Well, I have been out working today on arguably one of the best scrambles in the UK, Tryfan. A mountain in wales that is so steep it is often mused that you can’t climb it without using your hands. Today I taught a lovely couple to scramble by getting them to head up the Classic North Ridge of Tryfan. This route cuts an impressive line straight from the road and is on many walkers and mountaineers tick list, as a must-do route. When I first climbed this route up Tryfan years ago when on a school trip I knew that I wanted to be an outdoor instructor, twenty years on and I am living the dream.
Anyway, we went all the way up the North Ridge and didn’t take the chicken run round the side of the North Tower. The weather was more than favourable, it was perfect, sunny and virtually still weather. Instead we took the very intimidating line up the tower, which if you are an experienced at scrambling then this is the best line. The sustained nature of the route, the lack of any walking in, make this one of the best grade 1 scramble in the UK.
On the summit, there is a classic challenge that less and less people seem to do. In fact I haven’t done the jump from Adam to Eve for a good long while. The story goes that by making this jump you are granted the freedom of the mountain. Whilst when your up there its looks like a massive leap, it is in fact more of small step, over cook it and the result might not be very pleasant, as you are pretty much out there.
Anyway here are pictures of two people who gained the freedom of the mountain today! I apologise in advance for tomorrows blog on another of the Best Scrambles in the UK, and I also think I am on a Scrambling course at the weekend. So expect a few scrambling/stupid idiots trying to kill themselves at the the weekend, given the weather I put money on it turning into silly season!
