The Snowdonia Green Key Strategy considers two independent matters, personal transport and village economies, and recommends boosting the second by taking control of the first. There is good reason to suggest that what might seem a perfectly efficient transport system to the provider can prove a hopelessly ineffective system for the user. There are indications that the plan would prove an organisational and financial nightmare. Here the two matters are considered independently and, as examples, some more modest local initiatives are proposed.

PERSONAL TRANSPORT

Traffic Congestion

Apart from traffic bottlenecks in the Gateway villages and temporary congestion in the Nant Gwynant (when HGVs or buses meet at constrictions) the only obvious difficulty on main roads is at Pen-y-Pass. This is because it gives the highest starting point for Snowdon, demands the least height gain, and offers the most famous ascents. Parking is limited by the steep terrain and extension would involve unacceptable quarrying. The park fills up early and late arrivals queue in hope or unload passengers and gear in the road. Visitors who have found parking at Pen-y-Gwryd walk an unpleasant mile up a busy road, walled, winding and without pavement or verge.

The obvious solution presents only one difficulty, that it requires the planning authorities to make a U-turn in policy.

What is needed is a large new car park on the more level ground near Pen-y-Gwryd, served by a continuous shuttle. This would have the following advantages:

1. It could easily be screened from all roads and would only be visible from the upper part of the Glyder track (as is the roadside parking now).

2. The shuttle itself could not lose money. Serving only the single drop-off, the return demand would be known by mid-day and its build-up and attenuation would be learned by experience. It could be terminated at whatever time the service would become uneconomic. Walkers returning late would face a one-mile penalty but would not be disastrously stranded. Exit from the car park after service had ceased could be over one-way sprung plates, not demanding late staffing.

3. If the original first mile of the Pyg Track were re-instated (below and parallel with the road, re-identifying and passing by the Eckenstein boulder) it would serve as a safety valve. If a queue built up for the shuttle, stronger walkers would set off on foot by the path. The hazardous section of road would be cleared of walkers.

4. The only local business interest is the Pen-y-Gwryd Hotel. The car park would require toilet provision, though buildings are harder to screen than cars. An outdoor snack bar like that at Qgwen might be appropriate and need not be in competition with the most famous surviving Inn in Welsh climbing history. Or, possibly, mobile outlets might be franchised for the summer. 

5. The shuttle, possibly using mini-buses, could be started before car park construction as a pilot scheme and to show a profit immediately.

Parking

Within the hill-walking and rock-climbing community there is a general consensus of opinion about parking. This can be summed up as follows:

1. Charges. There is opposition to what is seen as a stealth tax on access. Llanrwst and Betws-y-Coed have no rights of ownership on Snowdon. Through the Welsh Office purchase of former Vaynol land in 1967 the taxpayer secured access in perpetuity to the northern half of the hill. Many of those climbing it this year must have contributed to the recent extension of National Trust holdings on the southern flank. Rights of way exist through the remaining areas and by 2005 open access to all this upland should be achieved under present legislation. It is felt that all parking sites in the upland area, which cannot be compared to valuable inner city land, should be free of charge and that public transport charges ought not to penalise the driver for abandoning his car.

2. Construction. Although there is a general feeling that many public projects within the Park have been over-designed it seems to be agreed that the 'grasscrete'/lattice block parking is much preferable to tarmac, even if more expensive. In fact, the Forestry Commission and Park Authority have used this type of hard standing successfully at some smaller sites for many years.

3. Casual roadside parking. The Park Authority's distaste for roadside parking ignores an important consideration. To those drivers least familiar with the area, notably first-time visitors from Europe, occasional roadside parking with walkers seen to be setting off up the hills sends out a very clear signal: that this is a good place to be and a safe place to operate. (Residents know that the very limited amount of car crime in the hills tends to occur at two or three notorious roadheads, rather than on through roads.) This casual parking works to offset a reduced sense of freedom and space. That sense has been weakened partly by the steady fencing in of formerly open roads and partly by the acceleration of traffic after main road realignment and improvement, diminishing the experienced scale of Snowdonia. The roadside parking would have to be retained anyway to permit access outside the economic season and time of day.

VILLAGE ECONOMIES

If regeneration of the local towns and villages has to come through tourism two things need to be done. First, the surroundings have to be opened up and shown to maximum advantage. Second, the settlements must, as necessary, eliminate eyesores and emphasise or upgrade attractive features. Even those furthest from the hills must be seen as good places to stay, offering satisfying walks as well as half-mile village trails.

These few proposals are a short list for Llanrwst and Betws-y-Coed only, since they happen to make an interesting case. They are alike in that they are the only two of the Green Key Area communities from which the highest mountains are beyond average walking distance. They are distinct in that, although close neighbours, Betws-y-Coed is a seasonally thriving tourist centre whilst Llanrwst survives as a market town but has had unoccupied shops, derelict business premises and bulldozed sites in evidence for many years. Llanrwst has a substantial history and real character while Betws-y-Coed has reasonable valley and forest walks straight off the streets.

None of the following projects involves large capital expenditure. Each proposal is independent and co-ordination is not necessary. Some are short-term and could be accomplished very rapidly, some are long-term and will remain long-term forever unless started now. Most require the collaboration of the Forestry Commission / Forest Enterprise, simply because it happens to manage most of the surrounding upland. Since it is a Partner in the Consortium that support would presumably be forth-coming. From its designation of the Gwydyr National Forest Park in 1936 and onwards the Commission accepted commitments to open this area to quiet recreation. But it would be unreasonable to expect it to bear the cost of funding more and more initiatives.

To provide a sheltered low-level footpath between Llanrwst and Betws-y-Coed

There is already an attractive high-level route (via Parc Mine, Llyn y Parc and the Aberllyn Gorge) but this is rather indirect, demands a fair height gain, and is exposed in bad weather. The route required is also in use already but has no recognised status.

