Photo: Peter Trimming, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia CommonsFrom the seaside at Llandudno up the Conwy estuary and the wooded Lledr valley into the slate mountains at Blaenau Ffestiniog.
The Conwy Valley Line starts at Llandudno, crosses the North Wales Coast Line at Llandudno Junction and runs south along the tidal Conwy estuary past Deganwy and Glan Conwy to Llanrwst and Betws-y-Coed, the Snowdonia (Eryri) tourist village.
Beyond Betws-y-Coed it climbs the Lledr valley through Pont-y-Pant and Dolwyddelan beneath the ruined castle, then enters the Ffestiniog tunnel, at 2 miles 338 yards the longest single-track tunnel in Britain, to emerge among the slate tips of Blaenau Ffestiniog, where the Ffestiniog Railway shares the station for the onward narrow-gauge run to Porthmadog.
Class 150 units work the line, which has been repeatedly repaired after flooding. Betws-y-Coed, with its railway museum, and Dolwyddelan are the obvious stops.
Conwy Castle, the Conwy estuary, Moel Siabod and Dolwyddelan Castle are all on the right heading south.
Sides are given facing the direction of travel. Miles are approximate from the start of the journey.
Yes on the Ffestiniog Railway from the same station; TfW's Ffestiniog Round Robin ticket covers the rail loop via the Cambrian Coast.
It has suffered repeated flood damage and can be replaced by buses after storms; check TfW before travelling.
The North Wales Rover; Llandudno to Blaenau needs the two-zone version at £16.50.
Scenic lineAcross mid Wales by Talerddig summit to the Dovey estuary, then along Cardigan Bay over Barmouth Bridge to Harlech and the Llŷn Peninsula.
Scenic lineA slow, single-track wander through the empty hills of mid Wales, with the Sugar Loaf summit, Cynghordy Viaduct and 30 mostly request-stop stations.
Scenic lineAlong the Dee estuary and the North Wales shore past Conwy Castle, through Stephenson's tubular bridge and across Anglesey to the Irish ferry at Holyhead.