Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
a gallery, cafe, children's playground, souvenir shop and Llanberis' tourist office. It also
has interactive exhibits on hydropower and it's the starting point for an interesting guided
tour into the power station's guts, under the mountain.
The Dinorwig pumped-storage power station is the largest scheme of its kind in Europe.
Located deep below Elidir mountain, its construction required 1 million tonnes of con-
crete, 200,000 tonnes of cement and 4500 tonnes of steel. The power station uses surplus
energy to pump water from Llyn Peris up to Marchlyn Reservoir. When half the popula-
tion switches on their kettles for tea during a TV ad break, the water is released to fall
through underground turbines. Dinorwig's reversible turbine pumps are capable of reach-
ing maximum generation in less than 16 seconds.
The centre is by the lakeside on the A4086, near the south end of High St. Tours run
daily from Easter to October and more sporadically in the low season; call ahead for
times.
CASTLE
Dolbadarn Castle
( 10am-4pm)
Wales is so spoilt with castles that this one gets little attention. Built
before 1230 by the Princes of Gwynedd, the keep rises like a perfect chessboard rook
from a green hilltop between the two lakes, Llyn Padarn and Llyn Peris. It's a brief stroll
from town, rewarded by wonderful views of the lakes, quarries and Snowdon itself.
Activities
Llanberis Lake Railway
( 01286-870549;
www.lake-railway.co.uk
;
adult/child £7.50/4.50; Easter-Oct)
If you need something to
placate the kids on days that the Snowdonia Mountain Railway isn't operating, this little
steam train might be just the ticket. It departs on a 5-mile return jaunt along the route used
from 1843 to 1961 to haul slate to the port on the Menai Strait. The tame but scenic one-
hour return trip heads alongside Llyn Padarn, past the National Slate Museum and through
Padarn Country Park to the terminus at Penllyn.
The starting point is across the A4086 from the Snowdon Mountain Railway station.
HERITAGE RAILWAY
Snowdon Star
( 07974-716418;
www.snowdonstar.co.uk
; Padarn Country Park jetty; adult/child £6/4; May-Oct)
Float be-
neath the carved cliffs on a 45-minute Llyn Padarn cruise. The boat departs from the jetty
CRUISE
