Hiley Website

Our whistle stop tour of Wales has quite a number of 'whistle stops' this time as we explore not only the scenery

but some of the "Little Railways of Wales" as we head north and spend two nights in a farm-stay B&B in Snowdonia.

After a sunny drive north from Pembrokeshire, we reach Machynlleth and travel inland to Dinas Mawddwy.

Here we have a two-night B&B booked, in the Cwm Cywarch Valley close to the Aran Hills.

A farm stay it advertised and a farm stay it was, with the small valley road passing between the barns and the house.

Bryn Sion Farm is a delightful location and had two guest bedrooms as well as accommodation for our hosts.

It's been a long-ish drive north, so time to feed the dogs now we've been welcomed and unpacked our travel bags.

Bryn Sion is a working farm and no one was working harder today than this Welsh Black mum who gave birth overnight.

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In the morning the table was laid with a full spread, with cooked breakfast to follow.

A hearty breakfast will set us up for the day.

Chance for a drive around and see the sights . . . starting with a car ride back down the River Dyfi Valley to the coast.

Approaching "Aberdyfi" . . . in english, "the Mouth of the Dovey" where the river enters the sea.

After Aberdyfi the next town along is Towyn, famed for it's industrial past and the famous Towyn-to-Talyllyn Railway.

We cross the Welsh Coast main line railway as it clings to the flat ground betwixt sea and mountain.

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The small town of Towyn is home to the first

preserved railway in Britain.

(the QR code takes you to the National Transport Trust website)

The narrow gauge railway was used to bring the slate

from the Aberganolwyn Slate Quarries down to the coast.

It was saved from closure in 1951 by a group of Midlands enthusiasts.

The full Talyllyn Railway website can be found here

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Our train today will be headed by the 1918 steam loco 'No.6 Douglas', kitted out in RAF colours.

It was originally built over a hundred years ago for the RAF Construction Corp in Southampton, hence the colour scheme.

It's a full train of passengers today, courtesy of a visiting MG Car Club rally.

A great line up of classic sports cars and one seagull who seems to have photo-bombed the picture.

The Towyn Station, close to what is now the west coast main line,

starts its narrow gauge journey through a dark, square, rather modern road bridge at the back of the station.



It passes the railway workshops and is soon in open country.	There are several trains running to day, so we pause at a passing loop.

Like big kids, we pose for photos of each other along the way.

The top of the preserved section of the line for many years, was the Dolgoch Station.

The attraction locally were the Dolgoch Falls, the gorge of which we crossed on the viaduct just before the station.

However the line has been extended now towards Aberganolwyn, the old mining village further up the valley.

Here the railway reaches the head of the old mineral line at the Bryneglwys Slate Quarries.

The railway was part of a major expansion by a group of Manchester Cotton Mill owners who wanted to diversify into slate mining in the 1860's.

A fuller history of the railway is available on their website here



Here the engine uncoupled . . .	. . . and was then reversed to the back of the train.

This was the head of the old mineral railway of 1865 and some of the old inclines can be seen beyond the track end.

To explore further on foot would have needed an earlier start and a later train for our return.



With the engine at the rear we return to Dolgoch Station . . .	. . . where we (and the train crew) enjoyed a short lunch break.



Off once again, back towards Towyn.	The railway has an easy gradient all the way, never more than 1 in 60.



At the passing loop we paused at earlier . . .	. . . we waited again as the "No.7 Tom Rolt" passes on the 'up line'.

Back at Towyn we had time to visit their extensive railway museum and grab a nice coffee before moving on.

Loes chooses the wrong car in the car park . . . our's over the back there.

To give her her due, it was a rather nice 1980's Rolls Royce Silver Shadow II ( number plate 1000 RR) from the Ipswich Transport Museum.

Next we headed north around the coast, with lovely sea views and of the high Welsh hills ahead.

Those on the left are Yr Eifl, the three peaks perhaps more familiar from the old song which includes the line "Three three the Rivals".

	- - - o o o - - - Another "whistle stop" along the way as we divert just a short distance from the main road into the village of Fairbourne. Here's what they class as a 'miniature railway' as opposed to 'narrow gauge'. The railway connects the village to the Barmouth Ferry which crosses the river at the mouth of the Mawdach Estuary. - - - o o o - - -

The railway started as a two foot gauge, horse-drawn tramway,

which was then converted to a 15 inch gauge steam railway in 1916.

In 1986 it was completely rebuilt to a smaller 12.25 inch gauge.

Despite it's small width of track bed, the engines and rolling stock are still quite large.

Having just left the Talyllyn, we passed on a ride on this one

but the train did catch us up as we parked out at the end of the road for a walk.

