Nant Ffrancon Pass
Encyclopedia
The Nant Ffrancon Pass in Snowdonia
, North Wales
, is the long steady climb of the A5 road between Bethesda, Gwynedd, and Llyn Ogwen
in Conwy
. The summit at 312 metres (1,023.6 ft) is at Pont Wern-gof, about one-third of a mile beyond the eastern end of Llyn Ogwen. From here the road descends through Nant y Benglog to Capel Curig
and through to Betws-y-Coed
. The A5 is the Holyhead
to London
trunk road, which was re-engineered by Thomas Telford
between 1810 and 1826. The original road through the Nant Ffrancon was constructed by Lord Penrhyn
in the late 18th century, and at Capel Curig in 1801 he built a coaching inn, which is now Plas y Brenin
, the UK National Mountaineering Centre.
Nant Ffrancon itself is a steep-sided glacial valley dropping to Bethesda between the Glyderau
and the Carneddau
. The valley starts in Cwm Idwal
, carrying water from Llyn-y-Cwn through the Devil’s Kitchen and Llyn Idwal
to join the Ogwen Valley below the Ogwen Falls on Afon Ogwen. Unlike Lord Penrhyn’s road, which largely followed the valley floor, Telford carved much of his road out of the north-eastern slopes of the Nant Ffrancon, thereby encountering difficulties in construction and future maintenance. But this enabled Telford to observe a maximum grade of 1 in 14 along the whole route from London to Holyhead in order to facilitate the operation of horse drawn mail coaches throughout.
It has been frequently used as a filming location for British film-makers, including doubling for the Khyber Pass
in the Carry On film Carry On up the Khyber
, and doubling for the Himalayas in the Doctor Who
serial The Abominable Snowmen
. The Pass was also used as a location in the 1950s film Inn Of The Sixth Happiness.
Snowdonia
Snowdonia is a region in north Wales and a national park of in area. It was the first to be designated of the three National Parks in Wales, in 1951.-Name and extent:...
, North Wales
North Wales
North Wales is the northernmost unofficial region of Wales. It is bordered to the south by the counties of Ceredigion and Powys in Mid Wales and to the east by the counties of Shropshire in the West Midlands and Cheshire in North West England...
, is the long steady climb of the A5 road between Bethesda, Gwynedd, and Llyn Ogwen
Llyn Ogwen
Llyn Ogwen is a lake in north-west Wales. It lies alongside the A5 road between two mountain ranges of Snowdonia, the Carneddau and the Glyderau...
in Conwy
Conwy (county borough)
Conwy County Borough is a unitary authority area in North Wales.-Geography:It contains the major settlements of Llandudno, Llandudno Junction, Llanrwst, Betws-y-Coed, Conwy, Colwyn Bay, Abergele, Penmaenmawr and Llanfairfechan, and has a total population of about 110,000.The River Conwy, after...
. The summit at 312 metres (1,023.6 ft) is at Pont Wern-gof, about one-third of a mile beyond the eastern end of Llyn Ogwen. From here the road descends through Nant y Benglog to Capel Curig
Capel Curig
Capel Curig is a village and community in Conwy County Borough, in Wales. It lies in the heart of Snowdonia, on the River Llugwy, and has a population of 226...
and through to Betws-y-Coed
Betws-y-Coed
Betws-y-Coed is a village and community in the Conwy valley in Conwy County Borough, Wales. It has a population of 534. The name Betws or Bettws is generally thought to be derived from the Anglo-Saxon Old English 'bed-hus' - i.e. a bead-house - a house of prayer, or oratory...
