Llanberis mountain rescue base, Nant Peris
Llanberis mountain rescue base, Nant Peris
This building has been home to the Llanberis Mountain Rescue Team since 1973. The team’s volunteers have helped many people to safety from Snowdon and other mountains in the vicinity. The building was a house (in the centre of the old photo on the right) before being gifted to St Peris’ Church as a church hall, where Sunday School was held.
The first record of the building is found in the register of births for the Parish of Llanberis on 20th May 1781. According to the register the original name was Tŷ’r Baily.
From 1947 a mountain rescue service for this area was organised by Chris Briggs of the Pen y Gwryd Hotel, but the few volunteers were overwhelmed by the late 1960s. Mass car ownership and increased leisure time had resulted in many more people walking up Snowdon, Wales’ highest mountain.
The team was formed in 1968. Snowdonia National Park Authority allowed the team to use its warden centre in Nant Peris as a permanent rescue base in 1973, named Rescue Post 77 by the Mountain Rescue Council in 1976.
Now more than 600,000 people a year walk on Snowdon, said to be the UK’s busiest mountain. Some are poorly equipped or underestimate the weather or topography. If they get into difficulties, the Llanberis MRT dispatches rescuers. There’s no charge, and the team depends on donations to meet the costs of equipment and training. The increased popularity of Snowdon has resulted in increasing incidents, with the team responding to more than 230 during 2018.
With thanks to George Jones and Helen Wilcox
Postcode: LL55 4UH View Location Map