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The railway passes through a small tunnel

and emerges on the other side

into the marram-grass-covered sand dunes of

the Fairbourne Spit

which has developed at the estuary of the River Mawdach.

The railway developed from the tramway

that was built to enlarge the village for the holiday trade.

It also made access to Barmouth on the opposite shoreline much easier.

After a rocky history where it closed several times,

it was finally bought in 1995 and is now owned by

a preservation charity.

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The outer terminal which hosts a waiting room for those that wish.

The even smaller gauge track is probably a six inch gauge for miniature steam enthusiasts to run their locos.

Our short walk from the car took us to the end of the spit

where we could see the main line, two-car diesel train, crossing the viaduct.

The Ferry awaits those that wish to cross over the water to town.

	- - - o o o - - At one point the track bed curved around in a loop and headed back to Fairbourne but obvious problems of wind blown sand have rather hidden the line. As this is an enthusiasts railway, reliant on volunteers to be able to run, presumably the effort to keep this section of the track clear was too much for the crews to manage. - - - o o o - - -

We closed our day in what you could class as the northern part of Mid wales

with a car journey through the moorland hills behind Dolgellau,

curving round in a big arc of minor roads till we were heading south once again.

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Our route took us through the village of Llanuwchlyn

(and past the terminal of the Bala Lake Railway !)

and up over the mountain pass

known as Bwlch y Groes.

Here a modern commemorative stone

was laid in 14th September 1989

and reads . . .

"Sanctified by the Lord Bishop of Bangor,

it was installed by Canon Geraint Vaughan-Jones

on the Episcopal Pilgrimage

of the Festival of the Holy Hanging"

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Down the Bwlch and back to Bryn Sion Farm.

Dinner that night was at the Y Llew Coch / The Red Lion in Dinas Mawddwy.

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Time to say our thanks and goodbye's to Lyn Edwards and her husband for a lovely visit to Bryn Sion

We had a quick drive up to the top of Cwm Cywarch, just to see what was to be seen locally.

One of the buildings seemed to be an old Church, now converted for farm use.

The old phone box, though in poor state, still had a pay phone installed . . . well, there's very little mobile signal here !

There was however lots of activity near the top, as a helicopter was buzzing about the valley.

It was taking stones up the hillside for the "Path Faries" to rebuild the footpaths across the Aran Hills.

The head of the Cywarch Valley. . . you can see why it would be quicker to deliver the stone by air.

Our car journey home was now underway . . .

but there's always time for a slight diversion to see the old, now decommissioned, nuclear power station alongside Trawsfynydd Lake.

Oh No . . . more railways !

Our route took us through the town of Porthmadoc, which is the terminal of the famous Ffestiniog Narrow Gauge Railway

Again there was no time to take a ride and the only train we saw passed us as we were driving up.

You'll have to make do with the posters to give you a taste of the attraction.

The town is also the southern terminal of Wales's newest preserved railway, the Welsh Highland

This journeys north from town all the way to Caernarvon, on a high level route via Beddgelert and the lower slopes of Snowdon.

It appears to have a limited weekly service so plan ahead if you want to enjoy an excursion.

Our next planned appointment was with friends in Warrington, close to the M6

so our route can now include a drive through Snowdonia to show Loes the sights.

This is a view of Yr Aran, Llewydd and the darker summit of Snowdon, as seen from the road to Beddgelert.

Aberglaslyn Pass and the track opposite is the re-instated West Highland Railway.

The footpath has now been re-routed closer to the river,

but as a lad I walked the old track and through the tunnels whilst on holiday here with my parents.

Snowdon Summit, standing tall at 1085m or 3526 feet above sea level.

[ that beats Scafell Pike which comes in at a mere 978m / 3178 ft.]

This valley, close to Beddgelert, hosts the start of the Watkin Path up Snowdon.

Looking back at Llyn Gwynant, with Moel Hebog in the distance.

We stopped at the viewpoint further up the valley for an ice cream and a look at one of the classic views of Snowdon.

Another classic is the view back as we drive past Llynau Mymbyr,

as we head towards the Plas y Brennen National Mountain Centre and the village of Betws y Coed.

With a sandwich bought in Betws, we took the A470 north and found a picnic area overlooking the town of Conwy

with views of Conway Castle and the rather intrusive boxed in railway bridge that spans the Afon Conwy.

A brief stop at Culcheth near Warrington allowed us to catch up with Loes's brother-in-law Alan and his partner Joan,

then it was home via the M6 to the familiarity, the peace and quiet of the Loweswater Valley.

I think we'll appreciate the rest after what has been an enjoyable week full of everything you can imagine !

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