Author Topic: Parking in Snowdonia  (Read 10968 times)

clyoung

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Parking in Snowdonia
« on: 14:41:25, 24/01/17 »
No, not another rant about the cost of parking at Pen y Pass, I've got some queries about the practicalities of parking in various places.

1. If you stay at YHA Pen y Pass, arrive in the evening and park in the Pay and Display car park, does your parking charge only last until midnight or until 24 hours later?
2. If it runs out at midnight, what are you supposed to do about paying for the next day?
3. Do you pay for the laybys down near Pen y Gwryd now?
4. If you do, how does that work with leaving cars there over night, does your parking ticket run out at midnight?
5. If you just park at those laybys for a day, how early do you need to get there on a sunny Saturday?
6. Is there anywhere near YHA Betws-y-coed where you could leave a car for free so you could spend a night there, catch the bus to Pen y Pass then stay that night at YHA Pen y Pass before catching the bus back to Betws-y-coed the next day?
7. How early do you need to get to the Pont Bethania car park on a sunny Saturday to get a space?

Having gone up Rhyd Ddu and down Snowdon Ranger last year, I'd now like to do Pyg/Miners and/or the scramble up Y Gribin. Much as I'd love to do the whole thing from home by public transport, that's not possible for a weekend trip leaving on the Friday after my sons get home from school.

Owen

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Re: Parking in Snowdonia
« Reply #1 on: 15:32:50, 24/01/17 »
There used to be reserved parking for people staying at the pen-y-pass YHA, try contacting the hostel to see if this is still the case. Don't know about parking in the pass, don't go to North Wales much these day it far too crowded.

clyoung

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Re: Parking in Snowdonia
« Reply #2 on: 15:57:40, 24/01/17 »
There used to be reserved parking for people staying at the pen-y-pass YHA, try contacting the hostel to see if this is still the case. Don't know about parking in the pass, don't go to North Wales much these day it far too crowded.

Thanks but I've read that doesn't apply any more and their own website says:

There is no free parking on site, but there is a small pay and display car park opposite the hostel, which offers a limited number of parking spaces.

clyoung

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Re: Parking in Snowdonia
« Reply #3 on: 16:28:11, 24/01/17 »
Got a very quick response from the YHA, you only pay to park between 9 and 5pm (6pm in the summer). So that deals with 1 and 2. Would still love to hear from anyone with experience of using the laybys, YHA Betws-y-coed and Pont Bethania.

phil1960

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Re: Parking in Snowdonia
« Reply #4 on: 17:11:35, 24/01/17 »
http://www.eryri-npa.gov.uk/archived/visiting-old/snowdonia-for-all/toilets/car-parks-in-snowdonia Might help, might not. Not entirely clear what you are looking for exactly, but you don't get much for nowt these days. I've used a couple of free to park lay-bys in Nantgwynant, fine and safe, also the free car park in Beddgelert. If I remember the layby near Pont Cyfyng between Betsy and Capel Curig is also free.
Touching from a distance, further all the time.

Penygadair

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Re: Parking in Snowdonia
« Reply #5 on: 17:33:36, 24/01/17 »
Unless my memory has gone altogether, the YHA at Betws is opposite a large lay by on the A5 which is used by visitors to the Swallow Falls. I'm not certain that I would leave a car there all day given the number of visitors.
The YHA is about two miles west of Betws so you could drive down to the village and park in the first car park opposite the station building. All the other car parks there are pay & display but the one I mention is free. There is a bus (S2) from Betws to Pen y Pass at 09.10 every day with a return from PyP at 16.50. Possibly additional services after Easter.




clyoung

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Re: Parking in Snowdonia
« Reply #6 on: 18:37:20, 24/01/17 »
http://www.eryri-npa.gov.uk/archived/visiting-old/snowdonia-for-all/toilets/car-parks-in-snowdonia Might help, might not. Not entirely clear what you are looking for exactly, but you don't get much for nowt these days. I've used a couple of free to park lay-bys in Nantgwynant, fine and safe, also the free car park in Beddgelert. If I remember the layby near Pont Cyfyng between Betsy and Capel Curig is also free.


