'There's a queue!': Moment hikers clash at top of Mount Snowdon as huge crowds wait in line to reach summit

By KATHERINE LAWTON, SENIOR NEWS REPORTER Published: 12:54, 24 August 2026 | Updated: 12:56, 24 August 2026 This is the moment a hiker shouted 'there's a queue' at a fellow walker as furious rows erupted at the top of Mount Snowdon.  The record-breaking summer of heatwaves has resulted in more people climbing to reach the 1,085m (3,560ft)-high summit - the highest peak in Wales - causing huge lines of people waiting to touch the metal plate at the top and take photos.  Videos posted on social media show heated arguments breaking out between queue-jumpers and those patiently waiting their turn.   One clip taken by 27-year-old Marc Screeton, from Manchester, shows hundreds of people standing in a line just below the peak, before he decides to skip the queue and finish climbing to the top.  'Let's go, let's go,' he says, before a member of the line shouts: 'There's a queue you know!'  Mr Screeton replies: 'Imagine queueing on a mountain? No chance.'  The woman declares: 'It's out of order' - to which he responds: 'No, it's not.'  Mr Screeton then continues the final climb before reaching the metal plate at the top and tapping it with his hand.  Footage shows long queues forming on Mount Snowdon, before a row breaks out between two hikers Hundreds of people are seen lining up to touch the metal plate at the top of Snowdon  One woman even shouted at someone to 'chuck his phone off' the mountain, he said, adding: 'I don't think you should be queuing up in nature on a mountain; it's the same as queuing up at a bar.   'People naturally see a queue so they decide to join it – it's a very British thing, isn't it.  'I just wanted to touch the top quickly and get back down. I haven't endangered anyone or "shoved or barged" past anyone; I did wait until it was clear to head up and touch the top.' He added: 'I had a few people who had done the same thing, saying they did what I did just to be able to touch the top and get back down.'  The video was taken by the warehouse operative on August 8 during a hike up Snowdon.  The mountain attracts 600,000 visitors every year, but this month seems to be particularly busy.  Recent visitors of the mountain have expressed mixed opinions about whether or not they should have to wait in line, with Lucy Taylor telling BBC Wales: 'I think you should queue because it's really quite dangerous and everyone's trying to get up there - it's just not safe.' But Tina Millard, from West Bromwich, said: 'It's a mountain, you should just be able to go up and that's it. 'We're not at Alton Towers for a ride. It's a mountain, it's for everyone.'  Alun Jones, area warden for Eryri National Park Authority, advised anyone wanting to reach the top to be 'considerate and don't skip the queue'.  Throughout the period of hot weather, national park wardens have urged people to wait their turn while queuing, take their litter away with them and reduce the risk of wildfires.      A video posted on Facebook earlier this month by Trekking Tom Experiences shows countless walkers making their way up the peak.  'Great to see so many people enjoying the outdoors!' he wrote – but thousands of commenters took a different view and weren't impressed by the scenes.  Many revealed the crowds put them off visiting themselves, with one saying: 'I used to go up Snowdon all the time. Definitely wouldn't do it now. So many other great hills and areas to explore in Wales.' Someone else added: 'My idea of hell. I go into the mountains to get away from people.' This month has proved to be very busy for the popular spot, with large lines of people forming  Mount Snowdon attracts 600,000 hikers a year and is the highest peak in Wales Videos posted online show long queues of hikers waiting to get to the summit Another person compared it to Manchester's bustling shopping centre and said: 'Like walking round the Trafford shopping centre.' One hiker said they 'wouldn't go now if you paid me', while someone else compared it to a 'theme park attraction'. Snowdon is usually busy during the summer months, and according to Snowdon Info, the queue for the steps to the summit pillar can be an hour long. The informative website puts the wait down to people wanting to pose for selfies and photos, revealing how the queue is always the longest around midday. Another clip shared on TikTok by @Waywild was posted on the same day as Trekking Tom Experiences.  The hiker wrote: 'Queue for the Snowdon summit giving major Everest traffic jam vibes. Decided to skip and save my sanity.' Meanwhile, @carlysadventures uploaded footage earlier this month showing similar scenes of busy pathways and long queues.  'POV: You just wanted to touch the top of Snowdon... but the queue is longer than the actual hike,' they wrote. Many are waiting in line for the opportunity to pose for selfies and photos  Likewise, @love_jamel posted a clip of people taking photos at the summit with a long line of hikers behind them. One commenter quipped: 'This is like when people queue in line at a pub.' Others fumed that it's 'not Tesco' and 'not a theme park!' It isn't the first time hundreds of people have swarmed to the top of Snowdon. There are plenty of videos on social media suggesting it's a common problem during the summer months. In 2023, the Daily Mail reported how there was a huge surge in Snowdon climbers, which led to a 45-minute queue at the summit. For hikers looking to dodge the crowds, the Cambrian Mountains in Wales attract far fewer people than other popular Welsh destinations such as the Brecon Beacons and Snowdonia/Eryri.