The Meirionnydd Ramblers are a friendly and welcoming group. We offer regular and varied walks in the wonderful countryside in and around southern Snowdonia.
The valley of Cwmorthin lies deep in slate quarrying country near Blaenau Ffestiniog. Today’s walk explores the area and the remains of some of its quarries. The walk starts with a very steep, but reasonably short, ascent into the Wrysgan quarry. Here we can see many ruins and artifacts and peep through a short tunnel for an amazing view down a long incline. A wander across the hillside, avoiding the worst of the occasional marshy patches, brings us to the col below the slopes of Moelwyn Mawr and the two great excavation pits which mark the top level of the Rhosydd quarry. We descend past the quarry levels and head along a tramway overlooking the beautiful Croesor valley, a great place for a lunch stop. Retracing our steps to the main quarry floor we will have an opportunity to explore the ruins before following a track down into Cwmorthin. After a brief visit to the quarry manager’s house we return alongside a tranquil lake and back down to the start. (You may like to bring cameras as this is a very photogenic area!)
Group grade B
This walk is in an area where sheep and cattle are farmed and regrettably is not suitable for dogs.
Small Car park at bottom of Cwmorthin. If full, there is additional parking beside the lane leading up from the Tanygrisiau Lakeside Café.
