Pen y Pass — Snowdon Summit Trailhead and Llanberis Pass Viewpoint

Pen y Pass sits at 359m on the A4086 at the top of the Llanberis Pass, wedged between Snowdon’s eastern flanks and the Glyderau. The National Trust car park here is the busiest trailhead in Wales, and on summer weekends it fills by 7am — no exaggeration. The views from the car park alone are worth a stop: down into the Pass, across to Y Garn, and up toward Crib Goch’s jagged east ridge. The Miners’ Track and Pyg Track both depart here, converging near the summit of Yr Wyddfa at 1,085m. Cafe and toilets on site.

Parking costs apply year-round and are enforced. Overflow parking is non-existent — arrive early or use the Sherpa bus from Llanberis or Nant Peris. Road to the pass is narrow but paved and accessible to any vehicle. No camping in the car park. Best tackled on a clear weekday in shoulder season — the crowds in July and August are extraordinary.

Snowdon's busiest ridge starts right here.