Post on 11-Aug-2020
2015
Helen Pye & Bethan
Wynne Jones
Snowdonia National Park Authority
Snowdon Visitor Survey
Snowdon Visitor Survey 2015 – Snowdonia National Park Authority
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Acknowledgements
The data presented in this report is a result of the visitor survey carried out by wardens, National
Park staff and volunteers during the summer of 2015 and winter of 2015/16 on the six main
Snowdon paths. Volunteer and wardens alike dedicated their time in frequently poor weather
conditions to carrying out these surveys, so a huge thank you to:
Anwen Gaffey
Caroline Wilson
Dewi Jones
Dilwyn Williams
Estelle Patrick
Elen Huws
Gari Fon
Gethin Davies
Iolo P Roberts
Iwan PG Jones
John Bowers
John Roberts
Judith Orritt
Kate Worthington
Meuryn Williams
Mair Huws
Mike Hendry
Naomi Jones
Rhian Williams
Rhys Wheldon-Roberts
Snowdon Visitor Survey 2015 – Snowdonia National Park Authority
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Content:
1) Executive Summary………………………………………………………………………………………………………………4
1.1 Demographics…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
1.2 Equipment and preparedness……………………………………………………………………………………………
1.3 Litter…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
1.4 Visitor Experience……………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
2) Introduction………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….7
3) Methodology………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..8
3.1 Survey Locations……………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
3.2 Sample Size……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
3.3 Date and Time…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
3.4 Surveyors………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
4) Analysis......................................................................................................................................12
4.1 Demographics.......................................................................................................................
4.2 Equipment and preparedness...............................................................................................
4.2.1 Equipment.........................................................................................................
4.2.2 Hill Walking Experience....................................................................................
4.2.3 Pre Planning.....................................................................................................
4.2.4. Weather...........................................................................................................
4.3 Litter.....................................................................................................................................
4.4 Visitor Experience..................................................................................................................
5) Recommendations.....................................................................................................................26
6) Appendices................................................................................................................................28
Snowdon Visitor Survey 2015 – Snowdonia National Park Authority
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1) Executive Summary
1.1 Demographics
• The majority of the surveys were completed in English: the questionnaires were offered
bilingually with 95% of completed in English and 5% in Welsh.
• Just over a third of those surveyed were in the 35-49 age bracket: 35% of the people surveyed
were aged between 35 and 49, leaving 26 % in the 26-34 and 21% in the 50-64 age brackets. The
fewest amount of respondents belonged to the 65+ and the <18 age brackets.
• The majority of respondents were male: Overall, 69% of those surveyed were male and 31%
were female. These figures are similar to those from 2013 (68% male and 32% female).
• Half of those surveyed were walking in pairs: 50% walked in pairs whilst 26% were in groups of
3-5 people. Large groups of more than 15 people were the least popular among respondents
(1%). Walking in pairs was more popular among respondents in 2015 compared to 2013 (38%),
while walking in small groups of 3-5 was less popular than in 2013 (40%).
• 9% of those interviewed were part of an organized group: Of those taking part in an organized
event fewer than 20% of visitors interviewed were part of a charity challenge group, and just
over 13% were taking part in the Three Peaks Challenge. Other organized groups included school
trips (7%) and walking clubs (7%), but the majority were walking with family and friends (53%).
These figures should be treated with a degree of caution due to the fact that organised groups
may be less likely to want to stop to be surveyed.
• Results indicate that Snowdon is most popular among those travelling from the North West:
Most respondents were from England (74%) and Wales (17%), with a further 4% from Europe
and 3% from elsewhere in the world. Results also show that 18% of those surveyed were from
the North West of England, 16% were from South East and 12% from North Wales. Snowdon
also appears to be a popular tourist destination for those travelling from the East of England
(11%), London (8%), and the South West of England (8%). These figures have changed slightly
from 2013, where North Wales had the second highest percentage of participants (16%)
followed by the West Midlands (14%). Results indicate that visitors from the South East have
increased in numbers by 6% from 2013.
1.2 Equipment and preparedness
• Less people were observed as ‘well equipped’ in 2015 compared to 2013: 58% of respondents
were observed as well equipped in 2015 and 65% in 2013. However there were more adequately
equipped respondents in 2015 (34%) than 2013 (28%) but the number of ill equipped
respondents was slightly higher by 1% in 2015, though it should be noted that as this part of the
survey was observational there will be an element of bias/personal opinion involved.
