Blaenau Ffestiniog is a small town located in the Snowdonia Mountains in Wales.
Blaenau Ffestiniog is a former slate-mining village and consists of one main road with all the others leading off it.
A narrow-gauge railway, the Ffestiniog Railway, was built from Blaenau Ffestiniog to take the slate down to the sea at Porthmadog. The railway ceased operation after some 110 years of operation due to the run down of the slate industry, road competition, and the Second World War. It was fully reopened to Blaenau Ffestiniog in 1982 and is one of the town's main tourist attractions.
- Llechwedd Slate Caverns, +44 1766 830306. Open daily at 1000 except Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year's Day. Last tour: 1715 (mar-sep), 1615 (oct-feb) Victorian Village closed oct-mar. shows the history of slate quarrying in the town. One of north Wales' premier tourist attractions, and with good reason. The Deep Mine tour involves some walking, including steps, and takes you down as far as 450ft below the summit of the mountain. This tour starts with a ride on Britains steepest passenger railway, dropping down several levels within the mine. There follows a walking tour through 10 of the huge "chambers" within the mine. There are a number of attractions and displays on the surface, including the Victorian Village which aims to paint a picture of daily life for local people in the mid 19th Century. Can get fully booked on busy days such as bank holiday weekends so worth booking in advance to avoid disappointment. Deep Mine Tour: Adults £20.00 per person Group discounts..
Llechwedd Slate Caverns, +44 1766 830306. Open daily at 1000 except Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year's Day. Last tour: 1715 (mar-sep), 1615 (oct-feb) Victorian Village closed oct-mar. shows the history of slate quarrying in the town. One of north Wales' premier tourist attractions, and with good reason. The Deep Mine tour involves some walking, including steps, and takes you down as far as 450ft below the summit of the mountain. This tour starts with a ride on Britains steepest passenger railway, dropping down several levels within the mine. There follows a walking tour through 10 of the huge "chambers" within the mine. There are a number of attractions and displays on the surface, including the Victorian Village which aims to paint a picture of daily life for local people in the mid 19th Century. Can get fully booked on busy days such as bank holiday weekends so worth booking in advance to avoid disappointment. Deep Mine Tour: Adults £20.00 per person Group discounts..
- Ffestiniog Railway, The Ffestiniog Railway Society (Ffestiniog Railway station is adjacent to the mainline station in the town centre, +44 1766 516000. April - Oct with reduced timetable the rest of the year. Narrow-gauge railway built in the 1800s to convey slate to Porthmadog, opening in 1836. It closed in 1946 due to declining demand but was reopened thanks to public work in sections over the next several decades and finally completely finished by 1982. Part of the original stretch had to be built higher up due to a power station reservoir that was built on a section of the original track in 1954. Stations are as follows, West to East: Porthmadog, Boston Lodge, Minfford, Penrhyn, Plas Halt, Tan-y-Bwlch, Dduallt, Tan-y-Grisiau, & Blaenau Ffestiniog. The journey is 14 miles. Costs £16.50 round trip, 2.5 hours round trip, £6 more for first class observation car.
- Zip World Slate Caverns, Llechwedd Slate Caverns, LL41 3NB (About 1 mile north of Blaenau, via the A470, +44 1248 601 444. 'Titan' available Spring–Autumn. Check 'ride status' online, on the day. One of three Zip World attractions in the area (the others are in Betws-y-Coed and Bethesda), this is located in an abandoned slate quarry. Zip World Caverns is a unique underground journey, across zipwires, rope bridges, via ferrata and tunnels. The 'Titan' is a 2000 m zipwire with stunning views over the landscape. 'Bounce Below' is a bouncy underground play area for all ages (7 to adult) 'Titan' zip wire: £50 p.p. / £180 group of four; 'Caverns': £60 p.p. / £220 group of four; 'Bounce Below': £25 p.p.
Ffestiniog Railway, The Ffestiniog Railway Society (Ffestiniog Railway station is adjacent to the mainline station in the town centre, +44 1766 516000. April - Oct with reduced timetable the rest of the year. Narrow-gauge railway built in the 1800s to convey slate to Porthmadog, opening in 1836. It closed in 1946 due to declining demand but was reopened thanks to public work in sections over the next several decades and finally completely finished by 1982. Part of the original stretch had to be built higher up due to a power station reservoir that was built on a section of the original track in 1954. Stations are as follows, West to East: Porthmadog, Boston Lodge, Minfford, Penrhyn, Plas Halt, Tan-y-Bwlch, Dduallt, Tan-y-Grisiau, & Blaenau Ffestiniog. The journey is 14 miles. Costs £16.50 round trip, 2.5 hours round trip, £6 more for first class observation car.
Zip World Slate Caverns, Llechwedd Slate Caverns, LL41 3NB (About 1 mile north of Blaenau, via the A470, +44 1248 601 444. 'Titan' available Spring–Autumn. Check 'ride status' online, on the day. One of three Zip World attractions in the area (the others are in [[Betws-y-Coed]] and [[Bethesda (Wales)|Bethesda]]), this is located in an abandoned slate quarry. Zip World Caverns is a unique underground journey, across zipwires, rope bridges, via ferrata and tunnels. The 'Titan' is a 2000 m zipwire with stunning views over the landscape. 'Bounce Below' is a bouncy underground play area for all ages (7 to adult) 'Titan' zip wire: £50 p.p. / £180 group of four; 'Caverns': £60 p.p. / £220 group of four; 'Bounce Below': £25 p.p.
- Alam Tandoori Indian & Bangladeshi Restaurant, High St, Blaenau Ffestiniog (10 minutes' walk down the main road from the railway station. The only proper sit-down restaurant open in the evenings in the town which isn't a pub, takeaway or chippy. Offers surprisingly good food at very reasonable prices.
- The Bridge Cafe, High St, Blaenau Ffestiniog LL41 3HD (Opposite the railway station. Cosy tea rooms with friendly staff offering a selection of delicious food and hot drinks during the day at good prices.
Alam Tandoori Indian & Bangladeshi Restaurant, High St, Blaenau Ffestiniog (10 minutes' walk down the main road from the railway station. The only proper sit-down restaurant open in the evenings in the town which isn't a pub, takeaway or chippy. Offers surprisingly good food at very reasonable prices.
The Bridge Cafe, High St, Blaenau Ffestiniog LL41 3HD (Opposite the railway station. Cosy tea rooms with friendly staff offering a selection of delicious food and hot drinks during the day at good prices.
- Porthmadog
- Betws y Coed