Little & North Gullies (Central Buttress) Tryfan ^{Grade 1***}

This is a great scramble; the easiest on Tryfan's East Face.

It can be used as an ascent or descent but route finding is more complex when coming down. It's also worthwhile after a bout of heavy rain, when the gully pours with water and offers a soaking challenge!

The scramble should take no more than 40 minutes (if that). The route begins on the Heather Terrace (see Tryfan North Buttress Variant and Nor Nor Groove for approaches). Proceed along the terrace past Bastow Gully then Nor Nor Gully. Eventually North Gully is reached, seperating the North and Central Buttresses of the mountain.

This gully looks extremely unpleasant and so the scramble bypasses its lower pitches using Little Gully. This is found a little further on. A path leaves the terrace and heads up to the cliff where it meets a small gully.

This is the start. Overcome the first small pitch either in the damp gully or on rock to its left. The scramble continues upward with easy route finding; just follow the gully until it runs out. Here a ledge leads rightwards and after climbing a rocky step the bed of North Gully is gained. Follow this up, using rock on the right to avoid the damp middle ground.
Further up, the Amphitheatre is gained. Either follow a path left that leads up to the summit or continue up the final narrow section of North Gully. Climb out of the gully on the left wall at the top and follow the North Ridge left to the top.

The best descent is down the South Ridge, turning right at the bottom to follow the path back to Ogwen.