Choose the campsite by the path you want to walk first.
Nant Gwynant suits the Watkin Path, and Llanberis suits the Llanberis Path. Rhyd Ddu and Betws Garmon serve the western paths, and Ogwen is the base for Tryfan.
The campsites side by side
Only Llyn Gwynant and Camping in Llanberis say you can reach a Snowdon path directly from camp.
- Llyn Gwynant Campsite, Nantgwynant: the Watkin Path. Mostly tents, small vans in bays, no caravans.
- Camping in Llanberis, Llanberis: the Llanberis Path. No hardstanding pitches, no caravans.
- Snowdon Base Camp, Rhyd Ddu: at the foot of Snowdon. Tents, and campervan bays in a small car park.
- Bryn Gloch, Betws Garmon: the Snowdon Rangers path. Pitches from non-electric to fully serviced.
- Beddgelert Campsite, Beddgelert: the railway and the bus change. Hard standing pitches for hook-up.
- Gwern Gof Uchaf, Capel Curig: Tryfan. Campervans on a walk-in basis only.
- Gwern Gof Isaf, Capel Curig: the Ogwen valley. Tents and campervans.
How the buses reach the path starts
Take the Sherpa’r Wyddfa bus to reach the Yr Wyddfa area.
The bus routes tie to the path starts like this:
- Llanberis Path: a 10-minute walk from the Llanberis interchange bus stop.
- Miners’ and Pyg tracks: both start from Pen y Pass, which the S1, S2 and S5 reach from Llanberis.
- Watkin Path: starts at Nant Gwynant. The S4 to Pont Bethania is listed for it, with a change at Beddgelert from Caernarfon.
- Rhyd Ddu Path: starts from the village of Rhyd Ddu. The S3 stops at Rhyd Ddu station.
- Snowdon Ranger: starts from the shores of Llyn Cwellyn. The S3 stops at Snowdon Ranger YHA.
Parking at Nant Gwynant is the pinch point. The car park there is often full by 7:30am.
Nant Gwynant, for the Watkin Path
The Watkin Path is 3.5 km by road from the campsite, or a 50-minute walk on the other side of the lake.
Llyn Gwynant Campsite lies on the shores of Llyn Gwynant in the Nantgwynant valley. It says three of the main routes up Yr Wyddfa can be accessed directly from the campsite.
The Watkin Path is reached from one end of the lake.
Pen y Pass, where the Miners’, Pyg and Crib Goch routes start, is around 1¼ hours on foot.
The campsite says driving to the nearest routes is faster than walking, and public car parks must now be pre-booked. Rhyd Ddu is 7.8 km away, easiest by car.
The S4 may no longer stop at the entrance, because it is often full when it passes. It can no longer be relied on to stop.
Camping is mostly for tents on grass, with small vans in bays. Caravans and trailer tents are not accepted, and bookings are required for all campers.
Llanberis, for the Llanberis Path
An easy 20 minute walk from camp reaches a quarter of the way up Snowdon on the Llanberis Path.
Camping in Llanberis is a back to basics campsite on a working farm at Llwyn Celyn Bach, with a coin operated hot shower block. It calls itself the closest campsite to the Llanberis Path.
The Snowdon Ranger path can also be reached directly from camp, without finding a car park. Pen y Pass is easy to reach by Sherpa bus, with a 10 minute walk to the Llanberis bus stop.
The site has no hardstanding or electric pitches, and caravans are not permitted. It takes online bookings only, and always accepts walk-ins unless the website shows no availability.
Rhyd Ddu and Betws Garmon, for the western paths
The Snowdon Base Camp entrance is about ½ mile from the Cwellyn Arms, a 15 minute walk on the road.
Snowdon Base Camp is the Cwellyn Arms’ campsite at Rhyd Ddu. It overlooks Cwellyn lake and sits at the foot of Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa).
The Rhyd Ddu Path starts from the village. There is no vehicle access to the camping fields, and campervan bays are in a small car park next to the first field.
Bryn Gloch Caravan & Camping Park is in Betws Garmon, on the banks of the River Gwyrfai at the base of Snowdon. It names the Snowdon Rangers path, with convenient access.
It offers pitches from non-electric to fully serviced, plus static caravans and shepherd huts. The Snowdon Ranger starts at the shores of Llyn Cwellyn.
Beddgelert, for the railway and the bus change
The Meillionen stop on the Ffestiniog & Welsh Highland Railway is a short walk from your pitch.
Beddgelert Campsite is part of Forest Holidays. It sits a few minutes from the village and within easy reach of Snowdon.
Buses change at Beddgelert, where the S4 runs to Pont Bethania and the S3 to Snowdon Ranger YHA and Rhyd Ddu station.
Electrical hook-up comes with the hard standing pitches only. There is also a motorhome service point for water and chemical disposal.
Ogwen, for Tryfan and Cwm Idwal
Pen-y-Pass is only 8.5 miles from Gwern Gof Uchaf, 14 minutes by car.
Two campsites share the Gwern Gof name at Capel Curig. Gwern Gof Uchaf says it is beautifully situated at the foot of Tryfan peak, at the head of Llyn Ogwen.
Its page calls the valley a great base for the Carneddau and Glyderau ranges, and home to Cwm Idwal.
The campsite warns about Tryfan directly. Whichever route you take, you have to use your hands to reach the top.
Gwern Gof Uchaf is a simple, no-frills campsite with toilets, showers, drinking water and a washing up area. Walk-ins are always welcome.
Gwern Gof Isaf takes bookings for individuals and families, and for outdoor groups with pre-approval, to a maximum of 10 people. It also offers two private bunkhouses.
We compile and explain public route and safety information. We guide nobody and sell nothing on the hill.
Why a verge is not a pitch
The Authority does not allow camping in car parks or on roadside verges, at any time.
Staying overnight in a campervan or caravan at a car park is not permitted in the park either. The best way to camp is at an official campsite.
If a campsite is full, the page on wild camping in Snowdonia explains why a hillside needs the landowner’s permission, and that a verge is never an option.
