Sussex
Scrapbook ~ Wildlife walks throughout the year
Sat 20th May to Wednesday 24th May
Snowdonia, North Wales
Saturday 21st May - Tryfan and the Glyders
Gill asked me what I wanted for my birthday and I answered "you to accompany me
up Tryfan". That put the cat among the pigeons, as Tryfan is a real challenge
and not really something Gill would choose to do.
It's not a walk, it's a proper scramble up a very steep pile of rock that ascends
almost vertically up to 918m. You need to use every part of your body to climb
it and you need to keep your nerve. There're no ropes involved but this is a real
bit of mountaineering requiring you to climb the whole way up using handholds
and it's amazing! Gill was very nervous beforehand but she really got into it
after about a third of the way up and even started to lead. It gets quite tricky
later on near the top though and she had a couple of really scary moments but by the summit
she must have felt pretty good because there's been a smile on her face ever
since.
The next challenge straight after Tryfan was the climb up to the top of the
Glyders (Glyder Fâch (994m) - Glyder Fawr (999m)) but that was helped by our
choosing an easier route than my normal straight up and by the expert use of a
bar of Kendal Mint Cake. At the top we had gorgeous clear views across the
valley of our next hike - The Snowdon Horseshoe and the very tempting ridge of
Crib
Goch.
A triathlon was taking place and we were escorted down the road by hundreds of
cyclists.
You have to climb straight up from the road at Llyn Ogwen where we parked the
bike.
Rapidly gaining height
That slab of rock near the centre is a huge cliff used by climbers. It gives you
a sense of the scale.
Looking very snug in my new down jacket
You have to keep stopping to check out the ever-changing views.
It looks like the top is close by - it's not. There's lots to do yet.
The North Gulley. Gill didn't like this bit...
but up she goes anyway.
The last section
The Adam and Eve stones mark the summit. It was very windy at the top so I
didn't attempt jumping across them.
Now we need to climb both of them!
Tryfan seen from near the top of Glyder
Fach.
Monday 23rd
May - The Snowdon Horseshoe but not Crib Goch.
Gill said she'd done her scary bit for this holiday and the best ridge in Wales
would have to wait for another time. That didn't matter in the slightest as we
had the most fantastic mountain day we could have hoped for. Y Lliwedd (898m)
was so much fun. The rocks there are a joy to go through and the views all the
way along are superb. The only bad moment was seeing someone come extremely
close to falling off Snowdon. He was with a group of friends and he decided to
show off by trying to run down a very steep section of the Watkin's Path, very
near to the top. He got right near to us and shouted to his friends "make way
for an expert" and immediately tripped and hurtled uncontrollably towards the
edge. He managed to collapse and stop at the very edge of the precipice where he
sat in a very distressed state while his friends all laughed. We weren't
laughing. We thought he was about to die and we've never seen anyone come that
close to dying on a mountain before. Also he could just as easily have knocked
one of us, or his friends off the edge too.
From the summit of Snowdon (1085m) we actually had good views. That is a very
rare thing, as any visitor to Wales will tell you, so we felt very lucky. As we
were not allowed to go down Crib Goch (Goddamit!) we chose the Pyg Trail instead
and got back to Pen-y-Pass for 7.30pm.
Pen-y-Pass on the incredible Llanberis
Pass. The famous starting point for most people's attempt at the summit.
There they are, the black cliffs of Y Lliwedd on the left and Snowdon capped in
cloud on the right.
Up we go with the aid of a bit of Kendal Mint Cake or rocket fuel as we like to
call it.
Snowdon's summit on the left with the ridge of Crib Goch on the skyline and the
two paths coming down its flank.
The top one is the Pyg Track and the lower one is the Miner's Track.
The rocky pinnacles of Y Lliwedd are great fun to climb over, especially when
you have views like this.
You have to concentrate or you can easily take a tumble.
Looking back to Y Lliwedd at the point where we joined the Watkin Path.
The Watkin Path going straight up to the
summit.
The summit of Snowdon and we can see more than just our hands in front of our
faces.
The station and cafe at the top. Most people are very pleased to see it.
Toilets, ice cream, coffee... civilisation!
The way down.
The bike is down there somewhere!
Take the time to read
the
countryside code for yourself and please stick to it at all times.