There are a handful of experiences in Eryri that stay with you long after you’ve left. Watching the sun come up over Yr Wyddfa is one of them. Standing at the summit as the sky turns from black to grey to gold, with the whole of North Wales spread out below you, is worth every early alarm and cold minute of waiting.

Here’s how to do it properly.

For a sunrise attempt, the Llanberis path is the best choice. It’s the longest route up Yr Wyddfa, but it’s also the gentlest gradient and the easiest to follow in the dark. The path runs alongside the Snowdon Mountain Railway for most of the way, so navigation is straightforward even with a head torch and tired legs.

Other routes up Yr Wyddfa are steeper, more exposed, and much harder to walk safely before daylight. Save those for a return trip.

Even in summer, the summit of Yr Wyddfa can be ten degrees colder than the valley floor, and windy with it. Pack for winter conditions regardless of the season.

• Head torch, with spare batteries
• Warm layers, including a proper insulating layer and a waterproof shell
• Hat and gloves
• Sturdy, broken in walking boots
• Food and plenty of water
• A power bank for your phone
• A map or offline navigation app, even on a well marked path

Don’t rely on your phone alone. Signal on the mountain is patchy at best.

Work backwards from sunrise. Most walkers take three to four hours to get up the Llanberis path, so if sunrise is at 5am in midsummer, you’ll want to be setting off after midnight. Build in extra time for rest stops, especially if you’re walking through the night for the first time.

Check the exact sunrise time for your date before you set off. It shifts through the year, and turning up too early or too late changes the whole experience.

Once you reach the summit, you’ll likely be waiting around for the light to properly break. This is where a lot of people underestimate the cold. You’ve been generating heat on the climb up, and the moment you stop moving at altitude, that heat disappears fast.

Bring an extra layer specifically for the summit wait, sit somewhere sheltered from the wind if you can find it, and keep snacking to keep your energy up. A flask of something hot makes a real difference here.

It’s easy to focus all your planning on the ascent and forget the descent needs just as much thought. Your legs will be tired, the adrenaline of the sunrise will have worn off, and the temptation is to rush.

You have two good options. Taking the Llanberis path back down is the simplest, since it’s familiar, well graded, and kind to tired knees. Give yourself two to three hours, more if you’re stopping for photos.

Alternatively, come down via the Miner’s path, which drops you at Pen y Pass. It’s a beautiful route in the morning light, but from Pen y Pass you’ll need to catch a bus back to Llanberis, so check the timetable before you set off and make sure you’ve got the fare or a ticket sorted. Either way, make sure someone back at base knows your planned route and rough return time.

Walking up a mountain in the dark for the first time is a different experience to walking it in daylight. If you’re at all unsure about navigation, pace, or what to do if conditions change, booking onto a guided sunrise walk or joining a group is a smart move. A guide knows the route without needing to check a map every ten minutes, can read the weather and terrain, and takes a lot of the decision making off your shoulders when you’re tired and it’s 3am. It also means you’re not doing it alone if something goes wrong.

Staying at Lodge Dinorwig puts you close to the Llanberis path and gives you a proper base to rest and refuel before or after your climb. Get in touch if you’d like route advice or help planning your sunrise walk.