Sadly Tryfan and nearby Glyder Fach have been in the news again for all the wrong reasons.
I know a few folk who find the summit of Tryfan a “bogey” for SOTA.
I’ll be making an ascent in the Spring again at some point. Doing my best to find a half decent day.
I’ve taken a few folk with me over the years who were concerned about finding the easiest and safest route up and down.
If anyone is interested in accompanying me please PM or answer here.
Note this is not a formal guiding service, but I do have a track record of getting nervous walkers to the summit and back and I like to help people past this particular obstacle.
I have been on Tryfan many times. The walking routes from either end of the ridge are impressive but safe in summer conditions - if you stick to them. In winter you get all the usual problems with snow and ice, not to mention grease and verglas. One problem is that people sometimes try and descend the gullies, but that is strictly rock climbers territory and can lead to disaster…
The route from the parking area by the lake follows the skyline in the first picture, though many people prefer to go up by the other end of the ridge, out of sight in that image, because though it is further there is less scrambling. The guy in the last picture appears to be on one of the old climbing routes.
I remember some fifty-odd years ago the SMC (Scottish Mountaineering Club) organised a meet in North Wales. They went home professing to be unimpressed (of course!) but were heard to say that they wished they could take Tryfan home with them!
In 2018 I’d nearly completed all the Sota summits in Wales but Tryfan was worrying me. I mentioned it to Gerald and he said “No problem, I’ll get you up there safely so that’ll be another one ticked off”. My report below describes the day. Thanks Gerald @MW0WML
There is some exposure and scrambling involved. I think the main problem though is people following a wrong route which starts off looking easier than the correct route and then gets steadily worse. There is a natural reluctance to turn back and some people then find themselves in an ever deteriorating position requiring increasing levels of technical skill (and head for exposure).
There is a dangerous step between Adam and Eve with some serious exposure.
The North face of Tryfan and Heather Terrace are attractive scrambles if you have the skills to follow the route. If you loose you way it is easy to get yourself into trouble. There is a much safer route up Tryfan from Ogwen Cottage via Llyn Bochlwyd, but even this requires you to use your hands. Tryfan is often followed by a grade 1 scramble up Bristly Ridge to the Glyders to make a circular walk around Lynn Idwal. Tryfan is a serious mountain.
Putting this into perspective. Tryfan is easily accessible from major conurbations in the NorthWest and the Midlands and attracts a lot of visitors each year. 29,540 were killed or seriously injured on the roads in the UK in 2024. Sitting on the sofa, watch television with a drink in your hand is potentially fatal.
Tryfan deserves respects. Every incident is a tragedy but we need to understand and assess the risk.
Gerald’s offer is very generous and certainly worth considering.
. A very enjoyable day thank you.
