Published By: Daniel Weadley. Updated: 6th May 2024. Filed at: Snowdon Scrambles. Disclosure: I may earn a commission from purchases made via links. Disclaimer: Scrambling is a dangerous sport, this route description does not provide step-by-step instructions – read disclaimer. Leave a comment.

I’ve completed Clogwyn y Person Arete twice and while each time I enjoyed it, I did find the route a little hard to follow.

The guidance in Steve Ashton’s book was of little help but don’t let that put you off this wonderful scramble, it’s just very difficult to describe the route accurately.

I have published a couple of aerial photos below. Hopefully, that will help first-timers.

Here’s my video from 2023:

Please read my disclaimer before reading further as scrambling is a dangerous sport and there are plenty of wet, slimy, slippery and steep sections on this route!

My route description includes the gully start which is a grade 2. Grade 3 and 3s starts are just to the left of the gully.

My Favourite Scrambling Footwear:

Start of the Scramble

I entered the gully and then ventured out to the right to make the most of the scrambling.

This involved a series of ledges roughly at grade 2 with a few spicy moves.

I then made my way to a point just above the gully, as you can see here:

On the harder routes one must descend into the gully from the other side, the easier start avoids this

I first entered the gully and then drifted rightwards onto scrambly steps just to the right of the gully, about halfway up

The Mid Section

It’s from the top of the gully that I found the directions in Steve Ashton’s guidebook unhelpful so I just took the line of least resistance and kept an eye out for crampon scratch marks as this is a popular route. Do be aware that not every climber takes the same route but the scratch marks can offer some directional guidance and they seemed to keep me away from territory I shouldn’t be anywhere near.

Here you can see two climbers on the arete:

Climbers weaving their way from the gully to the crux

The gully and the crux

Overhead drone shot of the start

The Crux

The crux of the route is great fun but I did find it a little unnerving as I had to stand very close (nose to the wall) to the rock.

The best photo I have is this screen grab:

The crux

You can watch me on the crux of the route from 4m 57s into my video.

Also, UK Scrambles has a really good photo of the crux with a good description of how to scramble up it –  jam a left boot in and look for the foothold on the sloping rock to the right. There are some handholds at the top and I didn’t have any problems reaching them but I am 6ft2″.

The crux of the route is most definitely grade 3 territory and I found it on a par with the hardest parts of Cneifion Arete and Dolmen Ridge. I have seen plenty of climbers use rope here, so you have been warned!

Topping Out

Beyond the crux, there’s still some tasty scrambling at around grade 2, including a chimney I slithered up, before the route eases onto the upper ridge where an easy path awaits:

The top of the route, with a path just left of the arete

Continuation

The path at the top of Clogwyn y Person arete leads onto Crib y Ddysgl (Garnedd Ugain) and from there one can summit Snowdon or take a left down to Crib Goch.

My Rating

This route is graded as a 3 on the UKC website, and also in Steve Ashton’s Scrambles in Snowdonia book.

Personally, I feel that’s about right although in wet conditions, I wouldn’t attempt this without rope.

In Ashton’s book, they’ve given it a 3-star fun rating (out of 3) and I would probably rate it the same.

My dislikes? It’s a very popular route, often too popular in the summer.

I Never Go Out Without a Lightweight Packable Jacket: