Glyder Fach, Snowdonia last week.

Last Tuesday Lyn Bella and Pete set out early for Glyder Fach 994m from the car park beside Llyn Ogwen. The weather was perfect and held throughout the day. They took the route up to Cwm Bochlwyd and Bwlch Tryfan from where they picked up the Miner's Track across Cwm Tryfan onto the long broad E shoulder of Glyder Fach which they ascended to the summit.

Heading up the path to Llyn Bochlwyd with Llyn Ogwen and Pen Yr Ole Wen beyond.



Llyn Bochlwyd nestles below in Cwm Bochlwyd as the path to Bwlch Tryfan leads upwards. Y Garn and Foel Goch in the distance appear above the rocky ridge of Y Gribbin which leads upwards to the summit plateau of Glyder Fawr. 

The South Ridge of Tryfan from the Miner's Track on the headwall of Cwm Tryfan.

The Miner's Track high above the head of Cwn Tryfan leads from Bwlch Tryfan to the E shoulder of Glyder Fach

Far in the distance on the broad  E shoulder of Glyder Fach nestles Llyn y Caseg-fraith with the bulk of Y Foel Goch rising  beyond.

Llyn and Bella on the summit rocks of Glyder Fach, stripped down for action before scrambling to the top.

Pete and Bella pose with the summit tor of Glyder Fach in the distance.

View W from the summit rock formation of Glyder Fach towards Castell y Gwynt with Glyder Fawr beyond. In the haze on the far horizon is the elegant summit of Snowdon.

The Miner's Track seen in descent from Glyder Fach's E shoulder looking towards Bristly Ridge and Bwlch Tryfan. We made our descent by Cwm Tryfan on the right to the A5 just E of Llyn Ogwen.  

Glyder Fawr 1001m

West face of Tryfan and Llyn Bochlwyd from Y Gribbin

On Monday 15/6, the first day of our Welsh trip, Pete, Lyn and Bella set off in fine weather from the Ogwen valley to climb Glyder Fawr 1001m by the rocky ridge of Y Gribbin. The picture is from the lower slopes of Y Gribbin with Llyn Bochlwyd below and Llyn Ogwen further beyond to the left. The west face of Tryfan 915m forms a backdrop to the scene.

Upper section of Y Gribbin.

The upper crags of Y Gribbin reared above us presenting a forbidding aspect as we climbed higher up the ridge, mist swirled in on us adding a touch of drama to the adventure.

Watery reflections of Y Gribbin 

Looking down Y Gribbin, Llyn Idwal far below

You can see the tiny pool of water where Pete caught the reflections of Y Gribbin far below here just to the right of the path. The mist thickened for a while as we picked our way carefully up the scree and tumbled boulders of the ridge.

Y Gribbin's upper rocky section

Bella having fun scrambling on Y Gribbin.

Mist clearing on Castell y Gwynt

As we topped out onto the summit plateau of Glyder Fawr the mist began to clear revealing the dramatic rock formation known as Castell y Gwynt or Castle of the Winds to the West, beyond which rose the boulder strewn summit of Glyder Fach 994m.

Pete and Bella on the summit of Glyder Fawr

Descent from Glyder Fawr

 

The descent from Glyder Fawr as far as the tiny lake of Llyn Cwn which lies in the col between Y Garn and Glyder Fawr was on unpleasant scree. After that the going improved and we descended into Cwm Idwal by a steep path to the west of the forbidding crags of the Devil's Kitchen.