Scrambles in Snowdonia

Guidebook to 80 graded scrambles in Snowdonia, North Wales. This revised edition of Steve Ashton's classic guide is illustrated with photo topos, and includes 16 routes selected by the updaters, as well as all the classic routes including the Snowdon Horseshoe, North Ridge of Tryfan, Bristly Ridge and the Cneifion and Cyfrwy Arêtes.

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Overview

This revised edition of Steve Ashton's classic guide presents 80 scrambles in the stunning Snowdonia National Park, offering challenge, adventure and exhilaration, but also breathtaking scenery and an unparalleled opportunity to connect with the mountains of North Wales. The graded routes range from introductory traverses to demanding climbs involving technicality and exposure, recommended only for those with considerable experience, a strong head for heights and solid grounding in basic rope technique.

It is now easier than ever to explore the Carneddau, Glyders and Snowdon Group, plus the finest scrambling in Eifionydd, the Moelwyns, Rhinogs and Cadair Idris. The favourites are all here - the Snowdon Horseshoe, North Ridge of Tryfan, Bristly Ridge and Cneifion and Cyfrwy Arêtes - as well as a number of lesser-known routes, including 16 not included in the previous guide.

Photo topos illustrate the ascent routes, alongside comprehensive route description detailing the preferred line of ascent and descent options. Many routes also include ideas as to how scrambles might be combined to create longer outings, and summary information and overview statistics are provided to aid route selection. Dramatic colour photography completes the package. With advice on how to progress and stay safe, Scrambles in Snowdonia is an indispensable and comprehensive guide to enjoying the freedom and excitement of scrambling in the rugged Welsh mountains.

Table of Contents

Contents
Introduction
Area covered by the guide
Selection of routes
Using this guide (including explanation of grades)
Equipment
Basic rope technique
Maps
Access
Bases
Public transport
Accidents and emergencies
A final cautionary note
The Carneddau
Route 1 Southern Ridge Circuit 1-***
Pen yr Ole Wen
Route 2 Braich Ty Du Face (including Pinnacle Ridge and Porcupine Ridge) 2+**
Route 3 Broad Gully Ridge 2+*
Route 4 Craig Lloer Spur 3-**
Carnedd Dafydd
Route 5 Crib Lem (Llech Ddu Spur) 1***
Route 6 Eastern Ridge of Black Ladders 2*
Carnedd Llewelyn
Route 7 Craig yr Ysfa Amphitheatre 2+*
The Glyders
Route 8 Cwm Bochlwyd Horseshoe 1*** CBʊ
Tryfan
Tryfan East Face
Route 9 Tryfan Bach Approach 3***
Approach and orientation for the Heather Terrace, East face of Tryfan
Route 10 Bastow Buttress Variant 2+***
Route 11 Nor’ Nor’ Buttress Variant 3** or 3S**
Route 12 Nor’ Nor’ Gully 2+*
Route 13 Nor’ Nor’ Groove 1+*
Route 14 North Buttress Variant 2**
Route 15 Little and North Gullies 1**
Route 16 Pinnacle Rib Variant 3**
Route 17 South Gully 3-*
Route 18 South Buttress 3**
Tryfan West Face
Route 19 North Ridge 1*** CBʊ
Route 20 Milestone Buttress Approach 3**
Route 21 Milestone Gully Approach 1+**
Route 22 Milestone Continuation 3**
Route 23 Wrinkled Tower (aka Wrinkled Slabs and Castle Chimney) 3S***
Route 24 West Face Route 3*
Route 25 V Buttress 3**
Route 26 V Arête 3*
Route 27 Notch Arête 2***
Route 28 Y Gully 2*
Route 29 South Ridge Direct 1* CBʊ
Glyder Fach
Route 30 Bristly Ridge 1*** CBʊ
Route 31 The Chasm Face 3***
Route 32 Main Gully 1+**
Route 33 Main Gully Ridge 3*** or 2***
Route 34 East Gully Ridge 3***
Route 35 East Gully 1+*
Route 36 Shark Buttress 3S***
Route 37 Dolmen Ridge 3***
Glyder Fawr
Route 38 Gribin Ridge 1* CBʊ
Route 39 False Gribin 1*
Route 40 Cneifion Arête 3***
Route 41 Maybe Tower Rib 3*
Route 42 Seniors’ Ridge 1*
Route 43 Seniors’ Gully 1-*
Route 44 Direct Approach to Seniors’ Ridge 2*
Route 45 Idwal Staircase and Continuation 2+***
Route 46 North West Face Route (aka Idwal Buttress) 2**
Route 47 Bryant’s Gully (aka False Bryant’s Gully or Nant Ettws) 2+*** ♠
Route 48 Esgair Felen Direct 2+* ♠
Y Garn
Route 49 Devil’s Kitchen and the Sheep Walk 3S*** or 1-*
Route 50 East Ridge 2**
Foel Goch
Route 51 South Arête 1+*
Route 52 Needle’s Eye Arête 3*
Route 53 Yr Esgair 3S*
Carnedd y Filiast
Route 54 The Ridge (aka Atlantic Ridge) 2+**
Snowdon group
Route 55 The Snowdon Horseshoe 1*** Sʊ
Crib Goch
Route 56 East Ridge 1* Sʊ
Route 57 North Ridge 1*
Route 58 Jammed Boulder Gully 3S**
Route 59 Traverse of Crib Goch 1*** Sʊ
Crib y Ddysgl (Garnedd Ugain)
Route 60 Crib y Ddysgl 1** Sʊ
Route 61 Cwm Glas Mawr Approach 1+* or 3S*
Route 62 Clogwyn y Person Arête (including Parson’s Nose options) 3*** or 3S***
Route 63 Cwm Glas Ridge 1-*
Route 64 Llechog Buttress 2**
Route 65 Llechog Ridge 2-*
Route 66 Eastern Terrace of Clogwyn Du’r Arddu 1+**
Route 67 Western Terrace of Clogwyn Du’r Arddu 3*
Snowdon
Route 68 Tregalan Couloir 2*
Route 69 Y Gribin and the East Ridge 1**
Lliwedd
Route 70 Traverse of Lliwedd 1** Sʊ
Route 71 West Peak via Bilberry Terrace 3S***
Eifionydd
Route 72 Nantlle Ridge 1-***
Craig Cwm Silyn
Route 73 Craig Fawr Rib (aka LMH) 3**
Mynydd Mawr
Route 74 Sentries’ Ridge and Continuation 3-***
Route 75 Bear Buttress 3S*
Outlying areas
The Moelwyns
Route 76 Moel Siabod Ridge Circuit (including Daear Ddu Ridge) 1-***
The Rhinogs
Route 77 South Face of Rhinog Fawr 2-*
Route 78 South Ridge Variant, Rhinog Fach (aka Hywel Ridge) 3-**
Cadair Idris
Route 79 Cyfrwy Arête (including Table Direct option) 3*** or 3S***
Conwy
Route 80 Penmaenbach Arête 1+**

