Cneifion Arete

Probably the best scramble in Snowdonia, the Cneifion Arete is a true classic that you will love.

Grade – Grade 3***

Ropes and protection are recommended for this scramble, with plenty of spikes to utilise.

Parking: Idwal Cottage [Google Maps Link] (or across the road from the entrance). Alternative parking available further down the road towards Tryfan.

Early pollished holds make wet conditions for the Cneifion Arete a more serious scramble.

I would recommend you have proper scrambling boots / shoes instead of average walking boots (you’ll thank me later).

The grid reference for the start of the Cneifion Arete is SH 648 587.

Route Map

Approach

The arête is best reached from Idwal Cottage, via the climbers’ descent path left of the Idwal slabs. Follow the gully until it emerges into Cwm Cneifion. This involves some mild scrambling. The arête looms up on the opposite side of the cwm.

Alternative approaches include the path that leads up the hillside prior to the Sub Cneifion rib, the Sub Cneifion rib itself (v. diff) or any of the Idwal slab climbs, e.g. Ordinary route (diff).

The well worn scree path to the base is very obvious when you’ve reached it, this leads to the base of a steep rock wall.

Video credit: All video credit goes to Rhys Morgan for the excellent footage of the route, you can subscribe to him here.

Cneifion Arete Crux – First Pitch

Start on the right hand side up a short groove, traverse left a bit, face in and climb up for a few moves, then take a short but exposed step right, then around a corner to a grassy ledge, with a chimney/groove continuation on the left.

Ashton describes in the crux “Traverse awkwardly right” in his Cicerone book, and when I did this route without ropes I found that section quite unnerving, with your bodyweight pitched away from the rock (aka down the drop) and having to commit to a step across with little to no handholds available.

You will feel very committed once you have gone from the Right to Left upwards move at the start, and faced into climb upwards.

If roped, belay above and/or below the chimney.

The chimney requires some squeezing. The left hand side has good holds, and a technique of gradualy stepping up with the right foot, and using the left for good protective holds as you go can help you gain height. Eventually squeezing in and reaching for good holds above to come out of the chimney.

The Scramble (continued)

From the top of the chimney, move up and to the right, to find the right hand edge of the arête. If roped and with confident people, this can be done moving together. Take plenty of slings, as spikes and pinnacles abound! For maximum enjoyment, keep to the right hand edge, taking each pinnacle direct.

The route has an alpine feel in the upper section and with the confidence born of being roped up, you can enjoy a lot of air under your feet. The lower rock wall is usually given a moderate rock climbing grade, so is technically high in its scrambling grade. Above that, it is considerably easier. At no point is the route especially intimidating and the rock is generally very good.

The top is a flat area (the ‘football pitch’) on the Gribin ridge – descend down the ridge path and either left or right before reaching the Gribin Facet.