Up South Ridge & Down Watkins

Ridges, Scrambles, Burgers & Beers – What More Do You Need?

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🅿️ Parking & Starting Off

We got to the layby just down from Caffi Gwynant around 08:30, and were walking by 08:40.
Plenty of spaces available — likely thanks to the forecasted rain putting most people off. Their loss.

There is a carpark abit further down the road, I believe it is £6 for all day, but the layby does the job, and isfree! Parking rating: 10/10.

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⛰️ The Route: South Ridge Up

We took the unmapped South Ridge route, and let me tell you — this one had it all:

• Scrambles
• Sharp ridges
• Epic views
• And that unmistakable sense of “what have I signed up for?”

Took us just shy of 4 hours to reach the summit, with plenty of breaks on the way.
This route demands a decent level of fitness and a head for heights — but it’s 100% worth the effort.

There were a couple of sketchy sections that made me very glad we weren’t descending this way.

🧗 Difficulty: 8/10 — Not for beginners, but an epic challenge with great rewards.

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🏔️ The Summit: Queue or Brew?

The summit was heaving, with a 30-40 minute wait to touch the trig point.

But here’s the thing:

I’m British, not that British.

So instead, I grabbed a beer and a burger from the café:

• 🍺 Beer: £6 – 7/10 (cold, needed)
• 🍔 Burger: Also £6 – 5/10 (better than a Rustlers, but only just)

Legs rested, morale high.

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⬇️ The Way Down: Watkins Path

We descended via Watkins Path, and I’m not ashamed to say: I was bricking it.
Last year, that final climb up Watkins nearly broke me. So doing it in reverse, while mentally easier, still had me cautious.

To be fair though:

• The initial scramble down was slow but steady
• A few slips, nothing dramatic
• After that, it was a relatively smooth walk

Definitely the right call. The path flattens out nicely, and we coasted back with no major dramas.

🥾 Difficulty: 6.5/10 — A slow and steady descent with a technical start.

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💬 Reflections

Snowdon’s one of those mountains that reminds you to look up every so often.
It’s easy to focus on your boots the whole way, but trust me — you’ll miss some breathtaking views if you don’t take those moments to stop and soak it in.

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⭐ Final Ratings

Aspect	Score
Parking	10/10
South Ridge Route	Difficulty: 8/10 – challenging but rewarding
Watkins Descent	Difficulty: 6.5/10 – steep start, then cruisy
Summit Queue	2/10 – avoidable with beer
Beer	7/10 – cold and perfect timing
Burger	5/10 – edible nostalgia

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I’ll definitely be back — hopefully with better knees and clearer skys.