Getting around pen y pass

New Topic
This topic has been archived, and won't accept reply postings.
 pince22 08 Sep 2019

Hello, 

  I'm staying at pen y pass youth hostel in a couple of weeks and am currently planning my days there. Can anyone recommend how to get from the hostel around to Llyn Ogwen early morning without a car as I would like to start the day with Tryfan's north ridge.

thanks for any help.

 spenser 08 Sep 2019
In reply to pince22:

You can pop up behind the hostel, over a saddle and then this brings you down a little bit to the East of Tryfan (close to the water board road if you were to head into the carneddau). Alternatively hitch from Pen Y Pass up to Capel Curig, from there you can either hitch a second time, or walk along the old coach road which will bring you along the valley on the South side of the road.

1
 OliverR17 08 Sep 2019
In reply to pince22:

You going with anyone? If you're lucky, you might find a second keen hiker/scrambler on here with similar plans, or potentially a trainee MCI who could guide you up more technical scrambles on other days. I do appreciate however the attractiveness of solitude and independence in the mountains, so obviously this might not appeal. 

Hitching (as mentioned) is also a good option, but obviously has its limitations. Taxis exist but will require remortgaging the the house.

 WaterMonkey 08 Sep 2019
In reply to pince22:

There is a bus from Pen Y Pass to Ogden cottage area.

1
In reply to WaterMonkey:

> There is a bus from Pen Y Pass to Ogden cottage area.

Hilda's place? 

OP pince22 08 Sep 2019
In reply to pince22:

Hiya. Thanks for the replies. I will be on my own and although I’m sure it’d be fine, as a solo female I’m slightly reluctant to hitch. Anyone know rough costs of taxis? 

I tried to look up the Snowdon Sherpa times but it looks like there’s only an 11am bus from the hostel round to the car park, anyone know if this right? 

Deadeye 08 Sep 2019
In reply to pince22:

I'm sure you've looked at a map and seen this - but the earlier poster saying you can pop over a col behind the hostel and wind up just E of Tryfan is a little over simplified!  You can bear north then west and come out E of Tryfan but the col is at 750m and some is cross-country.

There is a nice walk from the hostel, NNE to LLyn Cwmffynnon, skirt the E shore and along the Bwlych Dwyglydion to the summit ridge between Glyder fawr and Glyder Fach.  Then down y Gribin and over towards Milestone Buttress.  It's probably 3 miles and a fair slog up. 

If you're set on the N ridge of Tryfan then a lift, a bike or a hitching partner would be best.

Could you stay at Ogwen YHA instead?

Post edited at 20:54
 Caralynh 08 Sep 2019
In reply to pince22:

Just come back from a weekend at Pen y Pass YHA. While there we witnessed the staff being very helpful with advice re transport to different areas, so just ask when you check in. If necessary I'm sure they will call a taxi for you.

 Mike Peacock 09 Sep 2019
In reply to Deadeye:

> There is a nice walk from the hostel, NNE to LLyn Cwmffynnon, skirt the E shore and along the Bwlych Dwyglydion to the summit ridge between Glyder fawr and Glyder Fach.  Then down y Gribin and over towards Milestone Buttress.  It's probably 3 miles and a fair slog up. 

A nice walk? It's been years since I took the Bwlch Dwyglydion route but from memory it's purgatorial going. A thin trace of a path, ankle-eating boulders, deep heather. I presume the earlier post by spenser meant using the Miners' Path from the PyG Inn which is definitely an easier option.

For buses, it looks like the S6 (Pen-y-Pass to Ogwen) doesn't run very often. However, the S2 from PyP to Capel Curig runs more frequently. That would leave you with 6km along the bridleway (flat, easy going) to reach the base of Tryfan's north ridge.

 tagscuderia 09 Sep 2019
In reply to pince22:

Given your "Latest Climbs," you won't have any problem taking the path onto Glyder Fawr from behind the hostel. Nip up towards Llyn Cwmffynnon and then ascend the (pathless until higher up) grassy ridge to the West of the llyn, follow this to the base of Castell y Gwynt and pick your descent to Tryfan... the quickest is probably the Miner's Path into Cwm Tryfan; descend to the top of Tryfan Bach-ish where there's a stile, cross it and follow the fence 90 degree left. This takes you to the nameless gully with easy access to the Heather Terrace and North Ridge.

OP pince22 09 Sep 2019

Thanks for all the info. I got a taxi quote out of interest and it was £35!! so I think its either the bus to Capel Curig and walk or perhaps the miners track from near the pen-y-gwryd hotel. I've used that track before and so it'd be easier for me to navigate down to Cwn Tryfan and then head round to the north ridge, weather pending of course!

In reply to pince22:

It would be worth asking around in the bar, self catering kitchen or dinnig room at the YHA, most likely someone else staying will be driving to Ogwen, or at least Capel Curig.

 wercat 10 Sep 2019
In reply to pince22:

can you take a bike?  good day out taking in N Ridge of Tryfan

OP pince22 10 Sep 2019
In reply to wercat:

Unfortunately no, I’m motorcycling up to Wales. I had considered that for next time though if I was to get the train in again. 


New Topic
This topic has been archived, and won't accept reply postings.
Loading Notifications...