Betws-y-Coed

The “prayer house in the wood” owes its prominence today to Thomas Telford, the road builder, who chose this valley for his stage coach route from Holyhead to London – now, of course, better known as the A5. It’s an unusual little place. The linear settlement is hemmed in by steep and wooded valley sides with little opportunities for expansion. Nevertheless, it has become a well-known honey-pot tourist site that is just bustling - in the summer months, at least. The attractions include Swallow Falls, Gwydyr Forest outdoor activities and some magnificent Snowdonian mountain scenery for walking and climbing, nearby. As we drove cautiously around each of the bends in the road [at no more than 20 m.p.h.] the procession of cafes and the guest houses with “no vacancies” signs suggested that the tourist side of things is doing OK.

The old station buildings are all occupied by retailers, including some big high street names, as well as a number of fast-food outlets. What a contrast that is with so many railway stations elsewhere on the network with boarded up office spaces that appear to be only one step away from dereliction. You can even get an ice cream burger here. The public car park opposite occupies one of the few obvious bits of flat land. The loos employ an attendant to justify the entry charge, but after an ice cream burger I suppose that you might just have to make use of it.  

The stone-built station on the Conwy valley line between Llandudno Junction and Blaenau Ffestiniog was opened in 1868. The fairly infrequent services are operated by Transport for Wales. The Conwy Valley Railway Museum with its miniature railway lies opposite the station and can be accessed by the station footbridge.