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Cefn Du

Hill, Mountain in Caernarfonshire

Wales

Cefn Du

WWII Defences of North Wales: Lake View Hotel, Llanberis - Minefield: EDoB ID: e46184 Concrete landmine sockets in the old road surface in the car park of the Lake View Hotel. I got some curious looks from patrons of the hotel photographing these!
WWII Defences of North Wales: Lake View Hotel, Llanberis Credit: Mike Searle

Cefn Du is a hill located in the county of Caernarfonshire in North Wales. It is situated near the town of Caernarfon and forms part of the Snowdonia National Park. With an elevation of approximately 450 meters (1,480 feet), Cefn Du is considered a mountainous terrain.

The hill is known for its rugged and rocky landscape, typical of the Snowdonia region. It offers breathtaking panoramic views of the surrounding mountains, valleys, and the nearby Menai Strait. On clear days, it is possible to see as far as the Isle of Anglesey and the Irish Sea.

Cefn Du is a popular destination for hikers and walkers, offering various trails and paths to explore. One of the most well-known routes is the Cefn Du Circular Walk, which takes visitors around the hill and provides opportunities to admire the stunning scenery and diverse wildlife. The hill is home to a variety of plant and animal species, including heather, bilberry, and several types of birds.

Additionally, Cefn Du has historical significance, as it is believed to have been a site of Iron Age settlement. Archaeological remains and artifacts have been discovered in the area, indicating human presence dating back thousands of years.

Overall, Cefn Du is a picturesque and fascinating hill/mountain that attracts nature enthusiasts, hikers, and history lovers alike, offering a chance to immerse oneself in the natural beauty and rich heritage of Caernarfonshire.

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Cefn Du Images

Images are sourced within 2km of 53.120551/-4.1692247 or Grid Reference SH5460. Thanks to Geograph Open Source API. All images are credited.

