1 week Ago By [email protected] (Owen Hughes, Ellie Gosley)
Despite its imposing stature and the breathtaking walk across the valley below, this 'path in the sky' remains a relatively undiscovered marvel. Nestled within Eryri National Park, Cwm Prysor Viaduct is removed from the well-trodden tourist paths that draw millions each year. The viaduct stretches 450ft across the valley and was once part of the Blaenau Ffestiniog-Bala Railway.
Standing at 120ft tall, it boasts nine elegantly curved arches. Rail services commenced in 1882, but by January, 1961, the last freight train had traversed the viaduct. This came after falling passenger numbers and the final nail in the coffin was the decision to flood the Afon Tryweryn valley to create Llyn Celyn.
The decision was made against rerouting the railway, opting instead to invest in the A4212 road. The tracks were removed later that decade, and, since then, nature has partially reclaimed the viaduct, with a green trail now marking its top. While not an official public right of way, it is a 'permissive path', meaning visitors can access it thanks to an agreement between the Eryri National Park Authority and the landowner, reports North Wales Live .
Despite its grand scale, the viaduct has managed to stay a "hidden gem" in a less populated area of Eryri, situated between Trawsfynydd and Bala. Social media may change that although the often boggy landscape should ensure it is never overrun. This week, the viaduct gained sudden fame among hundreds of thousands of TikTok users after Jason Rees featured it in a video on his account @altitudecaptures.
From superstar gigs to cosy pubs, find out What’s On in Wales by signing up to our newsletter here Jason said: "It's situated in a nice quiet location with stunning views. Easily accessible to all hiking levels as the path is flat, although boggy in parts. Great to see nature growing all over the historic viaduct.
" By Friday evening, the post had garnered well over 4,000 likes and nearly 1,500 shares, with overwhelmingly positive reactions. One admirer commented: "This is absolutely stunning, where is this." Another added: "I love nature.
You build something, abandon it and nature will claim it. Nature accepts everything." WelshWonderList chimed in with an enthusiastic, "Amazing views!" and TheWanderingMum added, "this looks so cool, adding to my wishlist".
The video was even dubbed the "highlight" of someone's daily TikTok browsing. However, some, like Georgina, were not as impressed about the treasured hotspot gaining notoriety, saying: "Oh no. Hafren forest (a popular boardwalk) has been ruined by social media, so here goes another wonderful place.
" Jason stood firm in his belief, however: "Earth is for exploring. As long as people don't leave any mess behind, we all have the right and freedom to explore new and wonderful places." But Georgina voiced concerns that those who came because of Tiktok "do leave mess" and that the infrastructure may not be able to take the strain.
Supporting her stance, a local resident aired grievances about bags of discarded dog waste and disrespectful visitors, sparking debate with a reply that said, "you can't gatekeep walks". Unlike the easily accessible Hafren, the nature of the landscape should ensure it does not attract the crowds seen in those woods, despite the social media attention..
