Snowdon Fact File
Country: Wales
Height: 1085 m (3560 ft)
Location: Snowdonia National Park
First person to reach the summit: Thomas Johnson in 1639.
Other Facts About Mount Snowdon
- Snowdon is the highest mountain in Wales and the highest peak in the British Isles if you exclude the Scottish Highlands.
- The mountain was used by Edmund Hillary when he was training for his Mount Everest expedition.
- The name Snowdon means ‘snow hill’ and snow can often be seen covering parts of the mountain.
- The summit can be reached by a number of well-established paths and this is why Snowdon is the busiest mountain in Britain. The summit can also be reached by the Snowdon Railway Line which opened in 1896.
- Snowdon is famed for its beautiful wildflowers. The rare Snowdon Lily grows on its slopes.
- The views from the summit of Snowdon are spectacular. When the weather conditions are right, it is possible to see England, Scotland, Ireland, and the Isle of Man from Snowdon.
- According to Welsh folklore, the giant, Rhitta Gawr, is buried on the summit of Snowdon. Rhitta Gawr was killed by King Arthur.
- Snowdon, along with Scafell Pike and Ben Nevis, makes up the National Three Peaks Challenge.
- In 2022, the Snowdonia National Park Authority voted that Snowdon would be known by its Welsh name Yr Wyddfa, and Snowdonia would be named Eryri.
- More than 400,000 walkers climb the mountain each year.
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