Blaenau Ffestiniog

Blaenau Ffestiniog, meaning the uplands of Ffestiniog, grew from a farming district into a slate town that Wikipedia says reached 12,000 people at the height of the industry and has about 4,000 now, not counting the neighbouring village of Llan Ffestiniog. Wikipedia’s article on the Slate Landscape of Northwest Wales calls the Oakeley mine here the largest slate mine in the world, and Llechwedd is still a working quarry. Most people in the town speak Welsh: 78.6 per cent of those over three said they could at the 2011 census.

Why base here

The town stands in the middle of Eryri (Snowdonia) National Park and is not in it. Wikipedia records that the park boundary excludes the town and its slate heaps, and that there were proposals in 2010 to bring it in. What it has instead is rail. The Conwy Valley Line ends here, a little over 27 miles from Llandudno by Wikipedia’s count, and the Ffestiniog Railway runs the 13.5 miles to Porthmadog from the same station. Around the town are the Moelwynion, the group Wikipedia describes as running from north-east of Porthmadog to Moel Siabod, named for Moelwyn Mawr at 770m and Moelwyn Bach at 710m. The honest case is slate history and one wet-day adventure on the doorstep, not a walk from the door.

On foot versus by car

Zip World Llechwedd is on the Llechwedd quarry at the edge of the town, and Wikipedia lists Bounce Below there as a slate-mine activity centre. The hill walks all start elsewhere. Cnicht from Croesor starts at the car park in Croesor village, about 6.9km away in a straight line, and is a drive. Arenig Fawr, about 14.7km away, starts from waste ground off a minor road near Arenig, so it needs a car as well. Moel Hebog, about 11.4km away, starts at Beddgelert village car park.

Practicalities

Blaenau Ffestiniog station is the southern terminus of the Conwy Valley Line, which Transport for Wales Rail runs to Llandudno Junction and Llandudno, and the Ffestiniog Railway shares it. Wikipedia lists town bus services by Arriva Buses Wales and Llew Jones, to Porthmadog, Dolgellau, Llanrwst, and Llandudno via Betws-y-Coed. The A470 climbs north over the Crimea Pass to meet the A5 at Betws-y-Coed, and runs south to Dolgellau. The A496 goes south to Harlech and Barmouth. Wikipedia records one of the highest rainfalls in Wales here. Check Traveline Cymru before relying on any bus for a walk.

Who this base does not suit

Anyone who wants a path from the front door. The three hill walks all start in other valleys. Moel Hebog starts in Beddgelert itself, which makes that the better base for it, and Arenig Fawr starts about 10km from Bala in a straight line, which is nearer than it is to here.