A new long-distance hiking route has opened in Snowdonia, tracing the industrial heritage of Wales' slate industry alongside some of the UK's finest natural scenery. Known as the Llwybr Llechi Eryri or Snowdonia Slate Trail, the 83-mile loop begins in Bangor and concludes in Bethesda, weaving together a series of abandoned quarries with riverside and mountain walking paths.
The trail offers hikers encounters with dramatic industrial remnants, such as the Dorothea slate quarry near Y Fron. This vast complex features overgrown tunnels, cuttings, and towering stone structures described as resembling Maya temples. These buildings showcase precise craftsmanship, with stones hand-fitted without mortar. The region's slate quality was recognized early on, with Edward I reportedly using it for Welsh castle roofs, though industrial production surged in the 1820s and peaked in the 1870s. At its height, the area was filled with steam pumps, aerial cables, and railways, including the installation of the last Cornish beam engine to pump water from deep pits.
The route traverses diverse landscapes, moving from the Dorothea quarry eastward into the Welsh mountains where Yr Wyddfa (Snowdon) appears on the horizon. The path occasionally follows the line of the Welsh Highland Railway to Beddgelert, a village serving as a base for hikers with various amenities. On the second leg of the journey, the trail combines with the Cambrian Way along the River Glaslyn, offering spectacular views from crags above the torrent. Hikers may also detour to the Matterhorn-shaped peak of Cnicht before descending into the Cwmorthin quarry.
Cwmorthin presents a stark reminder of the industry's dangers; in the late 19th century, it was locally known as "the slaughterhouse" due to fatal accidents. The site is dominated by vast heaps of waste stone, reflecting a process where ten tons of material were required to produce one ton of marketable slate. From here, the path leads through desolate valleys to Blaenau Ffestiniog and Llan Ffestiniog.
Further along the route, hikers encounter the tumbling River Cynfal, which flows through a deep mossy gorge overhung by ancient oaks. Local folklore suggests one of the midstream rock towers served as a pulpit for a magician named Huw Llwyd. As the trail climbs higher into remote, wind-scoured uplands, fragments of old quarry workings remain visible, including abandoned cottages where personal items like jackets still hang on nails. These remnants reflect the history of Welsh slate workers who emigrated to the US due to poor pay and failed strikes, a movement that saw some receive solidarity gestures from English workers in 1901.
The journey continues past Rhiwbach quarry, which peaked in the 1860s and featured barracks for isolated miners. Near Cwm Penmachno, peregrine falcons can be spotted nesting above waterfalls. The path also passes the church of St Tudclud, which houses inscribed stones including the Carausius Stone, believed to mark the grave of a Roman commander who declared himself emperor in AD 286. Approaching Betws-y-Coed, the trail joins the River Conwy, a beauty spot noted since the 17th century.
Walkers' Britain & Europe offers this route as a seven-day self-guided walk for £890 per person. The package includes six nights of accommodation, breakfast, luggage transfers, a digital navigation app, and an emergency hotline, with departures available daily from April to October.
Sources: The Guardian Travel.