General Information

Residential Students

Arrival

Please aim to arrive between 8.00pm and 11.30pm on the evening before your course start date.  Your room will be available from 8.00pm onwards.  If you are likely to arrive later than 11.30pm, please telephone the Centre after 5.30pm, on the evening of your arrival, to arrange late access.  If you decide not to arrive until the morning of your course it’s very important that you let us know.  It is essential that you arrive in time to be ready for the 9.00am start.

Dinner

Dinner on the night of your arrival and dinner on the night of your departure are not included as part of your course package.  However, a good range of bar meals (including vegetarian dishes) are available until 8.45pm.

Towels

Towels are provided in each room. These should last you the week and are not changed at any point, so you may want to bring an extra towel with you if you’re staying for more than a couple of days or are on a water based course.

Departure

Please vacate your room by 5.00pm on the last evening of your course so we will have time to prepare it for the new arrivals.

Equipment

All students on mountaineering or hill based courses and many Governing Body courses will be required to provide their own map(s).  Please see individual course notes for which map(s) you will require.  For many courses you will need the Ordnance Survey Explorer No. 17 – Snowdon and the Conwy Valley (1:25,000), which needs to be waterproof. This is best achieved by laminating it, alternatively you will need a map case. This map can be bought from the Plas y Brenin shop (either laminated or not laminated).

Non-Residential Students

If you’ve booked on a non-residential course you should plan to arrive by 8.45am on the first day of your course. For most courses you will need to have a packed lunch with you as you will be out all day. If your course is site based you can buy lunch through our bar. The Bar is also open in the evening from which you can purchase evening meals if you wish. Please note: non-residential courses do not include meals or accommodation.

Additional Accommodation

Bed and Breakfast accommodation is subject to availability.  We can often accommodate people from Sunday to Thursday nights but weekends do tend to be busier, especially during the summer season. Bed and Breakfast can only be booked two or three days in advance. 

The Bar

The bar, with its friendly atmosphere and stunning views of the Snowdon Horseshoe, is open every lunchtime and evening between the following hours: Mon to Sat: 12 noon-2.00pm/ 6.30pm-11.00pm, Sun 12 noon-2.00pm/ 7.00pm-10.30pm.  Last food orders in the evening are at 8.45pm.

The Climbing Wall

Use of the Climbing Wall is free to all students. Rock boots are the only form of footwear permitted in the wall, so if you don’t have your own with you, you’ll need to hire them from the stores at £2.50 per pair per use.

The Shop

We stock various items: chocolates, sweets, books, batteries/bulbs, rucksack liners, maps, group shelters, toiletries etc.  There are also local climbing equipment shops within walking distance of the Centre.

Travel Directions

By Road:
Capel Curig is on the A5 (London to Holyhead Road) and the Centre is about 400 metres from the village along the A4086.  From the North take the M56, A55, A5 or A470. Traffic congestion is sometimes heavy on the roads in holiday periods.
Download a PDF map here

By Train:
You need to get to Llandudno Junction Railway Station. Many trains depart from London, with connections from other parts of the country at Crewe and Chester.  There are occasional trains during the day which run between Llandudno Junction and Betws-y-Coed, which is 6 miles from the Centre.  From Betws-y-Coed, there is an infrequent bus service to Capel Curig. (Please see www.traveline-cymru.info or phone 0871 200 22 33 for up to date bus times).

If you will be arriving later, Plas y Brenin can offer a collection service from Llandudno Junction on the evening before the first day of your course and return you on the last day of your course. As the station is about 25 miles away, we only pick people up and drop off once a day.  We will pick up at the station at 9.30 pm. 
We leave Plas y Brenin at 5.30pm on the day your course ends. You should not book your train home any earlier than 6.30pm.

If you arrive on an earlier train and want somewhere to wait, there is a hotel opposite the station. Any later arrivals will need to get a taxi to Capel Curig – local numbers can be found at the station.

RAIL ENQUIRY NUMBER:  08457 484950

If you would like to be collected from the station, please call reception between 9.00am – 5.00pm or e-mail us on info@pyb.co.uk to reserve yourself a space in the bus.  Please also let us know if you have booked a pick-up and then change your travel arrangements.