Despite its grandeur and the captivating walk that spans the valley below, the ‘path in the sky’ remains an enigma to many. Tucked away in Eryri National Park, Cwm Prysor Viaduct stands apart from the bustling tourist hotspots that attract millions annually. Spanning 450ft across the terrain and rising to a height of 120ft, the viaduct, once part of the Blaenau Ffestiniog-Bala Railway, is distinguished by its nine gracefully curved arches.
The inaugural rail journey took place in 1882, yet by January 1961, the last cargo train had rumbled across the viaduct. Its closure followed dwindling passenger numbers and was compounded by the decision to flood the Afon Tryweryn valley to construct Llyn Celyn, opting to forgo rerouting the railway in favour of upgrading the A4212 road instead.
The tracks were dismantled within that same decade, allowing nature to lay claim to the structure as foliage carpeted the viaduct’s crest. Although not legally designated as a public right of way, it operates as a ‘permissive path’, enabling visitor access courtesy of an accord struck between the landowner and Eryri National Park Authority.
In spite of its impressive dimensions, the viaduct remains a “hidden gem” within the sparser reaches of Eryri, nestled between Trawsfynydd and Bala. While social media could shine a spotlight on this locale, the area’s often soggy ground may prevent it from ever becoming swamped by visitors, reports North Wales Live.
The viaduct recently became an overnight sensation on TikTok when Jason Rees showcased the architectural marvel in a video on his handle @altitudecaptures.
Jason praised the spot, saying: “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 clip had amassed over 4,000 likes and close to 1,500 shares, receiving a plethora of positive comments. A smitten viewer wrote, “This is absolutely stunning. Where is this?”
Another expressed their fondness for nature: “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”.
In contrast to the popular Hafren Forest, the challenging terrain is expected to deter large crowds, regardless of its newfound social media spotlight.