Snowdon Visitor Survey

2015 Snowdon Visitor Survey

Helen Pye & Bethan

Wynne Jones

Snowdonia National Park Authority

Snowdon Visitor Survey 2015 – Snowdonia National Park Authority

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

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

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

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

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

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.

Snowdon Visitor Survey 2015 – Snowdonia National Park Authority

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

Snowdon Visitor Survey 2015 – Snowdonia National Park Authority

11%

5% 30% Llanberis Miners PyG

24% Rhyd Ddu Snowdon Ranger Watkin 16%

14%

Figure 2: Percentage of surveys completed at each location 2013

9% 23% 9% Llanberis Miners PyG 17% Rhyd Ddu Snowdon Ranger

30% Watkin 12%

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.

Snowdon Visitor Survey 2015 – Snowdonia National Park Authority

Moel Eilio Miners - Glaslyn Lliwedd Llanberis-Ranger Llanberis up - Train down Llanberis - Miners Watkin - Allt Maenderyn Snowdon Ranger -Llanberis Rhyd Ddu - Bwlch Cwm Llan Rhyd Ddu - Allt Maenderyn Train up - Llanberis down Miners - Llanberis Miners up to Llyn Llydaw Rhyd Ddu-Snowdon Ranger PyG - Llanberis Snowdon Ranger - Rhyd Ddu Crib Goch Horseshoe Miners Snowdon Ranger PyG Miners - PyG Watkin Rhyd Ddu PyG - Miners Llanberis

0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45

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.

Snowdon Visitor Survey 2015 – Snowdonia National Park Authority

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).

140 123 120

100

80 68

40 33

18 20 17

0 13/08/2015 30/08/2015 13/09/2015 17/09/2015 23/01/2016

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.

Snowdon Visitor Survey 2015 – Snowdonia National Park Authority

4) Analysis

4.1 Demographics 90 85

70 63 60 50 50

40 31 30

20 7 10 4 0 <18 19-25 26-34 35-49 50-64 65+

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).

Female Male

31%

69%

Figure 7: Gender of respondents

Snowdon Visitor Survey 2015 – Snowdonia National Park Authority

>15 people 1%

6 to 15 1 person people 14% 9%

3 to 5 people 26%

2 people 50%

Figure 8: Group size of respondents 2015

1 person 2 people 3-5 people 6-15 people 15+ people

3% 8% 10%

38% 40%

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.

Snowdon Visitor Survey 2015 – Snowdonia National Park Authority

Yes 9%

No 91%

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).

Snowdon Visitor Survey 2015 – Snowdonia National Park Authority

Figure 11: Home region of respondents

Europe Rest of World 4% 3% Ireland 0%

Wales 17%

Scotland 2%

England 74%

Figure 12: Home country of respondent

Snowdon Visitor Survey 2015 – Snowdonia National Park Authority

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.

Snowdon Visitor Survey 2015 – Snowdonia National Park Authority

Walking boots Boots Other Trainers Running shoes

14% 3%

52%

29%

Figure 13: Footwear choice of respondents

Adequately equipped Ill-equipped Well-equipped

34%

58%

Figure 14: Observations by surveyor on how well equipped the respondents were

Snowdon Visitor Survey 2015 – Snowdonia National Park Authority

100% 90% 80% 70% 60% Well Equipped 50% Ill Equipped 40% Adequately Equipped 30% 20% 10% 0% First Time 1 to 5 5 to 20 >20

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.

Snowdon Visitor Survey 2015 – Snowdonia National Park Authority

Map 160 99 Torch 141 119 Compass 127 132 Suncream 93 166 Spare Warm Layers 229 31 Drink 257 3 Food 240 18 Waterproofs 228 32 Mobile Phone 252 8

0 50 100 150 200 250 300

Had Did not have

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,

Snowdon Visitor Survey 2015 – Snowdonia National Park Authority

>20 1-5 5-20 First time

20% 18%

24% 38%

Figure 17: Number of times respondent had been walking previously

>5 1-5 First time

32%

60%

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.

Snowdon Visitor Survey 2015 – Snowdonia National Park Authority

Website Been before Word of mouth Tourist information Local Business Books and Magazines Maps

8% 3% 4% 27% 5%

16%

37%

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.

Snowdon Visitor Survey 2015 – Snowdonia National Park Authority

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.

Miners / PyG Buildings Toilets 3% 2% Near the station 2% 2% Ranger Path 3% Half Way Cafe 14% Ranger Zig Zags Near lakes 4% 10% Llanberis Path 2% Car Parks 1%

Crevices an drains 2% Summit Area Bwlch y Moch 49% 1% PyG and Miners Intersection 1% Along Route 4%

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)

Snowdon Visitor Survey 2015 – Snowdonia National Park Authority

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.

Crib Goch Scenery Other Impulse Training Taking pictures Highest Mountain in Wales Exercise First Time / Never Been Before Being out in the countryside / get outside Walking with Family or Friends Enoyment or leisure Personal Challenge, Achievement or Adventure 3 peaks Celebration

0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50

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.

Snowdon Visitor Survey 2015 – Snowdonia National Park Authority

250

200

150

100

0 1 2 3 4

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

4 Erosion Litter 7%

4 3 1 16% 1 14% 38% 33% 3 18%

2 2 41% 33%

Snowdon Visitor Survey 2015 – Snowdonia National Park Authority

4 Footpaths 5%

3 1 20% 43%

2 32%

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.

Car Park Facilities

1 4 14% 32% 2 15%

3 39%

Figure 19: How respondents rated the car parking facilities. 4 = fantastic, 1= poor.

Snowdon Visitor Survey 2015 – Snowdonia National Park Authority

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

Snowdon Visitor Survey 2015 – Snowdonia National Park Authority

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.

Snowdon Visitor Survey 2015 – Snowdonia National Park Authority

6) Appendices

Snowdon Visitor Survey 2015 – Snowdonia National Park Authority