If you’ve heard about Snowdonia’s amazing scrambles such as Tryfan’s North Ridge, Seniors Gully or Y Gribin but have been too nervous to tackle them alone, fear no more! Our small group adventures with expert mountain guides will safely introduce you to some of the best beginner scrambling Snowdonia has to offer and transform you from hillwalker to scrambler.

You’ll spend two days with our qualified and experienced mountain guides learning the skills needed to tackle Grade I scrambles safely. You’ll explore how to move over rock, discuss risks, look at popular guide books and learn how to choose the best scrambling route for your confidence level. 

An optional one-day extension is available for those ready to really push themselves to take on the infamous Crib Goch ridge to the summit of Snowdon

Our courses are friendly and informal and are designed to help boost confidence in newcomers to the mountain environment.

Public courses take place throughout the year or if there’s three or more of you in your party you can pick your own date. Book online using the live availability checker or contact us to find out more.

Pick your own date

    If there's three or more of you in your group we can add a course on a date that suits you. We'll then advertise this new date on our website for others to join or if you'd like one of our instructors to run a private course just for you, please contact us.

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    Frequently Asked Questions

    We deliberately keep numbers low to ensure your safety and the attention of your instructor. Our Intro to Scrambling course runs with a maximum of six people. All sorts of people come on our courses from all sorts of backgrounds and all ages but what they all have in common is a desire to become more confident in the mountains.

    Of course! Around half our clients come on their own. It’s a great way to meet other like-minded adventurers.

    Absolutely! Children aged ten and over are welcome on our Intro to Scrambling course when accompanied by a parent, guardian or carer. Discounted prices are available for children aged 10-15 and for family groups.

    The Intro to Scrambling course takes place over two consecutive days. We typically start at 9am and aim to finish around 4pm each day. The aim is to enjoy yourself and the pace reflects this.

    Our Intro to Scrambling course takes place in the heart of the Snowdonia National Park. At around two hour’s drive from Manchester or Liverpool and easily accessible from the South, Snowdonia is perfectly situated.

    Many people choose to make a short break of it and there are lots of accommodation choices around the area. You won’t find any big five star hotels so we recommend sites like booking.com and airbnb.co.uk to seek out a local gem. In the summer there are numerous camping options in and around the area too.

    The first day begins and ends at the fabulous Moel Siabod Cafe where Gaby, Paul and Dorina offer hot food, homemade cakes and hot and cold drinks.

    We’re proud to offer some of the best value outdoor courses in the UK. Our two-day Intro to Scrambling course costs £100 for children (aged 10-15) and £125 for adults (aged 16+). 

     

    You can either choose to pay in full when you book online or if you book by phone you can avoid the online booking fees imposed by our booking provider.

     

    If you’d like to spread your payments with Klarna, you can book now and pay in 30 days or pay in 3 instalments over the next 3 months. For example you can choose to pay the £125 as 3 monthly instalments of around £42. Klarna is safe and secure and payments are interest-free.

    Our Intro to Scrambling course takes place in the heart of Snowdonia in the village of Capel Curig. There are a few accommodation options nearby that we’d recommend.

     

    • Dolgam Campsite and Farmhouse Bed & Breakfast is a 20 minute walk away and offers a variety of accommodation options from camping for tents, campervans and motor homes to private ‘bunk houses’ and B&B.
    • The Rocks at Plas Curig is an amazing five-star hostel right next door to the Moel Siabod Cafe making it a great option for clients. Rooms available for 1, 2, 3, 4, 6 and 8 people in double, twin, family and group configurations. 
    • Dol Peris provides self-catering accommodation in nearby Llanberis (about a 20 minute drive away). With mountain views from every window and run by outdoor professionals we highly recommend it for your visit.

    You’ll need outdoor kit for a two full days in the hills whatever the weather! 

    Remember to bring enough food and drink with you to and some money for breakfasts and cakes!

    There’s a full kit list below. Please have a look at the weather before setting off and dress accordingly. Better to have an extra fleece and woolly hat in your bag just in case. Remember we’ll be outdoors for two full days in all weathers so be sure to have the right gear. If it’s looking wet then keeping spares clothes to change into in your car is also a good idea.

    • Comfortable hill walking clothing – personal base layers and trousers (not jeans)
    • Waterproof jacket with hood
    • Waterproof trousers (separate to your walking trousers)
    • Spare warm/fleece jacket
    • Walking boots or walking trainers
    • Comfortable walking socks
    • Warm hat and gloves or sun hat and sun screen (weather dependent)
    • Vacuum flask for hot drink and/or re-usable water bottle
    • Personal first aid kit and personal medication
    • Day walk rucksack – approx. 20-25 litres
    • Packed lunch and snacks for each day
    • Helmet (we have these available to borrow)

    On our Intro to Scrambling courses we’ll spend two days tackling some of the UK’s favourite Grade I scrambles. We typically base ourselves in the Ogwen Valley which has a variety of ‘beginner’ scrambles all in one location. On day one we might head up Seniors Gully and Ridge and down Y Gribin or the Devil’s Kitchen. Day two we usually take on the mighty Tryfan via its North Ridge.

     

    Please note that scrambles may change based on weather and other factors.

    A great description of scrambling grades appeared in the British Mountaineering Council’s Summit Magazine Spring 2023.

     

    Grade I

    All scrambling grades require a degree of rock climbing as both hands and feet are employed, but a classic Grade I scramble is essentially an exposed walking route. Most tend to be relatively straightforward with many difficulties avoidable, and some of the most popular days out in the British mountains are ‘easy’ Grade I scrambles. Despite some knee-trembling sections, the likes of Striding Edge on Helvellyn, Snowdon’s Crib Goch or Jack’s Rake on Pavey Ark can typically be attempted without ropes and protection.

     

    Grade II

    Above this, for Grade II and III scrambles, the line between scrambling and rock climbing becomes a lot more blurred, and the use of protection becomes more advisable. There is a popular misconception that scrambling is a milder and less dangerous version of rock climbing – ‘climbing-lite’. But scrambling can actually be the more serious activity, particularly in the higher grades, mainly because people typically attempt it with less protection than rock climbing or none at all. Grade II scrambles such as the Aonach Eagach Ridge above Glen Coe will usually include sections where a nervous scrambler would want a rope to protect them, and the person in front (the leader) must feel confident moving over exposed yet relatively easy climbing terrain. We would recommend learning to climb to at least V Diff level or taking a scrambling course before attempting serious scrambling of Grade II or above.

     

    Grade III

    Grade III scrambles often appear in climbing guides as ‘Moderately’ graded climbing routes (the easiest climbing grade), and should only be tackled by the confident. Use of the rope is to be expected for several sections, which may be up to about ‘Difficult’ in rock climbing standards. If you’ve done a little climbing or a few easier scrambles, however, then venturing onto something a bit more difficult can be very rewarding. Classic Grade III scramblers include Pinnacle Ridge in the Lake District and Skye’s spectacular Cuillin Ridge.

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