Coed y Brenin Forest Park - Glasdir, near Dolgellau

What's here

Accessible trail
Barbeque
Parking (free)
Parking (blue badge holders)
Picnic area
Walking trail

Welcome

Glasdir is within Coed y Brenin Forest Park.

Glasdir car park is the starting point for a walk through an old copper mine. There is a picnic site with barbecue by the side of the river.

Pont Llam yr Ewig is an additional small car park for disabled visitors only. It has an accessible picnic table and is the starting point for the accessible trail to a viewpoint above the mine workings.

Walking trails

The moderate walking trail is waymarked from the Glasdir park.

The accessible trail is waymarked from the Pont Llam yr Ewig car park.

Please stay on the waymarked trails as the old mine workings and buildings may be unsafe and there are unprotected drops into the river gorges.

Glasdir Copper Trail (red waymarkers from Glasdir car park)

Highlights: Discover an old copper works hidden in a quiet rural setting.
Distance: 1¼ miles, 2 kilometres
Grade: moderate
Trail description: Follow the red waymarkers from the main Glasdir car park through the picnic site down to the river. The trail then takes in a circuit of the old copper mine set into the hillside in a series of high stone terraces. The trail is often less than 1m wide in places, on an unmade, uneven surface, where you can expect mud, rocks and tree roots. There are several flights of steps on the steep ascents and descents through the old workings.

You can download an audio trail and listen to the history of the Glasdir copper mine.

Glasdir Accessible Trail (blue waymarkers from Pont Llam yr Ewig accessible car park)

Highlights: The viewpoint above the mine workings.
Distance: ½ mile, 800m
Grade: accessible
Trail description: Follow the blue waymarkers from the Pont Llam yr Ewig car park along an old tramway to the viewpoint above the mine workings. The accessible trail is suitable for wheelchairs. It is 1.5m wide, flat, well surfaced with passing bays every 50m and resting points every 150m.

You can download an audio trail and listen to the history of the Glasdir copper mine.

Audio trail

Learn about the history of the Glasdir Copper Mine on our mp3 audio trail.

It has been designed for use on the Glasdir Copper Trail and starts from the Glasdir car park

A shortened version of the trail for use on the Glasdir Accessible Trail takes in tracks 2, 6, 7 and 8 and starts from the Pont Llam yr Ewig accessible car park.

There are numbered posts on the walking trail which tell you when to play each section.

As mobile phone network coverage can be limited in rural areas, we recommend that you download the audio trail before your visit.

You can also download a PDF file of the script.

To download the audio trail go to Audio trails and folk tales.

Exploring Coed y Brenin Forest Park

Coed y Brenin Forest Park offers visitors the total woodland experience within Eryri (Snowdonia) National Park.

There are a range of waymarked trails to cater for all tastes and fitness levels in the forest park. These include world-class mountain bike trails, family walks, running trails, geocaching and orienteering routes.

As well as the walking trails that start here at Glasdir, the main car parks with facilities for visitors within Coed y Brenin Forest Park are:

Coed y Brenin Forest Park Visitor Centre - the gateway to the forest park and the starting point for a range of walking, running and mountain biking trails. There is also a café and bike shop
Pont Cae’n-y-coed – start of the rugged Volcano Trail
Tyddyn Gwladys – a picnic site by the rolling Mawddach river and gateway to the Waterfalls and Goldmines walk
Forest Garden – a choice of routes through trees from all over the world in the forest garden, one of which is suitable for all abilities
Pont Ty'n-y-groes – riverside picnic area and gateway to an accessible riverside walk and a rugged mountain trail with great views over Eryri

Eryri (Snowdonia) National Park

Coed y Brenin Forest Park is set in Eryri (Snowdonia) National Park.

Eryri is the largest National Park in Wales and is home to picturesque towns and villages and the highest mountain in Wales.

It is looked after by the Eryri National Park Authority.

For more information about visiting Eryri go to the Eryri National Park Authority website.

National Forest for Wales

Coed y Brenin Forest Park forms part of the National Forest for Wales.

The National Forest will:

create areas of new woodland
enhance existing woodlands
restore Wales’ irreplaceable ancient woodlands

It will form a connected ecological network running throughout Wales, bringing social, economic and environmental benefits.

Parts of the network will eventually form a trail running the length and breadth of Wales, so anyone can access it wherever they live.

For more information go to the National Forest for Wales website.

Visiting safely

We want you to return home safely after your visit here.

You are responsible for your own safety as well as the safety of any children and animals with you during your visit.

Please note:

Keep to the trail as mine workings are dangerous places with sheer drops.

For advice and tips to help you plan your visit here go to Visiting our places safely.

Accessibility information

The car park at Pont Llam yr Ewig is for the use of disabled visitors only.

The accessible trail to the viewpoint over the mine workings starts from the Pont Llam yr Ewig car park.

Changes to visitor facilities

See the top of this webpage for details of any planned closures or other changes to visitor facilities here.

For your safety, always follow instructions from staff and signs including those for trail diversions or closures.

We may divert or close trails whilst we undertake maintenance work or other operations and we may need to close other visitor facilities temporarily.

In extreme weather, we may close facilities at short notice due to the risk of injury to visitors and staff.

How to get here

Location

The Glasdir car park and the Pont Llam yr Ewig car park are off the A470, near the village of Ganllwyd.

It is in the county of Gwynedd.

Ordnance Survey map

The OS grid reference for the Glasdir car park is SH 737 225.

The OS grid reference for the Pont Llam yr Ewig car park is SH 743 226.

Directions to Glasdir car park

From the south: Take the A470 north from Dolgellau. About 200 metres after passing the Tyn y Groes Hotel, turn right following the brown tourist signs to Ty'n y Groes. Follow the tarmac road past the Ty’n y Groes picnic site for just over one kilometre. The Glasdir car park is on the right with a picnic site a short walk away across the road.

From the north: Take the A470 south towards Dolgellau. After passing through Ganllwyd village, turn left following the brown tourist signs to Ty'n y Groes. Follow the tarmac road past the Ty’n y Groes picnic site for just over one kilometre. The Glasdir car park is on the right with a picnic site a short walk away across the road.

Directions to Pont Llam yr Ewig car park

Follow the directions to Glasdir car park. When you reach the Glasdir car park, continue along the tarmac road, bear sharp left up the steep hill, turn right at the crossroads at the top of the hill and the small Pont Llam yr Ewig car park is on the right over the stone bridge. Please note: Pont Llam yr Ewig is car park for the use of disabled visitors only.