Snowdon Mountain Train (1 Viewer)

tincan

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Right then, it's settled. we are off to Barmouth for the weekend and one of the attractions promoted is the mountain train up Snowdon. With good weather promised we were hoping to have a peep from the top and are wondering if it is really worth the trip. With only a short weekend available I would hate to waste 3ish hours.

thanks

Noel
 
Dec 23, 2007
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Yes indeed esp now the new visitors centre is open.
 

Jim

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What a shame, a cafe and a train to get there. The top of the countries highest and most splendid mountain; blighted. :Angry:

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Are you Prince Charles?
 

MotorhomeWales

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Why not spend the day and walk up from Llanberris or even better the Miners track, stunning views on the way up! Its not too hard a walk either.:RollEyes:

Dan
 

haganap

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come on you can do it.

A few years a go I walked it with George and Harley and most of it with Harley on my back. he was 3&1/2 and George 4.

Well worth the visit.

Incedently if you want the train, they used to do a test one first thing in the am at half price.

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Forestboy

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Walk the Miners Path its beautiful, my favourite, do it at least once a year. Jan prefers the train though:Blush:
 
Dec 23, 2007
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Neigh:ROFLMAO:

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savantuk

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It's definitely worth the effort to walk (or take the train if you are that way inclined), but make certain that you get a weather forecast from the visitor centre at Llanberis before starting the climb. The weather can easily change during the period you are walking, and it would be a bummer to arrive at the top to find it cloudy.

The view from the top is exceptional, and the new restaurant is far better than the old 'shack' that used to be such an eyesore.

Don't rule out the train though, it's wort the trip for the views, and for riding a piece of locomotive history.

Have a good time.
 
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tincan

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Thanks for all the advice. Maybe next time we will consider hiking up the mountain but for now the train will do very nicely, thank you very much. This time last year we could not even have considered such a hike but thanks to the wonders of modern medicine my OH can now look forward to such a venture. She had a very successful pulmonary vein isolation op in March to correct a dodgy rhythm in her ticker and it has meant that she has regained at least a day a week in her life, but is still not up to that sort of exertion. She will use her pedelec bike when we travel some of the cycle trails in the area and will try to use the elec bit as little as possible to help increase her stamina.
Noel
 

TDH

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I think it's expensive at ÂŁ25 a head (but that's probably because I'm a pauper - and a climber!).

Just an idea, if you're going to Barmouth why not have a stroll up Cadair Idris. Park at Tal-y-Llyn and even if you just walk up the track to Lyn-y-cau it's just gorgeous.

And when we were in that neck of the woods a couple of weeks ago (Barmouth that is) we went for a wander up Roman Steps in the Rhinogs - specatcular, and you can see the sea.

PM me and I'll give you details, and of a great little site.

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pappajohn

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we went up a few years ago and the views are stunning but the fly in the ointment is the cost.

we paid ÂŁ24 each return :Eeek: its now ÂŁ25 return. thats ÂŁ6.25 per mile.

be aware it can be VERY cold and VERY windy up there if the winds blowing and theres very little shelter apart from the extremely expensive cafe/visitor center.

it was warm and bright sun in the carpark/station but maybe only 10deg at the top.

its a five minute climb on foot to the very summit (trig point)and the 'paths' are rough to say the least.

try to get seats on the steam engine, as opposed to the diesel, as the 'kick' every piston stroke is amazing......like being shoved in the back every three seconds.

if its a clear day.....go for it.

if its not, then save it for another day.
 
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pappajohn

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gulp ... :Eeek: A family with two kids = ÂŁ82 .. I'm sorry but I think that is a rip off ..


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couldnt agree more Jim, especially when your crammed into the sardine tins with about 99 others on each trip.

3 return trips per day for BOTH trains..100 passengers on each train.....

ÂŁ4,920 per day :Eeek::Eeek:

EDIT.....my mistake:Blush:, each carraige takes 54 passengers, but it feels like 100, but its still nearly ÂŁ3000 per day

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scotjimland

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EDIT.....my mistake:Blush:, each carraige takes 54 passengers, but it feels like 100, but its still nearly ÂŁ3000 per day

either way, it must be the most expensive rail journey in the World.. makes a day out at Disney look like a bargain .. and I thought that was a rip off .. :RollEyes:

but who can we blame ? .. only the punters that keep paying it .. :RollEyes:
 

pappajohn

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either way, it must be the most expensive rail journey in the World.. makes a day out at Disney look like a bargain .. and I thought that was a rip off .. :RollEyes:

but who can we blame ? .. only the punters that keep paying it .. :RollEyes:

Yep!! the punters that pay it, and reading further there is a train every half hour at peak times in good weather......

cant be bothered to work out the daily takings on that lot but its obscene and i bet its more than i earn in a year..:Angry:
 
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haganap

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gulp ... :Eeek: A family with two kids = ÂŁ82 .. I'm sorry but I think that is a rip off ..


