Dolmen Ridge Scramble

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Dolmen Ridge is a grade 3 scramble on the main cliff of Glyder Fach. Once located there are few navigating/route finding issues.
The route is named for the dolmen structure formed by falling rocks at approximately 2/3rds height.
The route has a fairly serious feel to it, particularly the first section.
The rock is (mostly) solid and the holds are great though. The exposure just means there is less to obstruct the view ;-)
I sound a little out of breath since this was filmed after work and I had to really shift it up into the cwm to get there to film while the sun was still hitting the ridge.
Topped out on Glyder Fach at about 2030. There was nobody else up there, which is a real rarity. There is usually a ton of tourists taking pictures on the cantilever stone and trying to work out how to get down again. I recommend the Gribin ridge instead of the crumbly scree down the east face.
Music by Soundgarden

[@ianlewis7749]

Great video! Loved doing Dolman Ridge, I roped up on this scramble, as I've only done a few grade 3...

[@Astilath]

Very sensible! It's mostly good rock but there was a significant accident on it a few years back!

[@fiveinitaly]

Nice video 👍👍👍👍👍

[@Astilath]

Thanks a lot dude! 🥰

[@redalert2834]

This reminds me of the time I went out in Snowdonia for a quiet walk only to encounter an American tourist playing "music", forcing me to scale a cliff to escape the infernal racket!

[@Astilath]

🤣 I'm very flattered you would prefer to listen to my heavy breathing (and wind clipping a microphone) for 10 minutes! 😉 I hear plenty of Brits playing music on Bluetooth speakers these days unfortunately too. On a more serious note. The music on these seems to be a polarising feature. Some people comment that it's great, some people like yourself make "clever" comments about how they dislike it. If there is a particularly nice natural sound then I'll leave it (idwal slabs with the water running down the gully). But funny enough, up in the fairly barren spots like this there are no songbirds or angelic choirs to create a wonderful natural soundtrack. What I may do is pop up two videos in future. One with and one without. See which is most popular in terms of views 😁

[@huwcunningham7812]

Those moves in the corner look difficult! How do they compare to the first pitch/bit of Cnefion Arete?

[@Astilath]

Feels more like wall climbing with the option of bridge moves instead of the craggy spikes and chimney on cneifion. Super holds though. And if you took a handful of big wires you could protect it very easily. Exposure makes it feel pretty serious but just because you start quite high up. Ace route. I can deffo recommend it! If in doubt take a 20m (or more) rope and some simple runners. Big nuts more useful than slings on that section.

[@alfaman6242]

Hi Rhys - a lot of exposure - I wouldn't want to come off on any of those moves. Would have been nice to perhaps annotate the vid - Gully start, Grassy ledge, Twin pinnacles, Courtyard etc so there is some indication of where you are. Only one which i recognise is the actual Dolmen. Looks scary - not sure if I want to do it!

[@Astilath]

I think i left off the annotation on this one because once you're on it, you're on it 🤣 Theres little choice of route without departing from scrambling territory into vdiff or beyond. I'm up for doing it with ropes sometime if you fancy giving it a shot! Ive been meaning to take Leah up it for a real adventure. She climbs up to F6a well enough that this will be a walk in the park.

[@alfaman6242]

@@Astilath Yeah I'm up for it. But have to get a little fitter first and get rid of the lockdown belly! heh heh!

[@JayChambers83]

Never done a G3. Done plenty of 2s on Tryfan. How big is the gulf in distance? The holds look good on here but obv exposure wise it’s ramped up.

[@Astilath]

I'd say that 3 is similar to 2 but with either more exposure or a more technical section. This has a technical section to start (the corner) with a fair bit of open ridge scrambling later at about G1. The holds are all great. But the start is a bit steeper than you might have found on G2s.

[@JayChambers83]

@@Astilath cheers for the reply mate. Seen a lot of your videos and I do enjoy your fearless attitude to scrambling. 🤙🏻

[@Astilath]

@@JayChambers83 wicked feedback that 😁 Usually I get "your music is rubbish" 🤣 sometimes that's fair... 🤭

[@JayChambers83]

@@Astilath ah music is music, it’s personal and if it works when you’re scrambling as an accompaniment then happy days 🤙🏻! Your vids are quality all round. 😎

[@Mozartboy55]

Only professionals need apply...Whoah...

[@Astilath]

I'd say this was pretty standard grade 3. Mortals can do it 😜 Worth protecting if you've got a partner. Its fantastic though! The corner at the start is fantastically exposed but has perfect hands and feet. Its like a ladder! The rest is fairly standard 2/3 grade stuff. 😁

[@samsylvester6256]

Rhys u nutter

[@Astilath]

Haha! Says the guy going to do this tomorrow 😂😍

[@Blabheinn]

Advice: If you want people to watch your video's Rhys then it may be a good idea not to play music as it usually goes down like a lead balloon with a lot of people.......but then again its your choice

[@Astilath]

Very fair! All opinions are welcome! 😁 I have had more positive comments about the music than negative so far. I will be doing more videos without though. If there's particularly nice natural sound, I do leave it. Like with my idwal staircase video with the runnign water. But it's rare that the natural sound is anything other than wind rattling a mic or breathing! I have more plans though for different video styles 😁

[@Blabheinn]

@@Astilath its nice to hear someone who can take a little criticism without being taking it the wrong way...nice one Rhys, I wish you luck and happiness with all your adventures! 😀

[@jeremyboot3552]

Good footage but the music is horrific.

[@Astilath]

Soundgarden horrific!?! 😱 Ill do worse next time 😋 A mashup of beethovens 9th and something by snoop dogg. 🤪