Walk Report: The Glyderau
I wasn't sure which walk I would do today, it was a toss up between the Glyderau or Snowdon. The deciding factor was the weather but as it turned out I got the weather rather wrong. It was raining as I left Bangor so decided I didn't want to do Crib Goch in this sort of weather (Ha! You just wait!) so I drove down the A5 to Llyn Ogwen parking up at the layby midway between the Idwal Cottage car park and Tryfan. As I prepared to move off the weather cleared up and the sun came out, good for that morning's walk, pity about the next days walk over Crib Goch. I set off down the A5 till I beneath Milestone Buttress and started the climb beside the stone wall and then across the north face of Tryfan. So began the ascent of the North Face of Tryfan, one of the best scrambles in Wales. The weather on this sunny Sunday morning was perfect but I could trouble brewing on the higher hills. The Gylders spent most of the morning in the clouds and the after passing over the glyders I could see the clouds blowing very quickly past me. It was going to be very windy on the tops.
The trick to climbing Tryfan by it's northern face is simply to take it one step at a time, I just put my head down and tackled it one rocky ledge at a time until I was surprised to discover that I was on the top, unmistakable by the sight of the two large blocks of stone, known by the names, Adam and Eve. The highest point of Tryfan is at the top of one or both of these rocks and since the height of Tryfan is 3002 feet you have not been over three thousand feet until you have managed to climb onto one of the pillars. So feeling that I had an obligation I scrambled up onto the northerly of the two rocks (whichever one that is!). Now it is said that you earn yourself the freedom of Tryfan if you step from one pillar to the other, bearing in mind they are over 2 metres above the rocky summit of Tryfan which itself is 2000 feet above the valley floor. This is not a step for the timid or vertigous. Two years I climbed up onto the top of Tryfan but daren't go onto either rock let alone step from one to the other. This step I was determined to do it and the fact that it was blowing a gale was not going to deter me, much.
Crouching on the edge of the northerly stone I waited for the right moment when the wind died down momentarily long enough for me to gather the nerve to step from Adam to Eve (or Eve to Adam). Eventually I made my step but it was more a leap from a crouching position on one rock across to the other. It's not quite a step but it's close enough, isn't it? Anyway, feeling happy with myself I began my descent of Tyfan, a potentially more difficult undertaking than the ascent. Spuring the main route down I tried to stay on the top of the ridge all the way down ensuring I passed over the subsidiary peaks on my way down. As I descended I came to a difficult section that requried that I swung around into the rock wall. I swung around too quickly and bashed my left knee into the wall. Not only was it very painful but even now, as I am writing this 1½ weeks later I knee still hurts. I recieved several bruises over this weekend but most have not been very painful, my knee still complains whenever I go up or down stairs or when I immobile in a chair for long periods. I feel like an old man, I only hope my knee will heel completely or I'll become like all those people I hear who complain about their knees while walking.
Undetered by such problems I reached Bwlch Tryfan and turning left followed the miner's track around the top of Cwm Tryfan to reach the col between Glyder Fach and Y Foel Goch. The latter was hill I had never been onto so crossing the boggy col I walked up onto the top of Y Foel Goch and then turned around passing across the col again and beginning the ascent of Glyder Fach. The sun had now gone in and would never be seen again, with the wind as strong as ever and the clouds descending the pattern for the rest of the day began to establish itself. The summit of Glyder Fach, though in the clouds, was well populated with a dozen or two on or around the summit rocks. After my morning's scrambling practice on tryfan I found it very easy walking or leaping over the rocks onto highest point, bypassing the people who were nervously making their own way from rock to rock onto the top.
As I made my way between Glyder Fach and Glyder Fawr I started to make the series of mistakes that wouldn't stop until I was the other side of Glyder Fawr. This will become something of an infamous hill for me as I tried to go up it in total cloud cover and no compass. I realised I'd left my compass in my car during the morning but thought I'd never need it, some hope. I believe my mistake was at Bwlch y Ddwy-Glyder where I turned south and walked below Waun Gron. If I'd had my compass my mistake would have been obvious immediately but as it was when I finally realised my mistake it was almost too late to turn back. Eventually I decided that I would try and get to the summit by any means whatsoever, so with a stubborn face I off up the hill trying to find the summit or at the least a path. Somehow with a lot of luck in the worsening weather I managed to drag myself onto the summit and found a lump of rock with a cairn on top and people milling around.
