Crib Goch and Snowdon. Photo: Steve Cadman CC-BY-SA-2.0
National park bosses have produced an updated range of leaflets detailing routes up Wales’s highest mountain.
Snowdonia National Park Authority has published brand new guides to six footpaths up Snowdon, along with a DVD featuring a flight to the mountain top via Crib Goch.
The leaflets contain information on the Miner’s Track, the Pyg Track, Snowdon Ranger, Llanberis, Rhyd Ddu and Watkin Paths.
They include detailed information on how mountain safety, details on what you are likely to see on the paths together with puzzles, activities for children and the Countryside Code. The leaflets replace the old Snowdon footpaths leaflets published at the end of the 1990s.
The Flight over Snowdon DVD features the flight of Gwydion, the peregrine falcon, over villages, mountains and lakes of Snowdonia.
The 12½-minute-long footage allows the viewer to follow Gwydion as he flies over Crib Goch and Hafod Eryri taking in scenes from some of Snowdonia’s remote places.
The DVD, with a choice of Welsh or English commentary was originally prepared to be shown in the Theatre at the Stables Information Centre in Betws y Coed. But due to a high demand from customers, more copies had to be produced.
Snowdonia National Park Authority’s director of land management Emyr Williams said: “It’s fitting that we can improve visitors’ enjoyment of the area by offering new resources such as these as part of our service to the public.
“The leaflets will be ideal gifts for walkers who are keen to learn more about Snowdonia’s paths, and the DVD will possibly be ideal for those who want to see Snowdonia from the comfort of their own sofa.
“However, should you decide to go out walking over the Christmas period, the conditions on Snowdon itself may be very difficult. Please check the Met Office’s mountain area forecast for the Snowdonia area before setting off or follow @safesnowdonia on Twitter.
“Every time wintery conditions are on the ground, a report from the national park wardens is sent to the Met Office and then tweeted by the account @safesnowdonia.”
The DVD is priced £4.99 and the pack of six Snowdon Paths leaflets are priced £3.00 or 75p each. They can be ordered by phone using a credit card, and for a charge of £1 to include postage, from Betws y Coed Information Centre on 01690 710426.
The Mountain Weather Information Service, which also provides mountain forecasts, said today winds gusting up to 100mph (160kph) were possible on Snowdon tomorrow, with snow leading to whiteout conditions, which would make Crib Goch and Snowdon’s other ridges a dangerous place to be.
Wind speeds are expected to stay high on Friday before abating on Saturday. Wind-chill is likely to be pronounced in temperatures little above freezing at summit levels.