WWII Defences of North Wales: Lake View Hotel, Llanberis - Minefield: EDoB ID: e46184 Concrete landmine sockets in the old road surface in the car park of the Lake View Hotel. I got some curious looks from patrons of the hotel photographing these!
WWII Defences of North Wales: Lake View Hotel, Llanberis
- Minefield: EDoB ID: e46184 Concrete landmine sockets in the old road surface in the car park of the Lake View Hotel. I got some curious looks from patrons of the hotel photographing these!
Slate tip above Afon Glyn Various public footpaths are marked above the minor road from Llanberis to Llanrug which lies among old slate quarries well above the main road. Their advantage lies in the slight possibility of finding somewhere to park without requiring a second mortgage, but their disadvantage is that signage indicates a strong desire by "the authorities" that you don't use them. This one seems to alternate between being easy to follow and being totally opaque and overgrown, but the correct route lies over a stile with a fierce "Keep out" sign which has to be ignored. Looking east from about that point, we are level with a horizon of waste slate above the Afon Glyn, with views just about discernible across Llyn Padarn to even bigger slate workings below Elidir Fach (whose summit is lost in the cloud).
Slate tip above Afon Glyn
Various public footpaths are marked above the minor road from Llanberis to Llanrug which lies among old slate quarries well above the main road. Their advantage lies in the slight possibility of finding somewhere to park without requiring a second mortgage, but their disadvantage is that signage indicates a strong desire by "the authorities" that you don't use them. This one seems to alternate between being easy to follow and being totally opaque and overgrown, but the correct route lies over a stile with a fierce "Keep out" sign which has to be ignored. Looking east from about that point, we are level with a horizon of waste slate above the Afon Glyn, with views just about discernible across Llyn Padarn to even bigger slate workings below Elidir Fach (whose summit is lost in the cloud).
Barrack-mawr The photograph is taken from a public footpath, though you'd hardly know it, as the route which seemed clear as it wound its way up through the old slate quarries has by now become very vague. What marks there are on the ground lead erroneously up to an unopenable gate to a byway (the correct route is supposed to turn right but we saw no apparent stile). The gate is not a major issue to climb, but can present a problem to those possessed of a 30 kg dog... The dark slate ruins stand out against the leakage of light from the coast (where the weather was not quite so grim) under the heavy blanket of low cloud which had submerged Snowdonia above about 500m.
Barrack-mawr
The photograph is taken from a public footpath, though you'd hardly know it, as the route which seemed clear as it wound its way up through the old slate quarries has by now become very vague. What marks there are on the ground lead erroneously up to an unopenable gate to a byway (the correct route is supposed to turn right but we saw no apparent stile). The gate is not a major issue to climb, but can present a problem to those possessed of a 30 kg dog... The dark slate ruins stand out against the leakage of light from the coast (where the weather was not quite so grim) under the heavy blanket of low cloud which had submerged Snowdonia above about 500m.
Angela's Coach near Llanberis Angela Coaches' VDL Futura coach (R600 ACL) on the A4086 road about one mile outside Llanberis.
Angela's Coach near Llanberis
Angela Coaches' VDL Futura coach (R600 ACL) on the A4086 road about one mile outside Llanberis.
The western tip of a Cefn Du spoil heap The tongue of slate waste is slowly being colonised by conifers from the nearby Donen Las plantation.
The western tip of a Cefn Du spoil heap
The tongue of slate waste is slowly being colonised by conifers from the nearby Donen Las plantation.
Hen dramffordd ddiwydiannol / former industrial tramway One of the tongues of slate on the south side of Cefn Du. Waste slate from Chwarel Fawr [Cefn Du] was dumped here off the end of each tip. The tramway on this particular tip was not mapped by the OS in 1888, but was mapped in 1899. It had disappeared by 1913, but the tip itself still remains.
Hen dramffordd ddiwydiannol / former industrial tramway
One of the tongues of slate on the south side of Cefn Du. Waste slate from Chwarel Fawr [Cefn Du] was dumped here off the end of each tip. The tramway on this particular tip was not mapped by the OS in 1888, but was mapped in 1899. It had disappeared by 1913, but the tip itself still remains.
Gwastraff llechi / Slate waste, Cefn Du [1] From a small quarry that was described as 'old' in 1899.
Gwastraff llechi / Slate waste, Cefn Du [1]
From a small quarry that was described as 'old' in 1899.
Olion y diwydiant llechi / Remains of the slate industry Waste slate on Cefn Du.
Olion y diwydiant llechi / Remains of the slate industry
Waste slate on Cefn Du.
Diwedd y domen lechi / the end of the slate tip The tipping point on one of the slate tips on the south side of Cefn Du. Waste slate from Chwarel Fawr [Cefn Du] was dumped here off the end of each tip. The tramway on this particular tip was not mapped by the OS in 1888, but was mapped in 1899. It had disappeared by 1913, but the tip itself still remains.
Diwedd y domen lechi / the end of the slate tip
The tipping point on one of the slate tips on the south side of Cefn Du. Waste slate from Chwarel Fawr [Cefn Du] was dumped here off the end of each tip. The tramway on this particular tip was not mapped by the OS in 1888, but was mapped in 1899. It had disappeared by 1913, but the tip itself still remains.
Y man gollwng ar y domen lechi / The slate tip's tipping point [1] Built up so the wagon can tip up. Waste slate from Chwarel Fawr [Cefn Du] was dumped here off the end of each tip. The tramway on this particular tip was not mapped by the OS in 1888, but was mapped in 1899. It had disappeared by 1913, but the tip itself still remains.
Y man gollwng ar y domen lechi / The slate tip's tipping point [1]
Built up so the wagon can tip up. Waste slate from Chwarel Fawr [Cefn Du] was dumped here off the end of each tip. The tramway on this particular tip was not mapped by the OS in 1888, but was mapped in 1899. It had disappeared by 1913, but the tip itself still remains.
Gwastraff llechi / Slate waste, Cefn Du [2] Nature is very slowly colonising the slate tips.
Gwastraff llechi / Slate waste, Cefn Du [2]
Nature is very slowly colonising the slate tips.
Coeden ar y domen lechi / Tree on the slate tip It's common enough to see small conifers growing on the Chwarel Fawr [Cefn Du] slate tips, but very unusual to see a deciduous tree.
Coeden ar y domen lechi / Tree on the slate tip
It's common enough to see small conifers growing on the Chwarel Fawr [Cefn Du] slate tips, but very unusual to see a deciduous tree.
Coeden binwydd ar y domen lechi / Pine tree on the slate tip Small conifers are beginning to colonise the slate tips of Chwarel Fawr [Cefn Du].
Coeden binwydd ar y domen lechi / Pine tree on the slate tip
Small conifers are beginning to colonise the slate tips of Chwarel Fawr [Cefn Du].
Diwedd y domen llechen hir / The end of the long slate tip Built up so the wagon can tip up. Waste slate from Chwarel Fawr [Cefn Du] was dumped here off the end of each tip. The tramway on this particular tip was mapped by the OS in 1888 and 1899. It had disappeared by 1913, but the tip itself still remains.
Diwedd y domen llechen hir / The end of the long slate tip
Built up so the wagon can tip up. Waste slate from Chwarel Fawr [Cefn Du] was dumped here off the end of each tip. The tramway on this particular tip was mapped by the OS in 1888 and 1899. It had disappeared by 1913, but the tip itself still remains.
Cerddwyr ar Gefn Du / Walkers on Cefn Du A choice of routes on open access land.
Cerddwyr ar Gefn Du / Walkers on Cefn Du
A choice of routes on open access land.
Tair tomen llechi / Three slate tips The one in the foreground had a tramway mapped in 1888 and 1899, but not in 1913. The higher one in the middle had no tramway mapped in 1888, but was shown with one in 1899 and 1913. The highest one at the back only had a tramway mapped in 1899, not in 1888 nor in 1913. This helps identify the order in which they were created.
Tair tomen llechi / Three slate tips
The one in the foreground had a tramway mapped in 1888 and 1899, but not in 1913. The higher one in the middle had no tramway mapped in 1888, but was shown with one in 1899 and 1913. The highest one at the back only had a tramway mapped in 1899, not in 1888 nor in 1913. This helps identify the order in which they were created.
Below Pen-y-bwlch
Below Pen-y-bwlch
Parc-y-Gleision Standing Stone
Parc-y-Gleision Standing Stone
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Cefn Du is located at Grid Ref: SH5460 (Lat: 53.120551, Lng: -4.1692247)

