Pont Pen-Y-Benglog Pass

Derelict Places

Help Support Derelict Places:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

RichCooper

Veteran Member
Veteran Member
Joined
Dec 21, 2010
Messages
844
Reaction score
1,524
Location
Doncaster
Another defended pass in Snowdonia this one at Pont Pen-Y-Benglog.The roads into it both from he north and east were defended.
From the north its starts with a now hardly recognisable loopholed wall with next in line a pillbox in the valley behind it and 3 infantry
positions set on the cliffs above the road.And just over the bridge a Spigot mortar.

26365394040_e0dfe80979_c.jpgE22672 (7) by Rich Cooper 2012, on Flickr

26611908746_d9283ea7a4_c.jpgE22672 (9) by Rich Cooper 2012, on Flickr

26034927213_04bc673259_c.jpgE01969 (2) by Rich Cooper 2012, on Flickr

26034927523_f03e9ce993_c.jpgE01969 (3) by Rich Cooper 2012, on Flickr

26638816745_8a0a5f06b9_c.jpgE01969 (5) by Rich Cooper 2012, on Flickr

26638829655_44d0489b08_c.jpgE01969 (10) by Rich Cooper 2012, on Flickr

26612026536_a5fb8b4e78_c.jpgE01969 (17) by Rich Cooper 2012, on Flickr

26365486730_8b12af8a26_c.jpgE01969 (26) by Rich Cooper 2012, on Flickr

26365260320_b8ff2f7b66_c.jpgE06948 (2) by Rich Cooper 2012, on Flickr

26545216702_7c17afc895_c.jpgE06948 (3) by Rich Cooper 2012, on Flickr

26572835301_7449c08e56_c.jpgE06948 (10) by Rich Cooper 2012, on Flickr

26638981865_76523ee459_c.jpgE08030 (1) by Rich Cooper 2012, on Flickr

26545640952_3f201968e7_c.jpgE08030 (2) by Rich Cooper 2012, on Flickr

The eastern pass has another 2 spigot mortars along with infantry post and anti tank blocks.Theres also fixings in the cliff by the road that may
have been part of the roadblock.

26035285263_af52debc2d_c.jpgE08088 (9) by Rich Cooper 2012, on Flickr

26365801490_a2c624150b_c.jpgE08088 (7) by Rich Cooper 2012, on Flickr

26035164833_394bffc292_c.jpgE08087 (4) by Rich Cooper 2012, on Flickr

26365736250_50e04bc42b_c.jpgE08087 (10) by Rich Cooper 2012, on Flickr

26545302432_7f4320d42e_c.jpgE23522 (3) by Rich Cooper 2012, on Flickr

26365343370_0605142417_c.jpgE23522 (6) by Rich Cooper 2012, on Flickr

26033206994_10a5aa0564_c.jpgE08541 (13) by Rich Cooper 2012, on Flickr

26365864660_4e90bc17c8_c.jpgE08541 (12) by Rich Cooper 2012, on Flickr

26035367263_04e0c95c8f_c.jpgE08541 (9) by Rich Cooper 2012, on Flickr

26612453656_f526a517aa_c.jpgE08541 (17) by Rich Cooper 2012, on Flickr

26639267775_5c620ea923_c.jpgE08541 (15) by Rich Cooper 2012, on Flickr
 
You didn't do the other three spigot mortar emplacements and infantry position/sangars?

Like most of the defences around there they are totally OTT and somewhat pointless. The sheepfold that was turned into a pillbox is in one of the strangest positions and would have been better left as a sheepfold.

It's a shame the roadblocks alongside the lake were demolished. I've never checked above them to see if there are more of the infantry positions - it seems likely there would be as they'd compliment the other totally useless pillbox at the other side of the lake!

No photo of the half burried spaceship either.....but I'll let you off as that's not a 'defence' structure ;-)
 
You didn't do the other three spigot mortar emplacements and infantry position/sangars?

Like most of the defences around there they are totally OTT and somewhat pointless. The sheepfold that was turned into a pillbox is in one of the strangest positions and would have been better left as a sheepfold.

It's a shame the roadblocks alongside the lake were demolished. I've never checked above them to see if there are more of the infantry positions - it seems likely there would be as they'd compliment the other totally useless pillbox at the other side of the lake!

No photo of the half burried spaceship either.....but I'll let you off as that's not a 'defence' structure ;-)

Couldnt find em :( but if its the three spigots marked on the edob theyre apparently miles out of place ? Didnt have time for the lakeside one is it easy to get at ?
 
Couldnt find em :( but if its the three spigots marked on the edob theyre apparently miles out of place ? Didnt have time for the lakeside one is it easy to get at ?

Lakeside one just a stroll along almost flat ground - you'll have noticed the worn path when you went through the gap in the wall to get to the three (originally four) positions above the A5 probably.

The other spigot mortar positions are incorrectly positioned but will be correct in the next edition of Steve's WWII overlay. The other infantry positions are close to those. All are visible in google earth aerial.
 
Lakeside one just a stroll along almost flat ground - you'll have noticed the worn path when you went through the gap in the wall to get to the three (originally four) positions above the A5 probably.

The other spigot mortar positions are incorrectly positioned but will be correct in the next edition of Steve's WWII overlay. The other infantry positions are close to those. All are visible in google earth aerial.

Hope to get back that way at some point
 
Interesting stuff Rich,I take it all these North Wales defences were built to defend against the perceived threat of an enemy invasion launched from Ireland

Think that was the plan mate although some of if seems a bit random :) Would love to see a plan of what was there though
 
Think that was the plan mate although some of if seems a bit random :) Would love to see a plan of what was there though

There were two wartime surveys done by Caernarfonshire Council but they only recorded 'where' defences were. One of the surveys contains very limited descriptions of the type of defence but they are of little use in trying to interpret the remains.
For this area they record:

Location: Old quarry near Ogwen Lake
Type: Anti-tank
Date completed: 21st August 1940
Constructed by: County Council
Road: A5 Shrewsbury - Bangor Trunk Road

Tan Y Llyn, Ogwen Lake. Pont Pen-y-Benglog
Anti-tank
8th September 1940
--
A5 Shrewsbury - Bangor Trunk Road

Maes Caradog, near Ogwen Lake
Anti-tank
4th September 1940
--
A5 Shrewsbury - Bangor Trunk Road

So three entries covering at least twenty 'items'.

The entries are somewhat similar for the area around Cwm Dyli you posted before this
 
Last edited:
Like most of the defences around there they are totally OTT and somewhat pointless. The sheepfold that was turned into a pillbox is in one of the strangest positions and would have been better left as a sheepfold.-)

I very much doubt that the poor bastards that spent many wet and cold nights in this landscape gave much thought to the relevance of these fortifications. The Irish situation was a real worry and no matter how much we read or walk the scene nowadays, we will never get a true measure of how things actually were for our forebears in those fraught days. They did what they thought was best for the survival of Britain, hindsight is a great thing but does not have any real bearing here. The earliest actual memory I can recall is looking at the curved roof of what was obvious to me much later in life, the interior of our Anderson shelter - I must have been around 18months old; this ties in when Doncaster was actually raided or a few weeks later got hit by jettisoned bombs meant for Leeds.

Very nice set of images Rich, thanks.
 

Latest posts

Back
Top