I had one day off between long shifts. The weather was looking perfect in Snowdonia so I bit the bullet and took a day trip. I was on the road at about 4am and walking out in my boots at 7.27am...
I thought a weekday would be ideal for this link up of scrambles as I would be traversing Crib Goch in the 'less regular' direction.
the path passes between two large boulders, the ridge looms above
looking across to Crib Goch
Glyder Fawr has a power over me
The ridge offers a path and the option of sticking to the ridge crest. I wasn't feeling it and whilst it's not like me I took the path more often than not as it gave shelter from the breeze... Bar one fairly steep section on not so great quality rock and grass, progress was straightforward. Whilst not technically challenging the ridge provides sustained interest and I was topping out at Gyrn Las before I knew it.
I had to about 200 of the metres I had just gained to drop down and back around into Clogwyn Coch. The foreboding cliffs of Clogwyn Du'r Arddu drew me near like a magnet. I took pause for a snack and a read of the guidebook in a ruined building on the path. The Eastern Terrace scramble is listed as a 1+ in the guide but the setting is certainly intimidating.
Passing through Clogwyn Coch I noticed various sheep carcasses. I realised the poor creatures must have met an untimely death falling from the cliffs above. Clogwyn Coch is an accident black spot and a life was lost here only a few months ago when a poor soul slipped walking on the railway line above and lost control on the convex slope into the cliffs below. I felt deeply saddened.
I forgot to photograph the cliffs from a distance. This is from up close.
On approaching the start of the scramble, everything looked difference up close and I overshot my reference point. A bit of scouting ahead, back-tracking and checking the guidebook set me in the right direction. I'd rather not wind up on the wrong route!
After tackling the first few steps I again thought I was in completely the wrong place before another consultation of the guidebook set me straight. I would not want to be on this crag without the instructions! As it goes the instructions for gaining the terrace involve some hideously exposed moves out to the right of a nasty gully. Whilst not too technically difficult it certainly felt like the high end of the grade and was what I found to be the crux of the route. On moving up I reflected that it's good to challenge ourselves.
There had been a prolonged period of dry weather beforehand which suited me as this would be above my grade if the grass and rock had been wet.
looking up having gained the terrace itself
What followed was relatively straightforward. The guidebook said the slabs when dry were a grade 2 and the easier route went to the left, however, I found the slabs more managable than the aforementioned exposed section on the lead up to the terrace. I skirted around one particularly steep one but enjoyed balancing my way up the rest.
The technicality and steepness relented as I approached the top and all too soon I topped out, a stone's throw from the Ranger Path, the pedestrians and sadly scattered litter made me feel like I had been transported onto a different mountain!
On leaving the shade I was most pleased to find that the wind had decreased, the sun was out and the temperature was most pleasant. Furthermore, the most difficult scramble of the day was under my belt now. My spirits lifted as I gained towards Snowdon Summit.
My inner engineer was overjoyed to see a steam-powered rack and pinion train in action
some views from the summit
The Snowdon Summit and cafe were not too busy and as such a pleasure to visit. I chatted with a few fellow 'ascendees' including a fellow who had reached the summit under his own steam having cycled from his home in Birmingham camping along the way! Inspiring to say the least.
The views were the best I have ever witnessed, one could even make out the Isle of Man, no less than 85 miles away. I spent a while at the top, enjoyed my lunch, purchased a coffee from the cafe and sat taking in the views.
I retraced my steps to Bwlch Glas and then on to Crib-y-Ddysgl and the tried and tested Crib Goch ridge. As one would expect I had a magnificent time. Whilst using the path I could have gone twice as fast, I took my time and tried to stay to the ridge crest as much as possible and take the hardest lines I could. Going in this direction gives good practice on downhill scrambling!
the ridge ahead
looking back
the pinnacles loom
Crib Goch summit
Continuing on to the North Ridge of Crib Goch gave more of the same but with a downhill vibe. Walking along the ridge top is one of my favorite feelings in the World. Awesome.
I took a comfort break on a grassy bit of the relatively quiet North Ridge.
I descended the North Ridge on a scree path which was fun. I reflected on Colin Donnelley who is the male record-holder for the Welsh 3000's, and I recalled the video of his record-breaking run where he bounds down this at speed. That's something else.
I needn't have worried about my return route, on this clear day it was easy to bear towards Llyn Glas and from there it was just a case of skirting around the rim of the cwm to bump into a clear path down from Cwm Glas. It was steep and had its fair share of mostly straightforward down-scrambling, I was a bit tired and not really in the mood for tough going so I plodded through this.
Llyn Glas has a picturesque island. It would make an unusual wild-camping spot!
spot the climbers
I returned to the car weary but fulfilled, 9 hours after striking out. The wind had diminished and the temperature was soaring. I went and chilled in Llanberis for a short while before commencing the long drive home... Already looking forward to my next visit to my favorite place!
