Glyderau

The Glyderau form one of the most dramatic high-level landscapes in Wales — a broad plateau strewn with frost-shattered boulders and tilted rock slabs, perched between the Ogwen Valley to the north and Llanberis Pass to the south. Glyder Fawr (1,001m) is the highest point; Glyder Fach (994m) to the east holds the famous Cantilever Stone.

The Mountain

Few mountain summits anywhere look quite like the top of Glyder Fach. The plateau is littered with vast angular slabs of rhyolite heaved upright by glacial action and periglacial freeze-thaw, giving the impression of a ruined city frozen in time. The Cantilever Stone — a flat slab projecting horizontally from a rock pile — has been photographed with walkers balancing on its tip for over a century.

Glyder Fawr, slightly higher and to the west, is broader and more rounded at its summit but the approach from Cwm Idwal passes through the dark cleft of Devil's Kitchen (Twll Du in Welsh), where waterfalls tumble into a shadowed chasm and arctic-alpine plants cling to dripping ledges. The geology here is Ordovician rhyolite and tuff, heavily worked by successive ice ages.

Y Garn (947m) stands to the northwest and is often included in a long day from Ogwen, its summit offering one of the finest views of the Glyderau and the Carneddau plateau beyond.

Routes to the Summit

Via Cwm Idwal (Ogwen): The most popular approach follows the path to Llyn Idwal, then climbs steeply up the headwall to the left of Devil's Kitchen. The gradient is relentless but the path is good. From the col, turn right for Glyder Fawr or continue to Glyder Fach. Allow 3 hours to the top of Glyder Fawr.

Bristly Ridge from Bwlch Tryfan: A Grade 1 scramble that links a Tryfan ascent to Glyder Fach. The ridge is well defined, the holds are excellent, and the exposure is moderate. It is one of the most enjoyable ways onto the Glyderau plateau and can be combined with a descent via Y Gribin to Ogwen for a magnificent circuit.

From Pen-y-Pass via Miners Track: A longer approach from the south. Less frequented than the Ogwen routes, this gives a different perspective on the massif and avoids the crowds that gather at Ogwen Cottage on busy weekends.

Practical Notes

Navigation on the Glyderau plateau in mist is genuinely difficult. The boulder chaos makes it easy to lose direction and there are few obvious landmarks. Carry a map and compass and take bearings before the cloud comes in. The descent via Y Gribin (the northwest spur of Glyder Fach) is steep and loose in its upper section — take care with footing. The Glyderau hold snow well into spring, and the approach to Devil's Kitchen can be icy long after lower ground has thawed.