Appendix A Summary of routes in grade order
Appendix B Longer combination ideas
Appendix C Useful contacts

Updates

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February 2020

Route updates included in 2020 reprint

890 2020 Reprint

November 2019

Route Updates

Route 47: Bryant’s Gully and Route 48: Esgair Felen Direct

Naming Conventions:

The watercourse to the left of Ysgar Fewr at the start of Esgair Felen Direct offers a treacherous Diff rock climb given the Welsh name ‘Ceunant Berw’ in the CC Llanberis rock climbing guide. This gully has over the years been suggested in some climbing guides as the original intended recipient of the name ‘Bryant’s Gully’ and attempts have been made to rename the well-known Bryant’s Gully as ‘False Bryant’s Gully’. The evidence does not appear to support this change. G. B. Bryant’s original description of the route in 1898 in the Climber’s Club journal and the Abraham brother’s subsequent description in North-Wales Rock Climbs (1906) both locate Bryant’s Gully as being shortly after passing below the Cromlech Boulders and before the gate for the upper cottages. These locations correspond with that of Bryant’s Gully as described in Scrambles in Snowdonia, but not with ‘Ceunant Berw’. The 1898 and 1906 route descriptions also correspond more accurately with Bryant’s Gully in Scrambles in Snowdonia than they do ‘Ceunant Berw’. Bryant’s Gully is also sometimes known as ‘Nant Ettws’.

Route 64: Llechog Buttress and Route 65: Llechog Ridge

(Access issues with the traditional direct approach to these routes have been reported pertaining to the houses on the access land on the south side of the bridge at SH 614 576. If this situation is resolved, updates will be posted here. A different approach to that included in the 2017 print-run of the book is described below. Although less direct – especially if you happened to be dropped off – the approach is nonetheless very pleasant, avoids the houses, is entirely on permissible paths and uncontested access land and best of all avoids a boggy patch!)

