{{Short description|Mountain pass in north Wales}} {{Use dmy dates|date=February 2025}} {{Use British English|date=February 2018}} {{More citations needed|date=December 2014}} {{Infobox mountain pass | name = Nant Ffrancon Pass | photo = Llyn Ogwen 7183339.JPG | photo_caption = Llyn Ogwen (near the summit of the Nant Ffrancon Pass), taken from the A5. | elevation_m = 312 | elevation_ref = | traversed = [[A5 road (Great Britain)|A5 road]] | location = [[Snowdonia]], [[North Wales]] | range = [[Glyderau]] and [[Carneddau]] | coordinates = {{Coord|53.124535|-4.020308|type:pass_region:GB|format=dms|display=inline,title}} | topo = }}
The '''Nant Ffrancon Pass''' ([[Welsh language|Welsh]]: ''Bwlch Nant Ffrancon'') in [[Snowdonia]], [[North Wales]] is at {{Convert|312|m|ft}} at Pont Wern-gof, about one-third of a mile beyond the eastern end of [[Llyn Ogwen]]. The [[A5 road (Great Britain)|A5 road]] crosses it between Llyn Ogwen and [[Bethesda, Gwynedd]].
==Geography== Nant Ffrancon itself is a steep-sided glacial valley dropping to Bethesda between the [[Glyderau]] and the [[Carneddau]]. The valley starts in [[Cwm Idwal]], carrying water from Llyn-y-Cwn through Twll Du and [[Llyn Idwal]] to join the [[Ogwen Valley]] below the Ogwen Falls on [[Afon Ogwen]].
==Road== The [[A5 road (Great Britain)|A5 road]] makes a long steady climb between [[Bethesda, Gwynedd]], and [[Llyn Ogwen]] in [[Conwy (county borough)|Conwy]]. From here the road descends through Nant y Benglog to [[Capel Curig]] and through to [[Betws-y-Coed]].
The A5 is the [[Holyhead]] to London trunk road. The original road through the Nant Ffrancon was constructed by [[Richard Pennant, 1st Baron Penrhyn|Lord Penrhyn]] in the late 18th century. Lord Penrhyn's road, largely followed the valley floor, and at Capel Curig in 1801 he built a [[coaching inn]], which is now [[Plas y Brenin]], the UK National Mountaineering Centre.
[[Thomas Telford]] re-engineered it between 1810 and 1826. Telford carved much of his road out of the north-eastern slopes of the Nant Ffrancon, thereby encountering difficulties in construction and future maintenance. But this enabled him to observe a maximum grade of 1 in 14 along the whole route from London to Holyhead in order to facilitate horse drawn mail coaches throughout.
==In popular culture== It has been used as a filming location for British film-makers, including * the [[Carry On film]] ''[[Carry On up the Khyber]]'' doubling for the [[Khyber Pass]] * the ''[[Doctor Who]]'' serial ''[[The Abominable Snowmen]]'' doubling for the Himalayas * the 1950s film ''[[The Inn of the Sixth Happiness]]''.
Nant Ffrancon Golf Club (now defunct) appeared in the late 1920s/30s. The club was wound up in 1936.<ref>[http://www.golfsmissinglinks.co.uk/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1066 "Nant Ffrancon Golf Club, Gwynedd"], "Golf’s Missing Links".</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}}
[[Category:Bethesda, Gwynedd]] [[Category:Capel Curig]] [[Category:Llandygai]] [[Category:Llanllechid]] [[Category:Mountain passes of Conwy County Borough]] [[Category:Roads in Conwy County Borough]] [[Category:Tourism in Conwy County Borough]] [[Category:Mountain passes of Gwynedd]] [[Category:Roads in Gwynedd]] [[Category:Tourism in Gwynedd]] [[Category:Mountain passes of Snowdonia]] [[Category:Roads in Snowdonia]] [[Category:Tourism in Snowdonia]]