With a great relief I collapsed in a heap and had my lunch. Now I resolved to keep to the path and not lose it again as I set off. Of course I quickly lost the path and started veering to the north. If I'd even just consulted my map I'd have seen I needed to going more west but without a compass I didn't know where I was going. I was totally lost descending a rocky slope heading towards what would have been a sheer cliff face as I was heading towards the Upper Cliff of Glyder Fawr. As I got more and more lost I became more and more angry with myself, I was furious with myself for leaving my compass in my car. I was so adamant that I must never, ever, leave my compass behind again; if I could get safely down. After almost slipping to my death I started praying, something I should really have done earlier as I didn't have any other chance. Wainwright famously said that if you get lost in the list on Hay Stacks in the Lake District your only option is to drop to your knees and pray. On the upper cliffs of Glyder Fawr I did the same, and the clouds opened up to reveal a clear path a very long way below me. I wasn't sure what I was looking at, but had some nasty suspicions. Feeling more hopeful I asked the Lord to show me a better view and the clouds opened up even more to reveal a distinctly shaped lake, which a look at my map revealed was Llyn Idwal. I was going in completely the wrong direction and heading towards the top of a certain cliff wall. Turning around I headed back up the steep slope until I reached a point where I could cross the stream I had been following down. Going around the side of the hill from that point I soon found my way down to the top of the Devil's Kitchen. A very dangerous detour had been averted by the divinely inspired parting of the clouds that revealed my true position. In the future let's ensure we take our compass okay?
Once at Llyn y Cwm I put aside thoughts of returning straight to my car and headed off up the clear path to Y Garn. Returning to my intended walk I north towards a collection of hills that I had never been up but which would entail a considerable diversion in order to bag. Despite my 'delay' on Glyder Fawr I felt the effort would be justified, so finished my climb up onto the top of Y Garn and then down to the three hills I wanted to bag, first off, Foel-goch, then Mynydd Perfedd and then across the rock strewn plain to Carnedd y Filiast. After my exertions of earlier in the day I had little energy for these outlying hills but eventually reached the last hill before turning around and going all the way back to Y Garn. With all my energy completely depleted I struggled up the last steep climb onto Y Garn, the strong wind making each turn of the zig-zagged path either a blessing or a curse. With considerable relief I made it to the top again and began the descent down the eastern ridge of Y Garn around the top of Cwm Clyd. Despite the initial very steep descent across the scree slope the whole descent was relatively easy and I was able to relax and enjoy the walk down to Llyn Idwal where I joined the main footpath back to Toilets and shop near Idwal Cottage. A short walk along the A5 brought me back to me car, 9½ hourse after I'd left it, which makes this the longest walk I've ever done and almost the last. What a variable day! A fantastic ascent up Tryfan and an enjoyable walk over Glyder Fach is ofset by bashing my knee in and getting lost on Glyder Fawr. C'est la vie.
The trick to climbing Tryfan by it's northern face is simply to take it one step at a time, I just put my head down and tackled it one rocky ledge at a time until I was surprised to discover that I was on the top, unmistakable by the sight of the two large blocks of stone, known by the names, Adam and Eve. The highest point of Tryfan is at the top of one or both of these rocks and since the height of Tryfan is 3002 feet you have not been over three thousand feet until you have managed to climb onto one of the pillars. So feeling that I had an obligation I scrambled up onto the northerly of the two rocks (whichever one that is!). Now it is said that you earn yourself the freedom of Tryfan if you step from one pillar to the other, bearing in mind they are over 2 metres above the rocky summit of Tryfan which itself is 2000 feet above the valley floor. This is not a step for the timid or vertigous. Two years I climbed up onto the top of Tryfan but daren't go onto either rock let alone step from one to the other. This step I was determined to do it and the fact that it was blowing a gale was not going to deter me, much.
Crouching on the edge of the northerly stone I waited for the right moment when the wind died down momentarily long enough for me to gather the nerve to step from Adam to Eve (or Eve to Adam). Eventually I made my step but it was more a leap from a crouching position on one rock across to the other. It's not quite a step but it's close enough, isn't it? Anyway, feeling happy with myself I began my descent of Tyfan, a potentially more difficult undertaking than the ascent. Spuring the main route down I tried to stay on the top of the ridge all the way down ensuring I passed over the subsidiary peaks on my way down. As I descended I came to a difficult section that requried that I swung around into the rock wall. I swung around too quickly and bashed my left knee into the wall. Not only was it very painful but even now, as I am writing this 1½ weeks later I knee still hurts. I recieved several bruises over this weekend but most have not been very painful, my knee still complains whenever I go up or down stairs or when I immobile in a chair for long periods. I feel like an old man, I only hope my knee will heel completely or I'll become like all those people I hear who complain about their knees while walking.
