All walks › Eryri: Ogwen and the Carneddau
Eryri: Ogwen and the CarneddauBethesda and the Penrhyn Quarry
Around the town built by the largest slate quarry in the world, with the terraces above and the Ogwen running through.
- Distance
- 3.7 mi / 6 km
- Time
- 2 hr 10
- Ascent
- 250 m
- Difficulty
- Demanding
- Shape
- Circular
Where it is
The circle shows the general area, not the exact start. Use the directions link below to get to the car park itself. Contours and paths shown are OpenTopoMap, drawn from OpenStreetMap data.
The route
Paths follow the Ogwen and climb to viewpoints over the quarry, returning through the town. Steady climbing.
Worth knowing
- The quarry is still working, so access is restricted; the walk goes round rather than in.
- The Penrhyn strike of 1900 to 1903 was the longest industrial dispute in British history and divided the town for generations.
- Bethesda is named after its chapel, as are several villages in the valley.
What you’ll see
The quarry terraces from a distance, the Ogwen, and the town’s chapels and terraces.
Background
Some 2,800 men struck for three years from 1900. Many never returned to the quarry and the community carried the split for decades.