More scrambling, up east ridge of Y Garn, Snowdonia – April

Continuing with trying to get some practice of more challenging scrambling in the lead-up to our trip to Skye in May, we went up the east ridge of Y Garn, with rope and gear in our packs. Once we got to a point where the situation was getting more exposed, we took out our gear to protect the more worrying bits, but ended up putting it away again mid-way, only roping up again for an exposed section near the top. We walked over to Glyder Fawr again, trying a more direct line to the top. It was a bit windy and chilly on top, so I practised scrambling up and down some rock where I was sheltering while B drew on his metal plate. We took in as much scrambling as possible down Y Gribin again, trying the False Gribin finish at the bottom for the first time.

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Looking up Y Garn east ridge, Castell y Geifr

View south-south-east towards Glyder Fawr

View south-east towards Glyder Fawr, with Llyn Idwal and the Idwal Slabs in the middle distance

Pen yr Ole Wen, north-east across the valley

Further up the ridge

Scrambling up natural concrete

Looking back down the ridge to Llyn Idwal

Rock pillars ahead

Looking down once past some of the rock pillars. Llyn Ogwen and Llyn Idwal visible beyond

Looking across the valley, a wider view with the Carneddau visible beyond Pen yr Ole Wen

Looking back down at the final steep scramble

Looking back down as far as Llyn Idwal

Looking south-east – Glyder Fach in the distance, with Y Gribin in front of it and the Idwal Slabs closer still, just above the clear path

The spine of Tryfan and Glyder Fach in the distance

Glyder Fach at the back and Y Gribin in the middle distance, with the slightly zig-zagging line of the Cneifion Arete going up to the flat part of the Gribin visible in the centre of the image