• Most of those surveyed were observed as ‘well-equipped’: Overall, 58% of respondents were
described as well equipped by the interviewer. However, a further 34% were observed as only
adequately equipped and 8% were ill-equipped for the conditions. Of those surveyed at each
location, the Snowdon Ranger path had the highest proportion of walkers described as ill-
Snowdon Visitor Survey 2015 – Snowdonia National Park Authority
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equipped (18%), and the Llanberis having the second highest (13%) path. The Rhyd Ddu (79%)
and the Watkin (78%) Path had the highest proportion of walkers observed as well equipped.
• The majority of visitors had suitable footwear for the conditions: 81% of respondents were
wearing suitable footwear (described as either boots or walking boots). However, the remaining
19% wore unsuitable footwear such as light shoe or trainers. Although most wore appropriate
shoes, it’s important that we keep relaying the messages regarding the importance of suitable
footwear on the mountain, particularly in places such as the Snowdon Ranger and Llanberis.
• There were slightly fewer respondents with suitable footwear in 2015 than in 2013: 85% of
respondents wore suitable in 2013 compared to 81% in 2015. Despite being a small change, it
highlights the need to relay mountain safety messages, particularly with inexperienced walkers.
• A fifth of respondents had no experience of hill walking prior to their visit: 20% of those
surveyed had no previous hill walking experience and a further 38% had only been walking 1-5
times previously. 18% had been hill-walking more than 20 times, and 24% and been walking 5-20
times. It is worth noting that these figures have changed considerably since 2013 when 60% of
respondents had been walking more than 20 times and only 9% of walkers had no previous
experience. This highlights that Snowdon is becoming more more popular with inexperienced
walkers.
• For 60% of those surveyed, this was their first experience of walking up Snowdon: A further
32% had been 1-5 times before and 8% had been more than 5 times. Again, these figures have
changed considerably since 2013. The number of first time visitors to Snowdon has increased
from 34% in 2015 and the amount of returning visitors (more than 5 times) has fallen from 36%
to 8%.
• While 97% of people carried a mobile phone, percentages of people carrying other vital kit
were comparatively low: Less than half of the respondents were carrying a compass, 38% of
visitors did not have a map and 46% of people were not carrying a torch. Almost all respondents
were carrying water (99%) and the large majority had food (93%). These figues are very similar
to those from 2013.
• 27% of respondents used the internet as a planning tool prior to the trip: 37% had been before
and 16% had gained information through word of mouth. A further 5% had visited a Tourist
Information Centre (TIC) for their information and 4% had used a guidebook or leaflet.
• The majority of people had checked the weather forecast prior to their walk: 93% of people
had checked the forecast beforehand, a slight decrease from 2013. The internet (either via
computer, app or phone) was the most popular method of checking with 80% of respondents
using this source. Others had checked via TV (7%) and notice boards (6%). The main forecasts
used were the BBC and Met Office.
1.3 Litter
• The majority of respondents felt like they noticed very little or no litter on Snowdon: When
asked to rate from one to four the amount of litter seen on the mountain (one being no litter
and four being a great deal) 49% of respondents gave a ranking of 1 and 42% gave a ranking of 2.
Snowdon Visitor Survey 2015 – Snowdonia National Park Authority
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Less than 10% of people felt like they had seen a quite a bit or lot of litter. These results are
similar to the previous survey where, again, the majority of respondents had reported seeing
little or no litter and a few (approximately 9%) reported seeing a considerable amount. It is
worth noting that the 2013 survey had a scale of 1 to 6, while the 2015 survey was a scale of 1-4.
• The Summit and Half Way café were once again named as the main litter hotspots: Simlar to
the 2013 survey, the main hot-spot was deemed to be at or near the summit (49% in 2015),
followed by the Half-way cafe on the Llanberis path (14%). Popular stopping off or rest points
such as Llyn Llydaw and Glaslyn and also the ‘zig zags’ on the Pyg and Miners Path were also
noted as litter hotspots as well as toilets and car parks.
• Respondents felt that fruit peel was the most frequently seen litter: Respondents were given a
choice of three litter types and fruit peel (such as banana skins and orange peel) was recorded as
most seen compared to plastic bottles and wrappers. These results differ from those from 2013
where the most frequently seen litter was determined as plastic bottles.
