The Bwlch pronounced Bulk
Location: 5 miles east of Dolgellau on the A470 road to Dinas Mawddwy,hence the name of the pass being called Dinas. This was probably the first place used for low level photography, and when looking down the valley from the main viewing location you get a fantastic view of the aircraft as they snake there way through the twist and turns of this very narrow valley. From this location you can see aircraft as they zip over the countryside from Bala down to the Cad pass and then you can wait in anticipation for 4 minutes until they hopefully make a full circuit of the loop and fly past your location.
Local Amenities. Dolgellau a small town with a host of National banks and a couple of supermarkets and some small shops is around 6 miles from the Bulk and the nearest petrol station is just outside Dolgellau 5 miles and to the east of Dinas village at Mallwyd there is a petrol station combined cafe and Post Office. There is a small post office in Dinas Village along with a pub and a public telephone box.
The location at the Bwlch is probably as good a location as you could ever wish for, the sun is pretty much behind you nearly all day except during the long summer hours where the early morning light can be a little hazy to your right. It has 3 main ledges were you have plenty of flat space, the first 2 ledges are quite big and flat and can accommodate quite a few people with chairs. At this location you can usually shelter from the wind unless it is blowing from the north. Even in the summer it is windy at this location, it seems to blow all year round. The aircraft usually travel from east to west and either exit to the left and to Cad pass, straight on to Dolgellau or a right turn to Bala.
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Picture of location click image for large picture with directions
Sadly this is one of those locations where it is not accessible to wheel chair users, although you can view from the car park but you will be below the aircraft as they transit through.
Large location picture with marked routes click here
Large location picture 2 click here
A common sight in this Valley, A Hawk threading its way through the pass.
Directions: From the Little chef at Dolgellau head east along the A470 as if heading for the Tally llyn pass and instead of turning right for the pass at the Crossfoxes hotel keep going for another 3 miles and you will come across a lay-by on the right hand side. This is the first lay-by on the rightside so you cant go wrong, park here and prepare yourself for a steep climb. Stand with your back to the road and you will see a style on the right side, go over it and follow the path to the foot of the hill. In your 1 o'clock you will see the path winding up the side of the hill, head up here. After about 150 feet up you can turn of the path and you can head left towards the first shelf, which is a flat ledge from which to view. This location is ok but for the best backdrops and a better view down the valley you need to be on the top shelf. To reach this position you need to be back on the path and follow it up and around the hill until you reach a wire fence, climb over and head left towards the road. You should be able to see the car park from this position. From here the view is stunning. Although this is the main location you should watch the aircraft winding their way through the pass and pick out locations were you think great shots can be had, this goes for all locations. Don't make do with the same shots all the time, try and get different angles, etc. There is actually another shelf just below the top shelf and can be reached by turning off the path a little further up past the first shelf turn off. From the car park it is about a 30 minute walk to the top shelf and it is best to arrive around 8am, it has been known for aircraft to come through from 7.45am so dont hang around too long. During the longer summer days aircraft can still be coming through at 6pm although 5pm is a reasonable time to make your way down. A word of warning, it can get dark very quickly in the winter months so its advisable to start your descent at around 3.45 at the latest. Also in winter the valley is often in partial shade.
This stunning F15 image was taken by Mark Bayliss.
The 2 pictures below depict 2 different types of shot achievable from the same location.
This time the usual topside shot, from the top shelf.
For this location a 300mm lens is suitable but a better lens would be one that has a reach of up to 400mm, that is assuming the user is using a digital slr with a crop factor of 1.4x-1.6x. Aircraft should come from ytour right and should be travelling across your path, so this is an excellent location to practise your panning skills. If you are at the top shelf you should be looking down on the aircraft, providing a full background of land. From the bottom shelf you can often get full backgrounds but sometimes you may get a split of 50/50 like the Tornado F3 below.
A point not to be overlooked is that like lots of other flowed valleys, it is possible that helicopters might fly the wrong way through the valley. They often do this at around 50feet above the ground to avoid colliding with oncoming aircraft.
Close up of a hawk.
A foreign visitor, French Air Force Alpha jet
A Tornado gR4 banks hard to enter the narrow pass.
This amazing image was taken by Barry Price.
The bottom shelf, has seen from the Northern side of the pass.
This view of the bottom shelf is taken from the Top shelf, note how much room there is and how flat the ledge is.
Harrier gr7
Arrive early to reserve your car parking place.
A Hawk level through the pass, taken on the bottom ledge
A Jaguar T4 from 6 sqn passing through on route to the Welsh coast ranges.
Fresh painted Tornado gr4, taken by Dave Allen.
A 29 sqn Typhoon.
13 sqn Tornado gr4 .
BWLCH North side
The opposite side of the valley. The North side offers some fantastic positions as well. Just go over the stile in front of the car park and go straight up the path, for those who are not as fit you can follow the path which is to the west slightly and follow the path to the summit, then follow the ridge line back east. The best positions here are on the eastern slope, which can offer the occasional head on shot.
The view looking East.
A RAF Hawk on a low level sortie through the Bwlch
The Exit
Another useful location in the Valley is the exit of the pass at the western end towards Dolgellau. Aircraft pass the Bwlch and often turn topside towards the Cad Pass, from this location with the light behind you can give impressive shots of the topsides as they are in the turn. A 300mm lens is more than adequate at this location, do not be tempted to climb too high here because the higher up you go the further back you are from the aircraft. From the car park walk along the bottom of the hill until you are almost at the bend in the road and then make your way up the obvious bank until you reach the first of two flat ledges. Aircraft can be seen as they enter the pass at Dinas village, then they are lost for a few seconds as they bank into the corner before appearing past the shelf's of the Bwlch.
Click image below for large picture with locations attatched
111 sqn Tornado F3 very low through the pass exit.
RAF Tucano
A Hawk showing a full topside as he leaves the Valley
location. 9 miles east of Dolgellau and 3 miles down the A470 from the Bwlch(bulk). This part of the loop is probably the busiest of all the locations in the loop and it was suprising to find that 75 per cent of all traffic coming over the village of Dinas doesn't in fact come through the valley leading to the Bulk and Dolgellau. Aircraft can either pull left into the Dinas valley or go right towards the Dyfi valley, also aircraft can also turn into the Dinas valley from the Dyfi valley so be alert for aircraft in your 1 o'clock position.
Point A above Minllyn. This is a clearing on a woodland path which can allow shots of aircraft as they are in level flight as they approach the turn towards Dolgellau. On the same track as you go to point 1 about halfway up you will come across a small lay-by with a bin, park here and follow on foot the path going up the hill until you reach a clearing before the forest begins. From here you can get a decent view down the valley to your right and see the aircraft approaching. This is an awkward position in the morning due to the sun being in front of you and might be better to winter viewing as the foliage will be better to see through. At this point the aircraft will be level or slightly above you, but the big hill with trees in front of you will provide excellent backdrops. Has you have drove halfway up the climb to the position is fairly easy and should take around 5 minutes.
A Hawk entering the pass from the direction of Mallywrd. Approx 26omm focal length used, be awre that you get no warning from here.
The view overlooking the buckly pines public house. Aircraft travel from right to left here and are level with you .
Looking towards Dinas village from high up on the northern side of the Bwlch pass.
Halfway down the Dinas pass is the rocks above the layby, new name of Blue bell hill.
A hawk from the location mid point in the Valley, this aircraft is higher than usual.
The positions in the middle of the valley . Blue Bell hill
From the middle of the valley looking west towards the Bwlch pass.
This section is still being worked on.
