Glyderau scramble and wildcamp

Peaks: Tryfan
Routes: Y Gully (M:sol), Noodle Groove (D:sol)
Area: Glyderau, Eryri
A magical overnight trip in perfect conditions, started late on a Sunday afternoon with all of Ogwen to myself. After a father's day lunch, I didn't set off until almost 5pm, heading straight up towards the upper end of the West Face of Tryfan with temperatures in the high 20s and not a cloud in the sky. I am gradually ticking off the routes on the West Face, none of which will ever be popular, but by judicious combinations the scrambling is almost as continuous as it is on the vastly more popular East. I'm not sure I'd ever bother coming here with a partner, but on a solo day its relaxed and exploratory vibe is perfect. I had full overnight kit, tent and stove, so needed to select my route carefully: I went for Y Gully, a very obvious line visible from most of Ogwen. The long and gentle stream bed/shallow gully leads directly into this line, which is characterised by three large chockstones. These look innocuous from below, but are slightly problematic, and the route is far better and more enjoyable than I'd expected. Good scrambling up clean rock leads to a runnel leading left over the second chockstone, then excellent and surprisingly steep rock, festooned with jugs, on the left of the third obstacle leads to a clean rib. I picked my way satisfyingly up the rest of the face to the North Tower, taking a line parallel to Notch Arete (another fine mountaineering route, done with John B a few years ago). By weaving around, this is rock the whole way up. Wonderful views from a deserted Tryfan summit: the clarity of light was, if anything, even better than from Arenig Fawr yesterday. I jogged down the South Ridge to Bwlch Tryfan, then along the contouring line which I'd used to good effect on the Rab Mountain Marathon, to reach my chosen campsite by Llyn Caseg Fraith. I have had this filed away for years as an ideal camping location, and it was nice to finally sample it: a superb spot and a truly magical campsite in this weather. Virtually no wind, cloudless skies, and as near to the midsummer solstice as to make no difference. The only real issue is that it is a rather boggy area, but I pitched on a raised platform - completely dry - then had a pleasant evening meal before doing some bouldering on the obvious juggy crag below the lake on the Ogwen side, complete with a perfect 'Diff' groove up the centre (which I christened Noodle Groove - because that's what I'd just eaten). A wonderful few hours passed, as the light changed constantly and the sun dropped between Tryfan and Bristly Ridge, just as I had hoped it would. Nobody was around, just the odd skylark and raven for company. After the sun dropped, the sky turned purple and, eventually, I turned in to read the 'review'.