Llyn Cwmstradllyn and Gorseddau Quarry Walk

3 miles (4.8 km)

This circular walk visits Llyn Cwmstradllyn and the Gorseddau Quarry near Beddgelert in Snowdonia.
The walk begins at the dam on the western edge of Llyn Cwmstradllyn, where the water sits in a broad, quiet basin surrounded by the steep slopes of the Cwmystradllyn valley. The start feels remote, with only the sound of the outflow beneath the dam and the views across the lake to the surrounding moorland hills.... From here the old Gorseddau Tramway runs east, a straight and level line that makes easy going as it cuts across the hillside above the water. The grassy track still follows the original alignment laid down in the 1850s to carry slate from the quarries further up the valley. As you head east the route gradually rises and begins to pull away from the lake. Ruined walls and old embankments appear along the side of the track, reminders of the engineering that once supported the tramway as it crossed soft ground and uneven slopes. The scenery tightens as the valley narrows, with rocky ground and scattered spoil hinting at the industrial past.
The final approach to the quarry is marked by a more rugged landscape of worked rock and scattered slate, with several abandoned buildings and cuttings lying above the tramway. The main quarry site sits in a hollow at the end of the route, enclosed by steep excavated faces and low heaps of waste material. Despite its remote setting the scale of the workings is still clear, and the remains of stone structures and tramway sidings give a good sense of how the site once operated. The surrounding hills create a striking backdrop, making the quarry a dramatic end point to the outward section of the walk.
You can continue your walking in the area by heading east to visit the wonderful Aberglaslyn Pass.