Introduction
One of the best mountain days in the UK is to scramble the North Ridge of Tryfan.
The scramble up the North Ridge of Tryfan is probably the single ‘must do’ Grade 1 scramble in the UK. It is an iconic mountain and one of the few UK summits that you cannot reach using feet alone. Your hands will come into play at some point, whichever route you choose. It is a scrambler’s paradise with many routes on offer – a popular choice for our Snowdonia scrambling courses.
Sadly, the numerous paths that have now been battered up there by thousands of feet avoid the best and hardest of the scrambling the route has to offer. This is especially true lower down, but if you are canny you can still seek out a really excellent true Grade 1 scrambling line.
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Booking and Prices
If you’d like to know more about a scramble on the North Ridge of Tryfan, then see the main page for more details and prices or see what our clients say about us. You can also have a look at the Calendar for forthcoming “Open” events.
We offer a whole range of scrambling courses and guided scrambles in Snowdonia. These range from courses for the complete novice to those wanting to learn rope work skills for scrambling in the UK to mountaineering in the Alps.
When you are ready, then get in touch to make an enquiry or a booking.
We also run scrambling courses in the Lake District and on the west coast of Scotland.
Scrambling the North Ridge of Tryfan
The start of the North Ridge from the Ogwen Valley seems benign enough. A good path leads up from the roadside towards a gentle heathery shoulder. But on reaching this shoulder the nature of the route changes and you suddenly appreciate what you are dealing with. There isn’t an obvious single ‘North Ridge’ route (like, say, on Crib Goch) but more a hillside offering numerous choice of ridges, buttresses and gullies. Many of the options are climbable but some less so.
After a while the ridge starts to become more defined and you find yourself at the famous Cannon rock. This always makes a great photograph. It is visible from the valley far below, but a slip off the rock in the wet would not be pleasant, so care is required.
From the Cannon Stone to the North Tower
Just behind the Cannon Stone there is an excellent short wall which almost everyone now misses. This gives an engaging little climb which leads up a groove peppered with Tryfan’s famous ‘siliceous nodules’.
After this comes a short flat area, before a plethora of gravel tracks lead upwards. The best scrambling avoids these, and instead seeks out a line on a series of buttresses further to the right. Don’t miss this section of scrambling, perhaps some of the most continuous movement at Grade 1 on the whole north ridge of Tryfan.
The North Tower of the North Ridge of Tryfan
Suddenly a flattening is reached and you have arrived at the base of the North Tower. This is where things get serious. The tower can be taken head on, but it noticeably harder and more serious than anything else on the route. This is not straightforward Grade 1 scrambling. Another option is to avoid the tower by opting for the Eastern Traverse, but you have to know where you are going and how you will regain the ridge or summit. The usual thing is take the first gully on the right immediately after the north tower.
The Notch
If you have taken the North Tower, next you will then have to deal with the awkward down-climb into ‘The Notch’. Alternatively, if you have bypassed the North Tower then you will most likely ascending the gully that brings you directly into the Notch.
The Summit of Tryfan – Adam and Eve
After this, generally easy scrambling leads finally to the summit plateau, though there are a couple of tricky steps. Once on the summit, the two stone monoliths of Adam and Eve are unmistakable. Tradition has it that leaping between the two stones gains you ‘the freedom of Tryfan’. Take care though – this is not advisable if it’s windy or the rock is wet.
Descending Tryfan Safely
Having scrambled up the North Ridge, the easiest way down Tryfan is to follow the popular path below the true South Ridge in the direction of Bwlch Tryfan. From here you can descend to Llyn Bochlwyd, or reach the Ogwen valley again via Heather Terrace. Or, if you have the time and energy, continue up Bristly Ridge to Glyder Fach.
Accidents of the North Ridge of Tryfan
Be aware that the North Ridge of Tryfan is an accident blackspot and the scene of many mountain rescues, accidents and deaths. This is partly because its very popularity skews the statistics. If more people go there then its inevitable that more accidents will happen there. However, it is also the nature of the route that catches people out. The easy start lulls you into a false sense of security. The difficulties are all further up near the top or the route.
Many decide that this is the point that they should turn around. On the face of it that seems a sensible decision. But finding a safe way down again is not as easy as it sounds. People get into difficulty on their way down and this is when the accidents occur. If you are in any doubt whatsoever about your ability to do this route, then play it safe and book a guide.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
The North Ridge of Tryfan is classed as a ‘Grade 1’ scramble. This means that using your hands to climb, as well as your feet, is required for a good proportion of the time. Grade 1 is the lowest of the scrambling grades, so most fit and active people, with good balance and a head for heights should be able to complete the route.
The reasons are complex, but the fact that it is a highly popular route is part of the problem.
Some people will overestimate their own ability and underestimate the mountain and soon find they are out of their depth. The route starts off right at the roadside and feels very ‘friendly’ – but by the time you are two-thirds of the way up and the cloud has come in, it can feel a very scary place.
Some people turn round, but finding a safe descent route is never as easy as one might expect. Most of the accidents on the north ridge happen to people who are attempting to descend.
There are four things needed to climb the North Tower.
1. Good movement skills – Balance, coordination, footwork, a head for heights, suitable grippy footwear, and the skill to use that footwear to best effect.
2. Confidence in those skills – This means justifiable confidence based on experience , not enthusiastic over-confidence.
3. An understanding of rock in a variety of conditions – Is the rock wet or dry? Is it grippy or slippery? What effect will cloud/drizzle/rain have on the friction available?How will your footwear perform on the rock in those conditions.
4. The ability and experience to weigh up the preceding three so as to come to a decision on whether it is the right thing for you to do at that particular moment.
There are plenty of people who can climb easily up the North Tower in wet, windy conditions. It’s far from impossible.
There are plenty of others who will need a dry sunny day. And others who are unlikely to ever climb it.
Choose wisely.
Of course, this all depends on where you are at the time. You should try to retrace your steps as best you can.
A common cause of error (and accidents) is that people head too far to the west, perhaps aiming for their car parked near Llyn Ogwen below. They end up stuck on, or falling from, the steep cliffs at the foot of the north-west side of the mountain.
However, if you can try to pick out a suitable descent path, but all the while heading roughly towards the farm at Gwern Gof Uchaf (look on a map) then you are much more likely to make it down to easy ground safely.
