ABOUT THE CENTRE AND LOCAL AREA

Local Shops

 

There is a Post Office  in Deiniolen High Street but services are limited. The nearest convenience/grocery store is the SPAR in New St. (first road on left past PO travelling from the Centre). This stocks a range of groceries and basic convenience items.

The nearest large supermarket is TESCO’s, Caernarfon Road (A4087), Bangor, Tel: 01248 287400, which is open 24-hours (except Sunday).

Local Bank: HSBC, High Street, Llanberis.

 

Launderette / Dry Cleaners in Llanberis

 

Hospital:
The nearest major Hospital providing comprehensive medical services, including A&E Dept., is Gwynedd Hospital located in Bangor (SH558702). LL57 2PW Tel: 01248 384384

 

Doctor:
Drs. R. Parry, Williams A. Parry, Oddy & Maxwell,

The Surgery, Cae Heti, Llanberis. LL55 4SH,  Tel: 01286 870634

 

 

Dentist:: M J Walker Penlon, 10 Blaen Ddol, Llanberis. LL55 4TL Tel: 01286 872504

 

Chemist/Pharmacy: Rowland L & Co (Retail) Ltd.,  High St., Llanberis. LL55 4EU. Tel: 01286 870264

 

Travel Information 

 

Rail Services:  Nearest mainline station at Bangor. Regular service from all parts of the country via Chester along North Wales coast. Check http://www.nationalrail.co.uk for details, timetables and fares.

Local Bus Services:

No. 85 (Bangor - Deiniolen - Llanberis). Buses to/from Bangor go via the train station and terminate at Bangor Cloc (Stand B). Connect from Deiniolen via No. 85 to Snowdon Sherpa service S1 from Llanberis (pick up opp. Joe Brown’s) to Pen-y-Pass. No. 83 (Caernarfon - Deiniolen - Dinorwic) Buses to Caernarfon terminate at Caernarfon (Penllyn) Bus Station (Stand B). Bus frequency is approximately 1-hour intervals.

Check route maps and timetables for details: http://www.gwynedd.gov.uk
 

Local Activities.

 

Walking/Hiking:
The Old School Lodge has easy access to one of the major walking areas in the country. There is a wide range of excellent walking routes available from exhilarating mountain walks and scrambles to low-level and valley routes.

 

For hill-walkers the Llanberis Path to Snowdon summit starts just behind the Mountain Railway station at the top of Victoria Terrace in Llanberis (No 85 bus from Deiniolen). Pen-y-Pass at the top of the Llanberis Pass is not far away for the Pyg and Miners paths as well as the start of the Snowdon Horseshoe (Sherpa S1 bus from Llanberis). From Rhydd-Du and Beddgelert there’s access to the Snowdon Ranger, Rhydd-Du and Watkin Paths to Snowdon summit. The Glyders range can be accessed by paths from Nant Peris just up the Llanberis Pass and by driving over to Bethesda and down the Nant Francon (A5) to Ogwen Cottage. There are literally hundreds of routes to choose from! Consult a good hillwalking guide book.

There are also many low level rambles/trails in the valleys. From Llanberis there are three suitable low level rambles: 1. Around the village, castle and waterfalls (about 1-hour), 2. Around Llyn Padarn (half day), 3. Around Dinorwig and the Slate Quarries down to Llanberis (half day). Guide leaflets available and also from the Tourist Info. Booth at Padarn Country Park.

 

 

There are also 4 waymarked slate trail walks, walks along the Menai Straits, and the 4 Valley’s Trail. In the Ogwen Valley a walk around Cwm Idwal offers an exciting low-level walk in the mountains with opportunities to study many geographic features of the landscape. Path guide and map available from tea bar by Mountain Rescue Post at Ogwen Cottage car park (SH649604).

Cycling: 

 Low-level off-road cycling and Trailquest in Beddgelert Forest (Beddgelert Bikes, Caernarfon - Beddgelert road A4085 http://www.bikeworld.uk.com). Established network of cycle trails on old railway lines (Lonydd Glas routes). Maps available from Tourist Information Offices.
Useful Link: http://www.gwynedd.gov.uk/gwy_section.asp?cat=3407

Indoor Climbing Wall

Beacon Climbing Centre(SH534607). Large indoor climbing centre with routes for everyone. Instruction and taster sessions available. Not easy to find so lookout for direction signs for ‘Beacon’ The entrance road is just a narrow track which may present a few problems for a minibus. From Llanberis take the A4086 toward Caernarfon for 3 miles. Just before the village of Llanrug turn left by the Glyntwrog Pub (SH542632). Pass through Ceunant and follow the road uphill for about another 1½ miles, then slow down for a track entrance on the left marked with a large white Beacon sign. Follow this track for 400m past the Chamois Mountaineering Centre to the car park.

Online details at: http://www.beaconclimbing.com/

Watersports:

(Dinghy & Yacht Sailing, Canoeing, Windsurfing): Plas Menai. National Watersports Centre, Port Dinorwic (SH503661). Towards Caernarfon on A487, 6 miles from A55 Expressway (Exit 10). Large National Watersports Centre. Full range of courses and activities for all ages.

Online details and brochure request at: http://www.plasmenai.co.uk

Fishing:

Fish for Brown Trout and Arctic Char from Llyn Padarn and salmon and sea trout from local rivers. Permits (through Seiont, Gwyrfai and Llyfni Fishing Society) available from the Pet Shop in Llanberis. http://www.hgt.gwynedd.gov.uk/sg/default.htm

Sub-Aqua Diving:

Vivian Diving Centre. Recreational inland dive site with diver training and development. P.A.D.I. School S3525 - courses available from beginner to advanced. Located in the Vivian Quarry (SH587605) at Padarn Country Park, Llanberis.
Open weekdays 10.00 to 5.00 weekends 9.00 to 5.30. Tel: 01286 870889. http://www.viviandivecentre.co.uk

Swimming:

The nearest indoor swimming pool is in Ffordd Y Garth, Bangor (A5 near to Bangor Pier). Large pool, shallow pool and water slides. Tel: 01248 370600
http://hen.gwynedd.gov.uk/leisure/pwll_bangor/index.english.htm for times and details.

Adventurous Activities

The largest centre in the area is Plas-y-Brenin, MTT National Mountain Centre in Capel Curig (SH717578). This runs courses in many mountain activities (climbing, abseiling, mountain walking, orienteering, canoeing, skiing, snowboarding). They also do multi-activity days and weekends for young people and families. Facilities include: climbing gym with an 11 metre high climbing tower and training wall open daily 10am-11pm. Instruction for groups can also be arranged; small ski slope with a variety of slope angles and features, suitable for skiers and snowboarders, open daily from 10.30am to 8.30pm. Ski equipment is available for hire and qualified instructors can be hired by the hour or half day (pre booking needed); and canoe pool facility for developing confidence, paddle strokes and rolling technique which is available for hire every day on an hourly basis to groups of canoeists (discounts for BCU members). (http://www.pyb.co.uk/about.htm)