Where is it? Dolwyddelan near Betws y Coed, Snowdonia north Wales.
What's a Cwm? A hanging valley.
Allow : 2 to 3 hours, Distance 5 miles / 8km
Rating : Moderate. Apart from a steepish section at the start it is a relatively easy walk on forest track or tarmac roads.
What's the attraction? Includes forest track, views of Snowdonia, waterfalls, tumbling streams and clear mountain pools, an ancient burial chamber, and an archaeological site.
Car Parking : Parking at the Railway Station car park Dolwyddelan. But why not let the train take the strain and use the Conwy Valley Railway? Its a great trip in itself. But don't forget to stick your hand out to stop the train!
Rail and Bus Services : For times of buses and trains in the Conwy and Lledr Valley contact Travelline Wales.com

Directions :   [ Map of Hidden Valley Walk location  ]
From Betws-y-Coed take the A470 west toward Dolwyddelan. Turn left at the Gwydir Pub in Dolwyddelan. Continue on Church Street to Railway Station car park.

 Lets Go !

Leave the train or park the car at Dolwyddelan Station car park. Exit the car park bearing left and left again, crossing the bridge that spans both the Afon Lledr and the Conwy Valley Railway Line. Walk past a few houses then bear right over a concrete bridge onto the forest road.
The walk starts here, the track making a moderate climb between the pine trees. At the top of the first climb you can choose either of two routes (the tracks re-converge at the head of the valley). Take the left hand fork for the best views (and the steepest route!) and the rocky crag of Carreg Alltrem soon appears to the left. The rock face is popular with climbers and the track affords a good view of their efforts. Continue to the highest point of the track and the view opens out with the waterfall at the far end of the Cwm coming into view. Three homesteads are visible on the valley floor, and a look back down the valley reveals the Carneddau mountains in the distance behind the village of Dolwyddelan.

From this point the walk is either downhill or level ground. Continue to the head of the valley, rejoin the lower track, and continue round the head of the valley and head back up the western side of the cwm. Cross two small bridges before arriving at Ty Cwm (The House in the Cwm). In the field adjacent to the cottage you will see a grassy mound. This is either an ancient burial chamber or a motte and bailey castle, opinions differ. I would suggest, taking into account its size, that it is a burial mound.

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Pass through the yard of Ty Cwm and continue to walk down the valley. (This section of the road is Sarn Helen, the ancient Roman road that continues via Pont y Pant to Betws y Coed). On your right you will see two cottages, one of them, Gwyndy, has a small lake.

A further half a mile or so and you come to the remains of the 15th century house that was home to Maredudd Ap Ifan (Ieuan), his several women, and his twenty children. This has recently been the subject of an archaeological  investigation. Indeed as of 2007 the local historians are still working on the property and work is being undertaken to prevent further deterioration of what remains of the walls and floors.

This is a pleasant spot for a break in the walk and there are picnic tables at the roadside close to Meredudd's house.

From here it is but a short walk to the end of the Cwm, but Cwm Penamnen saves the best till the last. with the Afon Cwm Penamnen forming delightful clear mountain pools, and tumbling waterfalls among the rocky outcrops.

You exit the hidden valley through a metal gate and it is a short walk downhill through the housing estate, bearing right at the bottom of the hill. (Look to the west at this point, you will need to peer over the railway line boundary wall, and you will see Dolwyddelan Castle in the distance). The bridge, Pentre Bont, from where you started the walk is 100 yards along the lane.

If you need refreshments after the walk it's only a few hundred yards into the village where you will find a Pub, the Gwydir, that serves good ales and nice food, or alternatively you can have a coffee sitting outside the Spar shop in the centre of the village.

Please -- click on the pictures -- for enlarged pictures of the Walk near Dolwyddelan, Conwy, Wales, UK.

The track cuts through the forest at the start of the walk		View from the top track toward the alternative lower track at Cwm Penamnen
View from the top across the Cwm to the waterfall		Looking back up the track to Ro wen Hill

Looking north toward the Carneddau range from near the south (end) of the valley		Looking back down the valley toward Dolwyddelan, with Carreg Alltrem on the right
Headind back up the valley on the west side a cairn or ancient burial chamber can be seen on the left.		Carreg Alltrem from the valley floor

An old cottage by the roadside		Gwindy, house in the cwm
Tai Penamnen, an ancient house, subject of an archaeological excavation		Information board for Tai Penamnen

Waterfalls on the Afon (River) Cwm Penamnen near the end of the walk		The lane drops down toward the village of Dolwyddelan with the mountains of Snowdonia as backdrop