Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Betws-y-Coed is on the Conwy Valley Line, with six daily trains (none on Sunday) to
Llandudno (£5.90, 48 minutes) and Blaenau Ffestiniog (£4.80, 27 minutes).
Snowdown Sherpa bus services head to Swallow Falls (route S2/S3; five minutes), Capel
Curig (S2/S3/S6; 10 minutes), Pen-y-Pass (S2/S3; 20 minutes), Llanberis (S2/S3; 45
minutes) and Bangor (S6; 50 minutes); all trips are £1.
Other buses head to Llandudno (X1/X6/19; one hour), Conwy (19; one hour), Blaenau
Ffestiniog (X1; 20 minutes), Bala (X6; 1¼ hours) and Dolgellau (X1; 1¼ hours).
OFF THE BEATEN TRACK
LLYN OGWEN & LLYN IDWAL
Despite the A5 being the main road to Anglesey, the section of the national park west of Capel Curig is often
overlooked. It's a gorgeous drive, with the slate-hued shore of Llyn Ogwen on one side and the Glyderau moun-
tains on the other. You couldn't ask for a more beautiful setting for the
Idwal Cottage YHA
( 0845 371
9744;
www.yha.org.uk
; Nant Ffrancon; dm/s/d £20/26/40; daily Mar-Oct, Fri & Sat Nov, Dec & Feb) , near
the western end of the lake. From here a track leads up to Cwm Idwal, an amphitheatre-shaped hanging valley
sheltering another lake, Llyn Idwal.
TOP OF CHAPTER
Capel Curig
POP 206
Tiny Capel Curig, 5 miles west of Betws-y-Coed, is one of Snowdonia's oldest hill sta-
tions, and has long been a magnet for walkers, climbers and other outdoor junkies. It's a
heady setting, ringed by looming mountains. A popular track heads south from Plas y
Brenin to the summit of Moel Siabod (872m). Capel Curig village spreads out along the
A5 but the main clump of activity is at the intersection of the A4086.
Activities
Plas y Brenin National
Mountain Sport Centre
( 01690-720214;
www.pyb.co.uk
; A4086)
At the western edge of the village, this multi-activity
centre has excellent facilities and a huge array of residential, year-round courses, ranging
from basic rock climbing to summer and winter mountaineering, and professional devel-
opment and teaching qualifications. Kayaking and canoeing courses are also offered.
OUTDOORS
