Snaefell
621 m
Isle of Man
Also known as Monte Snaefell, Sniaull, +2Also known as
Monte Snaefell · Sniaull · Snøfjell · Снэфелль
- Elevation
- 621 m
- Prominence
- 621 m
- Difficulty
- 2/10
- Hike
- Best Season
- Jul
- Routes
- 1
Routes
1The usual walk up the Isle of Man's only mountain. From the Bungalow, where the Snaefell Mountain Railway crosses the A18 Mountain Road (the TT course), a rough, steep path of gravel, slate and grass climbs about 210 m beside the railway. It reaches the summit café, station and trig point. About 45 minutes up; 3 km return.
Elevation Profile
approximate line- Distance
- 2.7 km
- one way
- Ascent
- +212 m
- start → summit
- High Point
- 621 m
- Time Up
- 1h 02m
- DIN 33466
- Time Down
- 53m
- DIN 33466 · same way back
Park at the Bungalow on the A18 Snaefell Mountain Road, between Douglas and Ramsey, or ask the driver of the Snaefell Mountain Railway to stop there; it is a request stop. Cross the road with care, as it is the TT course and traffic is fast. Pick up the wide path that climbs north from beside the station, roughly parallel to the railway. The path is a mix of gravel, slate, grass and rock and steepens towards the top. It passes the Graham Memorial shelter on the east side and comes out by the Summit Hotel café and the upper railway station. From the café a concrete path leads to the trig point and a cairn with a view indicator. On a clear day it shows the Mull of Galloway, Scafell, the Mournes, Liverpool and Dublin. No equipment is needed, but grass and rock are often slippery, and the summit is very exposed to wind: a 150 mph gust was recorded here in 1970. Descend the same way, or ride the tram down to the Bungalow or Laxey (late March to early November; it does not run in high winds or poor visibility). A longer approach starts in Laxey and follows the Greenway bridleway past the Lady Isabella wheel and Agneash to the old Snaefell Mines. From there, rough, boggy, unmarked ground leads up to the Bungalow and the summit, about 9.8 km one way with nearly 600 m of ascent and 4½ hours; take the tram back.
Start
Bungalow Station409 m
- Snaefell Mountain Railway, Laxey – Bungalow – Snaefell Summit (8 km, about 30 minutes; seasonal and weather-dependent)
- Snaefell Mountain Railway from Laxey (reached from Douglas by the Manx Electric Railway or bus) to the Bungalow (request stop) or the summit, late March to early November.
- Parking at the trailhead
Stages
| Day | Stage | km | m ascent | m descent | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bungalow Station → Snaefell | 2.7 | 212 | 0 | 1h 02m |
Waypoints
- Station: Bungalow Station409 m
Tram request stop and car park on the A18 Mountain Road
- Feature: Graham Memorial418 m
Memorial shelter on the eastern flank, near the path
- Feature: Summit Hotel605 m
Summit café and upper railway station
- Summit: Snaefell621 m
Key Passages
- Steep final slope below the summit café
Equipment
0/2 packedDownloads
Route confidence 80%Overview
The Isle of Man's only mountain (621 m): a rounded, heather-and-grass summit in the middle of the island. It is reached by a short, steep path from the TT course at the Bungalow or by a Victorian electric railway from Laxey. On a clear day it is said to give views of 'seven kingdoms'.
Snaefell ('snow mountain' in Old Norse; Sniaull in Manx) is the high point of the Isle of Man's central upland, between Laxey, Sulby and Douglas. Because it rises from an island, its prominence equals its height. The summit is not wild. It has the upper station of the Snaefell Mountain Railway, a café in the former Summit Hotel, aviation and communications masts and a trig point. The A18 Mountain Road, the highest part of the TT course, passes about 200 m below the summit at the Bungalow.
The reason to go is the view. A local saying claims six or seven 'kingdoms' are visible: Man, England, Scotland, Ireland, Wales, Heaven and sometimes the sea god Manannán's realm. In good visibility, Galloway, the Lake District fells, the Mournes, Snowdonia and Anglesey can all be seen across the Irish Sea.
The short walk from the Bungalow is the usual way up. A longer walk from Laxey uses the Greenway bridleway, the old Snaefell lead mines and rough moorland. Many visitors combine a walk one way with the tram the other. The weather is the main factor: the summit is often in cloud and very windy.
Climbing Notes
This is an easy objective for anyone reasonably fit. The Bungalow path climbs about 210 m in 1.5 km and takes 30–45 minutes up. It is steep near the top and slippery when wet, so wear proper shoes and carry a windproof and waterproof layer even in summer. For a fuller day, walk up from Laxey (about 10 km, 4½ hours) and take the tram down, or walk the island's central ridge.
The tram runs from late March to early November but stops in high winds and poor visibility, so do not rely on it as your only way down. During the TT races (late May to early June) and the Manx Grand Prix (August), the Mountain Road is closed during racing and operates one-way during TT fortnight, which affects access to the Bungalow car park. Out of season the café and railway are closed and the summit is bleak in winter gales. Snow and ice are possible from December to March.
History
The Snaefell Mountain Railway opened in 1895 and still uses wooden-bodied electric cars of that era on gradients of up to 1 in 12. The Snaefell Mine, high in the Laxey valley at the foot of the mountain, was the scene of the island's worst mining disaster in May 1897, when 19 men died from carbon monoxide after timber supports caught fire underground. The Bungalow area holds Cold War remains, including the operations block of an R11 Rotor radar station. On 2 December 1966 storm-force winds toppled the 120 ft (37 m) Civil Aviation Authority radio mast on the summit. In 1970 the summit weather station recorded a gust of 150 mph, among the highest wind speeds measured in the British Isles. The Mountain Road below the summit forms the highest section of the TT Mountain Course.
Season
Best Jul- January: Possible
- February: Possible
- March: Possible
- April: Good
- May: Good
- June: Good
- July: Best (best window)
- August: Good
- September: Best
- October: Good
- November: Possible
- December: Possible
- Jan
- Gales, possible snow and ice; railway and café closed
- Feb
- Gales, possible snow; railway closed
- Mar
- Railway opens late March (28 March in 2026)
- May
- Mountain Road closed during TT racing from late May; one-way system
- Jun
- TT racing and one-way Mountain Road until early June
- Aug
- Manx Grand Prix road closures in late August
- Oct
- Railway runs until early November (1 November in 2026)
- Nov
- Railway closes early in the month; stormy
- Dec
- Short days, gales; railway closed
Access & Permits
- Fees
- No fee to walk; the Snaefell Mountain Railway charges fares
- Rules
- The A18 Mountain Road (TT course) is closed during TT and Manx Grand Prix racing and operates one-way (Ramsey to Creg-ny-Baa) during TT fortnight
- The Snaefell Mountain Railway does not run in high winds or poor visibility
- Getting There
Laxey (railway terminus); Douglas and Ramsey about 15 km by road
Isle of Man Airport, Ronaldsway (IOM)
- Rail: Manx Electric Railway from Douglas to Laxey, then the Snaefell Mountain Railway to the Bungalow (request stop) or the summit, late March to early November
- Car: A18 Mountain Road from Douglas or Ramsey to the Bungalow car park; from Sulby via the Tholt-y-Will road
- Ferry: Isle of Man Steam Packet services to Douglas (routes and timetables not checked)
Hazards
- Weather