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Tryfan Heather Terrace Scramble

By Dave Roberts   

on March 4, 2023    5/5 (2)

Posted as a walk in – Europe, Snowdonia National Park, The Best Walks in the Glyderau, The Glyderau, Wales

Tryfan Heather Terrace Scramble

Route Essentials

Route Summary

An alternative to the tougher Tryfan North Ridge, that’s still a tough and challenging route.

See the end of the article for local information about parking, public transport facilities, pubs and cafes.

Distance

6.7 km

Ascent

710 m

Time

5 hours

Calculate the time using Naismith’s Rule and factor in your own pace.

Start Location

Glan Denau near Ogwen Cottage Visitor Centre

Difficulty

Hard Walk, Scrambling Grade 1

Hazards

The route covers a lot of rough ground and should be approached with caution. Grade 1 scrambling and tough route finding make this a challenging mountain outing.

Weather Forecast:

Met Office Snowdonia Mountain Weather

Check out our Best Mountain Weather Forecast?
Remember that we cannot outline every single hazard on a walk – it’s up to you to be safe and competent. Read up on Mountain Safety , Navigation and what equipment you’ll need. 

Tryfan Heather Terrace Scramble Ordnance Survey Map and GPX File Download

View the full route map

Download file for GPS

Tryfan Heather Terrace Scramble

Tryfan Heather Terrace is one of the three main (non climber) routes up to the summit of Tryfan, with the Tryfan North Ridge and Tryfan South Ridge being the other two. The Tryfan Heather Terrace is still a tough route with route finding difficulties aplenty. While it’s definitely easier than the North Ridge, it’s a very tough walk and as it finishes off on the South Ridge, is marginally harder than the South Ridge done alone. You also get to do the south ridge on the way back down.

The Tryfan Heather Terrace is DEFINITELY NOT an easy route up Tryfan. See this news article explaining how someone died thinking it was an ‘easy’ route according to a guidebook. Our opinion is clear – if you don’t possess the skills to be safe on a mountain, go with someone who does – even if you have to pay them.

This route also takes a more direct start to the route, with an alternative option being to set up the Cwm Tryfan Path from Gwern Gof Uchaf and turning right at the top of Tryfan Bach to join the route at around point 3.

Heather Terrace Route Description

1 The route starts from Glan Dena on the A5 (Sat Nav Post Code – LL24 0EU) where a good track sets off towards Capel Curig. After 100m or so, take the stile to the right and head off along a faint path directly towards Tryfan Bach.

2 On reaching the cliffs below Tryfan Bach, you’ll need to begin to veer to your right towards the heathery and rocky slopes of Tryfan. The path is sketchy initially, but becomes clearer as you gain height.

3 The target is now an obvious notch in the skyline, which becomes increasingly steep and scrambly as you ascend towards a slightly flatter area above with a final clamber up some stone stairs to finish. You can also get here by following the North Ridge path for around 300m from the road.

4 The next section is horrible scree, but you’ll be glad that the Heather Terrace Proper starts at the end of this section. Following the scree, a final short pull finally brings you up onto the Heather Terrace.

 

5 The Heather Terrace now follows a convenient ledge along the eastern face of Tryfan for around 1km, allowing views up at climbers (and less commonly, helicopters) and down at walkers in Cwm Tryfan. It’s not particularly exposed, if at all for a mountain path, and provides a steady ascent up to Tryfan Far South Peak with only the final section being a bit of a scramble up to the bwlch.

6 From Tryfan Far South Peak, you’ll need to work your way across to the main summit to your right, with a few scrambles which can either be tackled or worked around – but with one exposed step just before the summit that is the only part that we’d consider to be exposed for your well seasoned hill walker.

7 Finally you’re arrive at the summit of Tryfan, with Adam and Eve and a load of other people who’ve probably come up a different route to you. Take a guess which one from this article – All the Routes up Tryfan.

8 Your way back is to descend gain down the South Ridge, taking care not to veer too far right. The path down is clear enough once you’re on it – though the route is easily lost as you scramble down. So care is needed on this section!

9 Once you reach Bwlch Tryfan, the excitement’s practically over. You can descend via Cwm Bochlwyd (as detailed on our Tryfan North Ridge route) or an easier descent via Cwm Tryfan. The path down to Cwm Tryfan is clear and wide, though some sections on the initial descent can be tricky to follow due to the heather and can be loose in places, though work is ongoing to improve these footpaths.

10 Once you are on the main Cwm Tryfan Path, it can be easily followed back to Gwern Gof Uchaf, with the final descent to the right of Tryfan Bach. Once at Gwen Gof Uchaf, turn left on the track to return to the start.

Local Information and Recommended Maps and Guidebooks

Route Summary:

An alternative to the tougher Tryfan North Ridge, that’s still a tough and challenging route.

This walk includes the Washi of Tryfan

This walk includes the Hewitt of Tryfan

This walk includes the Nuttall of Tryfan

Route Start Location: Glan Denau near Ogwen Cottage Visitor Centre

Distance
 Ascent
 Time
6.7 km 710 m 5 hours

Calculate the time using Naismith’s Rule and factor in your own pace.

Activivity Type: Hard Walk, Scrambling Grade 1

Summits and Places on this Route

Facilities

There are toilets at the visitor centre at Ogwen Cottage as well as a food counter that serves snacks and drinks. All local facilities, including a Tesco Extra can be found in Bethesda, along with cafes and a few pubs. In the opposite direction, there are pubs and a café in Capel Curig, and further on in Betws-y-Coed.

Hazards

The route covers a lot of rough ground and should be approached with caution. Grade 1 scrambling and tough route finding make this a challenging mountain outing.

Remember that we cannot outline every single hazard on a walk – it’s up to you to be safe and competent. Read up on Mountain Safety , Navigation and what equipment you’ll need.

Parking : LL57 3LZ

Parking at Ogwen can be absolutely horrific during bank holidays and fine weekends, so you’ll need to arrive early. There is paid for parking at Ogwen Cottage, £6.00 a day or 4 hours: £3.00, card payments only and there are EV charging points available. There’s also a great deal of free parking in the laybys along the A5 and towards Glan Denau, but this is insufficient at busy times. Plenty will try and park on the A5 itself, but don’t do it as this is a trunk road and you’ll be rightly ticketed for parking along the main road.
Easter ’23 saw the A5 trunk road shut due to inconsiderate parking, something that was absolutely unheard of a few years ago.

Public Transport:

There is an infrequent T10 TrawsCymru Bus Service bus service between Bethesda and Capel Curig/Betws-y-Coed, helpfully it doesn’t run on Sundays or Bank Holidays. Thankfully, the electric Bws Ogwen has been running since 2022 between Bethesda and Ogwen and hopefully they will continue to do so in 2023. They ran 12 mini-buses midweek (not Wednesdays) and 15 on the weekend and can carry 9 at a time.

Traveline for UK Public Transport

Weather Forecast:

Met Office Snowdonia Mountain Weather

Check out our Best Mountain Weather Forecast?

Recommended Maps: 

Guidebooks:

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Dave Roberts

Dave Roberts founded Walk Eryri in 2004, with the aim of providing routes that are off the beaten track. Walk Eryri is now part of Mud and Routes which continues to provide more off beat routes and walks in Snowdonia and beyond. Dave has been exploring the hills of Eryri for over thirty years, and is a qualified Mountain Leader. Dave also established Walk up Snowdon, Walk up Scafell Pike and Walk up Ben Nevis just to mention a few.

More Posts by Dave Roberts

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