A bit about Snowdon

Snowdon is know by the local name Yr Wyddfa. There have been campaigns for the mountain to always be referred to by its Welsh name, but these haven’t yet stuck.

Located in Snowdonia National Park in North Wales, Snowdon is the highest peak in Wales with a summit at 1,085 metres (3,560 ft). There are six hiking trails to the summit and, on a clear day (which I did not have!) there are views of Snowdonia, Anglesey, Pembrokeshire and Ireland.

My grandma was from Anglesey, so North Wales has a place in my heart, not least because in Wales everyone knows how to pronounce my name – something I do not enjoy in any other country!

Where to stay near Snowdon

My friend and I stayed at the Royal Victoria Hotel in Llanberis. We booked the hotel as it was one of very few available at the time, but we were happy with our choice! It’s not the most modern hotel in the world, but it was spacious and comfortable, and the staff were friendly.

My friend and I visited in 2021 and we were concerned about Covid, but we were happy with the cleanliness of this hotel.

This hotel has plenty of parking, so it’s a good choice if you’re driving from elsewhere in the UK. After a long drive from Cambridge, we were happy to have a choice of parking spots.

We ate in the hotel the first night, having forgotten to book anywhere for dinner in town. We were lucky to get a table so I recommend planning ahead and booking a restaurant. The food in the hotel was good, though fairly basic, and the service was good. The breakfast buffet was also good.

For other food options, I recommend Pete’s eats for a filling breakfast before a hike and Spice of Llanberis if you like Indian food (they also do takeaway if you’ve left it too late to book a table!). Neither are at all fancy options for food, just basic hiking fuel.

The Royal Victoria Hotel is a short walk to the main street in Llanberis and close to the Sherpa bus stops.

Which trail to hike Snowdon?

There are six hiking routes to the summit of Snowdon, with varying difficulty. The six are the Llanberis path, the Pyg Track, the Miners’ Track, Watkin Path, Rhyd-Ddu Path and the Snowdon Ranger Path.

You can find detailed information about all six routes here.

For a reasonably experienced and fit mountain hiker, I recommend the climbing to the summit on the Miners’ Track, which starts in Penn y Pass car park and descending on the Pyg Track – which arrives back at Penn y Pass, making a nice loop with decent transport connections.

The climb up the Miners’ Track is a distance of 4 miles and takes 3-4 hours to reach the summit. Descending via the Pyg track is 3.5 miles and takes 2-3 hours to return to the start.

You could, of course, hike this loop the other way around – climing the Pyg Track and descending the Miners’ Track – however the views are arguably better the other way around.

Getting to Snowdon’s hiking trails

If you’re staying in Llanberis, the easiest hiking trail to get to is the Llanberis track, which starts at the far end of Victoria Terrace, Llanberis, off the A4086. You can easily walk to here from any hotel in Llanberis. Experienced hikers, however, will likely find this long, straight route busy and uninspiring (though it’s great for beginners!).

The other trails all have car parks however, particularly in peak season, these will likely be busy very early in the morning. If you’re staying in Llanberis, it’s better to get the Sherpa Bus service to the start of your favoured route. You can find the Snowdon Sherpa Timetable here.

The route I recommend – the Miners’ Track and the Pyg Track – starts and ends at the Penn y Pass Car Park. You can board the Sherpa Bus at multiple stops in Llanberis, and you’ll want the S1, S2, or S5.

It’s worth noting that the busiest Llanberis Sherpa bus stop is in the centre of the town, near the train to the summit. If you walk along a little further to earlier on the bus route, you may find it quieter and you can board the bus before the rush.

If you do prefer to drive, you need to pre-book a space in the Pen y Pass car park. Pre-booking is now available for Pen y Pass Car Park. There is also a Snowdon Sherpa Park and Ride Service which runs from Nant Peris and Llanberis car parks. You can find the timetables on the Gwynedd Council website.

Check the mountain forecast

Before heading up any mountain, make sure you check the mountain forecast for the day. Even if it’s sunny and warm in the town, it can be freezing rain at the summit. Checking the mountain forecast before hiking Snowdon will help you to stay safe, and hopefully avoid foggy views!

Take the right kit

As with any mountain, it is absolutely key to make sure you have all the right clothing, footwear and kit for your hike to the summit of Snowdon. If you’re not sure what to wear or take with you, read my post about Essential Mountain Hiking Kit.

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About the walk from Branscombe to Beer

Predictably, this walk begins in the village of Branscombe and heads to the village of Beer. It’s a circular route, so you can return along a different path when you hike back to Branscombe.

It’s a coastal walk along the headland, and so there are a couple of steeper inclines to get from the beach to the headland and back down. The walk should take about 3 hours, depending on how long you want to stop (for lunch, ice cream, or perhaps a beer in Beer?).

This is a National Trust walk and you can find detailed instructions on the National Trust website.

Setting off from Branscombe

The route begins at the National Trust carpark at Margells Bridge in Branscombe.

