Author Topic: TR Glyderau again  (Read 1740 times)

MkPotato

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TR Glyderau again
« on: 19:18:29, 28/05/21 »
I took advantage of the improvement in weather and since my wife was coming along, opted for a relatively easy one.

I say "relatively" easy, as a regular internal argument I have with myself is, "is there any easy way up the Glyderau, and which is it?". Even with the 300m head start from Ogwen, there's still 600m+ climb to most of the major moutains, and most routes tend to involve a relatively short, direct path to the summit. To make matters worse, there's a lot of scree at the upper levels - and my wife really hates scree!

I decided do Y Garn via Idwal and the Devil's Kitchen path.


Lovely morning at Ogwen




Idwal looking lovely - it's a huge amphitheatre.




This is argaubly one of Snowdonia's best views IMO.



Since Idwal is about 370m, and Llyn y Cwn is 715m, there's no denying that you have to gain a bit of altitude in quite a short distance. I think as a route up the Devil's Kitchen pass is just the right side of exhausting - the gradient is fairly consistant, it's a well maintained staircase, and you get to the wall/stile just before you start to get too annoyed. I've probably come down it more times that up, and to be honest, I prefer it as an ascent, as it can be hard on the knees in descent.



After the wall, it's a short stroll to the Llyn.


Then up to Y Garn - quite a steady climb, and much easier than "the scree path of certain death" up to Glyder Fawr!



Good view into Cwm Clyd



Great views from Y Garn. Pen yr Ole Wen looks incredible from here. It a huge bulk.





Simialrly Elidir Fawr looks quite imposing from here.


We then continued down the other side of Y Garn, and along the ridge.




When you get to Foel Goch, it's actually pretty low-key - a mere bump. Here though we took a route that I don't think many people on the Gylderau do. We follwed the inside of the ridge along the top of Foel Goch and along The Musroom Garden. This is very much worth an excusion if you want to do something a little different. I've done this a few times now, and you can pretty much guaratee that you will have Cwm Cywion to yourself.









Looking at the cragginess of Foel Goch.


Interesting alternative views of Y Garn and Pen Yr Ole Wen



Quite a nice ridge.





It then turns into a grassy path going down to the base of the cwm



Theres a lovely stream to stop at.


At this point, you're on your way back to the valley. It's deceptive though - it's majorly boggy, and each time I've come this way it's been surprisingly slippy.l Trick is to stay slightly higher, and avoid the bogginess!! It takes you back to Idwal rather than the valley floor.




Back at the path that goes up to Y Garn.



All in all, this is a great descent from the Glyders, particularly if it's windy on the tops, as it's very sheltered. The only downside is that the lower section that goes down to the youth hostel really is boggy, despite looking like an easy grassy slope down to the old road. Keeping higher avoids this.Health stats were far less extreme than some of my recent walks. 6.78 miles 754m ascent, av HR 126, with max of 166. 1754 calories burned.
« Last Edit: 07:12:51, 29/05/21 by MkPotato »

Mel

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Re: TR Glyderau again
« Reply #1 on: 20:34:05, 28/05/21 »
Fabulous.  And look at that weather - unheard of for Wales  ;D


The Devil's Kitchen route is on my "bum shuffle down / never going up that way" list  :-[


The Mushroom Garden sounds intriguing.  Any ideas how the name came about?

MkPotato

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Re: TR Glyderau again
« Reply #2 on: 20:52:45, 28/05/21 »
Fabulous.  And look at that weather - unheard of for Wales  ;D


The Devil's Kitchen route is on my "bum shuffle down / never going up that way" list  :-[


The Mushroom Garden sounds intriguing.  Any ideas how the name came about?
It was great weather. Virtually no wind, so the top ridge was fantastic.


Not sure about the Mushroom Garden origin - it’s on the OS map, and seems to mark the area below the ridge we went on. At a guess, the rocks are quite bobbly and may look like mushrooms, but I may be completely wrong!

karl h

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Re: TR Glyderau again
« Reply #3 on: 22:11:42, 28/05/21 »
Fantastic weather and even more fantastic photos O0
I've only descended the Devil's Kitchen path once and it was hard on the knees.

clyoung

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Re: TR Glyderau again
« Reply #4 on: 22:33:27, 28/05/21 »
Great photos, you really had the weather for it.

