The Glyders

Forecast looks pretty good to me. Maybe a few hail / snow showers, but mainly well inland and likely to be shortlived. Very little wind and >90% chance of cloud free summits. I'd go for Tryfan (in fact I may well be there, depending how much of the coast path I manage tomorrow).

Tryfan has more sheltered spots behind rocks if a hail shower does hit whereas the glyders have few hiding places. It's also quicker to get off Tryfan and back to the road if the weather does turn nasty.

If you're worried, walk from Ogwen up to Bochlwyd and Bwlch Tryfan and then decide from there either on going up the South Ridge to Tryfan, or going up the Miner's track and on to Glyder Fach.  

We did the circuit of the Glyders from the Pen y Gwryd Hotel about a month ago. We went anti-clockwise, descending the route to Pen y Pass, although we cut over the craggy ground south of Llyn Cwmffynnon to get back to Pen y Gwryd rather than Pen y Pass.

We really enjoyed the Pen y Pass part of the route. In descent it had one or two bits of quite interesting route-finding through the craggy, middle third. (There are some intermittent red paint splodges but not always present or easy to spot). I think the route-finding would be easier in ascent, and there's nothing technically difficult (not if you were considering Tryfan) but a few parts are steep enough to be strenuous.

It probably doesn't have the outright grandeur of an ascent through Cwm Idwal and Devil's Kitchen, but it does avoid that awful eroded final climb from LLyn y Cwn. It'll also be a lot quieter. It offers some good views across the Llanberis Pass to Crib Goch and Snowdon, and there's some interesting geology if you're into that at all. As you reach the summit you get good opportunities to clamber among the haphazard shattered rocks, some of which are really spectacular.

If you're doing a circuit then of course you get the traverse past Castell y Gwynt to Glyder Fach, just the same as with an Ogwen ascent. And after the initial clamber down off Glyder Fach towards LLyn Caseg-fraith, the rest of the descent to Pen y Gwryd is straightforward (a bit boggy in its lower section) with the interest more in the views facing you than the terrain itself.

I quite like the route to Glyder Fawr from Pen-y-Pass. It's different to the Ogwen side, but the views (of Crib Goch particularly) are excellent, and it's generally quiet. Some of the route is marked by spots of red pain on rocks, but the path occasionally splitsand then comes back together.

You can then descend the Miners' Track after Glyder Fach to the Pyg Inn and walk/bus back to Pen y Pass. If you're feeling like a long walk, then extend the route over Y Foel Goch, Gallt yr Ogof, and Cefn y Capel and walk to Capel Curig. It's also quiet, but makes a pleasant end to the day. You could then get a bus back.

Be interested to hear how it went with the 12 year old - I've a couple of young uns myself and whilst they hate walking they love climbing (what little they have done). Hope it went well.

I enjoyed a great climb on the Glyders in Feb, I found the devils kitchen tough on the knees and with it snow covered and quite frozen was a tricky descent for the most part.

david pickard 2 wrote (see)

Trenchfoot-sorry but we decided to tackle tyfan as originally planned so can't comment on taking your kids up the glyders. What I will say though is how well my lad did.He even wanted to take the direct route up to the north summit but I made us go around to the east side and take a gully up from the heather terrace. This may have been a wise decision as just as we reached the top of the gully a MR member pulled my son up as the helicopter was coming in to rescue some poor fella who'd taken a fall.

Glad it went well, no doubt you were very proud of your lad, I know I would be. As for the the MR helicopter, its a good way of reminding us we are all mortal!!, I hope the chap was ok after the tumble.

I'd like to give Tryfan a go myself one day, its an intimidating looking beastie for sure.

Taz wrote (see)

I had a super walk yesterday, up the Glyders via Y Gribin, Glyder Fach, Glyder Fawr and Tryfan. If anyone saw a woman dressed in black acting suspiciously/strange clutching a GPS...I was geo-caching.

Does anyone know the 6 fig grid ref for the cantiliver. just thought i would ask as its in the area your talking about i believe.

SH 657583

It's really obvious from the summit though (assuming there's no mist!).

Taz wrote (see)

@ Trenchfoot: 'Geocaching brigade' lol, it was a ploy to get my kids to enjoy hiking, now they are bored with it but mum's caught the bug! Its all good fun.