Car park for the Snowdon Ranger path is doubled
MORE SPACES AS POPULARITY GROWS
A CAR park at the base of Yr Wyddfa (Snowdon) will be doubled in size in a bid to stop motorists blocking the road.
Over the years the lesserknown Llyn Cwellyn/ Snowdon Ranger path has become more popular with walkers wanting to reach the summit on a path that is not too crowded.
However its present car park near the youth hostel has only room for 37 vehicles and is often full - especially over the summer months.
Local people are fed-up of cars parking on both sides of the narrow and winding A4085 road leaving it almost impassable some times especially for ambulances in times of emergencies, farmers with tractors and trailers and hauliers and lorries.
Now car park owners Snowdonia National Park Authority have commissioned contractors to redesign the Llyn Cwellyn car park.
The work will take six weeks to complete, and there will be 61 parking spaces available.
The money for it will come from a Welsh Government grant.
At present, vehicle owners have to pay £2.50 to park for four hours or £5 for a day.
SNPA property manager Edward Jones said: “The car park is currently an important facility for walkers who want to follow the Snowdon Ranger Path, as well as those who enjoy following the accessible Janus Path to the lakeside.”
The Janus Trail opened in 2007/8 and important repairs made last year to the boardwalk enabling people of all abilities to enjoy the trails.
Mr Jones said: “Not only has the car park increased in its popularity due to those who wish to walk up Snowdon, but the recent work of improving and extending the boardwalk has also contrib- uted to a busy car park.
“A number of organisations, including Bro Garmon Community Council expressed their concerns regarding road safety in this area, in particular at peak times, when there were cars parked on the roadside. The new design now means that the capacity of the car park has nearly doubled and we are extremely grateful to the Welsh Government for the capital grant to enable us to implement the plan. After completion, this work will provide a valuable contribution towards mitigating the challenges of parking around the foot of Snowdon. “
Architects Dobson Owen from Pwllheli and contractor Gwilym James from Trawsfynydd want to ensure that part of the car park will remain open during the development phase to offer a limited number of parking spaces.”
The eight-mile long Llyn Cwellyn path climbs gradually up to, and around the slopes of Moel Cynghorion to Bwlch Cwm Brwynog. It then climbs steeply over the shoulder above Clogwyn Du’r Arddu before merging with the Llanberis path, and then the Peny-Gwryd and Miners’ tracks at Bwlch Glas, and then on to the summit.