1.4 Visitor experience
• The majority of visitors rated their experience as ‘Fantastic’: Visitors were asked to rate their
experience on a scale of 1 to 4, with 1 being awful and 4 being fantastic and 83% of respondents
gave a rating of 4, 16% a rating of 3. No respondents gave a rating of 1, and very few gave a
rating of 2. These results are similar to those from 2013, where the large majority (82%) gave a
high rating of their experience.
• The scenery and views were the elements of their experience that stood out most for
respondents: When asked what ‘stood out’ for them regarding their visit, the most popular
answer was by far was the view. While the ‘sense of achievement’ of reaching the top the
second most popular answer. These answers were also the top answers in 2013. Other answers
included the lakes, the enjoyment and the physical ache in their legs.
• The main reasons given for walking Snowdon was as a personal challenge, achievement or
goal: Other popular reasons mentioned were enjoyment, a means of getting outside and to
walk with friends and family. Other answered included that it was their first time in the area,
they were training for a challenge, as a celebration and for exercise.
• Visitors were asked to rate litter, erosion, and footpaths on Snowdon compared to other
mountains: A third of respondents suggested that Snowdon had much less litter than other
mountains, 43% suggested that the footpaths are much better on Snowdon and 38% suggested
that erosion is much less on Snowdon compared to other mountains.
• The majority of visitors gave a high rating to the car park and toilet facilities on Snowdon: 71%
of respondents gave a rating of 3 or 4 (great / fantastic). Of the 39% that gave a rating of 1 or 2
(awful / not great) their reasoning included expensive parking fees, not enough parking spaces
and toilets not working and/or unclean.
• Better and/or more toilet facilities and card payments at car park were the most common
suggestions on how to improve facilities: Other suggestions included more bins, water
fountains, better bus services and a better way of knowing when the car park is full.
Snowdon Visitor Survey 2015 – Snowdonia National Park Authority
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2) Introduction
In order to fulfil its statutory purposes of “promoting opportunities for understanding and
enjoyment”, the National Park requires an in-depth understanding of visitor trends, experience and
enjoyment. Thus, a second survey of visitors on Snowdon has been conducted.
The survey was conducted by wardens, National Park staff and volunteers during August and
September of 2015 and January 2016 at the starting points of the six main Snowdon paths. The
overall aim of this second survey is to build on the Snowdonia National Park’s understanding of the
needs, behavior and motivations of visitors to Snowdon. This second survey has enabled us not only
add to the existing baseline data but also to assess changes in trends and behavior. This information
in essential for analyzing trends an behaviours, which can be used to inform decision making and
priorities in the future and hence effective visitor management.
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3) Methodology
Face to face interviews were conducted by staff and volunteers using a set questionnaire at the
starting point for all of the six main footpaths up Snowdon. Surveys were available bilingually and
95% of surveys were completed in English while 5% were completed in Welsh.
3.1 Survey Locations
Six survey areas were selected to conduct the interviews (see map in Figure 1 below), these included
the Llanberis path (point 1 on map), the Miners and Pyg tracks (point 2), the Rhyd Ddu path (point
4), the Snowdon Ranger path (point 5) and the Watkin path (point 3). These six locations represent
the starting points of the six main paths that lead up to the summit of Snowdon.
Figure 1: Map of survey locations
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Figure 2: Percentage of surveys completed at each location 2013
Figure 3: Percentage of surveys completed at each location 2015
The percentages in the pie charts in Figure 2 and 3 above represents the number of surveys
conducted at each location in 2013 and 2015 and loosely correlates with the visitor numbers using
the paths in August/September (based on 2012 figures), though visitor monitoring figures for the
year 2015 would need to be evaluated before drawing any definitive conclusions from this. The
respondents were also asked what route they took – this was relevant as a number of route options
exist, and importantly not all walkers and groups ascend and descend the mountain using the same
path. As you can see by Figure 4 below, the most popular route choices amongst those surveyed
were the Llanberis, PyG/Miners and Rhyd Ddu.
