The Glyders Horseshoe trimmed

The next ARS (Audlem Ramblers Society) walk is on Saturday and features The Glyders horseshoe trimmed – just the 3,000s: Glyders to Y Garn

It's rated at 5 boots due to steep ascents & descents. Map: OL17

It will take about two hours to get to the start so I suggest an 8.00am start from Audlem car park to be sure of parking because it's a popular area. The superb Rhug Estate organic farm on the A5 is then still an option for a quality breakfast and toilet stop on the way.

Little exposure but tricky underfoot at numerous points, especially in the wet. It's approximately 11-12km walk taking in three 3,000 footers with super views in all directions in good conditions.

Although it's a short distance, going can be slow due to the terrain so it could take 5+hrs.
Paths are mainly good, the upper rocky section is slippy when wet and the first ascent has some loose ground but it's not horrendous.

Start & Finish: Idwal cottage YHA ( car park, opposite Llyn Ogwen, near Bethesda, Snowdonia. Toilets and refreshments available in posh new(ish) building .This weekend the pay and display machine was broken so parking could well be free but normally there is a charge. Free spots 500m away in layby parking spots.

There is the option of a B walk bailing out early to bag only Glyder Fach if anyone wants to lead a short sharp one.

Sheep are on the hills throughout the entire walk but only close at the beginning and end sections. Well controlled and fit dogs could be OK if they can handle steep descents.

From the car park at Idwal cottage (SH 649 603) we turn off before Llyn Idwal and go East, up Bochlwyd butteress to Bwlch Tryfan via cwm Bochlwyd. Bwlch Tryfan is a potential coffee and/or pork pie fuelling station and also a point where any A* walkers can divert to bag Tryfan and/or start up the thrilling Bristly ridge.

The main route will take the East side of Bristly, up a steep and sometimes loose path to Glyder Fach. A short way on from here there is the option of a walk descent down the Y Gribin ridge to Llyn Idwal, a very nice and much shorter route.

From GF we go imperceptibly up to the dramatic rock jumble of Glyder Fawr. If it's dry the scramble to the top is fun but if it's wet, (like on the recce) it's a death trap and a gift to Michael Buerke so discretion by easily going around the base is the better part of valour.

There's a steep descent now down sometimes loose paths to Llyn y Cwn "Dogger's pond" where brave folk can try a descent of the Devil's kitchen, but it's nicer and easier walking although a slightly longer route to go up again to the superb Y Garn where the prime seats on the comfortable stones in the summit shelter are worth a final sprint for.

From Y Garn A walkers can nip across to bag Foel Goch but the easiest route back would then be retracing your steps.

It's a realtively steep descent from Y Garn to just above Llyn Idwal. Before reaching the Llyn we take the North Easterly path across sometimes soggy fields to the pretty gorge that leads right back to the Toilets and car park. However it's only a short detour to go around the base of Llyn Idwal for some different views and/or a swim if anyone is so inclined.

I look forward to seeing you on Saturday and hope the weather is better than it was for the recce.

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