DOLGELLAU - GWYNEDD - WALES - UNITED KINGDOM

DOLGELLAU

A small market town situated at the foot of the Cader Idris mountain range in south Snowdonia.

Dolgellau

Pronounced ‘Dol-getl-aye’ and meaning ‘Meadow of the Hazels’, Dolgellau has a stern solid look due the presence of dark local stone. Being the main market town for this southern area of Snowdonia, Dolgellau is a much older town than its appearance suggests, and it lies in the shadow of the 892m mountain of Calder Idris where, according to legend, anyone who spends a night on its summit will awake a poet or a madman – or not at all!

As perhaps the most convenient access point to the southern reaches of the Snowdonia National Park, Dolgellau makes an ideal base for a relaxing break, a gentle stroll thorough the picturesque countryside or a strenuous mountain walk.

It was here that high quality gold was discovered in the 19th century in the nearby Mawddach Valley. Dolgellau became the focus of numerous gold rushes where people flocked to pan the rivers seeking their yield. Although the deposits were not large enough to sustain an intensive mining industry, small amounts were mined and crafted into beautiful articles of jewellery.

The seven arched bridge over the river dates from the early seventeenth century. The Quaker Heritage Centre also tells the story of the Quaker community that settled here and the persecution that led them to emigrate to Pennsylvania.

The Cregennen lakes are set high in the hills above the thickly wooded Mawddach Estuary.

Dolgellau has no train station but is very well served by buses from surrounding towns.