Heading up to Snowdonia in the miserable rain this weekend. Ridden the the usual Llanberis and Rangers loop before, thinking about having a blind stab in the dark at the Watkins path, can’t find anything about riding it, looks **** steep and loose at the top!

Anyone given it a go?

I think Watkins is unridable at top, in fact impossible to carry bike down ?

i did watkins on foot a couple of years back. top section you wont ride down.
go pro + footage here if you try it tho

Yeah, doesn’t look easy. Not looked at it in person, only via google, will probably end up having a look down first as it’s on the way to Rhyd Ddu.

It’s a footpath too.

i’ve walked 3/4 the way up and from memory its a lot of steps. clouds dropped onto the summit as we got to Bwlch Ciliau so we didn’t bother climbing any further.

it also finishes a long way from llanberis if that’s where you started from.

The bit down from the top is part of a classic Snowden Horseshoe starting up Miners/Pygg to summit then back down via Watkins and Liwedd before dropping down to the lake.

I will defer to others more familiar with the mountain but it certainly did’t look like a ride to me, very rocky and scree like as you cross below Liwedd

The top bit is steep, loose scree and the path is indistinct to say the least. It’s an accident blackspot and there have been fatalities there.

Top section from Bwlchysaethau to summit ridge is very steep, loose scree. Unrideable and bad enough to walk up/down without having to carry a bike (it’s one of Snowdon’s worst accident black spots). Lots of steps in the middle section. The whole route is a footpath.

Never ridden Snowden but I have walked it a few times – Watkins IIRC isn’t rideable at the top as others have said, also much of the path is steps so wouldn’t be much fun to ride down.

It’s a great walk though, the ridge near the top (Bwlch Ciliau?) is amazing

Pyg is worth a crack. But I didn’t tell you that. And definitely haven’t done it, what with our outdated access laws and all, no way…

Have walked Crib Goch and down Pyg, think there was too many bits I’d have to get off for down there, I like steep and technical but have to be able to ride it!

As to access, they’re all footpaths aren’t they? I’ve read we can ride them until May, and it’s gonna piss it down so the hills should be pretty empty!

As to access, they’re all footpaths aren’t they? I’ve read we can ride them until May, and it’s gonna piss it down so the hills should be pretty empty!

Nope. We can ride the bridleways at any time until May. May-September there’s a voluntary ban on riding the busy ones between 10am and 5pm. The Watkin is a footpath not a bridleway. We don’t have a right to ride the footpaths at any time, and whilst I think cheeky riding is fine in most places, on Snowdon it’s possibly kind of a dick move and definitely not a good idea if it’s busy – and it will be busy this weekend.

Snowdon Voluntary Cycle Agreement info.

I wouldn’t fancy the Watkin Path on a bike…some of that top part is sketchy on foot.

FWIW I think there’s enough ways up and down without giving the authorities and walkers even more reason to get bikes off the mountain by taking on Watkin and the Pyg/Miners.

They’re not all footpaths. Llanberis, Ranger and Rhyd Ddu paths are bridleways, which is why it’s a voluntary agreement to reduce rider/walker conflict.
Ride the Rhyd Ddu path if you’ve not done it. Super tech and exposed at the top but improves as you drop. Very quiet for walkers too, which will make a big difference on Easter weekend. Also easily linked to Rangers/telegraph/Llanberis for a monster loop.

If you’ve done the Rangers and Llanberis you’ve still got the Rhyd Ddu path to have a crack at, that’s a bridleway and is supposed to be an ok ride in the most part.

only just realised its going to be easter weekend.
snowdon would be the last place i would be going up there, walking or riding

Please find a weekend that is not Easter weekend to ride Snowdon. Regardless of the weather it will be very busy indeed.

There is plenty of great riding in North Wales, save Snowdon for a quieter time.