Undetered by such problems I reached Bwlch Tryfan and turning left followed the miner's track around the top of Cwm Tryfan to reach the col between Glyder Fach and Y Foel Goch. The latter was hill I had never been onto so crossing the boggy col I walked up onto the top of Y Foel Goch and then turned around passing across the col again and beginning the ascent of Glyder Fach. The sun had now gone in and would never be seen again, with the wind as strong as ever and the clouds descending the pattern for the rest of the day began to establish itself. The summit of Glyder Fach, though in the clouds, was well populated with a dozen or two on or around the summit rocks. After my morning's scrambling practice on tryfan I found it very easy walking or leaping over the rocks onto highest point, bypassing the people who were nervously making their own way from rock to rock onto the top.
As I made my way between Glyder Fach and Glyder Fawr I started to make the series of mistakes that wouldn't stop until I was the other side of Glyder Fawr. This will become something of an infamous hill for me as I tried to go up it in total cloud cover and no compass. I realised I'd left my compass in my car during the morning but thought I'd never need it, some hope. I believe my mistake was at Bwlch y Ddwy-Glyder where I turned south and walked below Waun Gron. If I'd had my compass my mistake would have been obvious immediately but as it was when I finally realised my mistake it was almost too late to turn back. Eventually I decided that I would try and get to the summit by any means whatsoever, so with a stubborn face I off up the hill trying to find the summit or at the least a path. Somehow with a lot of luck in the worsening weather I managed to drag myself onto the summit and found a lump of rock with a cairn on top and people milling around.
With a great relief I collapsed in a heap and had my lunch. Now I resolved to keep to the path and not lose it again as I set off. Of course I quickly lost the path and started veering to the north. If I'd even just consulted my map I'd have seen I needed to going more west but without a compass I didn't know where I was going. I was totally lost descending a rocky slope heading towards what would have been a sheer cliff face as I was heading towards the Upper Cliff of Glyder Fawr. As I got more and more lost I became more and more angry with myself, I was furious with myself for leaving my compass in my car. I was so adamant that I must never, ever, leave my compass behind again; if I could get safely down. After almost slipping to my death I started praying, something I should really have done earlier as I didn't have any other chance. Wainwright famously said that if you get lost in the list on Hay Stacks in the Lake District your only option is to drop to your knees and pray. On the upper cliffs of Glyder Fawr I did the same, and the clouds opened up to reveal a clear path a very long way below me. I wasn't sure what I was looking at, but had some nasty suspicions. Feeling more hopeful I asked the Lord to show me a better view and the clouds opened up even more to reveal a distinctly shaped lake, which a look at my map revealed was Llyn Idwal. I was going in completely the wrong direction and heading towards the top of a certain cliff wall. Turning around I headed back up the steep slope until I reached a point where I could cross the stream I had been following down. Going around the side of the hill from that point I soon found my way down to the top of the Devil's Kitchen. A very dangerous detour had been averted by the divinely inspired parting of the clouds that revealed my true position. In the future let's ensure we take our compass okay?
Once at Llyn y Cwm I put aside thoughts of returning straight to my car and headed off up the clear path to Y Garn. Returning to my intended walk I north towards a collection of hills that I had never been up but which would entail a considerable diversion in order to bag. Despite my 'delay' on Glyder Fawr I felt the effort would be justified, so finished my climb up onto the top of Y Garn and then down to the three hills I wanted to bag, first off, Foel-goch, then Mynydd Perfedd and then across the rock strewn plain to Carnedd y Filiast. After my exertions of earlier in the day I had little energy for these outlying hills but eventually reached the last hill before turning around and going all the way back to Y Garn. With all my energy completely depleted I struggled up the last steep climb onto Y Garn, the strong wind making each turn of the zig-zagged path either a blessing or a curse. With considerable relief I made it to the top again and began the descent down the eastern ridge of Y Garn around the top of Cwm Clyd. Despite the initial very steep descent across the scree slope the whole descent was relatively easy and I was able to relax and enjoy the walk down to Llyn Idwal where I joined the main footpath back to Toilets and shop near Idwal Cottage. A short walk along the A5 brought me back to me car, 9½ hourse after I'd left it, which makes this the longest walk I've ever done and almost the last. What a variable day! A fantastic ascent up Tryfan and an enjoyable walk over Glyder Fach is ofset by bashing my knee in and getting lost on Glyder Fawr. C'est la vie.
posted by David Keates at 3:52 pm
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