Press Releases

OVER THE PASS - A PHOTOGRAPHIC JOURNEY FROM LLANRWST TO LLANBERIS

 

 

 

Many of us take the same route into work every day but how many of us actually notice the areas we are travelling through – indeed how many of us would think of recording the journey for posterity?

Well that is exactly what can be seen in a new exhibition at the National Slate Museum Llanberis. 

OVER THE PASS details a journey made over 6000 times between Llanrwst in the Conwy Valley and Llanberis at the foot of Mount Snowdon by a former member of staff during 20 years at the museum.

The photos by Tudur Jones, former exhibitions officer at the National Slate Museum Llanberis, were all taken between July 1989 and September 2009, and record the journey from Tudur’s home in Llanrwst each morning - travelling through Betws Y Coed – sometimes using the B5160 to Pentre Felin – before crossing Pont y Pair for the A5 to Capel Curig and up to Llanberis. The return journey is also recorded, usually following the same route apart from the times when floods raged in the Conwy Valley or snow blocked the pass – which would force Tudur to take the much longer and much less scenic A470 to reach home safely.

I always thought I was a very lucky person to have been able to complete a journey of such natural beauty as this on a daily basis. I would very often come across absolutely stunning light unexpectedly and would just have to take a photo. I was constantly amazed that every day was so different and I never tired of the journey in all those 20 years – it was sometimes quite hard to concentrate on work after such blessings.

The only part of the journey I didn’t much like was in the late autumn and wintertime when the nights drew in and the winds and rain hurtled down. At those times the journey to Llanrwst seemed exceptionally long.

Taking most of the photos on his Canon film camera, in the days before digital photography, the photographic journey is similar to the way we use our present day Instagram and social media moments, as Julie Williams, Marketing Officer explains.

 “What is fascinating about Tudur’s collection is that they are not only a record of his every day journey over a number of years but they are moments in time – moments on a wonderfully scenic route that can actually take your breath away. What is amazing to see is that some things don’t change very much – the cars in the photos change and the fashion changes but the mountains and the scenery are always the same, always splendid, always inspiring and still there waiting to be photographed by today’s photographers, although today they are photographed and shared instantly!”

The exhibition can be seen from 2.2.2018 until 22 June 2018.

Admission is FREE                                                                         

For more information contact the Museum on 02920 573700. @amgueddfalechi

- ENDS -  

For further information and photographs please contact Julie Williams on 02920 573707  julie.williams@museumwales.ac.uk.  Photographs are available