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5.0
| 1 review

The Snowdon Challenge: Winter Edition

United Kingdom
1 night
Challenging

The usual 17km cycle, 14km trek and 5km power paddle, except this time, there’s snow involved

What's Included?

Small Like-minded Groups

Solo-friendly by design, join our small n’ sociable groups of up to 12 like-minded, active and outdoorsy people
From

…

excluding flights
From

…

excluding flights

What's it like?

5.0
| 1 review
A hiker on Snowdon

Take on one of the UK’s most rewarding mountain winter challenges in just one day

Bike across Snowdonia National Park, nail the 14km trek up Snowdon and kayak 5km round the stunning Llyn Padarn

10-hours of unrivalled action in one of the UK’s wildest winter adventure playgrounds

Key Information

Day 1

Arrive and get briefed for the big day

Arrive at your hotel in Llanberis in the evening. At 19:00, you'll have a detailed pre-challenge meeting, after which you are free to explore the town or chill in your hotel in preparation for the challenge ahead.

Day 2

It's on!

Cycling

17km · 220m up · 180m down

Hiking

14km · 945m up · 1060m down

Kayaking

4.5km

Wake up early for breakfast and then hit the road. You’ll bike through the Welsh winter countryside, follow the shores of Llyn Padarn and skirt along the edge of Snowdonia National Park with the peak of Snowdon covered in snow looming in the distance. You'll stomp it up the Snowdon Ranger Trail on the west side of the mountain before ascending to the ridgeline.

Follow the ridgeline all the way to the summit for a victory photo and a quick breather before descending to the northwest via the more gradual Llanberis Path, finishing in Llanberis itself. You'll then go for a brisk paddle around Llyn Padarn, completing a large circuit of the lake, smash through the finish line and celebrate with a glass of the good stuff.

Winter challenge completed.

The Area

map

Logistics

Starts

Bangor Train Station or Llanberis Hotel

18:00 / 18:30

Ends

Llanberis Hotel or Bangor Train Station

17:30 / 18:00

Transfers

For those travelling by train - you'll be picked up at Bangor Train Station at 18:00 on Day 1. Or if you're driving, aim to arrive at the hotel in Llanberis by no later than 18:30.

At the end of your adventure, you will be dropped back at the hotel at 17:30 or Bangor Train Station at 18:00, the choice is up to you.

Travel options

Trains run frequently to Bangor from destinations all across the UK. There is car parking at the hotel for those driving.

Day 1

Hotel · Twin share

Breakfast

Lunch

Dinner

Day 2

Departure day

Breakfast

Lunch

Dinner

What is the food like?

A full English or continental breakfast is included at the hotel and a packed lunch is provided for the hiking bit of the challenge, including a sandwich, cereal bar, drink, chocolate and a piece of fruit. Llanberis also has plenty of restaurants and pubs to choose from and any dietary needs can be accommodated (including vegetarian and vegan), just let your host know when booking.

What is the accommodation like?

Llanberis

You’ll stay at either the Celtic Royal Hotel or the Royal Victorian Hotel in Llanberis. Both hotels feature comfortable and modern ensuite rooms. Exactly the kind of comfort you need before the challenge starts. You'll be staying in twin or triple share rooms.

Upgrades

For solo travellers looking for their own space, an optional private room can be booked for an extra charge, see Optional Extras for the price. Please request this at the time of booking (this is subject to availability).

Simon(December 2021)

This level of challenge described was accurate for me and it presented something that was hard enough to push my limits on many levels. I have just dipped my toe in the water of adventure travel and learnt a lot. That also preparation is key and wilderness travel can present unexpected difficulty. I strongly recommend people taking trips with Much Better Adventures. Its eye opening, well organised, and comfortable. It is also encouraging & friendly. It seems like the opportunity for beautiful and affirming adventure is plentiful with this travel company. Thanks

Guides

Local, qualified and experienced kayaking instructors alongside cycling and mountain leaders

Accommodation

1 night's stay in a local 3-star hotel

Meals

Breakfast at the hotel and a packed-lunch up the mountain

Transfers

Transfers from Bangor train station and back

Equipment

Everything you need for cycling and kayaking will be sorted

Our trips are hassle-free by design. We include all the activities and equipment, as well as many of the meals, so you can simply rock up with your rucksack and share the adventure with your new pals.

Personal Expenses

You know your own spending habits best, so please budget an appropriate amount for things like optional meals and drinks, shopping, optional activities, and laundry.

Enjoy 12.5% Off Outdoor Gear

In need of a few more items? All bookings receive a 12.5% discount to use at Cotswold Outdoor, Snow + Rock and Runner's Need.

What's included

  • Cycling equipment (bike and helmet)
  • Kayaking equipment (kayak, paddle and buoyancy aid)
  • Safety equipment (first aid kit and radio)

What do I need to bring?