Skip

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Re: TR Glyderau again
« Reply #5 on: 06:58:16, 29/05/21 »
Excellent TR, great photos.
Thanks  :)
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richardh1905

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Re: TR Glyderau again
« Reply #6 on: 07:52:53, 29/05/21 »
Wonderful. I'm struggling to remember whether I ever descended that ridge above the Mushroom Garden.


One thing that I remember from my decades in Snowdonia is how, for a few brief months, the mountains 'green up'. We used to have a good view of Moel Siabod from our lounge (when it wasn't covered in cloud), and most of the year it was a rather drab colour, but in late May it seemed as if the whole mountain suddenly turned green.
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MkPotato

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Re: TR Glyderau again
« Reply #7 on: 08:42:52, 29/05/21 »
Wonderful. I'm struggling to remember whether I ever descended that ridge above the Mushroom Garden.


One thing that I remember from my decades in Snowdonia is how, for a few brief months, the mountains 'green up'. We used to have a good view of Moel Siabod from our lounge (when it wasn't covered in cloud), and most of the year it was a rather drab colour, but in late May it seemed as if the whole mountain suddenly turned green.
It was looking quite lush. The lighting was a bit unusual on the day, so it slightly exaggerated the colours.


That route is definitely one less traveled and it doesn’t seem to be on any maps.  Also, it’s quite difficult to do in reverse as an ascent. You either have to trudge up the boggy grass slope (which has no clear path), or you have to try and find the traverse from the Y Garn route - which again there is no real path until you get to the wall. It’s effectively hidden from view.


There are quite a few minor paths on that part of the massif though (possibly to access the scrambling routes). There’s also a parallel route that follows the stream down to the mini tarn in the cwm. I keep meaning to do that, but I always think the views are going to be better from the ridge.


I like it though. It’s a quieter and less strenuous alternative to going from Y Garn up to the Glyders. (Which my wife vetoed on account of the scree slope!).

pdstsp

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Re: TR Glyderau again
« Reply #8 on: 12:25:24, 31/05/21 »
Another cracking set of pics and write up MkP. Not done that descent, looks interesting.  Have done Devils Kitchen both ways and prefer it in ascent. The screes up to Glyder Fawr are nasty in either direction.

vghikers

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Re: TR Glyderau again
« Reply #9 on: 17:35:03, 31/05/21 »
Superlative photos again  O0

The ascent via Cwm Clyd is one we've noted but never done, it looks excellent. That line of descent has been discussed here before but I can't remember any details now.

Quote
It’s a quieter and less strenuous alternative to going from Y Garn up to the Glyders. (Which my wife vetoed on account of the scree slope!).

She should try coming down it  :o


richardh1905

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Re: TR Glyderau again
« Reply #10 on: 17:39:39, 31/05/21 »
Superlative photos again  O0

The ascent via Cwm Clyd is one we've noted but never done, it looks excellent. That line of descent has been discussed here before but I can't remember any details now.

She should try coming down it  :o


Down for me any day - gravity is a wonderful thing.
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vghikers

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Re: TR Glyderau again
« Reply #11 on: 18:01:12, 31/05/21 »
Quote
Down for me any day - gravity is a wonderful thing.

Damn, that made me realise the ambiguity of what I wrote!. I meant that the descent of the GF scree is very much worse than its ascent.

MkPotato

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Re: TR Glyderau again
« Reply #12 on: 18:06:29, 31/05/21 »


She should try coming down it  :o
It’s funny you mention that. We did the Glyer Fach then Glyer Fawr route a couple of years ago, and therefore came down the scree slope to Llyn y Cwn. She was not amused - and to be fair, it seemed looser/slippier than usual. Not to forget the subsequent knee-punishing descent of the Devil’s Kitchen path.


Hence the veto!

richardh1905

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Re: TR Glyderau again
« Reply #13 on: 18:16:42, 31/05/21 »
Damn, that made me realise the ambiguity of what I wrote!. I meant that the descent of the GF scree is very much worse than its ascent.


Ah, but I knew exactly what you meant - give me a descent down scree any day, even the GF scree.
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MkPotato

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Re: TR Glyderau again
« Reply #14 on: 18:32:55, 31/05/21 »

Ah, but I knew exactly what you meant - give me a descent down scree any day, even the GF scree.


I’m more in the ascent is easier camp. The exception is possibly deeper scree, rather than just very loose ground, which can be exhausting. Ascent is kinder on the knees for me. (Plus you don’t get the fear of impending doom when you’re looking into the mountain).

 

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