15/07/2012

To start at the top, a view from the summit of Snowdon with Llyn Beris visible at the foot of the mountain and the Menai Strait in the distance.  Also in shot is the Snowdon Mountain Railway train which we had taken to the summit - at 1085m the highest in England and Wales.

A second view from the summit, towards the northern end of the Menai Strait around Beaumaris.

This one is looking over to the southern end of the Menai Strait.

Looking roughly east from the summit, fewer recognisable points looking over in this direction.  The view was marred by cloud during our visit but it was still worth going up there.

Clogwyn station is the last before the summit of Britain's only rack railway which uses a cog under the engine and rack between the normal lines to enable it to cope with gradients of up to 1 in 5.

A view from one train of another making its way up the last stage of the climb to the summit.

Another from the train, another train passed ours at Clogwyn and is seen approaching the passing place on the single line.

There are good views down into Llanberis Pass from the train, some of which are shown in this selection of five photos.

At the foot of Snowdon is the village of Llanberis which is on the shore of Llyn (Lake) Beris.  The lake is watched over by the surrounding mountains, many of which show evidence of the slate quarrying that took place around here.

Keeping with the theme of slate, at Llechwedd, near Blaenau Ffestiniog, is an old slate mine that is open to visitors.

Around the mine, which you visit on trains one of which goes down at 1 in 1.8, there is a recreation of old shops etc.  The commentary on the tours really brings home what the working conditions were like, including for 12 year old kids.  The waterfall was created by the miners to drain the ground above the mine to reduce flooding.

Blaenau Ffestiniog is the terminus of the narrow gauge Ffestiniog Railway which runs for 13 miles down to the coast at Porthmadog.  There is a surprising amount of room in the trains which even include a buffet car.  There are more photos of this line on my other site at Trains, ferries, buses.

A waterfall right alongside the railway at Tanygrisiau.  There are some lovely views all along this line which is also the best way of avoiding the traffic getting to Porthmadog.

The Afon Glaslyn at Porthmadog, the river is contained behind a causeway, the Cob, which the Ffestiniog Railway crosses on its way to the town.

Two views of the harbour at Porthmadog.  The building of the Cob meant the harbour was "dredged" by the current which enabled the place to develop as a port for the export of slate.

A last view of Porthmadog with a Ffestiniog train crossing the Cob as it approaches the harbour side station.

Moving on we come to Syr Gun, an old copper mine near Beddgelert which is open for visits.  This is a view of part of the inside of the mine, complete with stalagmites and stalactites.

A view of the mine entrance and two views across the valley as you come out of the mine.

Five views taken from beside the A498 above Llyn Gwynant effectively "behind" Snowdon.

In the last photo you might be able to pick out the road leading to Llanberis Pass winding round the mountainside.

Two more views from the same road, on this occasion the summit of Snowdon was hidden in the clouds.

Another view of Llanberis Pass, while Snowdon was hidden in cloud the pass was bathed in sunshine - the weather can vary over very short distances in mountainous areas.

Another view of Llyn Gwynant

To finish for now, two views taken at the top of Bwlch-y-Groes pass, the highest in Wales.

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