Glyder traverse

Peaks: Carnedd y Filiast, Mynydd Perfedd, Foel Goch, Y Garn, Glyder Fawr, Glyder Fach, Foel Goch, Gallt yr Ogof
Area: Glyderau, Eryri
The full traverse of the Glyder ridge from Bethesda to Capel Curig: a very enjoyable outing despite the claggy and drizzly conditions. With two cars at our disposal, some kind of point-to-point run became a possibility. I have done versions of this route before, not least on the second day of the Rab Mountain Marathon a couple of years ago, and once when we did a kind of long Nant Francon horseshoe. But I can't remember doing the full Glyder ridge in its entirety: it is a fine and very varied route in terms of terrain. From the bridge over the Ogwen, we (me, Peter, Steve and Hayley) ran along the road to Tai Newyddion then straight up the steep hillside right of the crags. This is relentlessly steep, and uncomfortable underfoot with thick heather, but gains height rapidly. Above, boulder fields allow for much more enjoyable progress as we entered the mist. No more views until we were just above the car park in Capel Curig! We reached the top of Filiast in around 50 minutes, then enjoyed the easy grassy running over Perfedd and along to Foel Goch: the same route as I took with M and the scouts last month. Good progress, despite a strong cross/headwind, through the mist to a rather cold Y Garn. After a quick snack we pelted down to Llyn y Cwn before one of my least favourite climbs: the Pedol Peris route up Glyder Fawr. Because our pace was that bit slower than on the race, this went far more easily, and we scrambled to the top of Glyder Fawr before the careful nav across the often confusing Glyder ridge: slippery in the drizzle. We scrambled to the main summit of Glyder Fach, then tried to locate Vic: who had run up to join us from Ogwen. Easier said than done in visibility of a few metres! But a bearing took us right up to the Cantilever where we met up with Vic: very satisfying. So now we were five, for the very long descent back to Capel down the empty ridge in the gloom of gathering dusk, the mist even thicker. Good compass work throughout with no mistakes, always good practice to run on a bearing down a featureless whaleback ridge! Past lonely Llyn Caseg Fraith, over Foel Goch, then Gallt yr Ogof, before the fast but boggy descent to Capel Curig: dropping out of the clag at around 200m for the first time since the lowest slopes of Filiast. Steak pie and real ale in Conwy aided recovery.