The Cneifion Arête

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Route: Idwal Cottage, Llyn Idwal, Cwm Cneifion, Cneifion Arete, Y Gribin, Clogwyn y Tarw, Llyn Idwal, Idwal Cottage

Date: 31/03/2019
From: A5 - Idwal Cottage

Parking: Laybys on A5
Start Point: Idwal Cottage
Region: Snowdonia

Route length: 3.1 miles (5.0 km)
Time taken: 04:13
Average speed: 1.4 mph
Ascent: 522m
Descent: 515m

Summits: None

Other points of interest: The Cneifion Arête

The Cneifion Arête is perhaps one of the most famed scrambles in North Wales and admittedly, one I never thought I'd end up doing. It's not through fear that I didn't think I get round to it, more through not knowing the correct skills to tackle it safely. You see, the Cneifion Arête reaches a scrambling grade of 3 - the top of the list. Unless you are super confident or have no regard for your personal safety, grade 3 scrambles usually necessitate the use of ropes, harnesses and protective climbing gear - aspects I am unaccustomed to and have no experience with.

Fortunately, luck has lent me a helping hand - a friend looking to build their climbing instruction log book. We've been talking about doing Pillar Rock for a while but managed to find some time for a weekend away in Snowdonia - home to some of the finest scrambling in the UK. It was a win-win situation; I get to experience some higher grade scrambling while my friend, Adam, gets some days logged towards his qualification.

After a morning spent at a local climbing centre near Caernarvon, we traipsed back to Ogwen with the sun out in full force, grey clouds having drifted away, and a warm afternoon beckoning us back into the mountains. Despite being 2pm, the Cneifion Arête makes the perfect objective for an afternoon and it would most likely mean that it would be much quieter.

The Cneifion arete viewed in profile from Y Gribin

The Cneifion Arête stands hidden away in the depths of Cwm Cneifion, a hidden corrie high above the popular Llyn Idwal. It forms a steep, exposed route between the cwm floor and the base of Y Gribin - a popular grade 1 ridge that leads to Glyder Fach. The first task of the afternoon then was the reach the base of the arête.

From Idwal cottage we proceeded to follow the stone path which climbs up to the shores of Llyn Idwal, nestled amongst its dramatic mountain scenery. Continuing along the shore of the lake, and with Garry Smith's excellent book to guide us, we found the faint grassy path which branches off a short distance after the wall below Clogwyn y Tarw.

The path leading up from the youth hostel

Pen yr Ole Wen stands over Idwal Cottage

Castell y Geifr and Y Garn over Llyn Idwal

Llyn Idwal and the path leading to the Idwal Slabs

Llyn Idwal

The path winds up alongside some small streams - a fairly steep affair to begin with but, this soon brought us towards the famed arête, viewed side-on in this instance. A couple of groups were already enjoying its charms. Fortunately for us, they were well on their way and there was no one waiting at the base. Perfect.

The Idwal Slabs

Looking across to Y Garn

The Cneifion Arete

Approaching the base of the arete

The Cneifion Arete - the climbers give it some sense of scale

We moved around to the base of the arête where its superb situation becomes more apparent, a sharp, curved ride climbing steeply overhead. I've read it's very alpine-esque. Time for a crash course in using ropes, harnesses and belay devices (not literally I may add).

The dramatic line of the Cneifion Arete. The route climbs the lower wall directly before turning right to meet the main ridge

For the uninitiated like myself, this is how the entire process would progress. Adam, being the experienced hand, would lead the climbs (or pitches) with me acting as his belayer. As he climbed, Adam would be placing protective gear along the route, consisting of either nuts or hexes jammed into cracks or long slings looped over protruding rocks.

Tools of the trade

Once at the top of the pitch, Adam would make himself safe by anchoring to the mountain, allowing me to detach him from the belay device. Then it would be my turn to climb, this time protected by Adam belaying from above and the gear he had already placed. My job was to collect the protection as I passed it, attaching it to my harness in the process - best not leave any behind! Upon reaching Adam's safe location, I would anchor to the rock, we'd switch belays, flake the rope and start the process all over again.

The view across Llyn Idwal from the base of the arete

Adam readies the rope

So, that's the technical aspect covered, now on to the actual route itself. As I mentioned, at grade 3, the Cneifion Arête is at the higher end of scrambling difficulty. It is very exposed in many places and has quite a tricky start.

Looking up the first pitch

The initial wall of the arête is the most technical part of the route - the crux - and perhaps warrants a climbing grade of moderate. That said, there are good holds and the rock quality is superb - much like the neighbouring Tryfan or Bristly Ridge. This wall tops out at a small ledge - a perfect location for some belaying. Here, an interesting chimney leads on to the arête proper.

Adam at the top of the first pitch

Scrambling the arête is technically easier than the initial wall, however, the exposure is pretty massive with big drops on either side. The photos just don't seem to do it justice. The line and difficulty can be varied but the best of any scrambling keeps to the right of the arête, over the spiky protrusions that line it. It's an awe-inspiring sight.

Ogwen and Nant Ffrancon from the arete

Looking down from the top of the first wall

The sharp crest of the arete - the highlight of the route

Proof I actually made it!

Adam atop the arete

Looking down from the final belay location

Y Gribin

Eventually, the steepness subsides and the arête terminates on a grassy shoulder below Y Gribin - you could continue your day out by scrambling up to Glyder Fach but it had taken us a couple of hours to complete the route and it was time to head back to the YHA in Ogwen.

Some atmospheric rope management

Tryfan seen over Cwm Bochlwyd

We descended across the 'football pitch' at the base on Y Gribin, a broad, flat-ish expanse of grass which. A pitched path leads towards Llyn Bochlwyd before we deviated off to make a slightly less glamourous descent to the shore of Llyn Ogwen, now basking in the late afternoon light. Once past the footbridge at the outlet to the lake, it was a quick descent back to the Youth Hostel where we were staying.

Descending back towards Idwal Cottage

Looking back up at Y Gribin

Llyn Idwal and the slabs once again

The Cneifion Arete

Tryfan

 This was a super outing which I really enjoyed. It makes a difference to hunting out and bagging peaks while the use of ropes and climbing equipment really adds a sense of occasion. Highly recommended!