Two charity hikers who reached the summit of Yr Wyddfa on Saturday say they were heckled by fellow climbers after overtaking queues to reach the peak. The fundraisers, 34-year-old Daniel Evans and 28-year-old Megan Hughes, were part of a 50-strong team raising money for Velindre Cancer Centre in Cardiff. They described the boos as ‘unexpected and demoralising’ as they neared the final stretch of their 17-mile route from Llanberis.
Evans, a former RAF medic, told reporters, ‘We were following the route set by the park authority—there’s no rule against skipping queues—but people still shouted at us. One man called us ‘queue jumpers’ and others clapped sarcastically. It was humiliating.’ Hughes, a teacher from Swansea, added, ‘We’re raising money for life-saving research. The climb itself was brutal; the last thing we needed was hostility at the top.’
Key Points
- ⚡ Evans and Hughes led a 50-person charity trek for Velindre Cancer Centre
- 📈 Raised £256,000 in under 48 hours
- 🏔️ Followed approved route from Llanberis to Yr Wyddfa summit
The incident has sparked online debate about trail etiquette on Yr Wyddfa, where over 500,000 people climb annually. While park authorities encourage single-file queues on the Llanberis Path, no formal rules prohibit overtaking. Snowdon Mountain Railway, which operates parallel to the path, reported a record 167,000 passengers on Saturday—triple the usual weekend load—amplifying congestion at the summit.
| Trail Option | Queue Time (Saturday) | Crowd Level |
|---|---|---|
| Llanberis Path | Up to 2 hours | Heavy |
| Pyg Track | 30–45 minutes | Moderate |
| Snowdon Mountain Railway | 40 minutes | Full capacity |
Park wardens confirmed they witnessed the booing but stated it ‘does not breach any byelaws.’ A spokesperson for Snowdonia National Park Authority said, ‘We ask climbers to respect each other’s pace and safety. Queues are a natural part of managing high volumes—especially during peak seasons.’
📋 By The Numbers
- 500,000+ — Annual climbers on Yr Wyddfa
- 256,000 — Funds raised by Evans and Hughes’ team
- 167,000 — Mountain Railway passengers last Saturday
Evans and Hughes, who completed the trek in 12 hours, have since received an outpouring of support from the public and Velindre Cancer Centre. The charity confirmed the funds will directly support immunotherapy research for rare cancers. ‘We’re not complaining about the climb,’ Hughes said. ‘But next time, we might wear noise-cancelling headphones at the top.’
💡 Pro Tip
Start your Yr Wyddfa ascent before 6 a.m. to avoid both queues and crowd noise—parking fills by 8 a.m. on weekends.
A separate incident on Sunday saw a walker airlifted after collapsing near the summit. Mountain Rescue Wales reported a 20% rise in callouts this month compared to 2023—attributed to unseasonably warm weather and inexperienced hikers ignoring weather warnings. Evans urged climbers to ‘check forecasts and pace yourself—this mountain doesn’t care about charity.’
- 🔥 The charity team’s route followed the Llanberis Path but avoided the summit queue by using a less crowded spur
- ⚠️ Wardens confirmed no formal policy exists on overtaking—only guidance on safety and courtesy
- 📊 Velindre Cancer Centre expects the funds to fund two full-time research posts for 12 months