From above Pont-y-Pair at Betws and from above Gwydyr Castle near Llanrwst two forest roads, open to the public, set off towards each other. They traverse the hillside above the B5106 but unfortunately just fail to connect, the northern stretch passing above the terminus of the southern. At least ten years ago a link seems to have been engineered by persons unknown. This connection is perhaps 200 yards in length and can be found from the lower road end. But it meets the upper road rather steeply and is unmarked and hard to spot. With FC consent the link could be upgraded, or the steepness of the last few yards eased by taking a slightly longer ascent.

The result would be an excellent, easy, and very well sheltered footpath between the two settlements with the option of a return by bus. The only necessary road use would be the short stretch from Llanrwst Bridge to Gwydyr Castle and this is provided with a pavement.

To add variety to the track, which is shut in by mature conifers, a few trees could be removed from the lower side at three or four points to offer fine vistas across the valley floor. These could be sited to reveal easily identifiable features or buildings such as Hendre House, the valley towards Capel Garmon, the Rhyd-y-Creuau Centre and Farm, and Picnic Point. There is one bench at the northern end overlooking Llanrwst but a pair of staked logs to serve as seating at each viewpoint would be useful.

Two variants are worth noting. A riverside path from Llanrwst Bridge runs south for a mile to join the B5106. A connection from that point rising to meet the forestry track would be still more direct and would limit all road walking to a six-yard crossing.

Lengthening the route by a quarter-mile, the Grey Mare's Tail below Parc Cottage could be visited. The Park Authority has done an excellent job in opening access to this site, Llanrwst's showpiece waterfall. The signing is admirably discreet but here, for once, a little information on the small notice-board could be justified. Llanrwst’s own eminent naturalist, John Williams, collected specimens here for his Faunula Grustensis (1830).

Note: this proposal is not intended as a default route in the absence of a proper Strategic River Path System for Snowdonia. (See Observation 16). The route described here has advantages of its own.

To enhance the attractions of the Gwydyr Forest Lakes.

The Gwydyr Forest already offers a maze of walks on forest roads and way-marked paths. Unfortunately, these are usually tightly walled in by conifers, giving good shelter in poor weather but lacking variety and giving few long-distance views. The lakes provide release from this sense of enclosure. For long stretches on many of these walks it is hard to find anywhere to pause by the wayside. Expensive garden furniture is unnecessary. It would be much more appropriate to manipulate any available boulders or heavy timber into place. This natural seating might be invisible to those not looking out for somewhere to picnic or take a break.

Many low-level walkers would rank Tarn Hows in the Lake District as a perfect short lake circuit. None of the Gwydyr lakes could rival it individually but they are sufficient in number to form an important collective attraction. Almost all of them could be strikingly improved by quite small stands of amenity planting at a few points along the shore.

Llyn Elsi now has a complete and excellent path circuit, increasing its popularity with visitors to Betws-y-Coed. With its islands and its irregular shape, a few groups of shoreline hardwoods would bring it closer to the Tarn Hows model. An effort ought to be made to find a viewpoint to display Moel Siabod beyond the lake. (A painting by J.D.Innes, c1910, appears to show the mountain from somewhere here but present forest cover makes identification difficult. Felling at the western edge of the forest might restore this view at not too distant a date.)

Llyn Parc, equally accessible from Betws and Llanrwst, is not so attractive in shape but, again, a few more groups of hardwoods would improve it immeasurably. (Gwydyr oak would be correct here. The bodies of the hundreds of long-case clocks produced in and around Llanrwst came from this ridge; the town should have a permanent exhibition on this theme. See The Clock-makers of Llanrwst, Colin and Mary Brown.) The path along the eastern shore is sometimes below high water level. It needs re-routing and extending to circle the lake.

The Glyn Forest Lakes form an attractive group but to visit them all by the available forest roads makes a long and devious walk. They deserve their own carefully planned footpath, linking them in a tight circle.

To maintain and improve access to important viewpoints.

Betws has two fine and available viewpoints, Picnic Point and the summit of Clogwyn Cyrau, though a preferred route of access to the second is not laid out. The original Jubilee Path, south of the village, must have offered breath-taking views but these are now almost entirely screened by conifers. The path is extremely steep and a quite small amount of pruning at two or three points would reveal these forgotten vistas.

Llanrwst's two obvious vantage points, Pen-y-Parc and Grinllwm (above Trefriw), could be enjoyed for their panoramas of the Conwy valley and the mountains to the west. In fact they seem to be rarely visited, the first owing to forest cover and uncertainty about exactly where the true summit of the almost level ridge is to be found, the second owing to doubt about right of access to the top.

To make better use of Llanrwst's most unusual assets. Llanrwst has two significant assets which have not been properly exploited:

1. The car park.
   The biggest draw for tourists that any town can possess is a free car park and Llanrwst has a large one. It is indicated only by quite small signs in a procession of other signage. Most drivers would miss the inscription 'free' whilst threading a way past parked vehicles and through unfamiliar streets. It is disheartening to add to the number of signs disfiguring the valley but a clearly visible 'free parking' sign ought to stand near the town name and motif on each approach.

2. The saying.
   Some cities and towns display their mottos to advantage in their central squares. Llanrwst ought certainly to feature its ancient saying, both on the town entry signs and on the newly erected clock-tower:

CYMRU, LLOEGR A LLANRWST

This is a priceless asset and no city in Britain can improve on it. A plaque would also be required on the tower, explaining the origins of the saying and possibly declaring that, for purposes of convenience, the citizens have agreed to act as if they were in union with the two countries. This declaration might amuse the young people of the town and even inspire some civic pride in them.

 Next Observation

Back