Approach

From Nant Peris (SH 607 583) take the public footpath at the side of the Vaynol Arms. Head south to cross the river via a footbridge. Turn left. After 40m or so the path splits. Take the upper fork, pass through a wall and continue traversing the fellside. Follow a wall to a distinct rock band. After passing through this, use a stile over the next wall to pick up a path through woods. The path soon brings you out well above a house and directly below Llechog Buttress and Ridge. These routes are accessed by a long low-relief ridge which is gained 60m up its left (east) side via a small boulder field. An initial grassy couloir gives a grade 1 step and establishes you more centrally on the low-relief ridge. Thereafter, various hiking and scrambling lines offer progress with most obstacles avoidable on the left. For Llechog Ridge: when almost to the top of the low-relief ridge, contour rightwards, passing beneath a rib to a compact tower of rock that terminates the west ridge and up to which runs a dry stone wall. For Llechog Buttress, paths through heather lead to a perched block jutting out leftwards from the foot of the main buttress.

Descent.

If descending from the 610m spot height as described in the book, when the approach path is met by the wall simply turn left to retrace steps to Nant Peris.

Route 71: West Peak via Bilberry Terrace

(After a recent ascent of Bilberry Terrace, we have made the description in the book even more detailed from Pinnacle Corner to aid scramblers on what is probably the most difficult route-finding challenge in the book. Nonetheless, the route remains complex and good mountain instincts will need to be deployed throughout.)

Ascent (from Pinnacle Corner onwards)

Pass through the notch of the pinnacle, step across to grass ledges and follow them rightwards for 25m until below a spike 5m above the traverse line (a rib on the right bounds a depression). Exiting this area is not easy and involves a second crux. It is possible to ascend the depression above the spike directly to another good belay spike in 30m. Although it has gear placements, this escape is very difficult on poor rock and not recommended. A tricky indistinct rising leftwards traverse line from the depression is also possible. It is better, and more in keeping with the route, to con­tinue the traverse line rightwards 5m below the spike, step over the top of an odd shallow grassy gully and gain a ledge with a flat wobbly block on the bounding rib. Fix protection before making an intricate and committing rightwards move using fingery holds on excellent rock to gain a wide left-slanting slabby and grassy ramp. Follow this easily to its top and a good belay. Stay right until it is possible to adopt a rising leftwards line above the aforementioned depression, passing good belay spikes en route, to gain – with relative ease – a delightful and obvious flat grassy shoulder on the ridge that rises up from Pinnacle Corner in 50m or so.

Trend eighteen metres leftwards to another ridge and gain a second shoulder at a notch. There is an intricate descent on the shoulder followed by tricky leftward moves above a gully to reach easier ground. Cross the following depression with a rising leftwards line more easily via connect­ing ledges and in 30m or so reach a vague third shoulder on another ridge. Trend across yet another depression to a fourth shoulder on another ridge. Now, at last, some sort of upward escape is possible and various options present themselves. Continue up the obvious depression to the left, which can be followed to the summit, or better – but with slightly more suspect rock – the ridge further left can be followed over small spikes and pinnacles to the top.

Route 73: Craig Fawr Rib

(We have slightly amended the route description on this very long and complex route to bring more focus onto its key passages and included it below. It is worth reiterating that this route is long, complex and loose rock requiring considerable care may be encountered throughout.)

Ascent

Heathery scrambling interspersed with moments of interest lead to a steep face. This is negotiated by a scrappy and difficult rising right-to-left line (it can be bypassed altogether by even scrappier scrambling on the right). Ascend the rib above centrally to reach an obvious broad heather platform.

From the heather platform, tackle the next rib on its right side then step left after 6m or so to gain its crest. Climb the crest – sustained but on good rock – to another level area. The crest of the next rib is best accessed via a small grassy recess on the left. Easy ground above is followed by a complex collection of ribs. Good mountain instinct is required to fashion the best line. The rib that bounds the deep recess of the left-hand gully is accessed via a hidden staircase on the left. As the rib’s angle eases, two successive slabs beckon before a knife-edge with two block pinnacles leads to the summit plateau.

Route 75: Bear Buttress

(We have slightly amended the route description for the actual Bear Tower section of the route. For clarity, we have highlighted our deletions and insertions in the text below. It is worth reiterating that while this route is interesting, loose rock predominates and requires considerable caution. Undoubtedly, this is very challenging 3S scrambling terrain, best tackled only after considerable experience has been gained.)

Ascent (the Bear Tower section)

Above is the blunt-fronted mass of Bear Tower. Scramble precariously over ledges leading up to the right until below a group of overhangs on Bear Tower (Crazy Pinnacle is at this level over the gully on the right). Now trend leftwards and up until it is possible to go out left onto the nose to gain the top of the tower with a few breath-holding moves. Easy scrambling leads to the summit slopes directly ahead. Now go out left onto the nose to gain the top of the tower with a few breath-holding moves. Easy scrambling leads to the summit slopes directly ahead.