. The A5 is the Holyhead
Holyhead
Holyhead is the largest town in the county of Anglesey in the North Wales. It is also a major port adjacent to the Irish Sea serving Ireland....
to London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
trunk road, which was re-engineered by Thomas Telford
Thomas Telford
Thomas Telford FRS, FRSE was a Scottish civil engineer, architect and stonemason, and a noted road, bridge and canal builder.-Early career:...
between 1810 and 1826. The original road through the Nant Ffrancon was constructed by Lord Penrhyn
Richard Pennant, 1st Baron Penrhyn
Richard Pennant, 1st Baron Penrhyn was a slave owner, anti-abolitionist Member of Parliament and Irish peer.Richard Pennant was educated at Newsome's academy in Hackney and Trinity College, Cambridge...
in the late 18th century, and at Capel Curig in 1801 he built a coaching inn, which is now Plas y Brenin
Plas y Brenin
Plas y Brenin, is currently the The National Mountain Centre for Wales . The Centre is situated in Dyffryn Mymbyr, the Mymbyr Valley, in Snowdonia and is less than a quarter of a mile south-west of the centre of Capel Curig on the A4086 road....
, the UK National Mountaineering Centre.
Nant Ffrancon itself is a steep-sided glacial valley dropping to Bethesda between the Glyderau
Glyderau
The Glyderau are a mountain group in Snowdonia, North Wales. The name derives from the highest peaks in the range, Glyder Fawr and Glyder Fach....
and the Carneddau
Carneddau
The Carneddau , are a group of mountains in Snowdonia, Wales. It includes the largest contiguous areas of high ground in Wales and England, as well as six or seven of the highest peaks in the country—the Fourteen Peaks...
. The valley starts in Cwm Idwal
Cwm Idwal
Cwm Idwal is a hanging valley in the Glyderau range of mountains in northern Snowdonia, the national park in the mountainous region of North Wales. Its main interest is to hill walkers and rock climbers, but it is also of interest to geologists and naturalists, given its combination of altitude ,...
, carrying water from Llyn-y-Cwn through the Devil’s Kitchen and Llyn Idwal
Llyn Idwal
Llyn Idwal is a small lake that lies within Cwm Idwal in the Glyderau mountains of Snowdonia.It is named after a son of Owain Gwynedd, one of the ancient Princes of Wales, legend stating that the unfortunate offspring was murdered by being drowned in the lake.A number of small streams flow into...
to join the Ogwen Valley below the Ogwen Falls on Afon Ogwen. Unlike Lord Penrhyn’s road, which largely followed the valley floor, Telford carved much of his road out of the north-eastern slopes of the Nant Ffrancon, thereby encountering difficulties in construction and future maintenance. But this enabled Telford to observe a maximum grade of 1 in 14 along the whole route from London to Holyhead in order to facilitate the operation of horse drawn mail coaches throughout.
It has been frequently used as a filming location for British film-makers, including doubling for the Khyber Pass
Khyber Pass
The Khyber Pass, is a mountain pass linking Pakistan and Afghanistan.The Pass was an integral part of the ancient Silk Road. It is mentioned in the Bible as the "Pesh Habor," and it is one of the oldest known passes in the world....
in the Carry On film Carry On up the Khyber
Carry On up the Khyber
Carry On Up the Khyber is the sixteenth Carry On film, released in 1968. It stars Carry On regulars Sid James, Kenneth Williams, Charles Hawtrey, Joan Sims, Bernard Bresslaw and Peter Butterworth. Roy Castle makes his only Carry On appearance in the "romantic male lead" part usually played by Jim...
, and doubling for the Himalayas in the Doctor Who
Doctor Who
Doctor Who is a British science fiction television programme produced by the BBC. The programme depicts the adventures of a time-travelling humanoid alien known as the Doctor who explores the universe in a sentient time machine called the TARDIS that flies through time and space, whose exterior...
serial The Abominable Snowmen
The Abominable Snowmen
The Abominable Snowmen is a serial in the British science fiction television series Doctor Who, which originally aired in six weekly parts from September 30 to November 4, 1967. The story is notable for the introduction of recurring foes, the Yeti....
. The Pass was also used as a location in the 1950s film Inn Of The Sixth Happiness.