Peter Bowen discovers the Welsh Highland Railway
The Welsh Highland Railway (Caernarfon)
The journey begins behind the most powerful 2' (two foot) gauge steam locomotives in the world through the fabulous scenery of the Snowdonia National Park.
The railway runs from alongside the awe-inspiring Caernarfon Castle, snaking around seemingly impossible bends, up hard gradients and around the foothills of Snowdon to arrive at Rhyd Ddu, about 12 miles from Caernarfon and high up in the Snowdonian mountains. The railway links to some tremendous walks too, not least the Snowdon Ranger and Rhyd Ddu paths up Snowdon or the Nantlle Ridge or Mynydd Mawr walks from Rhyd Ddu. There are excellent real-ale pubs at Waunfawr and Rhyd Ddu, and the Lôn Eifon cycleway runs alongside the railway from Caernarfon to Dinas.
Rhyd Ddu is only the half-way point of this phenomenal railway project. Work has already started to complete the railway through to Porthmadog via Beddgelert and the famous Aberglaslyn Pass. At Porthmadog, the Welsh Highland Railway (WHR) will connect with the world-famous Ffestiniog Railway, offering onwards travel to Minffordd (for Portmeirion), Tan-y-Bwlch and Blaenau Ffestiniog. In total, a trip from Caernarfon to Blaenau will be a staggering 40 miles – truly a new 'Great Railway Journey'.
The WHR is, probably… the most exciting railway project in the world - providing ‘access for all’ to some of the best scenery in the United Kingdom – it’s quite simply a must-see!
The journey begins behind the most powerful 2' (two foot) gauge steam locomotives in the world through the fabulous scenery of the Snowdonia National Park.The railway runs from alongside the awe-inspiring Caernarfon Castle, snaking around seemingly impossible bends, up hard gradients and around the foothills of Snowdon to arrive at Rhyd Ddu, about 12 miles from Caernarfon and high up in the Snowdonian mountains. The railway links to some tremendous walks too, not least the Snowdon Ranger and Rhyd Ddu paths up Snowdon or the Nantlle Ridge or Mynydd Mawr walks from Rhyd Ddu. There are excellent real-ale pubs at Waunfawr and Rhyd Ddu, and the Lôn Eifon cycleway runs alongside the railway from Caernarfon to Dinas.
Rhyd Ddu is only the half-way point of this phenomenal railway project. Work has already started to complete the railway through to Porthmadog via Beddgelert and the famous Aberglaslyn Pass. At Porthmadog, the Welsh Highland Railway (WHR) will connect with the world-famous Ffestiniog Railway, offering onwards travel to Minffordd (for Portmeirion), Tan-y-Bwlch and Blaenau Ffestiniog. In total, a trip from Caernarfon to Blaenau will be a staggering 40 miles – truly a new 'Great Railway Journey'.The WHR is, probably… the most exciting railway project in the world - providing ‘access for all’ to some of the best scenery in the United Kingdom – it’s quite simply a must-see!
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