The new Hafod Eryri building
The replacement for the building once described as Wales’s highest slum was officially opened today – more than a year overdue.
Hafod Eryri, the new cafe near the summit of Snowdon, was opened by the Welsh First Minister Rhodri Morgan, who walked to the top of the 1,085m (3,560ft) mountain. Severe weather conditions during construction of the £8.3m building delayed its completion.
The previous unloved bunker-like edifice, designed by Portmeirion architect Sir Clough Williams-Ellis, was famously dismissed by Prince Charles as the country’s highest slum.
The project has taken three years to complete and provides, in addition to the country’s highest watering hole, information on the mountain, descent routes and a chance to shelter from the worst of the weather on the summit.
The building, the name of which means Snowdonia summer farmstead, has been designed to withstand winds of 240kph (150mph), temperatures of –20C and more than 5,000mm of rain a year.
The Snowdonia National Park Authority, Welsh Assembly Government, Snowdon Mountain Railway, Visit Wales and members of the public have provided money for the project, which also attracted European funding.
Rescuers sounded a warning to members of the public who might be tempted to walk to the Hafod. Squadron leader Spike Wright, from nearby RAF Valley, said walkers should be fully equipped and understand the route they should take. Mr Wright, who leads the 22 Squadron that operates the search-and-rescue Sea Kings that go to the aid of stricken mountain-goers, said visitors should be prepared to turn back if in doubt.
His teams, which support the volunteer mountain rescue teams in the area, have seen a 40 per cent rise in callouts compared to last year.
- Two brothers whose bodies were found below the Snowdon Mountain Railway died accidentally, a court ruled.
Christopher and James McCallion, of Weston-super-Mare, fell 180m (600ft) to the foot of Clogwyn Coch in February. The mountain was covered in snow and ice and was being blasted by 160kph (100mph) winds.
Their bodies were found about 25m apart at the base of the crags. There is a notorious convex slope above the crags and north-west Wales deputy coroner Nicola Jones heard it was most likely the pair were blown off their feet and slid down the slope and over the cliffs.
Recording a verdict of accidental death, she said neither brother was wearing crampons nor carrying an ice-axe, both of which might have helped them arrest their fall.
Pathologist Dr Tony Caslia said the cause of death for both men was a fractured skull.
Ken Hobbs
12 June 2009I'm firmly of the opinion that excellent facilities such as the Snowdon summit cafe should be provided on many more of Britains popular mountains. I'd love to see an excellent facility like this on Hellvellyn, Skiddaw or Scaffel Pike and I think it would give a better impression of our tourist infrastructure to the tourists who visit from abroad each year. Its really absurd that theres nothing on the Lakeland fells like this for the tourists. Just look at the excellent Funicular Railway they have on Cairngorms Mountain in Scotland - the tourists would flock to something like that on Scaffel Pike, it would bring them in droves and benefit Englands tourism economy greatly. Come on Lakes National Park and start making better use of the wonderful resources you have in front of you!!
alan.sloman
12 June 2009Ken Hobbs: This guy has got to be joking.
Unbelievable.
david johnson
13 June 2009Ken,
I couldn't disagree more - I do hope you are joking! The last thing I'd want is what Snowdon is afflicted with on mountains in the Lakes.
David
The Piglit
13 June 2009Brill idea Ken! Let's go for it! And if some of the money raised from these various projects could be used to help the environment then nobody is going to argue!
Garve
13 June 2009Seeing it on television, I couldn't help thinking how similar the new building is to the old one when it was at its best.
Garve
13 June 2009Quote:
"I’m firmly of the opinion that excellent facilities such as the Snowdon summit cafe should be provided on many more of Britains popular mountains."
Joking, surely?
One of the things that makes British mountains special is that so few of the summits are despoiled by cafes, huts, ski tows or funiculars.
Philip
13 June 2009The last thing lovers of the fells want is any such detritus on top of the Lakeland summits!
Simon
13 June 2009If the OP intended a tongue-in-cheek ironic post he veiled it too well to be overtly apparent. If he was serious he needs his head testing!
Snowdonia missed a golden opportunity to rid the summit of the carbuncle that was the Snowdon cafe. The fact that we now have a designer built replacement does not mean it is any less of a carbuncle. That blinking railway should have gone at the same time. Mind you, if we HAVE to have one rqailway to a british mountain summit I'm happy for it to be Snowdon as I stick to the Lakes and Highlands for my mountain fun. Mountain tops should be for those who put the time and effort into gaining the summit under their own steam. Townies, blue rinse brigade members and white stilettoed Essex girls whould stick to the valleys whey they are at home!
Jhimmy
13 June 2009I think Ken needs to dilute his comments a bit more to really wind up people ;-)
Seriously, the previous Snowdon building was a slum, the new one a bit sleeker looks OK, but I haven't seen it in real yet.
Strangely, I've never objected to the Snowdon train, but absolutely HATE the Cairngorm "Funny-unclear". This is possibly because there's so much slate mining around North wales, it's very industrial. Aonach Mor, I've only climbed from the south so have never seen the cable cars there.
Martin Lucas
16 June 2009Are you mad? I've always hated the railway on Snowdon, and this new hut is a total eye sore! Saw it last year with the sun glaring off its windows....utterly horrible. If anyone tries to degrade a Lakeland summit in this way they will have to fight against the Mountain Liberation Front!