30%
16%
14%
24%
5%
11%
Llanberis
Miners
PyG
Rhyd Ddu
Snowdon Ranger
Watkin
23%
30%12%
17%
9%
9%
Llanberis
Miners
PyG
Rhyd Ddu
Snowdon Ranger
Watkin
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Figure 4: Route choice of those surveyed
3.2 Sample Size
259 visitors were interviewed during the survey period. Based on the 2012 visitor monitoring figures
– at a 95% confidence level, this gives us a margin of error of ±6.1% (compared to ±7.5% in the 2013
visitor survey). 95% of the interviews were conducted in English with the remaining 5% conducted in
Welsh.
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45
Llanberis
PyG - Miners
Rhyd Ddu
Watkin
Miners - PyG
PyG
Snowdon Ranger
Miners
Horseshoe
Crib Goch
Snowdon Ranger - Rhyd Ddu
PyG - Llanberis
Rhyd Ddu-Snowdon Ranger
Miners up to Llyn Llydaw
Miners - Llanberis
Train up - Llanberis down
Rhyd Ddu - Allt Maenderyn
Rhyd Ddu - Bwlch Cwm Llan
Snowdon Ranger -Llanberis
Watkin - Allt Maenderyn
Llanberis - Miners
Llanberis up - Train down
Llanberis-Ranger
Lliwedd
Miners - Glaslyn
Moel Eilio
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3.3 Dates and Times
Surveys were carried out between 1 and 4pm on Thursday the 13th of August 2015 (school
holidays), Sunday the 30th of August 2015 (bank holiday weekend), Sunday the 13th of September
2015, and Thursday the 17th of September 2015. Surveys were also conducted between 1-4pm on
Saturday 23rd January 2016. These dates were chosen in order to survey weekend visitors as well as
those visiting in the week, and also to survey summer holiday and out of season visitors, as well as
those visiting during winter time, thus ensuring that the survey sample was as representative as
possible. The 1-4pm time slot was selected in order to catch people on their return journey (Figure
5).
Figure 5: Number of surveys conducted on each survey day (red bar denotes those conducted during winter)
3.4 Surveyors
Twenty two survey volunteers conducted interviews over the four survey days, with the aim being to
have a surveyor at the bottom of each path on each day. They interviewed passers-by from their
survey points between 1pm and 4pm on each day. Surveyors conducted a varied number of surveys
each ranging from 4 or 5 to as much as 27, depending on the business of the location and the
weather on the day. The main objective was to select walkers at random, and was naturally able to
happen with the surveyor completing a survey with a walker then approaching the next passing
walker to conduct the next survey.
123
68
33
17 18
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
140
13/08/2015 30/08/2015 13/09/2015 17/09/2015 23/01/2016
Snowdon Visitor Survey 2015 – Snowdonia National Park Authority
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4) Analysis
4.1 Demographics
Figure 6: Age profile of respondents
A large proportion of those surveyed were aged between 35 and 49, with Figure 6 showing that
those in the age brackets of <18 and 65+ were the least surveyed. Overall 69% of those surveyed
were male and 31% female (see Figure 7 below).
Figure 7: Gender of respondents
7
31
63
85
50
4
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
<18 19-25 26-34 35-49 50-64 65+
31%
69%
Female Male
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Figure 8: Group size of respondents 2015
Figure 9 Group size of respondents 2013
The results show that one in 14 walkers interviewed were walking up Snowdon alone, however the
majority chose to walk in pairs (50%) or in groups of 3-5 (26%). Groups of 6-15 and 15+ were the
most uncommon group sizes on the mountain on the days the surveys were carried out (Figure 8).
When compared to the visitor survey carried out in 2013 (Figure 9), results indicate that walking in
pairs has become more popular, while slightly larger groups have become less popular.
1 person 14%
2 people 50%
3 to 5 people 26%
6 to 15 people
9%
>15 people 1%
10%
38%40%
8%3%
1 person 2 people 3-5 people 6-15 people 15+ people
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Figure 10: Percentage of respondents taking part in an organised group
The survey results indicate that the majority of walkers on the mountain (91%) were not part of any
organised group (see Figure 10), 7% less than in 2013. Many of those that were part of organised
groups tended to fall into the brackets of family and friends (53%), charity or fundraising (20%),
three peaks challenge (13%) and school groups or walking clubs (both 7%). These differ considerably
from 2013 when many of 16% that were part of organised groups tended to fall into the brackets of
charity or organised groups (41%), Three Peaks Challenge groups (26%), outdoor training groups
(such as the army, cadets and mountain training organisations at 26%) and walking and fitness clubs
(7%). There is a general concern that charity challenge and other organised events are on the
increase, however these results do not support this claim. It is worth noting that ‘walking with
friends and family’ did not appear in the 2013 list of organized groups, and this may explain the low
percentage of other groups e.g. charity and three peaks. Results from the 2015 survey indicate that
those taking part in the 3 peaks challenge has halved since 2013. However given that organized
groups may be less likely to want to stop to be surveyed, not concrete conclusions can be taken from
this.
