| Tanygrisiau is a small welsh village in the heart of | | | | was built in the Italian style. If you did not know you |
| Snowdonia. It is near to Blaenau Ffestiniog. Tanygrisiau | | | | were in Wales, you could easily think you had been |
| is not a place you will have heard of and yet it has | | | | transported to a small part of Italy. |
| quite a lot of local interest to offer for anyone visiting | | | | Back in Tanygrisiau, there is a small electric power |
| the Snowdonia region and is therefore a good place to | | | | station (Ffestiniog). This is in fact the UK's first pumped |
| stay. | | | | hydro-electric power station and is open to visitors. |
| Tan y grisiau is welsh for 'below the steps'; just where | | | | Ffestiniog Power Station is next to Tanygrisiau |
| the steps were no-one knows, as the steps have long | | | | reservoir. In off-peak times, water is pumped from the |
| disappeared. The steps probably led up from the | | | | lower reservoir to a reservoir high up the mountainside. |
| village to the quarry above. This area is well-known for | | | | The dam which forms this man-made reservoir is |
| its slate quarries, especially near Blaenau Ffestiniog, but | | | | known as Stwlan Dam. A gated-road from the power |
| don't let the thought of slate quarries put you off. The | | | | station leads up to the base of the upper dam, and to |
| slate from this region was shipped all around the world; | | | | drive up the dam would require a key to unlock the |
| it literally "roofed the world". Tanygrisiau is set away | | | | gate at the top end of the village. |
| from the large slate quarries which are still in use and | | | | Tanygrisiau is a starting point for walks into the |
| have become major tourist attractions. Llechwedd | | | | Moelwyns, especially if the intention is to climb |
| Slate Caverns on the outskirt of Blaenau Ffestiniog are | | | | Moelwyn itself. Care should be taken as there are |
| world famous. | | | | numerous mine shafts in the area. You can find a map |
| Tanygrisiau is nestled on the lower slopes of the | | | | on the internet of local walks known as the Slate |
| Moelwyn Mountains. There is a wonderful panoramic | | | | Paths of which there are nine local walks shown. |
| view of the mountain-side to the north of the village. | | | | On the Ordnance Survey map where a major line of |
| This mountainside helps protect the village from the | | | | longitude crosses a major line of latitude this is known |
| cold northerly winds making the climate relatively mild | | | | as a point of confluence. Near to Tanygrisiau is the |
| considering its location high in Snowdonia. Tanygrisiau | | | | point of confluence 53°N 4°W; it might take |
| has a pleasant south-facing aspect offering excellent | | | | some getting to, but if you manage it you will have |
| panoramic views. | | | | visited one of only 39 confluences on land in the UK. |
| On the mountainside above Tanygrisiau you can see a | | | | Of course you will need to carry a hand-held GPS |
| disused incline which would have once had a narrow | | | | receiver to tell you when you are at the confluence |
| rail track on it for hauling up the wagons that | | | | point. |
| transported the slate to the railway below. The incline | | | | The region supports many adventure sports such as |
| leads to the disused Wrysgan quarry. What makes | | | | canoeing, mountain biking, family cycling, white-water |
| this feature rare is that this is an external incline cut | | | | rafting, abseiling, hill walking, navigation skills, gorge |
| through rock. If you are feeling adventurous and you | | | | walking and canyoning and near the coast - |
| have the stamina, you can clamber up the incline and | | | | windsurfing and surfing. These are within a 30-minute |
| through the short tunnel to the opening on the other | | | | drive. On the mountain-side overlooking Tanygrisiau |
| side. Once you have reached the top, you can | | | | you can observe rock-climbers as they a tackle a |
| proceed to scale the peaks of the Moelwyns or go | | | | popular rock-face. |
| and look down on Lyn Stwlan. | | | | Should you decide you would like to visit Tanygrisiau, |
| The railway at the bottom of the incline is where the | | | | where can you stay? It will depend on the type of |
| black slate from the quarry was lowered. This railway | | | | accommodation you want. Nearby Blaenau Ffestiniog |
| is the World's oldest narrow-gauge railway and runs | | | | has one or two small hotels and some bed and |
| from Blaenau Ffestiniog to Porthmadog where the | | | | breakfast establishments. If you want to stay in |
| slate was put on ships to be exported all around the | | | | Tanygrisiau you will need to search on the internet for |
| world. Now you can travel the 12 miles and view the | | | | houses that provide bed and breakfast or for |
| wonderful scenery on the route. There is a variety | | | | cottages to rent as a holiday let. Many of the cottages |
| locomotives that when you look at some of them you | | | | in the village were built in the mid-1800s for the Slate |
| cannot tell whether they are pushing or pulling due to | | | | Workers to live in. Many of cottages have been |
| their unusual design. Soon the section of railway from | | | | modernized to high standards, yet you can find one or |
| Porthmadog to Caernarfon will be connected to the | | | | two cottages that have been sympathetically updated |
| section passing through Tanygrisiau, which means you | | | | so as to give you the benefit of modern appliances |
| will be able to travel from Blaenau Ffestiniog straight | | | | and yet retain cottage features that would have been |
| through to Caernarfon, a distance of 40 miles. | | | | seen by the Slate Workers living in them. Without the |
| On the way to Porthmadog the train stops at the | | | | modern conveniences, you can imagine how tough it |
| station near to the village of Portmeirion, which is well | | | | was back in those days. If you search for a holiday |
| worth a visit; for this is where 'The Prisoner' series | | | | cottage in Tanygrisiau you should be able to find a |
| was filmed in the 1970s. The series now has cult | | | | Slate Miners Cottage to stay at. |
| status. This village was selected because the village | | | | |