Tryfan

WARNING
Please take care when walking the terrain described on this page.

This route is not for the feint hearted.
There are many ways of getting up Tryfan & The Glyders, most of which are a reasonable but strenuous journey... you do not have to take the route described here.
If you do, make sure you are more than competant at scrambling and confident with heights as you will experience exposure to heights frequently on this route.
Bristly Ridge is at least a Grade 1 scramble with emphasis on Great Pinnacle Gap. Some books describe this gap as grade 2.
There are ways round this problem but IMHO, what's the point in going all that way up the ridge to bypass the crux?

There are many sites and books which describe this ridge better than I can, so I will leave it up to you to do your homework, and I advise you to do so. After all... your life could be at stake.

You have to be reasonably fit as the decent could take over 2 hours depending on your pace, and 2 hours of continuous decent over steep and loose terrain will take a toll on your legs, especially after 2 mountainous ascents previously in the day.

One more warning... if you try this route outside the summer months, the dew and ice on the rocks in the morning can cause the rocks to become very slippery and greasy... bear this in mind. The winter months speak for themselves.

Don't underestimate how the conditions can change when the sky is blue and inviting, and don't attempt the walk in the winter months without the proper experience.

Having said that, this is possibly the best walk I have done. I'm struggling to think of one better although a few come close. The walk comes highly recommended, so go out and enjoy it... I did! Just take care and it will reside in your memories for a long long time.

The Route

Elevation Profile

I parked up in one of the lay-by's on the A5 at the side of the lake.
I walked the route in a clockwise direction starting the first ascent up Milestone Buttress on Tryfan.
Once on the summit of Tryfan, I descended the South Peak then climbed Bristly Ridge to the summit of Glyder Fach.
Crossed to the top to Glyder Fawr then decended to Llyn y Cwn.
Turned right at Llyn y Cwm to descend Devil's Kitchen then past Llyn Idwal to the main road and back to the car park.
The total time for the walk was 6 hrs 55 mins.

Comment
Start
Reached Tryfan Summit
Left Tryfan Summit
Reached Crossroads Between Tryfan & Glyder Fach
Left Glyder Fach Summit
Reached Glyder Fawr
Stopped for Lunch for 20 mins
Left Glyder Fawr
Reached Llyn y Cwm Crossroads
Reached bottom of Devil's Kitchen
Reached Road at YHA
Reached Car Park

Time Of Day
07:20
09:32
09:53
11:05
11:13
11:56

12:16
12:40
13:30
14:05
14:15

Time Into Walk

2:12
2:33
3:45
3:53
4:36

4:56
5:20
6:00
6:45
6:55