Cwm Penmachno, Near Betws-Y-Coed, Snowdonia

Cwm Penmachno is a village at the head of Cwm Machno in North Wales built in the 1860s as a quarry settlement. The Rhiw Machno quarry lay south above the settlement. Higher up the valley was the Rhiwbach slate quarry. There is a Heritage Room inside the community centre at the former Shiloh Chapel where you can learn more about the area and see some artefacts found in the quarry. The village is positioned between Betws-y-Coed and Blaenau Ffestiniog. At the time slate was transported by horse and cart for 7 miles to the Conwy river or hauled over the hills to the Rhiwbach Tramway. More info on the quarries can be found here.

Streams flow from the steep-sided valley, forming the source of the River Machno, which runs past our cottage and continues meandering through the valley, through the larger village of Penmachno before joining the River Conwy south of Betws-y-Coed.

Our cottage was one of the shops that served the village and there were workshops in the garden for a taxi service. It sounds like the owner at the time Dafydd Evans was quite the entrepreneur. Below right is a model built of what residents remember the shop looking like at the time.

Needless to say, the area is a walkers paradise and the restored Snowdonia Slate Trail passes through the area. I'd also highly recommend the slate mine tours operated by Go Below for a really interesting and fun-filled day. Cycling enthusiasts will enjoy The Penmachno Mountain Bike Trail, which starts at the car park located between Cwm Penmachno and Penmachno.