Tryfan: Scramble Routes, Ogwen Parking, Bus & Summit Weather

Tryfan at a glance

917.51 msummit (National Trust)

Grade 1+scramble at the easiest

Experiencedhillwalkers only

Ogwenstart area

Tryfan is not a walk. The National Trust, which owns it, says every route to the top needs your hands; even the easiest, from Bwlch Tryfan, is a grade 1 scramble, and it is only for experienced, well-equipped hillwalkers. The summit is 917.51 m (National Trust GPS survey).

Start area: Ogwen valley, A5 (Canolfan Ogwen car park and A5 lay-bys)
Map: OS Explorer OL17
Owner: National Trust (Tryfan page)
Bus: T10 to Llyn Ogwen

Ogwen valley, A5 Canolfan Ogwen car park and lay-bys
Bwlch Tryfan The easiest way up starts here: a grade 1 scramble
Tryfan summit 917.5 m

Key points along the way, in order, from Eryri's route description and the National Trust. Not a substitute for a map.

ModerateEryri grade
Hard/StrenuousEryri grade
Scramblehands needed (National Trust)Tryfan

Tryfan sits at the top of the scale: every route to the summit needs your hands (National Trust).

Before you go

Every route to the top is a scramble: you need to use your hands, and some sections are exposed.
The National Trust says the local Mountain Rescue team is often called to people lost or stuck in Tryfan's gullies.
In bad weather, the National Trust suggests heading for the shelter of its café at Ogwen Cottage.
Not confident on rock? Walk Cwm Idwal instead, below the Glyderau.

Plan your Tryfan day

Your pace

1. Pick a day

Loading the live forecast…

Sunrise

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Sunset

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Daylight

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Latest safe start

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Best day this week

Our own guide, not an official rating: a weather score from the same rules of thumb as the warnings (gusts, rain, cloud, wind chill, freezing level), lowered on days that are usually busy. Busyness uses Eryri's 2025 walker counts by weekday and month, so it shows a typical pattern, not a crowd forecast. Tap a day to see it.

Sunrise hike: what time to start

Reach the top

Start walking by

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You will walk up in the dark: carry a head torch with spare batteries, and a second light. Eryri advises carrying a torch and whistle in case you are caught on a summit after dark.
It is much colder before dawn and at the top: pack extra warm layers.
Navigation is harder in the dark: know the path, and carry a map and compass and the skills to use them.
Early buses may not run yet: check the first bus time, or the parking rules, before you plan the start.
Go with others, tell someone your plan, and turn back if the weather is poor.

Hour-by-hour forecast: Tryfan summit (917 m)

Wind and gusts in mph. Freezing level in metres above sea level. Forecast data: Open-Meteo.

Before you go, also check the Met Office mountain forecast, MWIS.

2. Getting there

Map

The route map (OpenStreetMap) loads when you scroll here.

How busy it gets

Pages you have opened, and the last forecast, are kept on this device, so the plan still opens with no signal.

Monthly walker counts, 2025

One-way counts from Eryri's Milestone Buttress counter (Ogwen) in Eryri's Visitor Monitoring Report 2025; total 25,940. The Milestone Buttress counter is in the Ogwen valley; it is not a count of people reaching the summit of Tryfan.

Stay safe

Ask the AdventureSmart three questions: do I have the knowledge and skills, do I know what the weather will be like, and am I confident I have the right gear?
In an emergency, dial 999 or 112, ask for the Police, then Mountain Rescue.
Register your phone for emergency texts before you go: text register to 999.
Do not walk on the Snowdon Mountain Railway track. Keep dogs on leads near livestock.
Turn back if the weather turns or you are behind time. The summit will still be there.

Full kit list and safety guide

Other Eryri walks

Distance km

Minffordd Path9 km
Pony Path (Tŷ Nant)10 km
Cwm Idwal5 km

Ascent metres

Minffordd Path788 m
Pony Path (Tŷ Nant)727 m
Cwm Idwal140 m

Time hours (Eryri)

Minffordd Path6 hrs
Pony Path (Tŷ Nant)5 hrs
Cwm Idwal2 hrs

Distance (there and back, or round the circuit), ascent and Eryri's time for each walk. Tryfan is left out: no distance or time is published, because every way up is a scramble.

Frequently asked questions

Can you walk up Tryfan?

Not without scrambling. The National Trust, which owns Tryfan, says whichever route you choose you have to use your hands to reach the top, and even the easiest route, from Bwlch Tryfan, is a grade 1 scramble.

How high is Tryfan?

The National Trust gives the summit as 917.51 metres, measured by modern GPS, making it one of the 14 Welsh peaks over 3,000 feet.

Is Tryfan suitable for beginners?

No. The National Trust recommends it only for experienced and well-equipped hillwalkers. Beginners could try the Cwm Idwal walk nearby, which Eryri grades Moderate.

Where do you park for Tryfan?

In the Ogwen valley: the Eryri car park at Canolfan Ogwen (£8 a day (until 22:00) · £5 up to 4 hrs) or the marked lay-bys on the A5. Spaces are very limited, so Eryri suggests the bus.

Is there a bus to Tryfan?

The T10 (Bangor – Corwen) stops at Llyn Ogwen. Bws Ogwen runs from Bethesda, where you can park at the football club for £6 a day.

How long does it take to climb Tryfan?

Neither the National Trust nor Eryri publishes a route time, so we do not give one. Times vary a lot with the route and how confident you are on rock.

Sources

Every figure on this page was checked against these sources on 20 October 2026.

Tryfan: scrambles, parking, bus and weather