Snowdonia is a mountainous region in northwestern Wales and a national park of 823 square miles (2,130 km2) in area. It was the first to be designated of the three national parks in Wales, in 1951. It contains the highest peaks in the United Kingdom outside Scotland.
Snowdon is the highest mountain in Wales, at an elevation of 1,085 metres (3,560 ft) above sea level, and the highest point in the British Isles outside the Scottish Highlands. It is located in Snowdonia National Park in Gwynedd. It is the busiest mountain in the United Kingdom and the third most visited attraction in Wales; in 2019 it was visited by 590,984 walkers, with an additional 140,000 people taking the train. It is designated as a national nature reserve for its rare flora and fauna.
Blaenau Ffestiniog is a town in Gwynedd, Wales. Once a slate mining centre in the historic county of Merionethshire, it now relies heavily on tourists, drawn for instance by the Ffestiniog Railway and Llechwedd Slate Caverns. Blaenau Ffestiniog was once the second largest town in North Wales, behind only Wrexham. After reaching 12,000 at the peak development of the slate industry, it fell with the decline in demand for its slate. The population of the community of Ffestiniog, including the nearby village Llan Ffestiniog, was 4,875 according to the 2011 census: the fourth most populous community in Gwynedd after Bangor, Caernarfon and Llandeiniolen. Llan Ffestiniog's population of 864 puts the population of Blaenau itself at around 4,000.
Crib Goch is described as a "knife-edged" arête in the Snowdonia National Park in Gwynedd, Wales. The name means "red ridge" in the Welsh language.
The Crimea Pass is a mountain pass in North Wales, on the A470 road between Blaenau Ffestiniog and Dolwyddelan connecting the counties of Gwynedd and Conwy.
The River Dwyryd is a river in Gwynedd, Wales which flows principally westwards; draining to the sea into Tremadog Bay, south of Porthmadog.
Tan-y-Bwlch railway station is the principal intermediate passenger station on the narrow gauge Ffestiniog Railway, which was built in 1836 to carry dressed slate from Blaenau Ffestiniog to Porthmadog for export by sea. The station lies off the B4410 former turnpike road from Maentwrog to Llanfrothen and Beddgelert, which the railway crosses on a fine cast-iron skew bridge.
Plas Halt is an unstaffed halt on the narrow gauge Ffestiniog Railway in Wales, which was built in 1836 to carry dressed slate from Blaenau Ffestiniog to Porthmadog for export by sea.
Maentwrog is a village and community in the Welsh county of Merionethshire, lying in the Vale of Ffestiniog just below Blaenau Ffestiniog, within the Snowdonia National Park. The River Dwyryd runs alongside the village. Its population of 585 in 2001 increased to 631 at the 2011 Census. The Community of Maentwrog includes the village of Gellilydan.
Sychnant Pass in Conwy County Borough, Wales, links Conwy to Penmaenmawr via Dwygyfylchi. Much of the pass is in Snowdonia National Park, and a large area of land within it has been designated a Site of Special Scientific Interest. At the bottom is the village of Capelulo, which lends its name to the community of Penmaenmawr.
Beddgelert railway station is a railway station on the narrow gauge Welsh Highland Railway in North Wales.
Llyn Mair(Welsh for 'Mary's lake') is a 14-acre (5.7 ha) artificial lake near Maentwrog, in Gwynedd in North Wales. It lies in the area of Tan-y-Bwlch, a little above Plas Tan-y-Bwlch, and is in the catchment area of the River Dwyryd. It was created by William Edward Oakeley as a 21st birthday present for his daughter Mair and as a water supply. It was built in 1889, and the nearby smaller Llyn Hafod-y-Llyn dates from the same period.
Bwlch-y-Ddeufaen is a mountain pass in Conwy county borough, north Wales, traversable only on foot or horseback, following the former Roman road from Caerhun (Canovium) to Caernarfon (Segontium). The route may be followed by road to Rowen or to Llanbedr-y-Cennin and from either, the way, through a mountain gate, is a clearly marked green path to Abergwyngregyn. The route lies between the peaks of Tal y Fan and Drum, in the Carneddau range in north Snowdonia. The distance from Rowen to Abergwyngregyn is about nine miles of mostly high mountain footpath. Near the Abergwyngregyn end, the route forms part of the North Wales Path.
Rhiw Goch is a passing point on the Ffestiniog Railway north of the village of Penrhyndeudraeth in Wales. It was originally a passing loop and an exchange point for the horses that worked the line, opening in 1836. Horses were stabled overnight at Rhiw Goch farm, which adjoins the line further south nearer to the village. When the railway converted to using steam locomotives in 1863, Rhiw Goch passing loop was no longer needed and was closed.
Plas Tan y Bwlch in Gwynedd, Wales, is the Snowdonia National Park environmental studies centre, administered by the National Park Authority. It is located approximately 6 miles (9.7 km) east of the coastal town of Porthmadog, overlooking the valley of the River Dwyryd and the village of Maentwrog.
Tan-y-Bwlch means under the pass in Welsh and may refer to the following places in Wales:
Rhyd is a small village in the Welsh County of Gwynedd, located on the B4410 road, halfway between Maentwrog and Llanfrothen. Situated on an elevated site within the Snowdonia National Park, the village has views of the Moelwyns, notably Moelwyn Bach. The village is located one mile from Tan-y-Bwlch railway station, one of the principal stops on the historic Ffestiniog Railway.
Mining archaeology is a specific field well-developed in the British Isles during recent decades. A reason of ongoing interest in this field is the particular bond between regional history and the exploitation of metals. References to mines in the area exist in Strabo's works. However the first accomplished study on the topic was attempted by Oliver Davies in 1935. Other momentous researches were that of geologist John S. Jackson about mines in Ireland and Lewis, Jones in Dolaucothi goldmine in Wales, and the pioneering work of Ronald F. Tylecote. Moreover, in the 1980s and 1990s a new generation of amateurs and scientists began investigations in different locations in the British Isles, including Duncan James on the Great Orme's Head, Simon Timberlake with the Early Mines Research Group at sites in Wales and William O'Brien in Ireland.
The Oakeley Arms Hotel is a Grade II listed hotel near Maentwrog in North Wales. The original building dates back to the 17th century, and was once part of the nearby Tan-y-Bwlch Estate. Although its principal use has been as an inn, historically it has also been used as a post office, makeshift court house, polling station and police station.
Cobden's Hotel is a 19th-century hotel in Capel Curig, Conwy, Wales. It became famous after it was bought by the celebrated cricketer Frank Cobden and is reputedly haunted.
