Bryant's Gully
The longest route in Snowdonia with over 500m of scrambling ascent makes this quite an outing!
The route extends from above the Llanberis Pass to the crest of Esgair Felen, the south spur of Glyder Fawr. Generally speaking the gully doesn't carry a great abundance of water, though it would obviously be wise not to tackle it following periods of heavy rain. You will get wet regardless of course.
On approach you're looking for the stream hitting the roadside at SH625568, there are several nearby lay-bys for parking. Ascend the steep open slope by the stream, aiming for where it issues from broken crags to the right of Carreg Wastad. Several trees mark this point.
The route can be split into 4 stages. The first starts with several easy, though often slimy, steps in the gully bed leading up to the trees. From here the walls on either side rise up and close in and you are required to clamber up a series of wet shelves, short steps, chockstones and boulders, all amid the falling stream. Be ready for a shower! A large jammed-boulder provides the trickiest of these steps. Take it on it's left, wetter side (though thankfully most of the water flows behind the rock), pulling up between it and the left gully wall. Above this the steps become easier until the slope suddenly opens out on to grass and heather. First stage over. Take the opportunity for a break on the wide grassy terrace and to admire the view across the valley to Crib Goch and Carnedd Ugain.
The shorter second stage now follows a narrow trough up the steep heather slope with some awkwardness but not too much difficulty. The walls on either side begin to close in again and a step with a jammed boulder between sheer walls marks the start of stage 3, the hardest phase. If in doubt now is the time to escape and miss this step via the heather slopes to the right. Ascend initially via the left-hand wall then step across to an obvious hole on the right wall (those lacking inches or none-too flexible may wish to think twice about this!).
Without hanging around too long pull confidently above the boulder, most easily achieved on the left. Once above this you've now entered 'The Trap', an alcove between insurmountable walls with the only exit being up the evil-looking back right wall; around 20m of wet, slimy and water-worn rock! It's not as difficult as first sight suggests however. Rope protection is possible from above, though finding a suitable anchor isn't easy. Ascend initially to the left of the water flow until sufficiently high to step across the stream into a shallow bowl.
Now ascend this right-hand groove with care until able to step out onto the heather slope. The worst is now over and you will all of a sudden notice the quite funky nature of the rock scenery around! Climb out of the next recess on the right (avoid the back wall - it's possible but not recommended!) for the start of stage 4. The gully now curves rightwards and a groove to th