Church remembers lives lost on Snowdonia's mountains

A church at the foot of Yr Wyddfa will once again open its doors this Sunday for a unique service of remembrance honouring those who have lost their lives in the mountains of Eryri.

Cysgod yr Wyddfa (In Yr Wyddfa's Shadow) will take place at St Peris Church in Nant Peris at 5.30pm on Sunday 25 October. The gathering offers space for people to reflect, pray and remember loved ones who died in the mountains, whether recently or many years ago.

First held in 2025, the service was created by the Revd Naomi Starkey following a series of mountain fatalities and attracted members of the local community, mountain rescue volunteers and people with personal connections to those who had died in the mountains.

This year's event will again include the opportunity to light candles in memory of those who have died, with a collection in aid of Llanberis Mountain Rescue Team.

Callouts to Llanberis Mountain Rescue have risen from 147 in 2020 to 359 in 2025, with around 440 projected this year. In August, the team responded to 59 callouts, its busiest month on record.*

Revd Naomi says, “The mountains of Eryri bring joy and inspiration to so many people, but they can also be places of danger and heartbreak. Through Cysgod yr Wyddfa, we want to offer a place of remembrance for those who have died and a place of comfort for those who miss them." 

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