Slate history, a railway route and walks offer different ways to plan a trip to Tanygrisiau. At Cwmorthin Quarry, the focus is on mining and surviving industrial structures; the trails differ in their destinations and, for two routes, in their length as well.

Slate Mining and the Railway

“Cwmorthin slate quarry, mine, railway and ancillary features” is designated a Scheduled Monument. Its official name brings together the quarry, mine, railway and associated features under one designation. Cwmorthin Quarry lies between Cwmorthin and Tanygrisiau. The quarry was established as an open-cast operation in 1810; in the 1860s it switched to underground mining. Surviving remains include surface buildings, inclines, spoil heaps and a quarry railway. Its history therefore encompasses more than underground extraction: surface facilities and transport are also among the surviving features of the quarry.

Another point of reference in slate history is Wrysgan Quarry, an abandoned upland slate mine high above the village of Tanygrisiau. Cwmorthin is a designated monument with several types of surviving remains; Wrysgan represents an abandoned mine in an elevated location. Those interested in industrial history can therefore explore two different places, each with its own distinctive features.

The railway line on which the train The Quarryman runs offers a focus of its own. It reaches Tanygrisiau station at the upper end of the Llyn Ystradau reservoir. Beyond Tanygrisiau, the line runs alongside the reservoir, through a long tunnel and around a spiral at Dduallt. The water, tunnel and route layout offer a different perspective on the connection between railway and landscape than the surviving quarry structures. For travellers interested in railway lines, these distinct sections provide a particularly tangible point of reference.

Walking Routes with Distinct Destinations

The walking route through Cwmorthin Valley follows an old tramway past Llyn Cwmorthin to a ruined chapel. The Cwmorthin trail follows the shore of Cwmorthin Lake. On the route to Rhosydd Quarry, you pass the ruins of an old mill. Each of these trails offers something different: a historic tramway, a lakeshore or the remains of a mill.

Two more walks can also be compared by length. The Afon Cwmorthin trail is 1.5 miles long, passing Tanygrisiau Reservoir and leading to a footbridge over the Afon Cwmorthin. The Dolrhedyn & Afon Barlwyd trail is two miles long and runs high above Tanygrisiau through tunnels beneath the Ffestiniog Railway. The Afon Cwmorthin trail is therefore half a mile shorter; on the longer route, the elevated path and tunnels beneath the railway shape the route. Check trail conditions before setting out.

Go Below: Rope Sections and Abseiling

A mining adventure with Go Below involves rope sections, wooden bridges, abseiling, free-fall sections, a via ferrata and a 130-metre zip line. If you plan this activity, check its availability before your trip.

Discover more destinations: Llannor, Ffestiniog, Bangor, Ganllwyd, Llangian, Criccieth, Aberdaron, Porthmadog

For the broader travel overview: Gwynedd.