Snaefell (Manx: Sniaull) is the highest mountain and the only summit higher than 2,000 feet (610 m) on the Isle of Man at 620 metres (2,034 ft) above sea level. The summit is crowned by a cafe and several communications masts.
It is a well-known saying in the Isle of Man that on a clear day six kingdoms can be seen from the top: the Isle of Man, England, Ireland, Scotland, Wales and Heaven. Some versions add a seventh kingdom, that of Manannán, (or the Sea).
The plaque at the summit indicates the relative positions of five points from Snaefell as well as their distances:
The Snaefell Mountain Railway is the seasonal electric tram service, typically April through October, which climbs the four miles from Laxey to the summit.
The A18 Snaefell Mountain Road passes over the slopes of Snaefell, and is the highest section of the Snaefell Mountain Course over which the Isle of Man TT Races are held. Walkers often use the car park on this road near the Bungalow railway station (last railway stop before the summit) from which there is a rough path to the peak. The trail has sections of gravel, slate stones, grass, and rock. While the angle of ascent steepens significantly closer the summit, special climbing equipment is not required. However, extra caution is required in steepened areas as the grass, earth, and rocks are often slippery. Average climb time by foot on a dry footpath is approximately 45 minutes.
A geodetic marker embeded in the small, concrete obelisk indicates the true mountain summit. The rock cairn standing nearby has the informational plaque affixed on top.
There are mountains in Iceland called Snæfell (note the slightly different spelling), including the mountain under the famous Snæfellsjökull glacier.
