Routes

Planner

Features

Updates

App

Get the App

Routes

Hiking trails & Routes

Penrhyn Quarry – Penrhyn Quarry loop from Bethesda

Routes

Hiking trails & Routes

Penrhyn Quarry – Penrhyn Quarry loop from Bethesda

Easy

4.4

(7)

hikers

Penrhyn Quarry – Penrhyn Quarry loop from Bethesda

01:29

5.49km

70m

Hiking

Easy hike. Great for any fitness level. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels. The starting point of the route is right next to a parking lot.

Last updated: February 11, 2026

Waypoints

Start point

Parking

Get Directions

339 m

Tricky Left Turn Between Houses

Highlight • Structure

Don't miss this left turn its basically a tunnel between the two houses

Tip by

1.06 km

Penrhyn Quarry

Highlight • Structure

The town of Bethesda is surrounded by both natural beauty and obvious reminders of its slate mining heritage. It is a great base for adventures in Snowdonia's majestic mountains, particularly with the contrasting Carneddau and Glyderau ranges so close.

The grey-blue slate wastes of Penrhyn Quarry dominate the hillside to the south of the town. In the 19th century, it was the largest slate quarry in the world, employing nearly 3,000 men. It is still operational today, but on a much reduced scale. It also boasts Europe's longest zipwire, at almost a mile (1.6 km) long.

Tip by

1.08 km

Caffi Coed-y-Brenin

Highlight • Cafe

cheap and cheerful pitstop

Tip by

3.64 km

Penrhyn Quarry

Highlight • Historical Site

Penrhyn Quarry was the largest slate quarry in the world by the end of the 19th century. In its prime, it employed nearly 3,000 men who toiled in tunnels that reached a mile (1.6 km) into the hillside and delved 1,200 feet (370 m) deep.

The Great Penrhyn Quarry Strike of 1900 to 1903 was one of the most notable industrial strikes in history. The culmination of several years of anger at the conditions endured by workers, it was a battle that changed the community in this part of North Wales forever.

Today, the quarry is still operational and employs a few hundred people. It is also home to Velocity 2, the fastest zipline in the world, which flies an incredible 1,640 feet (500 m) above the quarry lake.

Tip by

4.00 km

Tyn Twr

Highlight • Historical Site

4.67 km

Coed Bryn-Meurig

Forest

5.49 km

End point

Parking

Way Types & Surfaces

Way Types

3.06 km

984 m

825 m

356 m

253 m

Surfaces

1.66 km

1.47 km

1.43 km

825 m

103 m

Elevation

Nothing selected – click and drag below to see the stats for a specific part of the route.

Weather

Wednesday 6 May

13°C

4°C

-- %

Additional weather tips

Max wind speed: -- km/h

to get more detailed weather forecasts along your route

Our route recommendations are based on thousands of hikes, rides, and runs completed by other people on komoot.

Navigate

Send to Phone

Save

Edit route

Download GPX

Move start point

Embed on a website

Report an Issue

Nearby routes

Moderate

4.9

8,781

Snowdon via Pyg and Miners' Track Loop

04:56h

12.3km

680m

Hard

4.8

1,521

Snowdon via the Watkins path

05:17h

13.4km

980m

Hard

4.9

1,471

Snowdon loop on the Watkin Path from Nant Gwynant — Snowdonia National Park

05:22h

13.3km

980m

Easy

4.8

914

Llyn Idwal loop from Ogwen Cottage — Eryri / Snowdonia National Park

01:32h

4.77km

200m

Hard

4.8

935

Snowdon Horseshoe

05:51h

12.4km

870m

Moderate

4.8

945

Y Garn to Glyder Fach loop — Parc Cenedlaethol Eryri | Snowdonia National Park

04:21h

9.04km

850m

Easy

4.8

1,403

Llyn Idwal loop from Ogwen Cottage — Eryri (Snowdonia) National Park

01:11h

4.18km

100m

Moderate

4.8

576

Cwm Idwal & Y Garn loop from Ogwen Cottage — Eryri / Snowdonia National Park

03:07h

7.35km

610m

Hard

4.9

1,062

Moel Siabod and Daear Ddu Ridge Loop

04:59h

13.4km

770m

Hard

4.7

1,029

Rhyd Ddu and Snowdon Ranger Paths Loop

06:27h

17.8km

1,060m

Moderate

4.4

938

Around Llyn Padarn from Llanberis

02:23h

8.57km

150m

Hard

4.7

635

Glyder Fach & Glyder Fawr loop via Bristly Ridge from Ogwen Cottage — Snowdonia National Park

04:13h

8.84km

730m

Penrhyn Quarry – Penrhyn Quarry loop from Bethesda

Tricky Left Turn Between Houses

Penrhyn Quarry

Caffi Coed-y-Brenin

Penrhyn Quarry

Tyn Twr

Nearby routes

Sign up or log in to keep exploring this route

We value your privacy ⛰️

We value your privacy ⛰️