If this is Thursday it must be postcards, 526

 

 

 

 

 

 

Snowdon [Yr Wyddfa] seen from Llyn Llydaw, Gwynedd, Wales, ca 1960s

 

Printed in Great Britain by J. Arthur Dixon, this unused postcard dates from the 1960s and is another card from the collections shared by friends.  PGD/23532 is found at the lower left corner on the reverse.  The subject of the photograph is Snowdon, or Yr Wydffa in Welsh, the highest mountain in Wales at 3,560 ft or 1,085 m above sea level. 

 

There are six main paths to the summit as well as the rack railway, Snowdon Mountain Railway.  The paths vary in difficulty, distance, and elevation gain.  The railway opened in 1896 and carries passengers almost 5 miles from Llanberis to the summit station.  At the summit there is a café that is open when the railway is operating.  The railway operates between March to the end of October, the running schedule depends on the weather and customer demand. 

 

The cliff faces on Snowdon are significant for rock climbing.  Before ascending Mount Everest in 1953, Edmund Hillary trained on them.  The rocks are the result of ancient volcanic activity and glaciation resulting in the pyramidal peak of Snowdon. 

 

The lake in the foreground is Llyn Llydaw.  It is a long narrow lake found about 1/3 of the way up the mountain.  Thousands of people visit Snowdon and walk past this lake each year.  Llyn Llydaw is the largest of three lakes found on Snowdon.  Water is piped from the lake to a hydro-electric power station below. 

 

A number of rare plants found on Snowdon led to its being named a national nature reserve. Established in 1951, Snowdonia National Park, provides some protection to the plants and animals. 

 

Snowdon and Llyn Padarn, Gwynedd, Wales

The second unused postcard shows Snowdon from another angle and another lake.  Llyn Pardarn is about 2 miles long and is an example of a moraine dammed lake.  This large natural lake links to a neighboring lake, Llyn Peris, and its water is also used for hydro-electric power.  Llyn Pardarn is designated as a Bathing Water and is open to recreational activities in the summer. 

 

 Thank you K and J for sharing the postcards.

 

For additional information, see:

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snowdon

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Llyn-Llydaw

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Llyn_Padarn