A Railway Ramble: Blaenau Ffestiniog to Tan Y Bwlch
4 people attending
16 places left
This is one of a series of walks taking advantage of the main and narrow gauge trains of Wales, most of which are incredibly scenic.
This walk is also one of a pair of walks this weekend in the vicinity of Porthmadog. The other walk can be seen and boooked here https://www.outdoorlads.com/events/railway-ramble-porthmadog-criccieth-250504 If you are making a weekend of it there are hotel options in Porthmadog including a new Premier Inn, and for camping There's the Shell Island Camp taking place that weekend or contact the leader for advice.
On this walk we will use the service of the famous Ffestiniog Narrow Gauge Railway to return to the start. Our walk zig- zags down the valley and crosses the track 5 times. It begins in the 'Town that roofed the World' as it is known, Bleanau Ffestiniog and initially passes rows of terraced miners cottages so typical of the area, We will then have some height gain to do as we rise up to the flank of the Stwlan Dam on the Moelyn Mountains and gain a commanding view. Back down at the railway line our next place of interest is the spiral track at Dduallt - the only one of it's kind in the UK. we continue down passing waterfalls in the Meantwrog Nature reserve to our destination at Tan Y Blwch. A steam powered train will haul us back up to the start. THE FARE WILL BE £10pp, payable on the train please bring cash to make life easy.
The Festiniog Railway: is the world’s oldest narrow gauge railway with almost 200 years of history. Originally a gravity railway taking slate down to the port of Porthmadog for export, the historic and unique steam trains climb over 700 feet from sea level into the mountains through tranquil pastures and magnificent forests, past lakes and waterfalls, clinging to the side of the mountain. The Ffestiniog Railway and it’s infrastructure are now an integral part of the UNESCO “Slate landscape of North Wales” World Heritage Site.
All photos: AndyM, event leader.
Bad Weather This event may be altered or cancelled if persistent heavy rain is forecast - you will be notified by at least 18:00 hours the night before in this case
Dogs are welcome to join us on this event but please note this walk sometimes passes reas of livestock so your dog needs to be well behaved and on a lead, and it must not affect other member's enjoyment of the event. Your dog needs to have the stamina to keep up with the group. Dogs are accepted on the train.
Are you new to Outdoorlads and considering your first event?
- Have a look at this link, hopefully it will help, also please be sure to fill in the participation statement.
https://www.outdoorlads.com/my-first-event
IMPORTANT! - Participation Statement
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What to bring
Water: bring at least two litres on a hot day.
Medicines: if you have hay fever, diabetes, minor ailments etc.
Day rucksack: typically 20-30 litres, they are comfortable to wear and allow you to use your arms freely
Footwear: Lightweight trail boots should be OK for this walk, unless it has been or is raining in which case we suggest proper walking boots..
Layered clothing: lets you quickly adapt to changes in the weather and body temperature. Go for a base layer (vest or t-shirt) and a mid layer (a micro fleece or shirt) and in cooler weather add an outer layer (a windproof jacket or thick fleece)
Trousers: jeans will be OK so long as there's no rain forecast as they become heavy and cold in the rain, breathable fabrics are more comfortable and dry and on warm days shorts are OK
Waterproof jacket: essential when hiking in all but the calmest of weather, breathable fabrics are more comfortable and dry
Hat or cap: stay warm in winter and shaded in summer
Sunglasses: for any sunny day, even in winter
Sun cream: can be useful even on cloudy and winter days. You can get burnt at Easter.
Snacks: bring biscuits, energy bars, gels, bananas, chocolate or dried fruit for example and put them somewhere easy to get hold of
Lunch: bring a packed lunch
Food & drink
Please bring a packed lunch, plenty of water etc and some snacks for this walk. We don't pass anywhere en route to buy things, though there's a cafe and a shop opposite the starting point. As we are relying on the train to get back, stops will be judged to fit with the walking speed of the group. If we are ahead of time there may be the oportunity for a drink in the station cafe at the end.