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.
This group hike involved leading a group of four (myself, Nikki, Adam, and Joey) starting from Ogwen Valley. We ascended Gribbin, reaching Glyder Fawr, and then descended to Pen y Pass to top up our water supplies. From there, we tackled the Crib Goch ridge. Nikki struggled with the exposure, so I provided her with support and spotting all the way to Crib y Ddysgl. After completing the ridge, we descended via the Pyg Track back to Pen y Pass, replenished our water supplies again, and made another ascent up to Glyder Fawr. We then took the west route down near Devil's Kitchen and returned to Ogwen Valley, concluding a successful and rewarding day in the Welsh mountains.The day was characterized by clear and sunny weather with a gentle breeze, which provided excellent conditions for navigation and leadership. This hike required careful attention to group dynamics, particularly on the exposed sections of Crib Goch, and emphasized the importance of maintaining group morale and safety throughout the challenging terrain. This capped off a fantastic weekend in the Welsh mountains.
