Get Lost Mountaineering

Y Garn via Devil's Kitchen, Glyder Fawr, Glyder Fach & Tryfan by Walking Routes from Ogwen Cottage

Start/Finish

Park at, or close to Ogwen Cottage on the A5. The actual Cottage car park charges for parking but nearby, and on the road, there is lots of free parking.

Distance/Time

12 km     About 9 – 10 hours

Peaks

Y Garn, 947 m, SH 630 595.

Glyder Fawr, 999 m, SH 642 579.

Glyder Fach, 994 m, SH 656 582.

Tryfan, 915 m, SH 664 593.

Introduction

This route does not involve any climbing or scrambling although hands will be needed on Tryfan, even by its easiest route and for parts of the path below the Devil's Kitchen. For those who can handle exposed scrambles, a much better route has been uploaded which ascends Tryfan via its N ridge and Glyder Fach via Bristly Ridge. There are some rough sections to this walk; they are the ascent of Glyder Fawr, the descent of Glyder Fach and the ascent and descent of Tryfan. These will be quite unpleasant in bad weather so choose a clear dry day with little wind. Note that many people use the name “Idwal Cottage” for the start as it is the name of the youth hostel next to Ogwen Cottage.

Route

(1) From Ogwen Cottage, take the stepped path to the left, of the centre, and follow it up to Llyn Idwal which it passes on its E side. It then passes below the long rocky slabs known as the Idwal Slabs before picking its way below the rocky corrie wall. A stream in a rocky cleft is crossed and this may be slippery and awkward after rain. The path then continues twisting its way up below the rocky cleft above which is the Devil's Kitchen. The path is not always obvious but it is a very well made path with steps in many places. The path eventually reaches a stile over a wall then continues, almost level, to Llyn Cwn which sits close to the col between Glyder Fawr and Glyder Fach. Go around the N side of the tarn and soon reach the path going up the S flank of Y Garn. There is a choice of a direct route or one further to the right which follows an edge higher up. One can use one path in ascent and the other in descent. Both routes lead to the summit shelter cairn of Y Garn, 947 m.

(2) Retrace back to the col then continue up the other side on a purgatorial path up through steep loose scree which can be hard going. When the angle finally eases, boulder fields take over! Try to follow what seems to be the best path, not easy in mist, and continue up on to the stony plateau where there are two outcrops of similar height. The first one reached seems to be the higher but both are easy to visit although hands will be needed. Neither has an obvious cairn but this is the summit of Glyder Fawr, 999 m.

(3) Rejoin the “path” and continue walking E. The next prominent feature is the Castle of the Winds (Castell y Gwynt), a very substantial outcrop to the right of the path. It is well worth a visit but some very large boulders will have to be clambered over. It can be avoided by losing some height to the S then rejoining the crest. Beyond here the path is reasonably obvious and leads to what is essentially a pile of large rocks which are not easy to clamber over as there are large gaps between them. They would be very slippery when wet. The highest point here is the summit (no cairn) of Glyder Fach, 994 m. Close by is the famous Cantilever Stone which is a long balanced rock which many try to stand on.

(4) Continue on to soon reach a cairn which marks the start of the descent route down to the right, E, of Bristly Ridge. This descent is steep and now loose and dangerously eroded so cannot be recommended. Even for those happy to take it on, progress will be painfully slow. It is better to go E, along the top of the cliffs, where there are some cairns, to reach the Miner's Track which crosses the corrie below the cliffs and scree and leads to Bwlch Tryfan, the col below Tryfan. This descent route is longer in distance but not in time and certainly less hard on the knees! At the wall in the col, cross over the first stile and follow the path up, keeping near to the wall until it runs out below a cliff just after a stile. A path continues up but it isn't always obvious so good route finding is essential to avoid having to scramble but hands will be needed in places even if the easiest route is found. Bear in mind that this ascent will be retraced in descent. There is a Far South peak, a South peak before the summit area is reached which is marked by two upright pillars of rock known as “Adam and Eve”. There is no summit cairn but this is the top of Tryfan, 915 m.

(5) Retrace back down the S ridge but as this may not be that obvious despite just having been ascended, here is a little more detail. From the summit, descend slightly, heading S then ascend to the S peak which may seem more precipitous than in ascent! Continue descending, roughly SSE, on a reasonably obvious path. Make sure you find this path or the descent will be much more difficult. At the first col, there is a wall with stiles. Over this wall is the Heather Terrace path which goes around Tryfan and down to the Ogwen Valley. Do not cross the wall but stay on the path which goes around the hill directly ahead on its W side. Continue down and round until you reach Bwlch Tryfan which is the col between Tryfan and Glyder Fach. Do not be tempted to cut the corner and aim for the path heading back to Ogwen from this col as the route becomes very steep on loose scree. Go to the col and pick up the path from there. Follow the path down, past Llyn Bochlywd. Soon after, it descends steeply by a stream/waterfall before becoming easier and leading back to join the outward path near to the start.

Notes

(a) This walk took place on 6^th May, 2016.

(b) This route would be a very serious undertaking in winter conditions and ice axe and crampons would be essential especially on Tryfan which may be too challenging for the inexperienced.