The queue to reach the summit of Yr Wyddfa, the highest mountain in Wales, has become so long that some hikers and climbers are now skipping it. The phenomenon has caused a stir on social media, where videos of queue jumpers have been widely shared.
A decade-long queue
The press has been reporting on the queue at the summit since 2013. The mountain, known in English as Snowdon, is a national landmark in one of the most beautiful parts of the UK, so crowds are expected. In 2019, queues to reach the summit of Mount Everest were so long that some climbers died.
Social media has been flooded with footage of Yr Wyddfa queue jumpers. In one video, a climber is heard huffing: “Imagine queueing on a mountain. No chance.” Another queue jumper posted a video captioned: “Won’t catch me hiking for two hours to spend 30 minutes queueing at the top.”
Blame and counter-blame
Some point to overtourism as the root cause. About 600,000 people reach Yr Wyddfa’s summit every year, each bringing litter, traffic and vegetation erosion. Others suggest social media has increased the time spent at the peak, and that banning selfies at the top would speed up the lines.
For many, however, the queue jumpers themselves are at fault for disrespecting national etiquette. As one commenter put it: “Queue jumpers are the scourge of Yr Wyddfa.”
