Page 37 - 2023 AMA Spring

SCRAMBLING
IN OGWEN
Tarquin Shipley
Main Wall (HS) Cyrn Las Llanberis Pass
You only have to pick up North Wales Scrambles by Garry Smith or Scrambling in Snowdonia by Steve Ashton (recently updated to a much more user friendly format) to see that Dyffryn Ogwen in Eyri has a uniquely concentrated set of scrambles that make up for a tour de force of enchainment.
Sure, the parking is always busy but as soon as you get away from Ogwen Cottage and Llyn Idwal there is enough space to breathe and scramble to your heart’s content. I have two go-to starts; Tryfan or Idwal Slabs. Let’s start off with Tryfan. You can hit Milestone Scramble (Grade 3) five minutes after leaving the car or bus! It crosses the polished and busy Milestone Buttress but you free flow your way through the rock climbs before another five-minute leg stretch uphill to Milestone Continuation (Grade 3). Now you have a decision: West Face or East Face? They are chalk and cheese. West Face routes are more broken and rambling, East Face are more linear and rockier. So, for me it depends on the wind and a common south-westerly will see me spend thirty minutes cutting across the Grade 1 ground of the north side of Tryfan to Heather Terrace which accesses the East Face routes with its smorgasbord of climbs – Munich Climb (HVS), Bellevue Bastion and Classic Rock Climb routes like Grooved Arete (HVD), but we are looking for the scrambles and the one for me is Pinnacle Rib Route (Grade 3+) which takes the left rib up to the Pinnacle. If you are feeling brave or your companions are looking bored, you can take in the Yellow Slab at HS – short and polished but you probably won’t die if you slip. You then climb out to the Eastern Traverse Path as Thompson’s Chimney (S) and The Bubbly Wall (HS) are too hard for your average solo scrambler – it certainly is for me! Head up to directly below the summit and
Now drop down to the
North and find the top
of North Gully (Grade 1).
Descend this until you find
Little Gully (Grade 1) which puts you back on Heather Terrace. Whatever you do, DON’T continue down North Gully as it gets very steep! Now rinse and repeat. Take your choice of your next scramble. The best of the pick now is probably Nor Nor Buttress (Grade 3+) which has some fine moves near the top. If you get bored of coming back down Little and North Gullies then Nor Nor Grooves (Grade 1+) is a good one. Finish the day by dropping down The North Ridge (Grade 1) having collected as many stars as you need, or have had enough of the smell of goats!
Now the other option for a longer day is to head out to the Slabs and start up any of the scrambles, say Idwal Buttress (Grade 2). Loop around until you have had enough. Then head over to Cneifion Arete (Grade 3), ascend and then down False Gribin (Grade 1-) to get you to Glyder Fach Main Cliff. Dolmen Ridge (Grade 3) goes
top, wander past the Cantilever Stone to fire yourself down Bristly Ridge (Grade 1). Down climbing Sinister Gully at the bottom of Bristly is ok; however, looking to ‘skier’s right’ there is an easier gully but it is difficult to locate going down. You are then just a 20-minute walk to the East Face of Tryfan for more fun. I am not fit or
TOP TIPS FOR ✓
SCRAMBLING
Test holds – it isn’t the climbing wall
If you’re soloing – don’t climb up what you can’t climb down!
Take a torch, even in summer – you never know what is around the corner
The best climber is the one having most fun
It isn’t always about the grade – stop and have a look around
Porcupine Ridge (Grade 3) on Pen yr Ole Wen
find the 15 feet lone wobbly pinnacle and a few moves up that puts you at Sion and Sion (Adam and Eve) at the summit.
in any weather but take the Garry Smith and not the Steve Ashton description as it makes a better scramble! Now at the
fast, but I have managed to link up twenty scrambles that make for a good day. I am sure someone can certainly do more!
ARMY MOUNTAINEER / 37