History, Heritage & Steam Trains

• Llechwedd Slate Caverns, Mine & Tramway

Llechwedd Slate Caverns of Blaenau Ffestiniog is part of a rich Welsh heritage that included building  FFESTINIOG STEAM RAILWAY  1820’s which is still chuffing.  Now site of BOUNCE BELOW,  ZIP WORLD CAVERNS,   ZIP WORLD TITAN and ANTUR STINIOG  bike trails

Llechwedd is a great opportunity to explore the underground world of the Victorian Slate Miner. A tour take you deep inside the Snowdonia mountains, and with the temperature in the mine is about 5c throughout the year, it makes the caverns an ideal family day out, come rain or shine!

• The Ffestiniog Railway

The Ffestiniog Railway takes you on a 13½-mile journey from the harbour in Porthmadog to the slate-quarrying town of Blaenau Ffestiniog, coming right past Bryn Elltyd Eco Guest House. The historic steam trains climb over 700 feet from sea level into the mountains through tranquil pastures and magnificent forests, past lakes and waterfalls, round tight bends (even a complete spiral!) clinging to the side of the mountain or tunnelling through it.  Started in the 1830’s it ran on gravity for 30 years before steam engines were invented. Some original 1880’s engines still chuffing on the Ffestiniog railway

• Welsh Highland Railway

Starting from the historic town of Porthmadog, the Welsh Highland Railway  is the UK’s longest heritage line, operating the world’s most powerful narrow gauge steam locomotives. Some as modern as 1965 steam engines