The Glyderau (a Welsh plural form, also known in English as the Glyders) are a mountain group in Snowdonia, North Wales. The name derives from the highest peaks in the range, Glyder Fawr and Glyder Fach. According to Sir Ifor Williams, the word "Glyder" derives from the Welsh word "Cludair", meaning a heap of stones.
Parked in a layby near the A5, stunning day with no wind so packed light (with plenty of water!) but with waterproofs and some warmer gear. A day of 'peer climbing' with David Whitely MCI - clearly more development in it for me than him! Planned for a multi-pitch ascent of Cwm Idwal, some grade 1 scrambles up to the Cneifion Arete before ascending to Glyderfach. Walked in cross country (off path) from the layby to the path up to Llyn Idwal before heading into the Idwal slabs to practice building multi-pitch belays on the Orindary route, whilst about 6 pitches we did about 12 practising swinging leads, block leads and a guide belay discussing the pros and cons of each and what circumstances to use them in. At the top we packed up the climbing gear and headed up the slopes behind to the CWM crossing east over the stream to the base of the Cneifon arete. We discussed various approaches to scrambling and the various different roping techniques and the adaption of climbing techniques to balance speed with safety over the varying ground we would experience. After a thoroughly enjoyable ascent practising slings with Italian hitches, using flakes as runners and belays placement of some gear (nuts/hexes) and short roping we summited into mist. At this point I took over leading heading south over the right before arriving at the cairn before the cross-roads. Dave then gave me the instruction to get the summit of Glyder fach. Visibility was now very poor (25m) so I opted for a strategy of compass direction (SE, to E, to NE) and pace to determine the 3/4 of a KM that need to be travelled estimated a time of 25 minutes to cover the rough ground and the paths deviating route. With the poor conditions and the incorrect adoption of what was really day time nav techniques I initially mis-identified the Castyell of the wind (y Gwynt) as the summit but in matching the landmark to the map identified that it couldn't be the summit due to the steep rocky edge to the north. The many reasons against were negated by the one reason against. Again adopting daytime nav followed a compass heading with the intent to handraid the cliff edge. Whilst the summit was just visible we covered the ground too fast and so I didn'thave the confidence to call the summit as a result hitting y Gwyliwr as a catch feature stopping my mistake from getting worse. The less hear was to adopt night nav techniques - I should have taken a bearing from Castell y Gwnt, measured the distance and pace it which would have ensured that I got to the right summit bearing in mind both as similar when visibility is very poor. Learning my lesson, Dave instructed me to navigate to the Northerly of the two path, again on the map with very similar features. Using a bearing, pacing for 150 metres (from the Cantilever) and adjusting for rough terrain and aiming off to the ridge line we got within 5 metres of the right path and made our descent with Bristly ridge to our left. Relocating just before the fence line. I navigated us to the northern edge of Llyn Bochlwyd and we descended down to the car park.