Route 79: Cyfwy Arete

The pinnacle on the left edge of the steep face after the Table and the Notch, a staple of route descriptions for over 100 years, has fallen off (or been pushed!). A scar remains in its place. References to the ‘pinnacle’ in the book are now to read ‘small shelf’. The diagonal crack as described and the two route lines described in the book should still be obvious and easy to follow, however.

August 2017

Updates

Routes from the second edition of Scrambles in Snowdonia (originally published in 1992) that have not been included in this third edition are available in the Downloads section.

Reviews

Book of the Month - Trek and Mountain

The original 'Scrambles in Snowdonia' is a true classic in British outdoors literature, not only inspiring thousands to explore the mountains of North Wales but also introducing the grading system that we use today. This revised edition of Steve Ashton's guide has been meticulously edited and updated by Rachel Crolla and Carl McKeating and presents 80 scrambles in Snowdonia National Park, the graded routes ranging from introductory traverses to demanding climbs involving technicality and exposure.

The favourites are all here - the Snowdon Horseshoe, North Ridge of Tryfan, Bristly Ridge and Cneifion and Cyfrwy Aretes - as well as a number of lesser-known routes including 16 not included in the previous guide.

The design and presentation of this edition have been updated of course with topos illustrating the ascent routes alongside comprehensive route description detailing the preferred line of ascent and descent options. Many routes also include ideas for combining scrambles into longer outings, and summary information and overview statistics are provided to aid route selection. Crolla and McKeating have done a fine job with this book and no doubt this new edition will continue to inspire many more adventures in this incredibly special corner of the country.

Trek and Mountain magazine

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Scrambles in Snowdonia provides a timeless volume of information on exploring the National Park

This, the third edition of the iconic, classic scrambling guide book, has been fully updated and revised for the first time.

In this new edition, the established favourites have been augmented by the addition of 16 new routes, plenty for the scrambling and mountaineering connoisseur to get their teeth into if they’ve ticked off the original routes. The first edition of this book, published in 1980, pioneered the widespread grading system, a system still employed to the current day, allowing the reader and participant to choose and explore the various corners and levels of adventure of Snowdonia that make it so majestic.

The updating authors made the decision to relocate 5 of the original book’s routes to an update section on Cicerone’s website, freeing up room for some of the 16 new routes, all of which are in keeping with the very heart of the scrambling ethic of seeking adventures on the best lines in less explored areas; some of which will make you wonder why they haven’t been included previously.

The 80 route descriptions are still graded according to difficulty and have the addition of the climbing guidebook star rating system, depicting subjective qualitative assessment. What is very clear, immediately upon picking up and opening the book is that there has been considerable research done to ensure the update is to the highest quality, colour photos throughout, photo topos with very clear depiction of the preferred ascent lines, descent descriptions and easy to interpret map sections, courtesy of the Ordnance Survey.

All 80 routes can be found in appendix A, which is a very useful grade ordered tabular index, allowing easy reference and choosing of route for the grade of adventure being sought. For those seeking something a little extra, a bigger day perhaps, then appendix B suggests a few ‘link-ups’ to whet the appetite.

Scrambles in Snowdonia provides a timeless volume of information on exploring the National Park with the highest mountain in England and Wales for both the adventurous walker with a head for heights through to the skilled mountaineer looking for inspirational days or challenging routes to train on for even bigger adventures. The scenery of Snowdonia is outstanding and is captured exceedingly well in the pictures and topos of this book.

Each of the scrambles has been grouped into its own mountain region chapter, making it easy to identify a valley base or starting point at which to begin your scrambling adventures.
This scrambling guide allows you to enjoy Snowdonia’s spectacular views and renowned summits in varying degrees of difficulty and adventure, a useful planning guide and in the mountain guidebook.

Review by Dave Brown.

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This much-loved guide has now been fully updated and revised

As the publisher rightly states, Steve Ashton’s Scrambles in Snowdonia has earned a very special place in the affections of many scramblers and climbers. Not only did Ashton’s pioneering 1980 guide inspire countless readers to discover the exhilaration of scrambling in the Snowdonia hills, it was also the first guide to introduce the now standard numerical grading system for scrambling.

This much-loved guide has now been fully updated and revised by experienced Yorkshire Dales based climbers and scramblers, Rachel Crolla and Carl McKeating, covering 80 routes within the Snowdonia National Park. All the old classics, such as the Snowdon Horseshoe, Tryfan, Bristly Ridge on the Glyders and the Cyfrwy Arete on Cadair, are included, but the authors also introduce 16 entirely new routes, which will undoubtedly be eagerly snapped up by the completists.

Roly Smith, Outdoor Focus

Downloads

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