Sunday, January 23, 2022

Glyderau traverse from Bethesda

Peaks: Carnedd y Filiast, Mynydd Perfedd, Foel Goch, Y Garn, Glyder Fawr
Area: Glyderau, Eryri
An idea that has been knocking around my head for a while. A loop of the Glyderau from Ogwen Bank just outside Bethesda. I have traversed the entire range before, but always as a point to point. This is a little more practical, but does involve some road running. We set off up the A5 then branched off up the old road before gaining the boggy and very steep open hill before Tai Newyddion (much further north than I have slogged up in the past). The initial climb was predictably nasty, but then we located a little path (human) which curved upwards above a shallow cwm on the quarry side and gained the main route to the summit of Filiast. Misty and cold, no place to linger. Indeed, the forecast today was completely wrong - a cloud inversion had seemed likely, but in fact all the hills were draped in thick, freezing mist. A quick jog over the Mynydd Perfedd and then we took in the summit of Foel Goch (I always like the zig zags on this). Down the fence direct before a hoar frosted climb up Y Garn (the familiar Pedol route from the north). A small nav error down to Llyn y Cwn, quickly put right, and then up the notorious screes to Glyder Fawr. Finding Y Gribin from Fawr is not easy in thick mist, so I used it as a good traditional nav test, leaving the main Glyder Path to head north to the big cairn that marks the top of the ridge. Good down scrambling through the mist and frost until the weather finally cleared above Bochlwyd. We took the refurbished stone slab path direct to Ogwen from the waterfall steps and then enjoyed a relaxing 8km downhill road run along the old road back to Ogwen Bank - 21k/1400m/3 hours, back for lunch.

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