Bwlch y Ddwy Elor Pass & Forgotten Quarry Loop, Rhyd Ddu

Bwlch y Ddwy Elor is a place where stories, landscape and industry overlap. Its name — “the gap of the two biers” — comes from an old tradition in which funeral parties from neighbouring parishes would meet at this quiet upland col to exchange the bier before continuing their journey. Standing here today, it’s easy to imagine how remote and exposed this crossing must have felt in winter, especially for those carrying the weight of grief across the hills.

Below the bwlch lie the forgotten remains of the Prince of Wales Quarry, a short‑lived 19th‑century venture that once employed around 200 men. The incline, mill foundations and scattered ruins hint at a brief burst of industrial ambition before the quarry was abandoned due to poor-quality slate. Nature has reclaimed the site almost completely, leaving only fragments of walls and rusted metalwork tucked into the hillside.

What makes this walk special is the variety packed into a relatively short loop: quiet forest tracks, open moorland, a lonely col with a story behind its name, and the atmospheric quarry ruins hidden below. After leaving Rhyd Ddu, it’s common to see no one at all until you return — a rare feeling of solitude in such a popular part of Eryri. The final stretch back across the valley offers a magnificent view of Yr Wyddfa, especially in late afternoon light.

“This is one of those walks that feels far more remote than the map suggests. The quarry ruins are fascinating, but it’s the quietness that stays with you — you can go the whole loop without seeing another person.” — Delyth, Perthi Holiday Cottages