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Town in Gwynedd, North Wales
Photo: Markus Trienke, CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Blaenau Ffestiniog is a small town in the Snowdonia Mountains in Wales. Blaenau Ffestiniog is a former slate-mining village and consists of one main road with all the others leading off it. Many visitors come to ride the historic narrow-gauge railway.
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shows the history of slate quarrying in the town. One of north Wales' premier tourist attractions, and with good reason. The Deep Mine tour involves some walking, including steps, and takes you down as far as 450 ft below the summit of the mountain. This tour starts with a ride on Britain's steepest passenger railway, dropping down several levels within the mine. There follows a walking tour through 10 of the huge "chambers" within the mine. There are a number of attractions and displays on the surface, including the Victorian Village which aims to paint a picture of daily life for local people in the mid-19th century. Can get fully booked on busy days such as bank holiday weekends so worth booking in advance to avoid disappointment.
Narrow-gauge railway built in the 1800s to convey slate to Porthmadog, opening in 1836. It closed in 1946 due to declining demand, but was reopened in sections over the next several decades and finished by 1982. Part of the original stretch had to be built higher up due to a power station reservoir that was built on a section of the original track in 1954. Stations are as follows, west to east: Porthmadog, Boston Lodge, Minfford, Penrhyn, Plas Halt, Tan-y-Bwlch, Dduallt, Tan-y-Grisiau, & Blaenau Ffestiniog. The journey is 14 miles.
One of three Zip World attractions in the area (the others are in Betws-y-Coed and Bethesda), it is in an abandoned slate quarry. Zip World Caverns is a unique underground journey, across zipwires, rope bridges, via ferrata and tunnels. The Titan is a 2000-m zipwire with stunning views over the landscape. Bounce Below is a bouncy underground play area for all ages (7 to adult)
The only proper sit-down restaurant open in the evenings in the town which isn't a pub, takeaway or chippy. Offers surprisingly good food at very reasonable prices.
Cosy tea rooms with friendly staff offering a selection of delicious food and hot drinks during the day at good prices.
1883 guest-house with 6 bedrooms and all energy inputs from renewables. Zero carbon 2 mile south and downhill from Blaenau ffestioniog. In a long curve of the Ffestiniog steam railway. station. Tanygrasiau station is 200 m. Visit Wales graded, all en suite, wi-fi, 3 electric car charge points, robust bike store, ample parking, an acre of mountain/garden, drying room. Gold Green Tourism award, Uk eco Considerate Hotelier winner twice. Biomass heating integrated to 4 solar arrays, solar PV electric array, rainwater harvest for loo flushing, sheep's wool insulation, warm air captured in two conservatories and used in house. Own timber for tables. Fresh bread cooked each day
Station House Hotel
Good quality clean & comfortable rooms in the middle of the town next to the railway station. Breakfast rather mediocre however (with self-service instant coffee), and dinner menu consists of fairly uninspiring bog standard pub grub. Staff friendly and helpful.
By bus
There aren't that many buses to Blaenau. X1/84 run from Llandudno and Betws-y-Coed, every 1-2 hours on workdays. There are also buses to Porthmadog (1B - approximately every 70 minutes) and Dolgellau.
By train
The Conwy Valley Line runs from Llandudno to Blaenau, but only has a train every 3 hours or so.
As the town is quite small you can easily get around on foot and the town has undergone a face lift to help attract visitors to what was the 'Slate Capital of the World' in its hey-day.
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