The ruins of this slate-quarrying community can be seen all around. But three properties are owned by The Landmark Trust and are rented out as holiday homes:
visit link
We enjoyed a steep, steady climb over rocky terrain on the Sarn Helen from Betws-y-Coed to reach the lost village of Rhiwddolion. The ruins were apparent all around with the old cottages, privies and buildings interesting to view.
Rhiwddolion existed between the 1850s and 1914 and had its own school, chapel and accommodation for the quarrymen who worked here.
The walk from Betws-y-Coed to Rhiwddolion is described here: visit link
'Rhiwddolion... the Forgotten Village
Sep 10 2007 By John Tanner
A gentle ramble, with fine scenery and a lot of history. Rhiwddolion was once a quarrying community with its own school and chapel, accommodation for quarrymen, and a number of small farms, but when the quarrying industry collapsed it became depopulated.
The walk starts from Pont-y-Pair Bridge in Betws y Coed, where the minor road from Llanrwst meets the A5. This is only a few minutes walk from the bus and train stops.
About six miles. Allow four to five hours. Easy. A gentle ramble with one steep uphill section.
From the Bridge at Pont-y-Pair walk upstream along the path on the right-hand side of the Llugwy river for just over a mile until you arrive at the Miners' Bridge.
Climb down the bridge and go out to the A5. Cross straight over the road and take the minor road in front of the houses. Go through the gate and you are on the historic Sarn Helen.
This steep stony road was the only way up to Rhiwddolion until the 1960s, but is now unfit for traffic. Go over a stile, and the road zigzags to a bridge
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After a steep climb you cross a forest road, and will pass an isolated house on your left, Tan yr Alt. Keep climbing and cross another forest road, now used as a public road, and go on up on a metalled lane to T Mawr (built soon after 1850)
Keeping to the road, go through two gates and arrive at the heart of the old village. On the left is the ruin of the school master's house, probably built for Griffith Hugh Jones, the Welsh bard, who took over the school in 1869.
Opposite are the remains of a house and cramped terraced cottages. In 1851, one of the cottages, one up and down, was occupied by a quarryman, Robert Hughes, his wife and two children.
Above the row of cottages you will see a neat house, Bryn Derw, which is still occupied. Keep on along Sarn Helen, until you see a gate; turn off the track here to your right and come to the ruins of a more substantial dwelling, T Newydd.
At this point you can follow the stream down to a holiday cottage, T Coch, but the stile you need to cross is in poor condition so it is better to retrace your steps along Sarn Helen as far as the schoolmaster's house.
Now take the path in front of the terraces, and down the bank to a gate and then walk along the side of a large field. Pass through a gate on your left, cross the stream, and walk towards the old chapel.
It has now been converted into a holiday cottage, but, in its heyday, it doubled as a school. On your left you will pass the ruins of T Isaf. Pass the chapel, and follow the track down to a stream, through a kissing gate, and on over stone slabs to the forest road you crossed earlier.
Turn left here and follow the road for 100 yards, to where the road forks. Take the right hand fork. When the road begins to drop down, and bends first sharp left and then sharp right, the road crosses a small stream, and you will see an overgrown path going steeply downhill to the right.
Take this path and keep on downhill, crossing two forest roads. Join the third forest road and carry on until you reach the houses by the A5 which you passed as you joined Sarn Helen at the start.
Retrace your steps over Miners’ Bridge and along the riverbank to Betws-y-Coed.'