Welsh Nuttalls – Bagging the Big Ones – Crib Goch, Crib y Ddysgl and Yr Wyddfa
With my sights set on summiting all of the Nuttalls in Wales, there were a few that I knew I’d definitely climbed in the past—but quite a long time ago. That meant that although I’d done them, I hadn’t used a GPS device at the time, so I had no ‘digital evidence’ to confirm it. One of these was the mighty Crib Goch, along with Crib y Ddysgl between Crib Goch and Yr Wyddfa.
Not only are these Nuttalls and therefore on my list, but they’re also Welsh 3000s—and of course, Crib Goch has a serious reputation as one of the premier ridge scrambles in the UK. Some friends from work wanted to do Crib Goch too but were sensible enough to want a ‘guide’, so Rhys and I agreed to take them up on Sunday.
What a day it turned out to be! The conditions couldn’t have been better: clear blue skies, perfect temperatures, and barely a breeze.
The Walk In
I drove Laura and Nia up to the Pen y Pass car park, where we’d pre-booked a space. We met Lizzie and Gary there, then Rhys and Sarah joined us, and we were ready to set off around 8:30 a.m. We didn’t really need much kit as the forecast was spot on, but me being me, I took a few spares and emergency bits ‘just in case’.
The walk up to the base of Crib Goch via the Pyg Track didn’t seem to take long. Temperatures were just nudging into double figures but climbing steadily, so we appreciated the shade on the way up. We soon found ourselves at the base of the scramble. I didn’t know Nia, Lizzie, or Gary before today, so we chatted as we walked and got to know each other. Everyone seemed really nice.
It’s about a mile to the start of the scramble, which at a gentle pace took us about half an hour.
A-Scrambling We Go
There were plenty of others on the route, but it wasn’t too busy, and we didn’t have to wait much at all as we started to put hands to rock and began the scramble up Crib Goch.
A few people in our group were a little uncertain at first, but they soon found their rhythm once they got a feel for the rock and realised what they were capable of. It’s actually a lovely scramble up to the ridge—no real exposure, just solid rock with good handholds and footholds. Nothing scary, nothing technical, but definitely not a ‘walk’ either.
We stopped now and then to take in the views. The triangular peak of Yr Wyddfa looks impressive from this angle, and the lakes soon felt a long way below us. With such perfect weather, the views out across Snowdonia were absolutely stunning.
The Ridge Traverse
Half an hour later, we reached the ridge proper. This is where Crib Goch starts to feel a little more serious, with a sheer drop to the north (right-hand side) and a pretty steep slope to the south. It is possible to stride confidently along the top, but it’s not recommended—and certainly not the safest option.
The best approach is to move carefully and stay concentrated, keeping to the left-hand side, using the very top for handholds and picking careful footholds. I don’t have the strongest head for heights these days, so I kept my centre of gravity low and took it steady.
Without meaning to, we split into two groups here: me, Gary, and Lizzie at the front; followed by Nia, Rhys, Sarah, and Laura. There were lots of other people around, and some safer spots where we could regroup for a breather and a chat.
The summit of Crib Goch (923 m) is partway along the ridge. After the main arête, we descended to Bwlch Goch and stopped for a while. Everyone had made it across—some were relieved it was over, but everyone was smiling, proud, and glad they’d done it.
On to Crib y Ddysgl
From Bwlch Goch, there’s more relatively easy scrambling, then a choice: either head up to Crib y Ddysgl (1065 m) or take the lower path that rejoins the Pyg Track. I wanted to bag Crib y Ddysgl properly with a GPS, so Rhys and Gary joined me while the others took the lower route. The girls were a bit put off by what looked like a sheer rock face—but we soon found a manageable way up.
Gary got stuck briefly at one point—until he remembered he had a right leg as well as a left one!
After that, we enjoyed more great scrambling and ridge walking until we reached the relatively flat top and trig point of Crib y Ddysgl (also known as Carnedd Ugain). The views from here were some of the best I’ve ever seen: Yr Wyddfa and the whole Snowdon Horseshoe to one side, Porthmadog and the coast to the south, the Lleyn Peninsula stretching out, and Llanberis and North Wales to the north. What a day to be up there!
Yr Wyddfa and the Way Down
We made our way down to Bwlch Glas, where the Llanberis Path, Pyg Track, and Snowdon Ranger Path all meet. We expected to find the girls there, but they weren’t, so Rhys and I scanned the slopes and eventually spotted them just about to rejoin the Pyg Track—about ten minutes away.
While we waited, Gary disappeared. When I looked around, I spotted him striding off toward the summit of Yr Wyddfa! I told Rhys to wait for the others and ran after Gary, catching up with him just below the summit. He was on a mission—heading to the café for a cider!
I waited at the summit while he popped in, and then we headed back down to rejoin the others. After that, we all descended via the Pyg Track. It felt like a long way down, and again we naturally split into two groups, with me, Lizzie, and Gary moving a little quicker and chatting as we went.
Three Nuttalls, Great Company, and a Perfect Day
All in all, it was a perfect day in the mountains—great company, loads of laughs, and three Nuttalls ticked off. They weren’t new to me, but at least I’ve bagged them digitally now. The weather was unbeatable, and the whole route was a joy.
In fact, it was such a good day that I’m tempted to go back on Friday and do it all again—this time with just Morgan so that we can mnove a little quicker and continue around to complete the full Snowdon Horseshoe where there are a few more Nuttalls I’d like to bag.
