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3. How Hard is Ben Nevis Compared to Yr Wyddfa?

While Yr Wyddfa (Snowdon) is our home mountain and holds a special place in our hearts, we have spent a significant amount of time walking up and down Ben Nevis, too. The UK’s highest mountain, it is an iconic Scottish landmark and climbing to its summit is something all passionate walkers should experience.

People often ask us which of the two is tougher. Either they have climbed Yr Wyddfa and want to know whether The Ben poses a bigger challenge. Or they have scaled the Scottish giant and want to take on Eryri’s (Snowdonia’s) top mountain adventure. In this article, we try to answer that question with a side-by-side comparison of the two peaks.

Yr Wyddfa and Ben Nevis – the basics

Let’s start with the fundamentals and give you a quick rundown of each mountain. First up, Yr Wyddfa. Located in north Wales, at the heart of the spectacular Eryri National Park, Yr Wyddfa reaches a whopping 1,085 metres above sea level and is both the highest mountain in Wales and the highest point in the British Isles outside of the Scottish Highlands. There are six main routes up the mountain, each of which poses a different challenge.

Ben Nevis – often referred to simply as The Ben – is the highest mountain in Britain, rising to 1,345 metres above sea level. It is located close to Fort William, at the western edge of the Grampian Mountains. The collapsed remains of an ancient volcano, the summit attracts around 130,000 visitors annually (John Muir Trust). While several scrambles and rock climbing routes lead up to the peak, approximately 75% of visitors take the Mountain Path.

Identifying the key differences

To better assess which mountain poses the more strenuous challenges, we need to examine the core differences between the routes.

Ascent – Ben Nevis wins hands down when it comes to elevation gain. It is almost a third longer than Yr Wyddfa, meaning you will spend at least a couple more hours heading up. If you are climbing Ben Nevis from Glen Nevis, you start at around 20 metres above sea level and climb roughly 1,352 metres throughout your walk. Even Yr Wyddfa’s toughest route, the Watkin Path, can’t match that. It racks up 1,015 metres of elevation gain.

Length – Ben Nevis also requires you to cover a greater distance to reach the summit. On the Mountain Track, you will walk 17 km (10.5 miles) on the out-and-back route. Yr Wyddfa’s longest trail, the Rhyd Ddu Path, is a 14 km round trip.

Route – The first thing to note is that Yr Wyddfa has six established, popular routes to the summit, while Ben Nevis has two (or three, depending on who you ask) main trails. While Yr Wyddfa’s trails run from the relatively easy Llanberis Path to the super-serious Crib Goch scramble, Ben Nevis has the Mountain Path and the trickier Carn Mor Dearg Arête routes. We’ll touch on what this means for difficulty later in the article.

Weather – While both mountains are regularly exposed to extreme weather conditions that make climbing to their respective peaks remarkably difficult and potentially dangerous, there are climatic differences. Ben Nevis is considerably further north than Yr Wyddfa and the peak tops out at a higher elevation. It is regarded as having some of the most extreme weather conditions of anywhere in the UK and typically receives snowfall from September all the way through to May. Yr Wyddfa also experiences heavy snowfall, though the winter season is slightly shorter.

A side-by-side comparison

Looking at our list of differences, you may have concluded that Ben Nevis is by far and away the more daunting prospect and a harder climb. But sometimes, the figures don’t tell the entire story.

While the Mountain Path features more elevation gain and a longer distance than any route up Yr Wyddfa, it is also a relatively easy trail. It is well marked, there are no exposed sections and the lower slopes, in particular, benefit from a fantastic trail surface. Things don’t get that steep, either.

Overall, we would say that the Ben Nevis Mountain Path is slightly harder than Yr Wyddfa’s Llanberis Path because of the greater length and ascent. But it is no more technical. If you comfortably completed the Llanberis Path, you should have no problem with the Mountain Path, as long as you approach it with the respect it deserves and recognise that the route will require you to go further and higher.

BUT, there is one major caveat…

Difficulty depends on the route

Ultimately, the question of which mountain is more challenging depends on the routes you take up the mountain. The Crib Goch scramble is undoubtedly harder (on another level entirely) than anything you will encounter on the Mountain Path. The same goes for the Watkin Path. The gradient, terrain and exposure are more extreme than the Mountain Path.

So what about Ben Nevis’ second route? The Carn Mor Dearg Arête? This route also features some Grade One scrambling similar to that found on Crib Goch. It’s certainly not for beginners or anyone with a fear of heights. However, whether Carn Mor Dearg Arête is harder than Crib Goch is debatable. We think Crib Goch probably edges it. But the Carn Mor Dearg Arête scramble is not to be taken lightly.

Climb Snowdon, Ben Nevis and Yr Wyddfa

So, the answer to Which is harder? Ben Nevis or Yr Wyddfa? is…

It depends.

We know, it’s a bit of a cop-out. But it does depend. Ben Nevis is probably a little tougher if you take the easiest routes up both mountains. But the Mountain Path is definitely not beyond the reach of walkers who have tackled the Llanberis Path.

However, if you are heading up Yr Wyddfa via Crib Goch, you are taking on a bigger challenge than anything you will encounter during a fair weather walk up Ben Nevis.

Which brings us to the other major variable, the weather. Climbing either of these mountains in winter conditions is an entirely different matter and requires serious expertise, experience and equipment. And, due to its location, you are more likely to encounter those conditions on Ben Nevis. We recommend ensuring you have the Winter Skills required to climb safely before you attempt either mountain in this type of weather.

If you are still unsure whether you are ready to tackle Yr Wyddfa or Ben Nevis, why not join the Climb Snowdon team on a guided group walk? We provide a safe, supportive and sociable atmosphere and our expert mountain leaders are fully qualified and equipped with the skills to help you to the top. We can also arrange personal experiences for smaller groups, so get in touch and speak to the team about your next mountain adventure.