  • Rucksack (15-25 litre)
  • Thermal base layer
  • Fleece top – not cotton
  • Polyester, fleece or woollen trousers and tops (no jeans)
  • Heavy-duty waterproof jacket and trousers
  • Hat
  • Worn in waterproof hiking boots or shoes
  • Warm hat
  • Warm gloves
  • Padded cycling shorts (optional)
  • Cycling shoes or trainers
  • Sun protection (hat, sunglasses, sunscreen)
  • Water bottles or water bladder (2 litres)
  • Snacks and energy food and drink for the day
*Requests for optional extras can be made after booking on your “My Bookings” page

Pre/post trip accommodation - double/twin room

Payable Before Departure

Pre/post trip accommodation - double/twin room

… Per Night

Pre/post trip accommodation - single room

Payable Before Departure

Pre/post trip accommodation - single room

… Per Night

Optional Private Room Upgrade

Payable Before Departure

Optional Private Room Upgrade

… Per Person

We partner with the World Land Trust to ensure this trip achieves Net-Zero emissions. We also support their Buy an Acre programme, helping local communities to buy and protect natural habitats in perpetuity.

What's the number?
It works out on average at 41kg of CO2 emissions per person, including all local transport, accommodation, food, activities, guides, staff and office operations.

The only thing it doesn’t include right now is flights and travel to the destination. We do make an overall estimate across all our customers separately, but as we don’t book flights, have customers from all corners of the world, and no way of reliably knowing their travel plans, we simply can’t include an individual number in the figure on display here. We’ve got a goal to fix that, so that when you book, there is a way to measure and mitigate the carbon emitted by your flight too.

But what does the number mean?
Yep, hard to picture eh? To give you an idea:

  • Driving 1000miles/1609km would be approx. 281kg of CO2 in an average car (or 140.5kg per person if there was 2 of you in it).
  • A return economy class flight London - New York would be approx. 1,619kg (1.66 tonnes) per person.
  • 10 trees in a temperate forest are estimated to remove approx. 250kg of CO2 from the air in a period of 5-10 years.

What are we doing about it?
Our trips are relatively low-carbon by design, and we're working with all our hosts to develop long term carbon reduction plans. We partner with the World Land Trust to ensure this trip achieves Net-Zero emissions. We also support their Buy an Acre programme, helping local communities to buy and protect natural habitats in perpetuity, ensuring the protection of the reserve and its wildlife.

Want to know more?
Amazingly, no international travel company has ever publicly published their carbon measurements before, as far as we know. We believe that must change, quickly. So we’re openly sharing the method we used in the hope that other companies will be able to more easily follow suit and build on what we've done so far. You'll find it all here.

Sure. You can leave anything you don't need on the challenge at the hotel.

Sure can! Over 70% of our travellers travel solo, it’s a great way to meet like-minded people.

Our team of Adventure Hunters co-create exclusive adventures which are run by highly vetted, specialist hosts. The trip is run by our trusted host partner in the destination. We only work with independent, local, in-destination experts who know the very best places to explore and how to stay safe. Read more information about the local teams we partner with. You’ll be introduced to the host straight after making a booking via the Much Better Adventures platform.

Much Better Adventures refer to the UK Government’s official travel advice when designing trips and monitoring trip operations. We recommend that all customers are familiar with the practical information provided on the Government’s FCDO website, where current travel advice can be found by searching for the applicable destination(s).

For customers joining this trip from other international destinations – please also read the official travel advice applicable to your country of residence/origin, as this may differ.

We recommend checking out the country-specific information and also talking to a travel nurse.

We automatically convert prices from the local currency that a host receives to your chosen currency. We update our exchange rates on a daily basis so this does mean that prices displayed on the site are subject to currency fluctuations, which is why you may see them change over time.

If you wish to change the currency you pay in, head to the bottom of the page.

All of our group adventures are specially designed for adults to enjoy (18+) as we want these adventures to bring together outdoorsy people who are truly like-minded. Children can be accommodated on some private departures.

You're always in good company on one of our adventures.

Our trips are typically made up of a mixture of solo travellers and small groups of 2 or 3 friends, with most in their 30s-50s.

Our sociable adventures are solo-friendly by design and naturally attract outdoorsy people with a shared mindset; a love for adventure, a desire to push themselves and meet awesome, like-minded people along the way.

It’s this camaraderie that has so often turned a great adventure into a life-changing one.

Don't just take our word for it:

  • 95% of people rate the group dynamics on our trips 5/5
  • 90% of people recommend joining a trip to make new friends
  • 75% of people have met people on our trips that they would now consider friends

See here for more info about the Much Better Adventures tribe.

Interested in a more exclusive experience? Opt for a 'Private Group' through the dates and prices tab to book this adventure for just you and your chosen companions.

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DEPARTURE DATES

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Go private and split the bill with ease.

Forget complex logistics, we've taken care of all the details to ensure a hassle-free get together. All of the adventure, none of the faff.

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Hassle-free from start to finish

Hassle-free from start to finish

We've sorted the logistics, so you can just rock up and have a blast in the wild.

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