Snowdon Mountain Paths

By far the most popular activity and reason for visitors to Snowdonia is walking.

Sections of the Llanberis Path are in desperate need of repair following storm damage in recent years. Repairs to drains and culverts will limit long term erosion to the path and protect the work that has already been done.

Currently, each year there are approx. 475,000 walkers on Mount Snowdon itself, with the  total number of visitors welcomed to the mountain reaching a dizzying 600,000…almost twice the population of Iceland going up one mountain! This has more than doubled since 2007 and totals more than the visitors to Ben Nevis, Scafell Pike, Mont Blanc and Everest combined! At the moment, these numbers are increasing by about 10% on average every year…that’s an extra 50-60,000 additional people each year…equivalent to the population of a town the size of Kidderminster, Macclesfield, Wrexham or Royal Tunbridge Wells deciding to enjoy the views…extra..each year…every year…!!

With growing populations, increased tourist awareness and ease of access via improved road networks, trains and buses, it is forecast that numbers of people wanting to use and enjoy the Park will continue to increase at a significant rate.

The challenge is obvious and it needs everyone to act as best they can to help protect and preserve what is everyone’s treasured place.

 

 

Crucial work is already currently carried out by The National Park Authority, The Snowdonia Society and groups of dedicated, skilled and hardworking volunteers to maintain and upkeep the paths and access to the Mountain and Park. However, this is by no means an easy or straightforward task and with the huge increase in numbers over recent years, there is a significant shortfall that needs to be addressed.

The mountain of Snowdon itself, is a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and contains amongst other things, a rare Alpine plant community such as the World famous Snowdon Lily. This means that rocks and stones for repairs cannot be taken from the actual mountain and vehicle access is also restricted… so, local stone needs to be brought to the mountain and lifted to repair sites via helicopter…yup, you read correctly…HELICOPTER!  It then takes teams of skilled workers to repair the paths and drainage correctly to ensure that future erosion is minimised and that the delicate ecosystems are protected.

The cost of keeping the paths and the mountain in the condition that we all currently experience and enjoy is approximately £400,000 per year. A big number but not surprising given that 1 metre of path costs about £100 to repair and that helicopters, fuel and pilots don’t come cheaply.

Crucially, there is currently a £150,000 shortfall per annum, which means that the mountain is under threat. Like with DIY maintenance on your own home, if we are able to keep on top of the regular work that needs to be done, then the effects of erosion and environment damage are likely to be lessened during severe weather conditions.

Snowdonia Giving needs your help to tackle this threat and protect the Mountain.

100% of your donation goes to supporting the projects.