Y Garn

Y Garn has one more famous scrambling walk, along the Y Garn East Ridge. Very tricky but exciting too!

Y Garn East Ridge

Despite the short walk-in and obvious line this is a relatively neglected route, perhaps because all the climbers and scramblers gravitate to the Idwal Slab’s side of the Cwm

Despite the short walk-in and obvious line this is a relatively neglected route, perhaps because all the climbers and scramblers gravitate to the Idwal Slab’s side of the Cwm.

The first section of the route offers a choice of difficulty with the option to escape at any time, whilst the second part is more serious and exposed, on less solid rock. Begin at Ogwen Cottage and walk into Cwm Idwal.

Take the path round the west side of the lake below Y Garn. A stream flows down from Cwm Clyd and the scramble first ascends the broken, rocky rib to the left of this. Walk to the base of the rib to start.

The scrambling begins up small rocky buttresses on excellent bubbly volcanic rock, with a choice of line. Heathery walking breaks up each step. Soon, a more obviously difficult and steeper wall is reached where a variety of options are available. The wall can be ascended with difficulty near its left end up a sustained rocky runnel or climbed up a vegetated little gully on its right end.If in doubt move left below the wall and walk round it. Above this the scrambling becomes easier again, with a choice of line until you reach the level of Cwm Clyd.

Here, walk left to the buttress of Castell y Geifr. A direct ascent looks tempting but is extremely difficult and is not recommended! Instead, move left below the base of the buttress to find a rocky gully. Note that from this point the rock is much looser and escape much harder. Scramble easily up the gully and where possible traverse rightwards to suddenly emerge on the knife-edge buttress crest. Move up the crest in a sensational position above Cwm Idwal (easy but exposed) to where it widens and climb a step.

Continue to a second narrowing of the ridge. From here the way ahead looks intimidating, but keep a cool head and you’ll find the scrambling no harder than that on the lower section. Cross the narrow neck of rock with a tricky step halfway across to reach a slightly wider space to rest. Above, the crest rises as a steep blocky buttress.

The obvious line seems to be a ramp to the left but ignore this. Instead move right with an easy but heart-stopping step over a big drop; the handholds are there but be careful. Move over several small ledges and ascend the corner to the left, before taking a left-slanting slab back to the crest. Here some huge stacked blocks offer security and a chance to rest.

Move left past these and climb a final narrow step to emerge onto easy ground. Walk up the path to the summit of Y Garn (947m). The scramble should take one to one and a half hours depending mainly on which line is taken on the first section. The route is also probably best avoided in windy weather due to the exposed buttress crest.

The best descent is the path down the NE ridge across the cwm.