TR The Glyderau

[MkPotato]

Obviously anyone who's spent any time in Snowdonia will be familiar with this route, but since it was my first venture into Wales since lockdown, I thought I'd like to do a straightforward walk from Ogwen. It's also a bit of a love-letter to one of my favourite places - I think the Glyderau offer huge bang-for-the-buck in that (obviously) it's fantastically beautiful terrain, but they're easily accessible (a down side to some!), there's something for everyone (in terms of walks, scrambles etc), and it's actually quite a compact area. If you park at any of the Ogwen car-parks, you are a short walk from a massive variety of routes, which you can tag together as the mood takes you.

You’ll see I’ve done most routes from Ogwen onto the Glyerau (notably not Bristly Ridge!!). Red highlighted is today's route.

I decided to go up Y Garn via the usual NE ridge. If there's a downside to the central Glyders, it’s that there isn't an easy way up to the main ridge (unless you take the long route). Devil's kitchen is quite a climb (followed by a load of scree); it's a fair old climb to Bochlwyd (followed by a load of scree, or a longer dog-leg); and Y Garn isn't really an exception. It's a steep climb, then a bit of a respite at Cwm Clyd, then a bit of a loose steep climb (scree) onto the main ridge. What I do like are the views back to Ogwen - stunning.



The view from Y Garn is underrrated, particularly as you get to see Fawr, Fach, and Tryfan in all their glory. Also the bulk of Pen yr Ole Wen looks particularly impressive from Y Garn - you often don't appreciate that the SW aspect of PYOW rises from 200m to the height of Scafell Pike in a fairly continuous face. It’s quite a lump.



Next is the easy walk back down to Llyn y Cwn. It’s a nice spot, tempered only by the impending scree walk up to G Fawr. Truth is, the second half of the route is fine, it’s just the initial scree-fest that is a bit of a grind. The only other way up from Ogwen is either the Gribbin or Seniors Ridge – both less travelled, and much more pleasurable, but from Y Garn, the scree path it must be...


Screeee!




The summit of Glyder Fawr is wonderful – it’s often compared unfavourably to Fach or Tryfan, but I love the moonscape.



Next onto Fach. It’s been so dry that this was a pleasure. I’ve been up when the rock is slippy, and you really have to watch where you’re putting your feet. (Particularly on the natural cairns. I’ve inched my way down on my backside in the past – a fall on that kind of terrain would be extremely nasty.


Fach is no doubt one of the rockstars of the Glyders. Several massive piles of shattered rock (Castle of the Winds is straight out of Game of Thrones), and the Cantilever Stone to provided photo-ops galore.




My route down isn’t one that many choose. I decided to descend the scree slope into Cwm Tryfan. I don’t think it’s as bad as some make out. Keeping to the left (going down) makes it more of a loose scramble than a scree-chute, and once you’ve got about half-way down, it’s more of a path. I’ve been up it once, and that was difficult, but again keeping close to the wall and scrambling works quite well.


Screee! (again)


Cwm Tryfan

Cwm Tryfan and screeee!

Once back down to the style, the rest of the walk past Bochlwyd and down back to Ogwen was a breeze.
The purist may say that really Tryfan should be included in a decent Glyder walk, but that was enough for me! For the entire walk, the weather couldn’t have been better. Just a bit of breeze, cool (but not cold), and very good clarity.

I honestly think that the Glyderau probably offer more than any other mountain group, in England and Wales at least (and excluding the 1085m elephant in the room that is Snowdon – which divides the purists, despite being fanatasic), in a very compact and accessible area.

(Did I mention there's quite a lot of scree?).

[pdstsp]

Wow, those are absolutely beautiful pictures of a wonderful walk which I haven't done since 2018, so it is well overdue.  Fantastic TR MkP.  Not sure I wold have taken that descent route to Cwm Tryfan - that is some steep scree!


Thanks for posting - you have whetted my Snowdonia appetite even more.

[karl h]

Brilliant photos and route Mkp
I did a similar walk a few years ago but in low cloud and a howling gale so it's nice to see the views that I missed

[richardh1905]

Great stuff, a wonderful walk over wonderful mountains.


My favourite route would be via Tryfan, scrambling up the North Ridge, choosing an easy or hard line as the fancy takes me, then up the Bristly Ridge onto the wonderful tops of G.Fach and Fawr. The scree down to Llyn y Cwn is not nearly so tiresome in descent.
I have a dislike of the NE ridge of Y Garn - I remember the path as being horribly eroded and loose; perhaps that has changed in the 25+ years since I descended that way.


PS - Heather Terrace is a good way up Tryfan too.

[MkPotato]

Thanks, guys, it’s an oft-trodden route, but for very good reason.


pdstdp, I know what you mean about the G Fach scree chute. It’s not really the ideal way down, but as I said, it can be mitigated by keeping close to the base of Bristly Ridge. The sensible route is to do the dog-leg to the miners path.


Karl, yes, fantastic clarity. I had a quick chat with a chap who had been in the area for the last couple of weeks, and he said it’s been exceptionally clear for pretty much all of it.


