BBC presenter Sian Lloyd opening last year’s Rail Ale festival.
When: 20th – 22nd May 2016
Where: Dinas Station, near Caernarfon, Gwynedd
£: TBC, there is usually a small fee for admission and a glass
What is it?
The annual Welsh Highland Railway Society’s beer festival, Rail Ale, will be taking place from Friday 20th to Sunday 22nd May 2016.
This will be the 12th annual Rail Ale and it promises to feature an eclectic mix of real ales, ciders, live music, fine food, and of course steam hauled trains. The event is centred at Dinas Station, in the goods shed and in a (very large) marquee. As well as a wide range of new beers to choose from, there will be a selection from Porthmadog’s Purple Moose brewery to sample.
Trains will be running between Caernarfon and Waunfawr all day, up until midnight (so plenty of time to sample the beers). The Black Boy and Y Castell pubs in Caernarfon, and the Snowdonia Park brewpub (next to Waunfawr Station), will also be taking part in the festival.
Eight bands will be playing at Dinas on the Friday and Saturday. This year the live music comes from Amser, Y Bandana, The Wee Bag Band, Penna Bach and Y Moniars, amongst others.
The Welsh Highland Railway is the UK’s longest heritage railway and runs for 25 miles from Caernarfon, past the foot of Snowdon and the picture postcard village of Beddgelert, through the stunning Aberglaslyn Pass, to Porthmadog.
More info: www.festrail.co.uk and rail-ale.com