Terrific Tryfan
After failed attempts at the summit of Tryfan, most notably for my birthday in 2015, I finally made it to the top on Saturday. The Last time I attempted Tryfan the weather was the worst I’ve ever seen it in Snowdonia. That’s saying something too as Snowdonia isn’t renowned for it’s sunny climes. It was as wet as wet can be with 100mph winds and far too dangerous to head too high into the mountains. The weather on Saturday couldn’t have been more different. Dry, light winds, sunny and it had been that way for a week so the ground was dry too. The date had been set for a while and if the sunrise at home was anything to go by it was going to be a good day in the hills.
Sunrise
8 of us drove up in convoy to Llyn Ogwen where we got ready for a long day out.
Group Photo
Tryfan
We were soon clambering across the boulders from the car park towards the slopes of Tryfan.
Tryfan North Ridge
At 917.5m Tryfan is one of the most famous and recognisable peaks in Britain, having a classic pointed shape.
The Peak of Tryfan
After clambering over a stile at the base of it’s North Ridge, we started making our way to the top. The walk soon became a scramble and we tended to take the more interesting looking routes where we could turning it into an easy climb at times
Scrambling
The climbing was good with decent holds and nice grippy rocks thanks to the dry weather and the coarse texture of the extrusive volcanic geology of the Snowdon Volcanics Group. We stopped to regroup here and there and to discuss options for the next part of the route but it was generally a steady steep clamber ever upwards with a few bits of exposure on occasion.
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- In the Hills
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- Into the Sunshine
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- Route for the Day
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- Towards the Top
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- Tryfan Selfie
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- Up we go
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- Views from Tryfan
It took a while to reach the summit, 2½ hours I think, but we weren’t rushing and we did stop a few times to take in the views. Of course, all routes tend to congregate at the summit so it was pretty busy when we got there with plenty of people waiting to clamber onto the famous monoliths of Adam and Eve. We stopped for some lunch in the sunshine and then a few members of our group took the obligatory leap.
Adam, Eve and Simon taking the leap
Glyder Fach
After a break it was time to clamber back down off the peak and start making our way towards the next peak of Glyder Fach. Rather than take the more challenging rocky scrambling along Bristly Ridge we opted for the loose scree slope to the south of the ridge. This proved to be more a workout than a challenging climb as we powered our way to the top. At 994m Glyder Fach is the 6th highest Peak in Wales.
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- Bristly Ridge
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- Glyder Fach and Tryfan
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- Glyder Fach
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- Onto Glyder Fach
We obviously stopped for photos at the Cantilever Stone and then picked our way across the rocky hillscape towards the high point for the day and the summit of Glyder Fawr.
Cantilever
Group Photo on the Cantilever Stone
Glyder Fawr
We were treated some some spectacular views over to Snowdon from here, along with views out over the rest of Snowdonia.
Dramatic Snowdonia
Snowdon
The peak of Glyder Fawr is the 5th highest in Wales at 1001 metres and has an other worldly feel to it thanks to it’s strange rocky outcrops.
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- Glyderau
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- Hill Walking
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- Jagged Peaks
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- Rocky Route
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- Snowdonia
From the summit of Glyder Fawr we took the steep, loose scree slope down towards the small lake of Llyn y Cwm and then turned right towards the steps of Devil’s Kitchen and it’s amazing views out over Cwm Idwal.
Cwm Idwal Views
Devils Kitchen and Cwm Idwal
The rocky steps down through the Devils Kitchen were all that stood between us and Llyn Idwal at it’s base. The dramatic views were accompanied by a dramatic mountain rescue unfolding in front of us as well. The Coastguard Helicopter was hovering over the slopes above the Idwal Slabs. From our vantage point on the steps of the Devils Kitchen we could just make out two people below the helicopter. After a while the a rescue team member was winched out of the helicopter down to the casualties. Apparently a pair of male scramblers were high up on East Arete scramble on Glyder Fawr when one slipped and tumbled about 200ft. Due to the possibility of serious injuries after such a fall, the mountain rescue team were deployed and requested back up from R936, the Coastguard Helicopter. Luckily, the scrambler was conscious and the injuries were not as serious as they initially thought. He was treated on scene by the winchman and team members, and then flown to hospital for further treatment.
Rescue
We continued on our way down to Llyn Idwal and then along the eastern edge of the lake as it’s waters shimmered in the sunlight. We stopped briefly at Idwal Cottage at the end of our walk and then strolled alongside Llyn Ogwen to the cars.
A good day out in the hills. Only a 7 mile walk but with so much scrambling and climbing it had been a long day and there will be some tired legs. The drive back through Wales was a slow one but I arrived home in time for dinner, a Flavourly beer and the sunset.
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- Beer
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- Sunset
Tryfan conquered at last. Here’s a few video clips and a slideshow from the day.
1 Response
[…] few people from work have been doing occasional scrambles in Snowdonia lately. The last was up Tryfan last year. There was a plan to repeat this on Tuesday and do Bristly Ridge which we missed last […]