WOULD taking a train three-quarters of the way down a mountain be wrong when researching a story about one of its trails? My weary legs and I ponder this question while descending Yr Wyddfa (‘Uhr-with-va’, also known as Snowdon), Wales’ highest summit … then detour towards a paused steam locomotive to enquire about the possibility. Rising 1085m above sea level, Yr Wyddfa is Eryri (‘Eh-ruhree’, also known as Snowdonia) National Park’s most popular summit, with more than 600,000 people hiking it each year. Six main routes lead up it; of these, the most frequented is the 14.5km/six hour-return Llanberis Path, the one I’m doing.
The national park’s website warns all routes, including this one, are challenging: prospective climbers should be confident in their fitness, mountaineering skills, equipment, and preparations before setting out. The Llanberis Path does, however, provide a more gradual ascent (of 975m) and is recommended for first-timers who are comfortable with strenuous mountain hikes.
Do the locomotion
I’m staying in Betws-y-Coed, a village within the national park, approximately 27km east