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Hi Jim like I said in an earlier post, the early bird will save you some dosh but if anyone does it make sure you get there early,
Anyhow Jim being Scottish you will walk anyway, the opportunity to save money will be too much of a Draw.:ROFLMAO:

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pappajohn

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a cheap shot .. :RollEyes:

I know rip off when I see it, and your right, I wouldn't pay it .. It's NOT GOOD VALUE FOR MONEY.. I bet the staff wear masks..


Nah !!!!

just big beards to hide their faces...

fig4-lbsc.JPG


or a lot of coal dust.....

fig3-lnwr.JPG
 

American Dream

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gulp ... :Eeek: A family with two kids = ÂŁ82 .. I'm sorry but I think that is a rip off ..


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Crikey,

The Wife and I went on it a few years ago now and thoughit it was expensive then.So how much for a Family of 5?:Eeek:

ÂŁ98 Regular Fare.... ÂŁ49 Early Bird...sounds a bit better. Might have to kick the kids out of bed.....:RollEyes:

I bet the maintenance costs are pretty high but even so....

Been on many a Steam train ride in our times and you always pay the price for the experience..

A sign of the times I guess.What was once a run of the mill thing is now a luxury.

No....Unfortunately we'd have to pass it over too.

Loved the Ffestiniog railway anyway.A lot more character.And Portmeirion.


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Supertractorman

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For a cheaper train trip get on the regular train from Barmouth to Pwllheli, which is still very scenic along the estuary and you will probably have enough money left over for your lunch in Pwllheli before returning home :Cool:
 

Brisey

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We are hoping to visit Wales again next year, that is if it ever stops raining in time.:ROFLMAO: A trip to the top of Snowdon was on the agenda, but ÂŁ50 for a trip up the mountain is a bit steep (please excuse pun):ROFLMAO: We have also been told that if you go up on the train you can only stay at the summit for 30 minutes as you have to come back down on the same train that took you up.:cry: A trip along the coast from Barmouth to Pwllheli seems a good alternative, thanks for the info.:thumb:
 

TDH

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For a cheaper train trip get on the regular train from Barmouth to Pwllheli, which is still very scenic along the estuary and you will probably have enough money left over for your lunch in Pwllheli before returning home :Cool:

Agree with that, or you could go in the other direction to Aberystwyth, also stunning coastal scenery all the way, and then catch the aforementioned Vale of Rheiddol train up to Devil's Bridge.
 

NickF

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uptodate Weather here for the mountain or local area this weekend is looking great.

Fantastic high pressure so minimal clouds or possibly some light winds if you do venture up there but over all fantastic. Might be a bit hazy though with the smog build up below the inversion layer.

I've got family over this weekend so as the weather is looking good, so with promised great views i'll be no doubt being used as a pack horse to take them all up and down the mountain all day showing them the top, so keep an eye out for me and i'll look out for you.

I did it a couple of times last night and it was beautiful up at the summit.

Nick.
 
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tincan

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Well we're back home safe and sound and we did not manage to take the train up the mountain, as it seems half the world read this forum and they all conspired to keep me at the bottom. Waiting times of 8 hours yesterday so we opted for a walk around Caernafon instead. Rather nice it was too but even the pubs were taken by surprise by the good weather as lots had run out of items off the menus. Saturday we cycled from Barmouth across the bridge and headed for Dongellau but as I had forgotten to load OH's battery we did not quite make the full trip. She managed 15 miles under her own steam(literally) and was really happy that she could do that. We did enjoy the area and will be back at some stage, particularly if the weather is like we experienced

Noel

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hilldweller

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We did enjoy the area and will be back at some stage, particularly if the weather is like we experienced
Noel

I've looked at the long term weather for you, you'll get a glorious sunny day on 21st May 2018. Enjoy.
 
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Wife and I went to top by train last week, oldies rate ÂŁ 20 each. It rained and blew a hoolie, took some lovely pics in the middle of cloud . I had enough puff to climb the last few feet to the summit. It was worth it.
 

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