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Cwm y Glo is a small village between Llanberis and Llanrug and lies some 4 miles to the south of Caernarfon and is in Wales (European Parliament constituency) the Caernarfon (UK Parliament constituency) and the Gwynedd Council electoral ward.

The focus of the village is on the original roadway, now bypassed and the A4086 road now follows the approximate line of the former railway.

To the west of the village lies the flood plain of Afon Rhythallt and consequently some houses on the western side of the old road (which lie below the level of the main road) suffer some problems.

The village these days is mainly residential but has a number of small businesses. Antur Fachwen is thriving local charity offering work to adults with disabilities and has a cafe, shop and garden furniture factory in the village, the village also hosts two secondhand car dealers.

The community is policed from Llanberis and has a dedicated Community Beat Manager.

History
The origin of the village's name (the valley of coal) lies in its connection with the extensive slate industries which thrived in the valley in 18th, 19th and early 20th century. The area was home to the charcoal sub-industry, upon which the foundries at the various quarries depended on to fabricate iron to support the slate industry.

On June 30th 1869 two carts carrying nitroglycerine explosive collided in the village, the resulting explosion killed the carters as well as three others and injured a further eight. The explosion was, at the time, believed to be the loudest man made explosion, the debris, allegedly including a cart wheel, was thrown as far as the next village, Brynrefail, Gwynedd, and to this day a "X" inscribed on a wall on the old road between Bryn Bras Castle and Llanberis, marking the spot where a wheel and harness from one of the carts was flung.

In April 2008 a plaque commemorating the tragedy was unveiled on the rock face opposite Y Fricsan, (the village's public house), the plaque was paid for by local resident, Martin Kressman, who donated it to the local community Council.

Between 1865 and 1965 a LNWR 8 mile Branch Railway Line ran through the village from Llanberis to Caernarfon but, sadly there are no visible remains of Cwm-y-Glo railway station. The line was established by the Caernarvon and Llanberis Railway Act 1864.