Rockfax Description
A real gem of a route. It has a scrambling grade but it only just warrants it and, on the section on the descent to Bwlch Ciliau, you can avoid the scrambling by keeping to the left of the rock. The summit ridge is very exposed on one side with one of the largest cliffs in Snowdonia below you, but the hillside leads gently down to the Gwynant Valley on the other.
1) From Pen y Pass carpark, walk due south to join the start of The Miner's Track. Follow this round the hillside past Llyn Teyrn to just before the causeway across Llyn Llydaw.
2) Turn left off The Miner's Track towards a pump house at the edge of the lake and follow a smaller path across some bridges before the path turns left and up the hillside.
3) After 200m the path flattens out over a small knoll before continuing up and across the hillside to a short rocky section that leads up to the Lliwedd ridge line. The easiest way to breach this is to walk below the final steepening to a small gully that leads up the right side of the rock before the hillside turns more broken and heathery.
4) From the ridge, follow the more distinct path along and over Lliwedd Bach, beyond which you see Lliwedd in all its glory. A short scramble leads up to the east peak.
5) Easy walking takes you over west peak and onto more complex terrain down to Bwlch Ciliau. The easiest way off is to the south of the main ridge (see inset right) where you can avoid the rocky steps via a path. You can also descend the ridge proper, which is grade 1.
6) From Bwlch Ciliau, join the Watkin Path where the path now flattens off and more or less contours to Bwlch y Saethau.
7) Beyond here the path becomes harder going as it picks its way across the screes of the South Face of Snowdon. This is the scene of several accidents a year and care is needed. The path terminates at a finger stone on the South Ridge where it is a short walk to the top.
Descent - Either reverse the route or head down The PYG Track or The Miner's Track (p.88) to get back to Pen y Pass. If you reverse the route, it is important not to descend straight down from the summit but head down the South Ridge to the finger stone that marks the start of traverse across the South Face. © Rockfax

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Favourite Snowdonia Scrambles , Scrambles in Snowdonia - Steve Ashton , North Wales Scrambles - Garry Smith , The Ridges of England, Wales and Ireland , Snowdonia Mountain Walks and Scrambles - Mark Reeves

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Style of Ascent
Soloed
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Route of Interest
Crib Y Ddysgl - Crib Goch Traverse (Summer)

Grade: Grade-1 ***
(Crib Goch)

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