Unitary Authority: Gwynedd

Police Authority: North Wales

What 3 Words

///windows.pulps.amuses. Near Llanberis, Gwynedd

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Cefn Du

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Nearby Amenities

Located within 500m of 53.120551,-4.1692247
Cefn Du
Description: OS trig pillar
Ele: 441.35
Man Made: survey_point
Note: Accurate location import for imagery offset calibration. Please do not move.
Ref: S7314
Source: Ordnance Survey (OGL)
Survey Point: pillar
Tpuk Ref: TP2075
Lat/Long: 53.1208475/-4.1709075
OpenStreetMap
Google Maps
Barrier: stile
Lat/Long: 53.1200139/-4.1631038
OpenStreetMap
Google Maps
Man Made: adit
Lat/Long: 53.1171053/-4.1664068
OpenStreetMap
Google Maps
Cefn Du
Ele: 442
Natural: peak
Lat/Long: 53.120684/-4.1708302
OpenStreetMap
Google Maps
Man Made: adit
Lat/Long: 53.1202462/-4.1620513
OpenStreetMap
Google Maps
Man Made: adit
Lat/Long: 53.1185898/-4.1648542
OpenStreetMap
Google Maps
The data included in this document is from www.openstreetmap.org. The data is made available under ODbL.
Moel-y-Gest Caernarfonshire
Dun na Beinne Perthshire

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