UKC

Can anyone give me any tips for some decent, longish routes in the Idwall/Tryfan area which would be suitable for taking a relatively new climber on?  I was thinking Cneifon Arete, and the Sub - but is there anything which could offer a longer trip?

They have seconded some 2/3 pitch easy rock routes many years ago during a course they did in the lakes and done some winter grade I gullies.  They have B2 boots, are fit, have all the belay skills needed etc etc.  I lead D+ alpine so should be fine at the grade they want. 

Summer routes FYi

You could link a route on Clogwyn y Tarw ( Slab Climb / Intermediate combination ), then Sub Cneifion Rib, perhaps Ordinary Route on the Slabs ( or one of the V.Diffs ) then scramble up to Cneifion Arete to finish. About 10-12 pitches and some moving together ( or pitched ) on the upper section of Cneifion Arete. If there is still some energy continue up the ridge scramble onto the Glyders.

Ordinary route at Diff and Direct route at V Diff should fill your needs. Both are on Milestone buttress. Both roughly 6 pitches and you can carry on over Tryfan or descend via Milestone Gully.   

I think for what you require (novice routes/ practicing rope work/belaying) the east face of Tryfan wins hands down. Idwal Slabs also very good, but many of the belays a bit more 'serious' (plus finishes not quite so satisfactory ... bit of a nasty descent route, or you carry on via Lazarus to the next tier and escape into Nameless Cwm). Milestone Buttress always feels like you're training for 'the real thing' - it's low down, unexposed, very worn and not particularly good. Cneifion Arete is very good, but really, after the first 50 ft it's just a very good scramble, not at all suitable for pitching (but ideal for learning alpine belaying techniques, moving together).

https://www.ukclimbing.com/articles/features/snowdonia_in_chains-435

After Cneifion drop down to Glyder Fach’s face and do something like Dolmen Ridge.

We've had some great long days out by linking up the easier climbs in Idwal with grade 3 scrambles. 

Something like - ordinary route on Idwal Slabs, Cneifon Arete, over to Dolmen ridge, down Bristly Ridge and then back up Tryfan via one of the Pinnacle routes. 

It depends how much energy you have! Even skipping the Idwal bit and starting on Cneifon makes for a great day. (I think one of the newer scrambling guides suggests link-ups like this)

I'd second many here especially hairy51. Beware of the nasty descents: scramble up and back down paths for Idwall and Milestone. The new CC guide has a series of suggested link ups for the more adventurous. Also your options depend on how well you know the mountains. I liked a climb on Milestone, often variations of the big mod traverse on a busy day, then the continuation scrambles to where the Terrace meets the North Ridge and round and up an East Face route and, if time, down a scramble and up one of the short easier climbs near  Belle View Bastion. The easiest to find and follow is Ordinary Route on the Slabs and scamble up and walk across to the Cneifion Arete then link scrambles as required but you need to be there on a quiet day or start early. Left Edge dropping down left to Waved Slab when it gets scrappy is a normally quieter link for a busy weekend. Left Edge (VD)

Yeah some of the descents are quite... especially the idwall slabs one.  I have descended that loads, and probably will set them up on a rope on the ab point. 

Have ordered the https://www.cicerone.co.uk/scrambles-in-snowdonia book, to get some ideas of the easy routes and also have the rockfax app.  

Seriously, its often quicker, more fun and better views to scramble up and round to the path to the Cwm.

Amphitheatre Buttress on Craig yr Ysfa in the Carnneddau is probably one of the best low grade mountain routes in N Wales 960 ft of mixed V Diff climbing. You can approach it from Ogwen Valley via the waterworks road, then over the col between Carnedd Llewelyn and Pen yr Helgi Du. 

It's a great long day out, and ideal for beginners. I've taken beginners on it numerous times over the last 50 odd years.

That looks amazing! 

Yeah, I have climbed right up.  Hope, Lazarus, Groove Above.. then ended up trying to find that way and ended up hitting dead ends!  I know you are supposed to head up and right but we never found the way out.  Any ideas?

Also had a conversation with a guide who was bring a group up the horrid idwall descent 'waterfall' and he said there was a great route up there and then continuing to the top - any ideas what that is called?  Or is it a vague, take the least path of residence.

You  go up and left to get to the cwm and the descent. Up and right takes you via optional scrambles to  Central Arête (VD)