So I wanted to share the full route which I’ll be taking on my Stafford2Snowdon challenge.
In total the route is going to be over 180 miles and will include at least 29,500 feet of combined elevation gain as it passed across the English and Welsh countryside.
The full route on AllTrails
If you want to follow the route you can see the full path on the following link.
If you’re really interested you can download the GPX file here
Sections
This is a new route, as far as I can tell through some extensive research is that no one has made a recorded attempt to walk from Stafford to the summit of the highest mountain in Wales. It is almost definite that no one has taken on the zigzagging path I have planned to follow on the expedition.
The route itself can be divided up into four pretty distinct sections:
England and canal paths: Stafford to Llangollen
Clwydian Range via Offas Dyke: Llangollen to Dyswerth
North Wales Coastal Path: Dyswerth to Llanfairfechan
Welsh 3000s (ish): Llanfairfechan to Llanberis
Section One: England and Canal Paths
Days 1 – 3
The first 78 miles of the hike follows old train lines (which are now a section of the Millennium Way, a trail that covers the width of Staffordshire) and then onto canal paths. The Shropshire union canal on day one then days 2 and 3 follow the Llangollen canal all the way to, well, Llangollen!
Day One
Stafford to Audlem
28.84 miles 2,579 feet
Starting in Stafford on the Isabel Trail I’ll be following the disused railway line. Which leads to the Stafford to Newport Greenway. I’ll follow that until Gnosal where I’ll join the Shropshire Union Canal.
Day Two
Audlem to Ellesmere
23.22 miles 3,018 feet
Starting with a small stretch of the Shropshire Union Canal until I need to make a crossing across to the Llangollen Canal which I’ll be following for the next two days apart from a small section cutting through Fenn’s Moss.
Day Three
Ellesmere to Llangollen
23.15 miles 2,989 feet
The whole day will involve following the Llangollen Canal, which will take me over the border of Wales (for a second time) and over the Chirk and Pontcysyllte Aqueducts.
Section Two: Offas Dyke
Days 4 & 5
The second section covers the hilly pathway of Offas Dyke through North Wales second park the Clwydian Range and Dee Valley area of Outstanding Natural Beauty or National Landscape as it now known.
Day Four
Llangollen to Ruthin
19.2 miles 4,659 feet
The first nineteen miles will leave from the base of Castell Dinas Bran past the foot of the Worlds End before continuing north, in the general direction of the ocean.
Day Five
Ruthin to Dyswerth
24.31 miles 3,763 feet
Starting the day with an ascent up Moel Famau I’ll be continuing to follow the Offa’s Dyke path to Dyswerth. Sorry Offa I know you built this wall to keep the English out!
Section Three: North Wales Coastal Path
Day 6
The sixth day of the challenge brings me onto the North Wales Coastal paths for almost 32 miles, the longest day of the challenge but also the flattest as it follows the coast from Rhyl to Llanfairfechan
Day Six
Dyswerth to Llanfairfechan
31.87 miles 1,837 feet
This is going to be one loooong day! Passing through multiple seaside towns I’ll be taking plenty of breaks. This is the perfect opportunity to make sure that I am completely fuelled up for the last three mountainous days of the challenge.
Section Four: Welsh 3000s(ish)
Days 7 – 9
The final section and the 33 miles that make up the last three days of the challenge follow a very similar path the the Welsh 3000s challenge. I won’t be hitting all 15 of the summits that are over 3000 feet although over half of them are going to be included as I cross over the Carnedau and Glyderau ranges before hitting the Snowdon Massif.
Then I will pass a couple of spurs to the neighbouring summits, if my recordings for combined elevation are lower than I expected and if I have it in my legs. I might make some little detours along the way.
Day Seven
Llanfairfachen to Ogwen Valley
16.78 miles 4,396 feet
I may be looking forward to this day most, it is almost definitely going to be the most difficult day of the challenge crossing over the Carneddau Range with a couple of options for the descent from Carnedd Llewelyn.
Day Eight
Ogwen Valley to Llyn Gwynant
8.58 miles 2,828 feet
It’s a good job that it’s followed by what looks like the easiest day, crossing over the Glyderau Range. I have a lot of options here, and if I do need to include some extra elevation gain this will be the day that I achieve that.
Day Nine
Llyn Gwynant to Llanberis
10.76 miles 3,540 feet
Then I have the final day, starting at one o fly favourite Welsh campsites, I’ll be taking the Pyg Track up to the summit of Yr Wyddfa then I’ll follow the Llanberis track down to finish my 180 mile plus challenge.
Stafford2Snowdon Charity Challenge
To raise some awareness and funds for Mind Charity I will be hiking from my home town of Stafford to the summit of Snowdon.
You can find out more about my mission on my instagram page @and__hiking to follow my training journey.
Any donation would be amazing, this isn’t for me it’s to help support the millions of people everyday who need help from our mental health services.
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