Lovely Day on Tryfan

Tryfan is a very impressive mounain. Part of the Glyder range in Snowdonia, defiantly standing alone, imposingly, above Llyn Ogwen. Not as tall as its near neighbours to the South, what it lacks in height, it more than makes up for in attitude. Across the valley, the attractively named Pen Yr Ole Wen tries hard to match with it's steep South West attack. Not forgetting the two huge brooding brothers Dafydd and Llewelyn, whose dominant mass guards the Irish Sea to the North and give the Carneddau their rugged reputation.
Typical rock architecture of Tryfan's East Face looking from the Heather Terrace

Tryfan is for mountaineers. There are very few grassy bits to be seen. Any of these are usually boggy. It is the kind of place that isn't for stopping and reflection. This is an action packed novel to be read from cover to cover without interuption!
Along the Heather Terrace path looking South towards Bristly Ridge and Glyder Fach

The most popular way to climb Tryfan is to scramble directly up the North Ridge. This is a classic route, very exciting with some absorbing puzzles to overcome. Higher up the ridge becomes more exposed and constrained. So on busy days impatient traffic jams form, which detracts from my own mountain pleasure. There will be plenty of time to sit in real traffic jams, possibly on the drive home on the A55!
Mountain mayhem...at just over 3000 feet, the jamboree that is the summit on a fine day!

So on a lovely sunny Saturday, in half term holidays a more subtle, but equally satisfying route to Tryfan's strange summit of Adam and Eve, was called for. Liz and I left the car parked down by the lake shore. The climbing starts quickly anywhere on this terrain. We were soon gaining height looking for the start of the Heather Terrace path. This route ignores the obvious North Ridge and skirts a natural shelf along the East face of the mountain. There are many graded rock climbs along this side and the path once located leads like a guide book to challenging cliffs and dark damp gullies. I'm always in awe of climbers! There were plenty already clanking and jingling their way up. In the meantime we took in the sun and the views. Yes the sun was very strong and I'd forgotten suncream!!
Looking Northwest from the summit. Pen Yr Ole Wen to the right, the Glyders left along the Ogwen valley to the sea and Anglesey distant in the haze.

The Heather Terrace is a beautiful place and it is obvious how it got it's name. Gradually climbing, it finishes at the pass which separates the Far South Peak from the rest of the mountain. A short section of scree to negotiate had us warming up to a sweat. It's on these occasions that with your face looking down, working hard, that little bits of the mountain come in view. In amongst all the loose rock were quite a variety of well hidden flowers. It is to my annoyance that I can't remember what they look like. Nor did I take photos! Which of course means I will have to return. Hope the goats who live up here don't find them ..
Crazy blocks of rock seem to cling recklasly to the impossibly steep slopes, to the lake below

We were now on the push to the top, scaling the South ridge, against the tide of people descending this way. Before long we found the summit. I'm lucky being able to climb here out of season and mid week. Today it was pretty busy! Bunch of macho lads playing on Adam and Eve....young family with grumbling kids...old folk with dogs, being dive bombed by seagulls! Which also goes to show how on a good day just about everyone can get here, and why not! The views are amazing....
Llyn Bochlwyd viewed from Tryfan, showing the reason for its nickname Lake Australia!

We took a very steep descent path off the West of the mountain. Which follows one of the deep gullies, which then runs out by the side of the Milestone Buttress and down to the lake. The chaos of van sized rock slabs strewn around is everywhere and so characteristic f this range..the Glyderau. I think a lose translation of the Welsh word means litter. It is as though a giant threw his toys out of his pram once...like a child dumping a load of lego bricks.
Paraglider above Llyn Ogwen.

Whilst descending this path, looking down towards Llyn Bochlwyd..or Lake Australia, from its shape! We watched someone setting up and launching a paraglider. Gradually as we descended the steep rocky path. This paraglider swooped and rose in thermals. What a fascinating sight. I know that Liz had the idea that next time a glide from the top would save all the aches and pains of the rocky path down. True...but this thing kept going up! So ended a very, very satisfying day