Thanks Phil. I don't mind paying to park at all, I'm just trying to work out the practicalities of leaving a car somewhere overnight. I've cleared that up now for Pen-y-Pass (you only pay during the daytime), but I'm also interested in the laybys on the A498. There's a path from one of them which you can see in this satellite view heading off to Pen-y-Pass:


https://drive.google.com/open?id=1UrJ7NvGH6g5bXZ53ta80r3H2O-DhrENbbQ


clyoung

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Re: Parking in Snowdonia
« Reply #7 on: 18:39:16, 24/01/17 »
Unless my memory has gone altogether, the YHA at Betws is opposite a large lay by on the A5 which is used by visitors to the Swallow Falls. I'm not certain that I would leave a car there all day given the number of visitors.
The YHA is about two miles west of Betws so you could drive down to the village and park in the first car park opposite the station building. All the other car parks there are pay & display but the one I mention is free. There is a bus (S2) from Betws to Pen y Pass at 09.10 every day with a return from PyP at 16.50. Possibly additional services after Easter.


Thanks, you're right that doesn't sound ideal for leaving a car for a long time. Thanks for the tip about an alternative.

phil1960

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Re: Parking in Snowdonia
« Reply #8 on: 19:19:51, 24/01/17 »

Thanks Phil. I don't mind paying to park at all, I'm just trying to work out the practicalities of leaving a car somewhere overnight. I've cleared that up now for Pen-y-Pass (you only pay during the daytime), but I'm also interested in the laybys on the A498. There's a path from one of them which you can see in this satellite view heading off to Pen-y-Pass:


https://drive.google.com/open?id=1UrJ7NvGH6g5bXZ53ta80r3H2O-DhrENbbQ
I've seen plenty of people parking there but not used it myself so can't really comment on that, although I would think overnight parking along that stretch wouldnt be my first choice.
Touching from a distance, further all the time.

MikeW

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Re: Parking in Snowdonia
« Reply #9 on: 20:28:04, 24/01/17 »
The car park at Pen Y Pass is £10 for the day. Pay and display with warden at weekends.  It was full before 8.30am last Saturday.
Those laybys are £4 for the day. Pay and display. Most spaces were taken by 9.30am last Saturday.
If you drive 1/2 a mile towards Capel Curig past the clearway sign there are more laybys which are free to park in. They were all full at 8.45am Last Saturday. (I got one of the last ones at 8.30)
The Pen y Gwryd hotel is currently closed though there are people, presumably the owners, in residence. It has a number of car parks which were all empty all day last Saturday. Bet you could park your car in there for a couple of days for £20.
« Last Edit: 20:32:18, 24/01/17 by MikeW »

clyoung

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Re: Parking in Snowdonia
« Reply #10 on: 20:47:24, 24/01/17 »
I've seen plenty of people parking there but not used it myself so can't really comment on that, although I would think overnight parking along that stretch wouldnt be my first choice.


You're probably right. I think having found out that I'd only have to pay for the Saturday if I stayed at Pen-y-Pass YH on the Friday night and climbed Snowdon the next day, then providing I could get a space in the car park opposite I'd fork out the tenner and be done with it. I've paid nearly as much in city centres before now for things I'm less keen on doing!

clyoung

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Re: Parking in Snowdonia
« Reply #11 on: 20:50:59, 24/01/17 »
The car park at Pen Y Pass is £10 for the day. Pay and display with warden at weekends.  It was full before 8.30am last Saturday.
Those laybys are £4 for the day. Pay and display. Most spaces were taken by 9.30am last Saturday.
If you drive 1/2 a mile towards Capel Curig past the clearway sign there are more laybys which are free to park in. They were all full at 8.45am Last Saturday. (I got one of the last ones at 8.30)
The Pen y Gwryd hotel is currently closed though there are people, presumably the owners, in residence. It has a number of car parks which were all empty all day last Saturday. Bet you could park your car in there for a couple of days for £20.


Thanks for the help on timings - presume as we get towards summer those times will get earlier and earlier. We'd be arriving at 9.30/10pm on the Friday night, fingers crossed there'd be a space then. I think I will save the layby options for if we're staying elsewhere and travelling down on the day rather than parking overnight.

kuuba27

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Re: Parking in Snowdonia
« Reply #12 on: 22:04:02, 30/07/20 »
hi where did you park? I want there tommorow arourn  8pm but I  dont kno where arking :D

richardh1905

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Re: Parking in Snowdonia
« Reply #13 on: 22:21:54, 30/07/20 »
hi where did you park? I want there tommorow arourn  8pm but I  dont kno where arking :D


Park in Llanberis and catch the Snowdon Sherpa bus. If you park at Pen y Pass, then your car will probably get towed away by the police.


https://www.thebmc.co.uk/snowdon-new-parking-restrictions
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kuuba27

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Re: Parking in Snowdonia
« Reply #14 on: 22:57:41, 30/07/20 »

Park in Llanberis and catch the Snowdon Sherpa bus. If you park at Pen y Pass, then your car will probably get towed away by the police.




Do you think I can park in lay by and leave car overnight and sleep in the tent ?

 

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