Wales
Tryfan
917M
3010FT
About Tryfan
Tryfan is a jagged, fin-shaped monolith that refuses to let you keep your hands in your pockets. As the only mountain in Wales requiring actual scrambling to summit, it’s essentially a 917-meter obstacle course designed to make your knees quiver and your heart race.
Key Statistics
Rank
16th Highest in Wales
Parent Range
Snowdonia
Prominence
?
192m
Nearest Town
Conwy
Geology
You are walking over layers of ancient volcanic ash and sedimentary rocks. This foundation is made of sandstone, mudstone, and siltstone.
Classifications
Find It
Latitude
53.1141°N
Longitude
3.9975°W
Did You Know?
- •The summit is crowned by Adam and Eve, two massive monoliths separated by a nerve-wracking gap. Leaping between them supposedly grants the 'Freedom of Tryfan,' though doing so in a gale is a fantastic way to meet your ancestors.
- •The legendary 1953 Everest team used these rocky slopes as a training ground for their Himalayan expedition. If it was rugged enough for Hillary and Hunt to test their grit, it is certainly sufficient for your weekend cardio.
- •Its name translates roughly to 'Three Rocks,' referencing the jagged trio of peaks visible from the Ogwen Valley. From a distance, the profile looks suspiciously like a petrified prehistoric beast having a very long, vertical nap.
- •Local folklore suggests Sir Bedivere hurled the sword Excalibur into Llyn Ogwen right at the mountain's foot. It’s a lovely legend to ponder while you’re desperately clinging to a granite ledge and questioning your life choices.
- •The North Ridge 'path' is less of a trail and more of a vertical suggestion made of boulders. You will inevitably be overtaken by a local fell runner who looks like they’re out for a casual stroll while you’re having a mild existential crisis.