Climbing near Llyn Gwynant

The campsite lies in the heart of climbing country. Four crags lie within easy walking distance, of which the most popular are Clogwyn y Bustach and Clogwyn y Wenalt, with several classic routes. Clogwyn y Bustach has one of the earliest recorded climbs in Snowdonia – Lockwoods Chimney (Diff – VDiff). This is also one of the most unusual in the area, as most of the climbing takes place in a huge cleft inside the cliff, and is a popular wet weather option. The classic Gallop Step (HVS) is located on the same crag, another unique climb that starts and finishes on the ground! The crag is a 20 minute walk up the river from the campsite – go across the stone bridge at the back of Bridge Field then turn right and walk up the valley. On the way to Clogwyn y Bustach, on the side of the path, is the huge Homage Boulder. This has a classic V6/Font 6A traverse from right to left, and there are many other problems on the scattered nearby boulders.

Looming over the site, only 10 minutes walk up from the old bridge, is the crag on Gallt y Wenallt called Clogwyn y Wenallt, which has 20 or so climbs for experienced climbers on steep and well protected rock. There are some excellent VS to HVS routes and others up to E5 around 60 m long. The classics of these are Oxine (VS) and Ferdinand (E2), however all routes are quite exposed and have great views of the campsite and lake.

Further down the lake are two more crags that are less popular but have worthwhile routes in a beautiful setting. The first, Clogwyn y Fulfran (locally known as Elephant Rock), is 10 -15 minutes walk from the campsite and has about 10 routes from VS to E2. However, the most unique adventure here is a bouldering/deep water solo traverse around the base of the cliff where it rises out of the lake itself! The difficulty of this is anywhere from 5a to 6a depending on the line taken. Another 10 minutes along the lakeshore lies the crag Penmaen Brith, which has a dozen or so routes, the most popular of which are the lower grade Excalibur (VDiff), which follows a striking diagonal wide crack and chimney, and the Gwynant Needle (VDiff). The Gwynant Needle is an impressive tower separated from the rest of the cliff by a ~3 – 4 m gap. The climb starts up a tight chimney on the left-hand side then spirals around the back then front of the needle, with great exposure at the top. An exhilarating jump can be made from from the top to the main cliff, or a rappel for the more faint-hearted. Harder routes are possible up the front of the needle. For more details of these and other climbs in the area see the Tremadog guide by the Climbers Club.

If you are not camping with us you can access the climbs by parking in the lay-bys on the A498 beside the lake and follow the public footpath around the lake, through the campsite and over the old stone bridge. If you park on the campsite or on the campsite access road you will be charged the day parking fee, check our Prices page for the current rate. In addition to the climbing within walking distance of the campsite, many world-class crags are within 20 minutes drive, including the cliffs of Llanberis Pass, Tremadog, and the Ogwen Valley.