| Pen-y-Pass | |
|---|---|
 The youth hostel and cafe complex viewed from across the car park | |
| Elevation | 359 metres (1,180 ft) |
| Location | Snowdonia,Gwynedd, north-westWales |
| Coordinates | 53°04′50″N4°01′17″W / 53.08043°N 4.02135°W /53.08043; -4.02135 |
Pen-y-Pass is amountain pass inSnowdonia,Gwynedd, north-westWales. It is a popular location from which to walk upSnowdon, as three of the popular routes (the Miners Track, the Pyg Track and the ascent viaCrib Goch) can be started here.Glyder Fawr, to the north, is also accessible from here.
Situated at the high point of theLlanberis Pass at an elevation of 359 metres (1,178 ft) – about a third of the height of Snowdon – the road was built in the 1830s to allow ore from the mines on Snowdon to be transported toLlanberis. It would be taken down the Miners Track to a store-house at Pen-y-Pass first. Previously, the miners had had to move the ore over the Snowdon summit and down toBeddgelert, which is located at around a third the height ofSnowdon.
The Llanberis pass road extends beyond Pen-y-Pass to join the Beddgelert-to-Capel Curig road at thePen-y-Gwryd hotel. That notable climbing hotel was used as a base by SirJohn Hunt, Baron Hunt and his team whilst training for the successful 1953 expedition toMount Everest and equipment and autographs from that and other expeditions may be seen in the Everest Room.
The former Gorphwysfa Hotel at Pen-y-Pass is now ayouth hostel, bar and café operated byYHA, and opposite is an information centre and café and aSnowdonia National Park-run car park. There is also a car park halfway down Llanberis Pass in Nant Peris village as well as others in Llanberis village. There is a park and ride bus service to Pen-y-pass car park, which is the hub of the year-round Sherpa bus network provided byExpress Motors andGHA Coaches. This service links Pen-y-Pass toLlanberis,Capel Curig,Betws-y-Coed,Beddgelert,Porthmadog,Rhyd Ddu andWaunfawr.
53°04′50″N4°01′17″W / 53.08043°N 4.02135°W /53.08043; -4.02135