It's a shame there’s no convenient parking spot, other than in Bethesda itself. I really don’t fancy leaving my car on a side road. I surprised there’s no incentive to build a pay car park for walkers.
This was discussed at length on this forum a few years ago.
From the notes I made at the time:
There is a car park behind Yr Sior or King George pub SH625671 (on the left of the road where it says Cilfodan on the map).
http://www.walkingforum.co.uk/index.php?topic=24607.0 (Aug 2013)
and further information at
http://www.walkingforum.co.uk/index.php?PHPSESSID=7280b7f423663ea0bc3a8c6e84a956c0&topic=34829.msg502385;topicseen#msg502385Some quotes from the threads:
"There is always a parking place available and I've left my car there for many hours without any problems at all times of the year, and because it's got constant use by locals it's as safe as it gets.
It's just under a mile walk along the upper roads of Gerlan passing the Co Op shop on your left.
That car park behind Yr Sior is the only one where you can park several cars legally.
Parking in Gerlan is heavily controlled with virtually every parking space available a parking permit only for residence.
There are three places available by the pump station and that's it.
One reason you see few if any walkers in the Caseg Valley above Gerlan is because of parking issues not because the western Carneddau are a mystery to the average walker."
Another poster wrote, "I found a great little spot on the road up to the trail-head...it's by the playground which is a little football pitch, a large enough space to fit my car in without blocking access to the gate."