UKH

We are in Wales at the start of March and fancied a family walk up Snowden (weather/conditions permitting). I have just tried to book a parking spot at Pen y Pass and it is not available to pre book!

So, what chance do we have of getting a parking spot and what time do we need to arrive?

Limited to none to be honest. The bus from Llanberis with ample parking is the way to go. It's cheap and regular. That way you go up the pyg track and down the Llanberis path to make a nice day out if it. 

Cost of parking in Llanberis plus the bus will be about the same as pen y pass but you'll find a spot no bother in the main car park opposite the bus stop.

Alternative, park down the bottom on the non Llanberis side and there's a new(ish) path up the pass so you don't need to walk on the road.  Some is Pay and Display for about £5, some is free.

I'd suggest the Rhyd Ddu path if family are up for something a bit longer, easier parking, quieter, nice hut at the bottom (I am a member of the club which owns it) and the bit just before you meet the S ridge is ace. Tempted to do it again this weekend in fact!

Following - also interested as going the last weekend before Easter. Have no idea how early it fills (obviously early, but are we talking 10, 8, 7...?) and it looks like the bus only goes every two hours (?) so not particularly useful. Recovering from an injury so looking for the shortest ascent and not Rhyd Ddu this time. Ta.

I’ve been there at 4am and it’s been full. Honestly it’s not worth the bother either park somewhere else as already suggested or walk somewhere else.

The issue with the bus are the timings.

If you want to start before 8 or after 6 then you're out of luck.

And they could descend down the South Ridge to make a circuit of it.

......and if you arrive at Pen y Pass before 8 and the car parks full, you're out of luck. 

So whatever you do you're out of luck.

I've been looking at this recently as I want to do the Welsh 3000's (maybe in May). Tried it with a group a couple of years ago, (intentionally over two days as we were of mixed fitness) and we decided to sack the second day off as the two drivers felt that they wouldn't be able to drive back to London after a full day in the hills.

So next trip I'm thinking we come by train, but the buses are putting a bit of a spanner in the works. Best plan I have so far is to get to Pen Y Pass on Friday afternoon and bivvy on Snowdon. 

If anybody has a good source of historic summit temperatures that would be useful. My searches came up short.

If you're trying to do a point to point route like that from a distance you'll certainly need some luck. Shame you can't make your trip longer so you are more in control.

By luck do you mean weather? It's a group of colleagues so time off will be limited. Plan is to decide early in the week based on the forecast hopefully putting the odds in our favour.

If people need to bail at Ogwen Valley or Nant Perys then they can.

Get as much done on the Saturday, to limit the very long walk down to Llanfairfechan. Think the cut-off is 3pm to reach the train station.

Do it North to South and get a taxi back to your car. That's what I did. Parking was really easy at the north end and you finish late on Yr Wyddfa when the crowds are gone and you don't have to join the queue for the top. This way you can also do the classics like Tryfan North Ridge.

Plan is to come by train so I won't have a car.

I got there just after 5am 2 years ago and we got the 2nd to last space, and a car came in behind me and got the last space. 

Assuming a family walk means a weekend in adequate weather and not starting at 6am....you are sadly v likely to waste time driving up to Pen y Pass to find it full.

If you can't make the buses work, you could park at Pen y Gwryd on the Capel Curig side and walk up to PyP, about 45 mins up and 30 mins down on decent path. Never failed to get a space there fwiw.

With a proper fit and keen driver, you could dump or collect the family at PyP and just the driver does the extra bit. (Have to admit that would have been a recipe for complete chaos with my family, but yours may be different!)

Just be careful parking on the A498. If your tyres are on tarmac, even an inch you may get a yellow sticker on your car.

I think that was the reason a friend of mine got a ticket parking there.

Cheers Spenser, will have a think, like the idea of a circuit with the South Ridge (not a fan of an “out and back”).

South Ridge fine for an 8 and 10 yo? (Fit and used to walking)

The south ridge is excellent, I think the circuit is one of my favourite walks south of the Scottish border (you know my tastes are rather tilted toward Scotland)!

Good to know, thanks. Shame - will avoid though! 

There is a short easy scrambly section with minimal exposure low down on the South Ridge, but I would be happy to take a fit 8 year old up it.

You can find an account and photos of the Rhyd Ddu/South Ridge walk that we did a few years ago here - https://wildaboutwalking.wordpress.com/wales/snowdon-from-rhyd-ddu/

I found a walk report on Walk Highlands that may be of interest to you too

https://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/Forum/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=33217

There is also a route card on this site that may be of interest, although it involves some unpleasant road walking at the end. This could be avoided by treating your kids to a short ride on the Welsh Highland Railway - at the start of the walk to avoid timing worries at the end of the day.

https://www.ukhillwalking.com/logbook/r/?i=275

Regarding children on mountains - I have taken my children up mountains when they were a similar age, but only in settled weather, as children are more susceptible to hypothermia, and under close supervision on steeper ground.

There is also a route card on this site that may be of interest, although it involves some unpleasant road walking at the end. This could be avoided by treating your kids to a short ride on the Welsh Highland Railway - at the start of the walk to avoid timing worries at the end of the day.

https://www.ukhillwalking.com/logbook/r/?i=275

Regarding children on mountains - I have taken my children up mountains when they were a similar age, but only in settled weather, as children are more susceptible to hypothermia, and under close supervision on steeper ground.

Which is the better circuit? Up the Soith Ridge and down the Rhyd Dhu (scrambling on the way up more fun?) or vice versa in your opinion?

Pretty happy with kids on the mountain. They were fine on Goatfell (via the North Ridge) this summer and will only go up on a good forecast with plenty of “reserves” in the sac (jackets, food, hot chocolate and the family favourite, the 4 man bothy bag!).

Def up the south ridge and down Rhydd dhu. 

I think that I would go up the South Ridge first if I were to do this walk again.

Have you tried a different mountain in the area? Siabod is a lovely family mountain, with a little bit of easy scrambling too.

Cnicht is also a good one… quieter too

Park at the Cromlech, and start walking up the road in two's with your thumb out. You'll be up there in 20 minutes.  

We have been up lots of mountains in Snowdonia, but the family are keen, at some point, to walk up Yr Wyddfa.

Don’t walk up the road.

Take the way marked path from Pont Cromlech up to Pen Y Pass. Much nicer and a lot safer.

Not much use for thumbing a lift though, is it.

Best of luck with your plans. I would suggest that if you do miss the last bus back to the station (Bangor?) then a taxi ride would be only 25 mins from the Pass, less from Llanberis. Plentey of 7 seater cabs in the Llanberis fleet, often waiting at PyP plying their traid. I believe it'd genuinely cheaper for a group of 5-7 to get a cab up the pass than the bus... 

Not ideal and a sad indictment of the public transport network but worth considering if it makes your plans viable. 

Many thanks.

The plan is to finish in Llanfairfechan and get the train from there. Should be a 2.5hr walk from Foel-fras provided everyone is in good health.

Taxi's may be required if we bail i the Ogwen valley at silly o'clock.

I’d do Snowdon instead.  Not as well know these days, and just as good.

I was suggesting more due to the time of year, rather than the hill itself. It gets so busy during holidays, and the experience is less enjoyable imo. I guess it depends why you’re doing it. 
 

For me it’s solitude, or as near to as possible… and for kids to experience that too. Yr Wyddfa just doesn’t offer that unless you time it right.