Getting to Bryn Teg
By Train
Dolwyddelan has a station on the Conway Valley Railway; although the trains are infrequent, (pages 85 - 87 in the link) travel from Manchester, London, Birmingham, Cardiff &c. is entirely feasible. Bryn Teg is about 10 minutes walk from the station:
- Leave the station by the lane past the school and then turn right, toward the centre of the village.
- Turn right at the crossroads, along the main A470.
- Go along this road past the Moriah Chapel and the Elen's Castle Hotel and, after seven more houses, turn left up a tarmaced lane, Allt Singrug.
- Bryn Teg is at the top of Allt Singrug, but note the warnings below!
There is a path across the field from the war memorial to the foot of Allt Singrug which cuts off a corner. The path starts at the right hand edge of this picture though the dilapidated metal gate has been replaced by a smart wooden one. Bryn Teg can be seen above and to the left of the white house near the right of this picture.
There are many more trains from Llandudno Junction; it takes about 35 minutes each way to take to, or collect from there. The taxi fare from Llandudno Junction to Dolwyddelan is about £40.
Gwynedd County Council has withdrawn its subsidy for the bus service so it has been severely curtailed in this part of the valley.
With some forward planning it is possible to holiday at Bryn Teg without a car. A shopping trip to Llanrwst is fairly convenient by train and the Snowdon Sherpa bus network gives access to some of the mountains and tourist hot spots of Snowdonia. Since we came to Bryn Teg we have seen a significant decline in the Snowdon Sherpa network and public transport generally in the area so please make use of it if you can.
Live Train Times
By Car
Bryn Teg's post code is LL25 0EQ, Grid Reference 273705,352633 so directions from anywhere in the UK can be obtained from Google Maps and, presumably, from satellite navigation kit - though we have not checked this out for ourselves! For those without access to these technologies, the cottage is about 200 metres off the A470 trunk road between Betws-y-Coed and Blaenau Ffestiniog. More specifically, when travelling from Betws-y-Coed on the A470, about 4 miles after turning off the A5, watch out for the Dolwyddelan village name signs (there are two) and the 30mph sign. About 300m after this there is a narrow gap between the houses on the right. Turn into this lane, Allt Singrug, ignoring the Anaddas i Fodur/Unsuitable for Motors sign! Take a very sharp left turn where the tarmac ends; Bryn Teg is at the end of this lane - just visible in this view.
Allt Singrug (the road up)
However, these various presentations of the directions leave out one crucial bit! Allt Singrug is extremely steep and narrow and at the top there is a hair-pin bend into the track leading to Bryn Teg. We very strongly advise drivers not to attempt to drive up until they have walked up and checked what is involved. Look on Youtube to get some idea of the drive up. It is definitely not possible to grasp the reality of Allt Singrug from Google Street View even though, to our considerable surprise, it is on there. First-time visitors frequently struggle with Allt Singrug and damaged clutches have resulted from rash attempts to drive up! Be aware that if you get stuck there is little assistance close at hand.
It is best if you park just round the hair-pin bend, where there is space for two cars. Don't drive right up to the gate unless there are those in your party with impaired mobility or you have particularly heavy items to deliver.
There is no street lighting so, if you arrive after dark, you will need a torch and be prepared to carry basic over-night luggage up to the cottage, leaving full unloading until daylight.
There is lighting on track between Allt Singrug and the gate to Bryn Teg with a proximity sensor at the "car park". The lights are switched on in the glass lean-to; see more on the glass lean-to.
Parking at Bryn Teg
There is space for two cars on the track from Allt Singrug to the cottage. It is just about possible to park one car adjacent to the hedge and the seat where Allt Singrug meets the main road provided care is taken not to impede access or sight lines.The nearest alternative car parking which does not inconvenience local residents is opposite the church on Church Street/Stryd y Llan.
Would those who have stayed at Bryn Teg in the past note that it is no longer possible to use the Elen's Castle Hotel car park when staying here. Charging points for electric cars are being installed in the part of the car park our visitors have used hitherto. Please also respect the Private Parking notice opposite the greenhouses at the bottom of Allt Singrug; do not park there because doing so can block access to Eurwyn Roberts' commercial nursery.
Getting into Bryn Teg
When you arrive at the house if you go through the gate from the drive on your right hand side is a porch/small greenhouse with a green door which is left unlocked. Immediately to the right of the light switch inside is a key safe containing a key to the adjacent glass-panelled door. Ask one of the Fletchers for the key safe code a couple of days before you plan to get to Bryn Teg. Inside the cottage, on the kitchen work surface, is a bunch of all the keys you will need. Please return the single key to the key safe as soon as you have let yourselves in and, at the end of your stay, leave the bunch of keys where you found it.