Page Type:
|
Route |
|---|---|
Lat/Lon:
|
53.08330°N / 4.2167°W |
Route Type:
|
Scramble |
|
Time Required:
|
Most of a day |
|
Difficulty:
|
UK Grade 2/3 Scramble |
|
Approach
Tryfan is situated on the A5 between Capel Curig and Betheda. There is plenty of roadside parking and for this route you need to be as close as you can to GR SH67395 60542. From the main road take the path to the farm Gwern Gof Uchaf and onto the path passing to the right of Tryfan Bach. Look up and seek out the Heather Terrace line running across the face of Tryfan, this is your first goal. Ascend beyond Tryfan Bach to a fence and follow it to your right as if you were bisecting Tryfan’s North Ridge. Look for a scree gully which you should ascend towards the beginnings of the Heather Terrace. This is not so easy and I’ve faffed around many times taking different lines on each trip.
Once on the Heather Terrace follow it to the first water course, cross it, and continue to the first proper gully. This is Bastow Gully, and your scramble/climb is to the right of the gully.
 |
Route Description
Enter Bastow Gully and within 5-10metres on your right you will see an obvious break in the rock slanting to your right. It’s a bit of a step and struggle up this to gain the ridge, also on your right. Continue rightwards, and ascend onto a heather ledge on the ridge crest. A couple of bits of protection here would be wise.
Now scramble up the heathery bits to the rock again, but ignore the rib on the left (too difficult within this grade) and the central heather groove (too easy). So, ascend to the right again onto the ridge crest again, followed by the next rib above this.
Now move left over heather again, back onto the left hand rib and towards your goal, Tryfan’s North Ridge.
Either descend by the North Ridge or continue to Tryfan’s summit by the same ridge.
DO NOT attempt to continue over and down the other side unless you want an epic as described in a related trip report.
Essential Gear
This is as close to a climb as you can get without it being graded, so you will need a rope, some slings, a belay device, a couple of carabiners, harness, possibly a couple of extenders. A lot of this depends on the ability of the second and what protection they feel they need.
Clothing should be as for a typical British mountain day (wet weather gear!) and decent mountain boots or approach shoes. Personally I always wear B2’s for this sort of stuff, good practice for the Alps.
Miscellaneous Info
If you have information about this route that doesn't pertain to any of the other sections, please add it here.