Pyg and Miners Track loop on Yr Wyddfa (Snowdon) from Pen-y-Pass — Trail Running in Eryri (Snowdonia)

Running a loop linking the Pyg Track and Miners Track takes you through some exciting mountain territory with the imposing north faces of Yr Wyddfa (Snowdon) and Y Lliwedd as a near-constant backdrop. The summit of Yr Wyddfa offers spectacular views across Eryri - a perfect spot for spying targets for your next running adventure.

Pen-y-Pass is the highest starting point for a run up Yr Wyddfa and therefore one of the easier and shorter days out on the mountain. It’s still a 7.8-mile (12.5 km) run with around 2,300 feet (701m) of ascent and the potential for some serious mountain weather, so not to be underestimated. Both tracks are well made and clear on the ground, with plenty of good running, but there are some rocky and steep sections so expect some hiking, especially up the zigzags to reach the finger stone on Bwlch Glas. We prefer to run/walk up the rockier Pyg Track and return easily down the Miners Track, where the running is faster with fewer trip hazards. In winter conditions the higher sections of the trail can get very icy and the top is exposed to high winds, making this more of a mountaineering challenge than a run. This route can get busy so it's best done early or late in the day to avoid the crowds.

From Pen-y-Pass, this run follows the Pyg Track, a rocky trail with lots of undulations and steps. This ascends past the stile at Bwlch y Moch and contours below Crib Goch. The Miners Track joins the Pyg Track above Glaslyn, steepening into the final zigzag section to Bwlch Glas. Here, you join the other trails, following the finger stone to the summit of Yr Wyddfa.

The return trip initially follows the same way to the finger stone and down the zigzags to the track junction above Glaslyn. Here it picks up the Miners track down into the valley and along the shore of Glaslyn and then Llyn Llydaw, with an easy run back to Pen-y-Pass to finish.

Pen-y-Pass has a small, expensive and very busy car park; it’s rare to find a place here unless you arrive very early. It’s best to use the Sherpa bus which runs regularly from Llanberis, Bangor and Betws-y-Coed (plus other start points). The other option is to stay at YHA Snowdon Pen-y-Pass with the trails on your doorstep.

For kit, cafes, pubs, accommodation and supplies, Capel Curig, Beddgelert or Llanberis are all close by. There is a café at the start but there aren’t any refreshment stops on this run except for the summit café, which is open seasonally, so take food and drinks with you. It’s always worth carrying emergency kit on a mountain run, including a warm layer, emergency bivi bag, small first aid kit, torch, whistle and compass.