Snowdon Massif

The Snowdon Massif is one of the three mountain groups in Snowdonia, north Wales to include mountains over 3000 feet (914 m) high. It occupies the area between Beddgelert, Pen-y-Pass and Llanberis. It is surrounded by the Glyders to the north-east, Moel Siabod to the east, the Moelwynion to the south, Moel Hebog, the Nantlle Ridge and Mynydd Mawr to the west, and by flatter land leading down to Caernarfon and the Menai Strait to the north-west.

The Snowdon Horseshoe is the name given to the semi-circular ring of ridges and peaks on Snowdon's eastern side, i.e. facing down Dyffryn Mymbyr towards Capel Curig. The peaks in the Horseshoe are those of Y Lliwedd, Snowdon, Garnedd Ugain and Crib Goch.

Random Facts

 * There is a little island in a tiny lake called Llyn Glas (SH618557) on which two scottish pine trees have been planted for a joke by Bangor University Hiking Club.


 * Pete's Eats in Llanberis is a fantastic cafe which has over 400 maps upstairs for customers to flick through.


 * The original plan for the railway was for it to go up from Llanberis and down to Rhyd Ddu.


 * 400,000 people go to the summit of Snowdon each year, most go by train and the rest go by the pyg track or miners track.


 * Annually 10 people are taken off Crib Goch each year by mountain rescue, two to three come down on a stretcher and about one a year comes down in a bag.

Common Routes:

Snowdon: drop off Pen-y-Pass, pick up Llanberis

Hike 1 – Glyder Fach, Glyder Fawr, Y Garn, Mynydd Perfedd (16km, 1155m of ascent)

Hike 2 – Snowdon via Y Lliwedd (14.3km, 858m of ascent) •	http://www.mapometer.com/walking/route_2881342.html

Hike 3 – Snowdon via the Pyg track (13.1km, 745m of ascent) •	http://www.mapometer.com/walking/route_2881380.html

Hike 4 – Snowdon via the Miners track (14km, 765m of ascent) •	http://www.mapometer.com/walking/route_2881356.html

Hike 5 Scramble – Crib Goch – subject to weather/conditions on ground (12.6km, 810m of ascent) •	http://www.mapometer.com/walking/route_2881385.html