The National Trust carpark is very small, however there is another larger carpark right beside it which has an even larger overflow carpark. If you choose to park here, they ask for a voluntary donation which you can pay in cash or via bank transfer. There are toilet facilities here also.

The route is well signposted and takes you through an orchard past some tearooms which, at the time of writing, have been converted into an AirBnB due to Covid. The tearooms are set to re-open in 2022.

Head up through some woodland to get out onto the headland and you’ll soon come to a clearing with pretty views of the village (pictured above). Continuing on, you’ll be met with stunning views of the ocean over Branscombe beach.

Stop for a pasty on Branscombe Beach

We began our hike late in the morning and it was already lunchtime by the time we descended from the headland onto Branscombe beach. Here there is a cafe where you can buy a proper meal.

If you’re in the market for something cheaper and don’t mind sitting on the beach, I can recommend grabbing a warm pasty (veggie or beef) and a soft drink from the shop next door. Yum. Pasties are a delicious must eat for this part of the UK.

We went down to the beach and sat on the rocks away from the water. The beach here is small shingle and the water is calm – a good spot for paddle boarding another day.

Once you’ve stocked up on energy, continue the walk back up onto the headland to hike towards Beer.

There is a relatively steep incline, at the top of which you’ll find a signpost with two options of direction to Beer. We chose to take the steep steps up onto the headland. Nothing too challenging, as the distance is short.

Walk over the headland towards Beer

Once up on the headland you’ll be greeted with stunning views of the ocean and cliff faces as you make your way towards Beer. The path is easy to follow and, even on a bright sunny day, there aren’t too many people making the journey.

In the summer, arriving in Beer you’ll meet families returning up the hill from a paddle at the beach. Carry on down to the village and you’ll find cafes, ice cream parlours, and gift shops.

The beach here is larger pebbles and you’ll be glad if you’ve worn hiking boots. Beer beach is a busy spot. You’ll find fishing boats and sunbathers.

Take an alternative route back along the beach

Once you’ve sat on the beach for a while with a refreshing ice cream, it’s time to head back towards Branscombe. Take the alternative path back which runs closer to the ocean.

From here you can really take in the cliffs of the Jurassic Coast. You can almost convince yourself that a dino will be just around the next corner.

You’ll come across a small path down to the ocean which comes out on a quiet stretch of Branscombe beach, well away from the bustle of the cafe area. After walking for some way, we took the opportunity to remove our boots and have a quiet paddle in the calm of the ocean.

When your feet are refreshed, head back along the pebble beach towards the cafe, and back up towards the woodland walk back to the carpark.

Where to stay near Branscombe and Beer

We stayed nearby at the Woodbury Park Hotel & Golf Course. Staying on a golf course wouldn’t usually be my style, but with so many people holidaying in the UK this year the options were scarce.

We were very pleasantly surprised by our stay and would recommend the hotel. It’s well located for a short drive to outdoor activities, had a good restaurant for breakfast.

The rooms were clean and spacious and we couldn’t complain.

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What is the Three Peaks in 24 Hours Challenge?

This challenge requires you to climb the tallest mountains in Scotland, England and Wales, including travelling between the three countries, within one 24 hour period.

The three mountains included in the challenge are Ben Nevis in Scotland, Scafell Pike in England, and Snowdon in Wales.

To complete the challenge within the timeframe, you must hike up and back down each mountain much faster than would be typically recommended. It’s not one for the faint-hearted.

Options for Taking the Challenge

There are a few options for undertaking this challenge. Easiest, is to join an organised tour group. Most challenging, to organise it yourself.

Joining an organised trip

Pros:

• Nobody has to drive
• The timings are organised for you
• Professional guides

Cons:

• You’re tied to certain timings
• You may get turned back if you can’t keep up with the group
• More expensive per person

Self-organising your trip

Pros:

• Freedom to schedule as you like
• No pressure to keep pace
• Cheaper per person

Cons:

• Somebody has to drive, and you will be exhausted. You could hire a driver.
• You’ll need to organise your own guides
• You’ll need to work out your own timings and stops

Hiking Ben Nevis

Mountain height: 1345m

Typical hiking time: 7-9 hours

Target time: 5 hours

Ben Nevis is the tallest mountain in the Three Peaks in 24 Hours challenge, with the summit at 1345m. The majority of people taking on the challenge complete Ben Nevis first, before travelling on to Scafell Pike.

Having met at 8am, we set off up Ben Nevis around 9am. The hour gap? Waiting for people to buy the correct kit that they were missing (an organised trip will not let you begin without boots with ankle support, a head torch, and gloves) from a rather expensive shop.

Check out my Three Peaks Kit List to make sure you have everything you need.

To complete the challenge on time, you need to summit Ben Nevis and return to the start within 5 hours. I didn’t know this before we set off, and wasn’t aware that the trip leaders would turn back any that wouldn’t make it within the time.

