We’re staying about 5 mike’s from Barmouth and fancy getting up for a nice walk up Snowdon, take in some nice views as the Mrs has never been up. Problem is my ankle still isn’t 100% so anything harsh will aggregate it. Can anyone recommend a close, nice route please? Not bothered too much about reaching the summit, just a nice route up the mountain if anyone’s got any ideas?

Try and park at Penypass (get there very early and you may get a space), or take the bus up, and then do the Miners track. Follow the gravel land rover track to the 2nd lake you will have some fine views and feel like you are properly in the mountains. From there it is pretty easy going now on the improved track all the way up to the col below the summit. And if you get that far it is just a short hop alongside the railway to the summit.

You may find it easy going up but coming down may be more difficult. I’d possibly just go to the halfway house or just beyond. Llanberis path, it’s busier but that’s because it’s the easiest.

https://www.walkupsnowdon.co.uk/routes/the-llanberis-path/

I’ve only ever done the miners track and the lower half of the llanberis path.

The bit round the lake on the miners track is easy, but does that come before or after the steps section? I don’t remember the whole thing being something I’d want to do on a dodgy ankle although I think there were two paths up the steep bit.

Llanberis path is uneven from the middle upwards, but wide and a fairly shallow gradient.

Depends how bad the ankle is, I’m sure any of the routes have the potential to break a good ankle if you stand on a loose rock. So it depends, is it just a bit sore, or actually unstable?

Get the bus to Pen y Pass from Llanberis. Miners up. Train down (I think you can queue for single tickets from the summit station, but you can’t book) or Llanberis Track if your ankle is surviving.

If it’s properly dodgy though, I wouldn’t risk the embarrassment of having to be helped down by MR.

The walk up to the lake from Pen y Pass is easy underfoot. A bit steep but well surfaced. Parking is a nightmare so take the bus from Llanberis.

The steps come after the lake and are a challenge with suspect joints – up or down.

Llanberis path is well graded all the way up. Again, it is steepish in places but is easily walkable. It’s a long way down if you are tired.

Another vote for the bus to Pen y Pass – unless you are will long to get there before 8am the car park has a good chance of being full. Though you can park at Pen y Grwyd at bottom of the hill, and either walk up on the new path (c20 mins to PyP) or get a bus from there (about every 30 mins if I remember)

All the main routes are on Google ‘Streetview’ so you can get a look at the surface, steps, etc. With a bad ankle, I’d prefer a smooth surface to steps, at least on the way down, but your ankle may vary.

Starting from Barmouth, I’d look at the Snowdon Ranger path.

If you’re staying in Barmouth, won’t it be quite a long drive to Snowdown? (Maybe that depends on whether you get stuck behind a caravan or not, and whether you are an awesome driver, I don’t know).

You could go up Cader Idris which must be right on your doorstep?

Actually Cader is really good if you’re not dead set on Snowdon. The pony path is quite straightforward.

Oh and give my regards to the (c)arousal cafe..! And don’t forget to walk or bike across the bridge.

+ 1 for the Snowdon Ranger path. Easy to get to from Barmouth and is a fairly easy walk. Upper/middle section does have a couple of short steppy sections but it isn’t difficult. It’s usually much quieter than the Llanberis path too.