The highest percentages of visitors surveyed (see Figure 11 below) were visiting from the North
West (18%), South East (16%) and North Wales (14%). Unsurprisingly, this means many visitors to
the mountain are local to the area, or from the neighboring regions. However, Snowdon also
appears to be a popular tourist destination for those travelling from further afield such as from the
South East and East of England (16%) and London (9%). This could be because Snowdonia is still the
closest mountainous region to these areas and thus the shortest travelling time. Under represented
regions include those with the longest travelling times, such as Scotland, the North East, East
Midlands, South Wales and Yorkshire and the Humber. Almost three quarters of the respondents
surveyed were from England, whilst a just under a fifth of those interviewed lived in Wales. Over
ninety percent of visitors on the mountain were from within the UK, with 4% from mainland Europe,
and 3% from other parts of the world (Figure 12).
No91%
Yes9%
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Figure 11: Home region of respondents
Figure 12: Home country of respondent
England74%
Scotland2%
Wales17%
Ireland0%
Europe4%
Rest of World3%
Snowdon Visitor Survey 2015 – Snowdonia National Park Authority
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4.2 Equipment and preparedness
One of the SNPA’s key messages to those visiting Snowdonia with the intention of walking Snowdon
has been to come well-equipped and adequately prepare for mountain conditions. Around 160
rescues a year take place on Snowdon and although this affects only a very small percentage of
walkers, the volume of rescues puts considerable pressure on local Mountain Rescue teams. There is
also the added consideration that there will be many more ‘near-misses’ annually that go
unreported. Knowing whether or not our current methods of informing visitors of the importance of
preparation are actually working will be invaluable in future decision making and prioritizing work.
Below we look at the results of how well equipped and well prepared those surveyed were and
provide recommendations as to how we can improve and effectively target our mountain safety
messages, whilst at the same time improving the visitor experience as a whole.
4.2.1. Equipment
As a part of the survey, the interviewer made observations on the preparedness of the participant
(ill-equipped, adequately equipped and well-equipped) and recorded what footwear they were
wearing. Respondents were also asked what equipment they had with them from a list of essential
items (including food and water, spare layers, a torch and a compass).
Wearing suitable footwear on the mountain is vital in reducing the risk of lower leg injuries.
Encouragingly 81% of respondents were recorded to be wearing suitable footwear, i.e. boots or
walking boots (see Figure 13 below). However, this did leave the remaining 19% with ‘inappropriate
footwear’ such as light canvas ‘pumps’ or trainers. Although these results are encouraging, there is
definitely room for improvement therefore it is important that we keep relaying the message of the
importance of suitable footwear on the mountain.
The general observations made by the surveyors on how well equipped respondents were showed
that, overall, 58% were well-equipped, 34% were adequately equipped and 8% were ill-equipped
(Figure 14). Less people were observed as ‘well equipped’ in 2015 compared to 2013. 58% of
respondents were observed as well equipped in 2015 while 65% of participants were well equipped
in 2013. There were more adequately equipped respondents in 2015 (34%) than 2013 (28%) but the
number of ill equipped respondents was slightly higher by 1% in 2015. It should be noted that these
were subjective observations, but nevertheless give a general picture of how well-equipped
respondents were.
Those who had never been hill walking before had the highest percentage of ill equipped (12%) and
adequately equipped (61%) walkers while experienced walkers who had been more than 20 times
before had the highest percentage of well equipped walkers (85%) (Figure 15). Surprisingly, those
who had been walking 1 to 5 times previously were more likely to be well equipped than those had
been walking 5 to 20 times. Clearly, mountain safety measures need to be advertised among the first
time walkers and those who have limited experience.
