Crib Goch — Snowdon Horseshoe Eastern Ridge Trailhead

Crib Goch is the exposed, grade-1-scramble ridge that kicks off the full Snowdon Horseshoe circuit from Pen-y-Pass car park on the A4086. The ridge is a genuine arête — narrow enough that you straddle it in wind — and it should not be attempted in poor visibility, high winds, ice, or by anyone uncomfortable with real exposure. That said, it’s fully documented, a named classic, and a rite of passage for serious hikers in Snowdonia. The Pen-y-Pass car park serves as the practical trailhead: toilets, YHA hostel, bus connections, and the busiest start point in Wales.

Pen-y-Pass car park fills before 7am on summer weekends — the National Park runs a mandatory pre-booking system during peak season. The Sherpa bus from Llanberis is a legitimate strategy to avoid the car park chaos. Trail surfaces range from maintained gravel path to naked scrambling rock — gaiters and trekking poles are useful lower down, hands are required higher up. Snowdon’s summit sees over 400,000 visitors annually; Crib Goch filters out the crowd considerably.

Wales's most serious public footpath.