Tryfan and the Glyders
Wet and miserable, the hall mark of my trek up Snowden. I ventured down to Wales again. The Brecon Beacons. Nil visibility blighted me then too.
Third time lucky?
Saturday the sun shone brightly and the rocks were dry.
Perfect for the grade one scramble up Tryfan, a circuit of Glyder Fach, Glyder Faw and back down the Devils Kitchen.
Tryfan from the road
I had absolutely no idea what I was letting myself in for. My chaotic life just now had allowed no more time than reading the comments of the FB event’s page where I found the walk. ‘Great grade 1 scramble’. A sufficient accolade to pack my tent and head three hours south for a ‘I didn’t get a ticket’ Glastonbury distraction.
Llyn Ogwen
Although it looked sufficiently steep, from underneath Tryfan was deceptive. Stretching back from the road in a dinosaur spine its full height hidden from view.
Start of the scramble
A brief walk up the grassy path before the trail disappears into rock. A case of find your own way up best you can. One thing is guaranteed up the north face; you’ll need your hands as well as your feet. If four limbs is not your cup of tea then head for the aptly named Heather Terrace a little below the summit ridge.
Looking over to Carneddau
On the way up the ridge are convenient rest plateaux to stop and admire the views, and rocks just aching to be photographed. On a rare fine day in an indomitably wet summer mountain enthusiasts swarmed ant like in, around, up and over the bleached grey.
One more false summit
Queues forming for photo opportunities with the most spectacular backdrops.
Cannon Stone
The summit spines meanders up and down with the giant Jenga blocks to negotiate or detour round.
Pull up a gully
Impressive gullies with rocks to climb over or crawl under. All liberally scrapped by crampons signifying the hills popularity in winter as well as summer.
Choice, under, over or round?
The day was far too beautiful to leave behind after Tryfan.
Tryfan from the path up to Glyder
After a rocky descent to the Hawes, Bwich Tryfan there was only scree to negotiate to the strange rock garden of Glyder Fach.
Glyder Fach
Monoliths arranged as artfully as flowers littered the ridge to Glyder Fawr where a line of posies silhouetted the skyline.
Boulder Art
Which every route you take down to Llyn Idwal is steep but, apparently, The Devil’s Kitchen is the kindest.
Down to Llyn Idwal
It has been ‘fixed’ with steps most of the way down. The small lake catching the last rays as they dropped behind hills.
Llyn Idwal
Welsh mountains at their best.