The largest proportions of ‘ill equipped’ walkers were interviewed on the Ranger path, where 18% of
the total participants interviewed were observed as not sufficiently equipped for the conditions. The
Llanberis path had the second largest proportion of ill equipped walkers (13%) while the Watkin (0%)
and Rhyd Ddu (2%) paths had the fewest. This result will be useful in determining which paths would
benefit from warden patrols and / or better safety messages.
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Figure 13: Footwear choice of respondents
Figure 14: Observations by surveyor on how well equipped the respondents were
52%
29%
3%
14%
2%
Walking boots Boots Other Trainers Running shoes
34%
8%
58%
Adequately equipped Ill-equipped Well-equipped
Snowdon Visitor Survey 2015 – Snowdonia National Park Authority
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Figure 15: Comparison of how well equipped the respondents were compared to the amount of hill walking experience they had
Additionally, respondents were asked what `kit` they had from a list of essential items; a torch, a
compass, sun cream, spare warm layers, drink, food, waterproofs and mobile phone. The majorities
of respondents were carrying food (93%) and drink (99%). There were also a high percentage of
respondents carrying spare warm layers (88%) and waterproofs (88%) (Figure 16).
Fewer respondents were carrying other essential items such as a map and a compass (38% did not
have a map and 51% were not carrying a compass). From observations and conversations made by
Wardens, it is clear that many visitors feel that they don’t need a map/compass for Snowdon as the
routes are well-marked or they can just follow other walkers. On a fine day this is not problematic
but when conditions deteriorate and visibility becomes poor a map and compass are essential. To
compound this fact, over half of the respondents (58%) of respondents were found to be relatively
inexperienced hill-walkers (1 to 5 days experience), and are therefore going to have limited
experience of using a map and compass. The work required in this area is two-fold: firstly promoting
the message that a map and compass should always be used, and secondly working on the
production of an inexpensive map aimed at novice hill-walkers.
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
First Time 1 to 5 5 to 20 >20
Well Equipped
Ill Equipped
Adequately Equipped
Snowdon Visitor Survey 2015 – Snowdonia National Park Authority
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Figure 16: Type of kit carried by respondents
4.2.2 Hill Walking experience
The respondents were also questioned about the hill-walking experience and the number of times
they had visited Snowdon. The results show that the majority of respondents had some previous
experience of mountain walking, with 38% having been 1-5 times before, 24% having been 5-20 and
18% having been walking more than 20 times previously (Figure 17). For 20% this was their first
experience of hill-walking. When questioned as to how many times they had been up Snowdon
before, 60% responded that they were visiting for the first time, while only 8% had been more up
than 5 times before (Figure 18).
It is worth noting that these figures have changed considerably since 2013 when 60% of respondents
had been walking more than 20 times and only 10% of walkers had no previous hill walking
experience. In 2013, more than 36% of people had been up Snowdon more than 5 times,
considerably more than the 8% in 2015. This highlights that Snowdon is becoming more popular with
inexperienced walkers aiding us to promote the most suitable safety messages,
252
228
240
257
229
93
127
141
160
8
32
18
3
31
166
132
119
99
0 50 100 150 200 250 300
Mobile Phone
Waterproofs
Food
Drink
Spare Warm Layers
Suncream
Compass
Torch
Map
Had Did not have
Snowdon Visitor Survey 2015 – Snowdonia National Park Authority
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Figure 17: Number of times respondent had been walking previously
Figure 18: Number of times respondent had been walking up Snowdon before
4.2.3 Pre Planning
It is important for us to know how people go about planning their trip, particularly the 60% that are
visiting for the first time. This is to ensure that they are getting the right messages and information
at their planning stage. Whilst 37% of respondents said that they had been before and therefore
didn’t need to plan (see Figure 19), and a further 16% had obtained their information through word
of mouth, 27% had carried out their planning on the Internet. This highlights the importance of
ensuring that information we provide on the Internet is of good quality and most importantly is easy
to find. Currently visitsnowdonia.info (administered by Gwynedd CBC) consistently comes up at the
top of the search list with the Snowdonia National Park occasionally coming up on the first page. It is
therefore essential that we work in partnership with Gwynedd on the content of their Snowdon
pages.
