Salem

Settlement in Caernarfonshire

Wales

Salem

Looking S from near the summit of Moel Eilio The summits of Snowdon and Y Garn on the skyline. — Looking S from near the summit of Moel Eilio Credit: SK53

Salem is a small village located in the county of Caernarfonshire, Wales. Situated amidst the stunning Snowdonia National Park, this picturesque village offers a tranquil and scenic setting for residents and visitors alike. With a population of around 500 people, Salem is known for its close-knit community and friendly atmosphere.

The village is surrounded by breathtaking natural beauty, with rolling hills, lush green valleys, and picturesque lakes. Outdoor enthusiasts are drawn to Salem for its excellent walking and hiking trails, providing opportunities to explore the stunning landscapes and take in the fresh mountain air.

Despite its small size, Salem boasts a few amenities to cater to the needs of its residents. These include a local convenience store, a village hall that hosts community events and gatherings, and a charming pub where locals and visitors can relax and socialize.

Salem is also home to a primary school, providing education for children in the village and the surrounding areas. The school serves as a hub for the community, fostering a sense of unity and providing educational opportunities for the younger generation.

While Salem may not be a bustling hub of activity, its charm lies in its tranquility and natural beauty. Visitors often come to escape the hustle and bustle of city life and immerse themselves in the peaceful surroundings. With its idyllic setting and welcoming community, Salem is truly a gem in the heart of Caernarfonshire.

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Salem Images

Images are sourced within 2km of 53.088338/-4.173944 or Grid Reference SH5456. Thanks to Geograph Open Source API. All images are credited.

Looking S from near the summit of Moel Eilio

The summits of Snowdon and Y Garn on the skyline.

SK53

Welsh Highland Railway train near Betws Garmon

Welsh Highland Railway Garratt locomotive No.K1 about to pass under the A4085 in Nant-y-Betws with a train from Caernarfon to Rhyd-Ddu, which was the terminus of the line at the time.

Bob Walters

Geology and botany of Moel Eilio

The views of Snowdon and its environs from an ascent of Moel Eilio are reputed to be magnificent, but if you have the misfortune to choose a day like this for the ascent, I recommend an interest in the botany of the peat moorland (mostly sedges) or the underlying geology as revealed by the wear and tear on the footpath, as these are all that you will see. It took some research even to work out whether the view was looking up to the heavens or back down the way we'd come (the latter proved the case), but facing away from the wind-driven rain was the best direction to get any kind of unblurred photo. The rocks down there (almost beyond the range of my vision, having removed rain-spattered spectacles) are silt- and mudstones of the Ordovician Nant Ffrancon formation. The formation spans the late Arenig, the Llanvirn, Llandeilo and probably the early part of the Caradoc stages with no clear distinctions between them having been mapped. That suggests an absence of recognisable fossil evidence (Ordovician zones are usually based on graptolites, which somehow fail to excite most people, and are not an easy diagnostic). There are certainly no faunal zones depicted on the stratigraphic columns in the relevant BGS sheet (106, Bangor).

Andy Waddington

A small part of Moel Eilio

I would have hoped to categorise this as "Summit view", but that would leave me open to the charge of blatant dishonesty. The good thing about geograph is being able to browse all these other images of what we ought to have been able to see on this November ascent in most of a gale and wind-driven rain. Snowdon, for example. I was lucky to be able to see my feet most of the time, with or without my glasses... The "view" is taken from just in the lee of the summit wind shelter, which was occupied by four people who had just beaten us to the top. Covid precautions would have kept us out anyway, but as they had sandwiches, it seemed unlikely that they would welcome the company of a manic Flat-coated Retriever (30 kg of hunger) and a totally bonkers Collie, so our pause here was very brief.

Andy Waddington

Dog stopper on Foel Gron

Thirty kilograms is a good weight for a flat-coated retriever (courtesy of my daughter, who had gone mountain biking elsewhere) if you don't want it to blow off the mountain in a gale, but is less convenient when there are umpteen stiles along the way and you are trying to stay one fence away from a big drop off into a deep cwm in poor visibility. The collie (our own) is less than half that weight and more likely to become airborne. The lack of view ahead and the path becoming increasingly vague once we were south of Moel Eilio also contributed to crossing more stiles like this one than were strictly necessary. I'd recommend this walk on a day when the reputed stunning views across to Snowdon are actually realisable and standing upright more readily achievable.

Andy Waddington