Big lumps of Welsh rock don't come much bigger than the Snowdon massif and this is a classic mountain scramble route which weaves its way up Lliwedd's West Peak. Enjoy :-)
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Bilberry Terrace, Lliwedd -
Snowdonia
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Grade: 3
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It's big, it's at the top end of
scrambling and there's no mistaking you're really in the
mountains on this classic route up Lliwedd's West Peak.
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Equipment: ropes and protection
required
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Online Map link
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Views: 2
Technicality: 2
Exposure: 3
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GIBBER FACTOR* 3
*out of
five.
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Overview It's big, it's at the top end of scrambling and there's
no mistaking you're really in the mountains on this classic route up
Lliwedd's West Peak - it's proper mountaineering on the Snowdon
massif. Weaving a winding course up a huge cliff you can't avoid the
constant rising sense of exposure.
Looking across at Lliwedd from the
approach to Crib Goch - big chunk of rock....
Once begun, there is no escape, so Bilberry Terrace should only be
tackled by experienced high level scramblers familiar with placing
protection, route finding and rope work.
Approach From the car park at
Pen
y Pass take the Miners Track to the point where the stream
flows out from Llyn Llydaw. From there head up in the direction of
the North East Ridge and join a faint path half way up the first
section.
Y Lliwedd in profile from Bwlch
Ciliau by Marcus Crompton from his Latest
Pictures
album in the OM Gallery
Move right to the scree below Central Gully then up just to the
right of the Gully to a ledge. The startpoint is midway between
Central Gully (left) and a large obvious white, quartz block (right).
Route The route begins by tackling a 60ft wall, before
stepping right to join the Bilberry Terrace. These first moves give
an instant idea of the level of scrambling and exposure, so if you're
not sure, this is the time to turn back.
The terrace starts easily before reaching a 15-foot corner with a
ledge above and right for belaying. Take the corner directly to
easier ground for a further 20 feet as you move slightly left to a
spike.
At the large crack move right on exposed ground to a much shorter
crack leading for 25ft to a series of blocks just beyond a grassy
area. Climb the blocks to a smooth wall where the corner on the right
gives access to the main terrace once again.
This front-on view of the cliff
gives you an idea of its scale -
Greg Carns from his Snowdonia
album
Continue up the terrace past a gully to reach Pinnacle Corner at
the top of the buttress.
Go through the obvious notch and use the grass-covered ledges on
the right for about 25 feet to a series of narrower ledges for a
further 25 feet, aiming for a noticeably larger grass-covered ledge
with a spike.
Continue for a further 15 feet to the right to the end of the
ledge then move up and left to join a large depression having passed
a series of small spikes. Move right into the bay then move up and
left to pass a very large spike and reach on to a smaller, but still
6-foot high, spike.
Now move left onto the ridge above Pinnacle Corner then keep left
for a further for 80 feet to a ridge where a short descent allows you
to go through a notch to join the ridge. Keep left, following the
ledges to join a further ridge crest. Now move right over vegetated
ledges to a depression with a final awkward rock face leading to
easier, but zig zagging, ground and the summit of West Peak.
Descent: From the summit you can continue onwards to Snowdon
and any of the descent routes from there - choose from the Pyg or
Miners Trac, or Crib Goch to return to your start point - or simply
turn left at the top of the route and descend Y Gribin to join The
Miners and Pyg Tracks at Glaslyn.
Caution Scrambling is potentially dangerous and, particularly
at the higher grades, requires technical skills and equipment to
minimise the risk. We suggest that you take professional instruction
or climb with an experienced partner.