18%
38%
24%
20%
>20 1-5 5-20 First time
8%
32%
60%
>5 1-5 First time
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Figure 19: Methods used by participants to plan their trip
4.2.4 Weather
Adverse weather is recognized as one of the main contributing factors to accidents on the mountain
and the National Park Authority puts considerable time and resource into ensuring that people are
aware of the weather conditions. The Snowdonia Met Office weather reports are printed-off and
displayed at Pen y Pass on a daily basis; visitors are alerted through social media of any particularly
bad weather; and during the winter months Wardens complete a daily ground-condition report for
the Met Office Snowdonia Mountain forecast. However, there are concerns that some people still
walk up Snowdon with little knowledge of the forecasted weather conditions.
To test this theory we asked visitors whether they had looked at a weather report that day and if so
which report they had checked. The results show that only 7% of people had not checked the
forecast. Positively, this was 4% more than the number of respondents that checked the weather on
the day of their walk in 2013. However, of the forecasts listed, the Met Office forecast, the MWIS,
Pen y Pass forecast, YHA board, TICs and SMR Llanberis are the only forecast which we can say for
certain give an accurate picture of the mountain weather. These make up less than 50% of the total
forecasts mentioned, so less than half will have an accurate picture of the conditions on the
mountain. This is an area that clearly needs addressing and thought needs to be given as to how we
get people to check the more accurate forecasts. The most popular forecasts were the BBC and Met
Office.
27%
37%
16%
5%
3% 4%
8%
Website Been before Word of mouth
Tourist information Local Business Books and Magazines
Maps
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4.3 Litter
Snowdon continues to suffer from litter problems, and part of the questionnaire was developed in
partnership with the Snowdonia Society in order to gather more information on the scale of the
problem. Respondents were asked how much litter they had seen; whether there were any obvious
‘hot-spots’ and also what type of litter they saw. Again there was an element of subjectiveness to
this area of questioning, but the results will act as a useful rough guide, as well as measure of change
from year to year.
Firstly people were asked how much litter they had seen, on a scale of 1-4 compared with other
mountains with 1 being ‘much less on Snowdon ’ and 4 being ‘much more on Snowdon’ (see fig. 23).
Similar to results in 2013 the majority of people felt they hadn’t seen much litter at all with some
feeling that they had seen a moderate amount. A small proportion felt that they had seen a lot.
These results can be continue to be compared with future surveys to see if the picture is improving.
Figure 20: Popular places where respondents noticed litter
When asked if they felt there was anywhere that was particularly bad, those that responded felt that
the worst place was the summit (49%). This is inevitable due to all walkers congregating at the
summit, stopping for lunch, along with possible impact from train visitors and the goods sold at the
cafe. Nevertheless, clearly more resource/attention needs to be paid to litter collection at the
summit. Other areas specifically mentioned were Half-Way house, and near the lakes – again all
popular lunch stops. These results are similar to those from 2013 when, again, the summit and the
half way café were deemed the ‘litter hotspots’ (Figure 20)
.
Half Way Cafe14%
Summit Area 49%
Along Route 4%
PyG and Miners Intersection
1%
Bwlch y Moch 1%
Crevices an drains 2%
Car Parks1%
Llanberis Path 2%
Ranger Zig Zags 4%
Ranger Path 3%
Near lakes 10%
Near the station 2%
Toilets 2%
Miners / PyG3%
Buildings 2%
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4.4 Visitor Experience
Part of this survey was aimed at measuring the visitor experience, respondents were asked what
their reasons were for visiting Snowdon (see Figure 21), and as you can see the main reason was as a
personal challenge or for enjoyment and leisure. Other often-cited reasons were generally getting
outdoors and walking with family and friends.
Figure21: Main reasons for going up Snowdon
Respondents were also asked to rate their experience, with 1 being awful and 4 being fantastic. As
you can see from Figure 22, the majority gave a very high rating of their experience, with only a
small proportion giving a moderate rating and a very small minority giving a poor rating. Again, these
figures are most useful in measuring changes in the visitor experience and can be compared to
future surveys.
Additionally respondents were asked what the best thing about their experience was. The most
popular answer by far was the ‘mountain environment/views’, with ‘sense of achievement’ coming
second, exactly the same reasons as in 2013. Reasons given for poor ratings were: the need for
bigger car parks / more spaces, expensive parking, car parking ticket machine doesn’t take cards and
the amount of litter. Reasons for high ratings were that carparks were close to paths and therefore
easy access to the footpaths and conversely, very cheap parking prices.