Richard, I agree the Tryfan/Bristly start is the classic scramblers version of the Glyders round, and I’ve yet to do the Heather Terrace as an alternate way down from Cwm Tryfan - looks nice though.


Funnily enough, I don’t think the Y Garn route is too bad, hence my preference as an ascent. I think it probably easier on the way up, as there’s less slippage. My wife is fine with it, so that has to be a fair indicator!


I’ve had my perception of annoying scree paths slightly recalibrated by my recent trip down from Wind Gap on Pillar. None of the Glyder paths are anywhere near as unpleasant as that. I think the amount of use (especially the Fawr one, which is a “main” route) mean that footfall keeps a relatively clear path. On the Pillar one, you can be ankle-deep.


By the way has anyone done the Glyders from Pen-y-Pass? That’s on my to do list, partly for completeness.

[vghikers]

Incredible clear pictures of a spectacular area 

That scree descent is one we always avoided but did ascend it once, very slow and tiring.
The dogleg descent also has the added bonus of a quick detour to Llyn Caseg-fraith.
Our vote for worst descent thereabouts is from Glyder Fawr to Llyn y Cwn, a horrible gritty slip-fest!.

[GnP]

Some top views there and such fantastic weather to walk it . That  scree slope into Cwm Tryfan looks intriguing to say the least . 

[MkPotato]

I think with scree, it probably depends on what particularly bothers you. There’s definitely an argument that going down scree is harder than going up it. Possibly your centre of gravity is further out, and there’s a greater sense of impending doom as you’re looking down! Going up is more just hard work.


The Gribbin is one of the best routes down from the Glyderau. There’s some fantastic views, and you can cut down to either Bochlwyd or Idwal. The only downside is that the final upper 30m or so is a bit too much of a scramble for some (and the route is a little indistinct).


We were lucky to be on the Gribbin with this inversion.

[richardh1905]

Richard, I agree the Tryfan/Bristly start is the classic scramblers version of the Glyders round, and I’ve yet to do the Heather Terrace as an alternate way down from Cwm Tryfan - looks nice though.

Funnily enough, I don’t think the Y Garn route is too bad, hence my preference as an ascent. I think it probably easier on the way up, as there’s less slippage. My wife is fine with it, so that has to be a fair indicator!

I’ve had my perception of annoying scree paths slightly recalibrated by my recent trip down from Wind Gap on Pillar. None of the Glyder paths are anywhere near as unpleasant as that. I think the amount of use (especially the Fawr one, which is a “main” route) mean that footfall keeps a relatively clear path. On the Pillar one, you can be ankle-deep.

By the way has anyone done the Glyders from Pen-y-Pass? That’s on my to do list, partly for completeness.

Heather Terrace much better in ascent, in my opinion - a really dramatic way up Tryfan, tight under the towering crags of the East Face. My normal route down would be Devil's Kitchen.


I descended Esgair Felen from Glyder Fawr once, interesting near the top, but a long plod westwards down steep grass to avoid the Dinas Cromlech crags. Might have climbed up from Pen-y-Pass, but cannot remember - will see if I can spot the route in my journals.

[richardh1905]

I think with scree, it probably depends on what particularly bothers you. There’s definitely an argument that going down scree is harder than going up it. Possibly your centre of gravity is further out, and there’s a greater sense of impending doom as you’re looking down! Going up is more just hard work.

The Gribbin is one of the best routes down from the Glyderau. There’s some fantastic views, and you can cut down to either Bochlwyd or Idwal. The only downside is that the final upper 30m or so is a bit too much of a scramble for some (and the route is a little indistinct).

Yes, really liked the Gribin ridge, did it in winter conditions once, lovely.


Descending scree is a matter of confidence, I have found. Something that I try and avoid nowadays, nonetheless, on environmental grounds.

[MkPotato]

I descended Esgair Felen from Glyder Fawr once, interesting near the top, but a long plod westwards down steep grass to avoid the Dinas Cromlech crags. Might have climbed up from Pen-y-Pass, but cannot remember - will see if I can spot the route in my journals.

Yes, that side of the Glyders is quite craggy as well - you don’t want to end up stuck on those. I guess it’s the unloved side, as the main cliffs and cwms are facing Ogwen. There’s less of a compelling reason to start from the south, but my desire to explore is strong!


I’d park at PyG, walk up to PyP, then there’s a path (not on OS) that goes left of the Llyn then turns north pretty much straight up G Fawr. The way down is probably easier to follow, as it’s the miners path coming down from G Fach.

[Mel]

Well thank you for posting this MkPotato - These are the views I never got on my trip up Y Garn, so thank you for showing me what I could have been looking at!


Looks absolutely smashing.  I may have to revisit one day.

[MkPotato]

Well thank you for posting this MkPotato - These are the views I never got on my trip up Y Garn, so thank you for showing me what I could have been looking at!


Looks absolutely smashing.  I may have to revisit one day.

My pleasure.
I have to say, it’s probably the clearest I’ve seen the Glyderau.

[Mel]

Yes, definitely clearer than this view, approaching Y Garn summit 

[MkPotato]

Yes, definitely clearer than this view, approaching Y Garn summit 

🤣
I’ve got a few like that from my various walks.