I ascended from Pont Pen-y-benglog to my spot for the night at Cwm Clyd. I picked a spot further out on the wing of the cwm where there was just enough breeze to keep the midges at bay. I slept beautifully for a few hours then was packed up and on my way down to the car to swap kit by sunrise.
Pen yr Ole Wen
fingers of cloud coming in over the top now
looking over to Cwm Cneifion
sunset
Sunrise
Tryfan becons now
The next day I struck out along the Ogwen Valley and instead of taking the usual path by the wall up to Tryfan, I went further to the junction with the old A5 and headed up from there. My objective was to get to the Heather Terrace to find the start of Nor Nor Groove.
I took a 'short cut' that lead to some ridiculous and readily avoidable trailblazing on my way up to eventually meet an easy path after which I found the start of the terrace readily. It's rather nice.
Tryfan Bach
mists in the valley
Tryfan is so imposing
the Nor Nor Notch route runs up the left of the gully
I was incredibly careful in locating the right gully and cross-referenced against my invaluable guide book several times.
The grading is 1+ and I found it just about set me on the borderline between comfortable and overwhelmed. There was one loose foothold on the left near the bottom and I'm sure it will pop on someone one day and if it does it will make that section a bit tricky. There are some steep sections on here and the route certainly asks more than a regular grade 1. I want to try this in descent one day, I reckon this would pose a fair challenge.
looking down
On reaching the Eastern Traverse Path / ETP, I made the management decision to traverse around to the North Ridge route instead of continuing along the gully. I'm glad I did as this is really the best section of the North Ridge Route I had never climbed fully up to the top of the first tower (Notch Rocks) having on previous occasions opted for the route around on the left that drops into the gully. The conditions were perfect, low wind speed, dry rock throughout, and I found it easier than I expected, but great fun all the same. Even the ledge dropping into the Notch, which to me looked completely terrifying, was overcome with little concern.
looking across the Notch
looking down the North Ridge
The majority of difficulties overcome, it was plane sailing to Adam and Eve and onwards towards Bwlch Tryfan. I will try a more interesting line in descent next time, maybe Little and North gullies. Today my thoughts were focussed on the next obstacle, Main Gully on Glyder Fach.
I took a break and cross-referenced which gully is which on Bristly Ridge vs the guide, for future reference
It would appear I decided not to take many more photos at this point. I'd like to say I followed the route from the guide to reach the Alphabet Slab which is round and along on the right of the above photo, but I took again what I thought was a cracking shortcut but wound up to be another ridiculous trail-blaze. It's generally when I think I know better that I wind up wasting energy like this... I eventually joined the steep scree path that leads up to the base of Alphabet Slab. I took a rest and re-read the guide to figure out where Main Gully was.
On advancing up I was in a busy climbing area and felt a touch out of place as a group of climbers watched me make my way up the start of Main Gully, another grade 1+. One look at the 'notorious chockstone move' and I was thinking no-way, but I made my way up to see if it looked any more appealing close-up.
It didn't. I reckon I could have just about fudged my way up it but I absolutely did not have confidence that I wouldn't fall off once I got myself part-way up. the gully drops away steeply below and falling off really is a non-option. Maybe if I climbed and bouldered regularly I wouldn't think twice about this sort of move but to me it looked absolutely horrible. I swallowed my pride and as per the advise of the guide for those who fail to overcome the chockstone I beat a retreat and traversed over to East Gully for a crack at this instead.
looking out from East Gully
So I plodded up East Gully, which as it happens provides some half-decent scrambling. Once past the cap-stones I foolishly continued up on terrible and dangerous loose rock and scree where the gully widens out, when it would have been prudent to check my line with the guide and cross left to where there is an easier path. The Sun was really starting to beat down so I was glad to see the summit.
Honestly whilst East Gully poses a different challenge it's overshadowed by Bristly Ridge which just has more going for it as a scramble. But variety is the spice of life.
On topping out I got a second wind and decided to climb Castell-y-gwynt as I haven't yet bagged this Nuttall. I found that it's really not tricky at all and there are many viable routes of ascent and descent.
I hardly took any photos from this point.. I was feeling pretty fatigued and the Sun was bleating down...
looking over to Glyder Fawr
I had been considering continuing over Glyder Fawr and trying a descent of Senior's ridge and gully, but something inside told me to go down Y Gribin.
I had a great time sticking to the very crest of Y Gribin all the way down then continuing down the False Gribin. I really like the character of the False Gribin, there are all these easy ledges which is pretty cool and makes it an interesting means of descent. Things get a bit squelchy underfoot towards the bottom though.
As I passed Llyn Bochlwyd there were crowds of shirtless people sunbathing on the rocks and several taking a dip. I wasn't tempted and carried straight back to the car where I was thoroughly beat... A cracking day scrambling and it felt good to be making the most of the weather and all the dry rock after a prolonged period with no rain.
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