Celebration
3 peaks
Personal Challenge, Achievement or Adventure
Enoyment or leisure
Walking with Family or Friends
Being out in the countryside / get outside
First Time / Never Been Before
Exercise
Highest Mountain in Wales
Taking pictures
Training
Impulse
Other
Scenery
Crib Goch
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50
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Figure 22: How visitors rated their experience
Respondents were asked to rate on a scale of 1 to 4, three issues on Snowdon (litter, footpath
erosion and footpaths that blend in to the mountain) compared to other mountains that they had
climbed (Figure 23). 66% of people said that they had seen much less or less litter on Snowdon
compared to other mountains, while 34% suggested that there was more or much more. 43%
suggested that the footpaths are much better on Snowdon and 38% suggested that erosion is much
less on Snowdon compared to other mountains.
Figure 23: How erosion, litter, and footpaths on Snowdon compared to other mountains 1=less than, 4 more than
0
50
100
150
200
250
1 2 3 4
138%
241%
314%
47%
Erosion
133%
233%
318%
416%
Litter
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The majority of visitors gave a high rating to the car park and toilet facilities on Snowdon. 71% of
respondents gave a rating of 3 or 4 (great / fantastic), suggesting that facilities on Snowdon are
much better than other mountains. Of the 39% that gave a rating of 1 or 2 (awful / not great) their
reasoning included expensive parking fees, not enough parking spaces and the toilets not working
and/or unclean.
Figure 19: How respondents rated the car parking facilities. 4 = fantastic, 1= poor.
143%
232%
320%
45%
Footpaths
114%
215%
339%
432%
Car Park Facilities
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5) Recommendations
• Safety messages should be pitched according to the experience of walkers using that path: e.g.
Ranger path has a high percentage of first time walkers / inexperienced walkers / ill equipped
walkers therefore
• Safety messages should be pitched at the right level: 60% of respondents were experience
walkers, having been hill-walking over 20 times before. 9% were walking for the first time and
the remaining 31% had limited experience. The figures are important to bear in mind when
targeting messages.
• Focus Warden patrols on routes most frequented by inexperienced/ill-equipped walkers:
Visitors who were less well-prepared/experienced tended to be more numerous on the Ranger,
Llanberis and PyG, though the Watkin and Snowdon Ranger should also receive some attention
in terms of the type of walker they attract.
• Improve the provision and accessibility of online information: Nearly a third of pre-planning
activity happens on the Internet, and currently visitsnowdonia.info (administered by Gwynedd
CBC) consistently comes up at the top of the search list with the Snowdonia National Park
website occasionally coming up on the first page. It is therefore essential that we work in
partnership with Gwynedd on the content of their Snowdon pages.
• Increase the amount of visitors viewing a mountain weather forecast: Only 43% of visitors had
looked at a mountain weather forecast before their walk. This is an area that clearly needs
addressing and thought needs to be given as to how we can increase the number of people using
the specific mountain forecasts rather than the standard town/village forecast.
• Increase the percentage of visitors carrying a map: 37% of visitors did not have a map. Safety
messages should promote the fact that a map and compass are essential items that should
always be carried. Work should continue in encouraging local businesses to sell the Snowdon
Map and Guide produced by wardens.
• Address erosion issues: The erosion issues and footpath priorities on Snowdon are annually
reviewed and the concerns raised in this survey with the top section of the Watkin path should
be revisited in this annual review.
• Address litter problems particularly in litter hot-spots: Although a huge amount of effort
already takes place in terms of litter reduction, the survey highlights the areas requiring more
attention, the summit and half way café in particular. Maybe putting up a sign at the half way
café and at the summit to explain? Efforts should also continue in highlighting our policy of
asking visitors to take their all litter home with them (including organics).
• Improve the interpretation provision: Plans are ongoing to improve the interpretation
provision at Pen y Pass, and this survey highlights the value of doing this. Address car parking
and facilities issues: Quite a few of the respondents commented on the price of parking. Maybe
it would be worth informing visitors more prominently why the prices are what they are, and
where this money is spent. In terms of toilet facilities there were some clear issues in 2015 with
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the provision at Pen y Pass which has now been addressed. The lack of parking spaces is an
important issue that needs to be addressed in the longer term.
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6) Appendices
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