gives you an audio tour of the national Park. We love it!!!!”
Trail guide
Hiking Watkin Path
Route and distanceThere and back again from Pont Bethania Car Park in Nant Gwynant (SH 627 507), climbing through…
There and back again from Pont Bethania Car Park in Nant Gwynant (SH 627 507), climbing through Cwm Llan to the summit of Yr Wyddfa (Snowdon) and returning by the same line. The official figures are 13 km / 8 miles total for the round trip, not one way, with 1,015 m / 3,330 ft of ascent and about 6 hours of walking.
The sequenceThe payoff is a rare mix of waterfalls, quarry archaeology, the wide bowl of Cwm Llan, long…
The payoff is a rare mix of waterfalls, quarry archaeology, the wide bowl of Cwm Llan, long mountain views and the summit itself.
- Follow the road left from the car park, cross the bridge and the A498, then take the signed stone steps by Hafod y Llan and go through the gates into woodland.
- Emerge into open Cwm Llan past waterfalls, the Clogwyn Brith quarry remains, the crushing mill and the ruins of Plas Cwm Llan.
- Pass Gladstone Rock and its plaque, then the old South Yr Wyddfa Slate Quarry workings.
- Cross Bwlch Ciliau and Bwlch y Saethau before the final steep climb to a standing stone about 200 m below the summit, where the path joins the Rhyd Ddu Path for the last pull to the top.
Difficulty, footing and exposureGraded Hard / Strenuous, and the national park authority describes it as particularly…
Graded Hard / Strenuous, and the national park authority describes it as particularly challenging. Lower sections are woodland, streamside and open valley paths that walk easily. The upper route is rough rocky mountain terrain and scree, and the final section below the Rhyd Ddu junction is extremely steep and loose underfoot with possible scrambling. There is real exposure and the consequences of a wrong line are serious. Full hill walking gear is essential, and winter conditions may call for specialist equipment.
NavigationNavigation skills are essential, and a recommended local Explorer map for the area should be…
Navigation skills are essential, and a recommended local Explorer map for the area should be carried and used. The key detail to remember is that the Watkin Path does not drop directly from the summit: on descent you must follow the signed junction near the standing stone carefully to regain the Cwm Llan side rather than continuing down the Rhyd Ddu Path.
HistoryThe path opened in 1892 and was one of the first footpaths in Britain created purely for…
The path opened in 1892 and was one of the first footpaths in Britain created purely for recreation. Gladstone Rock commemorates that opening. The slate quarry remains, the crushing mill and the ruined Plas Cwm Llan give the valley a strong industrial past that is visible for much of the climb.
AccessParking at Pont Bethania is extremely limited, so plan your transport before you travel.
Parking at Pont Bethania is extremely limited, so plan your transport before you travel. The park authority asks visitors to use the park bus service, which stops at Pont Bethania. No route specific dog policy is published for this path, so anyone considering bringing a dog should check the current access signs and park guidance before setting out.
Wildlife
Wildlife in Eryri
77 sightingsGrey HeronMost seen around 7 AMSighting map
17 sightingsTawny OwlMost seen around 6 AMSighting map
32 sightingsCommon RavenMost seen around 8 AMSighting map
21 sightingsGreat Spotted WoodpeckerMost seen around 7 AMSighting map
18 sightingsEuropean RabbitMost seen around 7 AMSighting map
161 sightingsViviparous LizardMost seen around 10 AMSighting mapSighting maps show where each species has been reported across Eryri. Wildlife moves, so no sighting is guaranteed.