My Experience of Ben Nevis

I was squarely in the middle of our group of 15, keeping pace with my friend and one other girl. There were a group racing forward, and a group much slower behind.

Towards the top, the three of us were asked to stop and wait for the slow group and the guide bringing up the rear. We waited a full ten minutes for them to catch up, whilst we were only 2 minutes behind the faster group.

45 minutes from the summit, we were told the slow group wouldn’t make it and we would all need to turn back in 20 minutes. We were devastated. Against the rules of the trip, we pressed on and did reach the summit in time, but it was rather traumatic to be told we would fail on the first mountain!

Desperate for a wee (there are only toilets at the bottom, and nowhere to sneak off trail on the way), I practically ran back down and made it in 4 hours 45 minutes.

We were provided with a small piece of cake and a tea or coffee at the bottom, but there was no opportunity to buy anything more substantial until a service station at 7pm on the way to Scafell Pike.

Hiking Scafell Pike

Mountain height: 978m

Typical hiking time: 5-6 hours

Target time: 4 hours

The shortest mountain of the three, hiking Scafell Pike from Wasdale Head is a short, sharp shock. It’s very steep, and a pretty quick way up to the summit.

As part of the Three Peaks in 24 Hours challenge, you’ll be hiking this one in the dark, in the middle of the night – so a good head torch is essential.

It was foggy the night of my hike, but it did clear on the way down and the stars were beautiful.

My Experience of Scafell Pike

We began to climb Scafell Pike at 10pm, so it was already dark. The start of the route we took was very steep. Determined not to be left behind a second time, my friend and I kept pace with the faster group.

We kept up, but a couple of girls who were a few minutes behind were already turned back by the guides – only 30 minutes in. The guides explained that we could not split the group as it was dark, and foggy, and easy to lose the path. Again, they were devastated.

Hiking a mountain in the dark was a great experience, and one I hadn’t had before. My Black Diamond headtorch did a great job, despite the fog, and it was great to sometimes feel alone on the winding path (though really the rest of my group were never more than a few metres away).

We made it to the top just about in time, but for a second time were almost turned back before the summit.

My knees began to be very painful toward the top, and became worse as soon as I began the descent. I spent the 1.5 hour trip down the mountain hobbling, putting my left leg first and catching up with my right. My Black Diamond Distance FLZ hiking poles were a godsend.

When I reached the (shallow) river crossing, I couldn’t face hopping over small rocks and just walked right through the water.

Despite the pain, I still loved the experience and would like to hike in the dark again. My mountain time was 3 hrs 53 minutes, so again, within time.

We were provided with a small bowl of porridge/oatmeal at the bottom and a cup of tea or coffee, and again, no chance to purchase anything extra.

Hiking Snowdon

Mountain height: 1085m

Typical hiking time: 5-7 hours

Target time: 4 hours

My Experience of Snowdon

Sadly, as my knees were so painful, I was unable to even begin Snowdon. After 5 hours on the bus to Wales, I wasn’t able to step off the minibus without almost crying.

My friend stayed with me also, as she had felt dizzy descending Scafell Pike – probably due to lack of substantial meals. It was also absolutely chucking it down with rain, which may or may not have influenced her decision!

So. We went out for breakfast instead. If you ever find yourself in a situation where you are around Snowdon early in the morning and are definitely not going up the mountain, I can thoroughly recommend Pete’s Eats for a big fat fry-up and a pint (yes, literally a pint) of coffee.

Best decision we ever made.

Training for the Three Peaks in 24 Hours Challenge

When I signed up for the Three Peaks in 24 Hours Challenge I was at my peak fitness. I was cycling an hour a day Monday to Friday (30 mins to work and back), walking at least 45 minutes at lunchtime, and climbing three times a week.

By the time I took the challenge, I was not at my peak fitness. 6 months of lockdown, working from home, and climbing more than once a week becoming prohibitively expensive took their toll.

I wish I had thought that through and postponed the trip until next year.

But I didn’t. So I took on the Three Peaks in 24 hours challenge with no training. Which wasn’t the smartest idea I ever had. In fact, I’m still paying for it with a dodgy knee!

Was it worth it?

So, after all that, was hiking the Three Peaks in 24 hours challenge worth doing? Honestly… no. Which is really a shame as it’s something I had wanted to do for a long time.

Yes, with more training I would have managed all three mountains and I would have got a better sense of satisfaction. I would have liked to have had the certificate.

But I would have been exhausted and, more importantly, I still wouldn’t have had enough food for the amount of energy expended. I really don’t think that is at all safe, or healthy.

The bottom line? I’ve discovered that I am a One Peak in 24 Hours kind of hiker! I like to look around me, take in the views, chat to my fellow hikers. And I don’t like my knees to be in a huge amount of pain!

BUT, others in my group really did enjoy it and would thoroughly recommend it. If you do decide to take on the challenge, make sure you pack these things to make the Three Peaks Challenge easier!

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