Barmouth

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Barmouth (formal Template:Langx, or Template:Lang; colloquially Template:Lang) is a seaside town and community in the county of Gwynedd, north-west Wales; it lies on the estuary of the Afon Mawddach and Cardigan Bay.<ref name=":1" /> Located in the historic county of Merionethshire, the Welsh form of the name is derived from aber (estuary) and the river's name, Mawddach.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> The English form of the name is a corruption of the earlier Welsh form Abermawdd.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite book</ref> The community includes the villages of Llanaber, Cutiau and Caerdeon.

History

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Barmouth was first recorded in 1565 as a hamlet of four houses. In the late 18th century, it grew around the shipbuilding industry, and a harbour was built for fishing and exporting wool from nearby sheep farms. In the first half of the 19th century, Barmouth became known as a seaside resort. After Barmouth Bridge was constructed and the railway reached the town in 1867, more and more tourists arrived. New guest houses were built, but Barmouth never developed a conspicuous resort architecture. It was still mainly visited for the experience of the sea and the mountains, especially Cadair Idris. The German philologist Friedrich Althaus (1829–1897) wrote in 1889: "Cader Idris is to Barmouth what the Vesuvius is to Naples. (…) The prospect from the summit is said to be the grandest in all of Wales. (…) Climbing Cader Idris therefore takes top priority among many visitors of Barmouth."<ref>"Barmouth". Journey to the past: Wales in historic travel writing from France and Germany. Bangor University. Retrieved 6 October 2025.</ref>

William Wordsworth, a visitor to Barmouth in the 19th century, described it thus: "With a fine sea view in front, the mountains behind, the glorious estuary running Template:Convert inland, and Cadair Idris within compass of a day's walk, Barmouth can always hold its own against any rival."<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Notable buildings include the medieval Template:Lang tower house, the 19th century Template:Lang roundhouse prison and St John's Church.

Template:Lang (Citadel of Light), which is located east of the town on the adjoining hillside,<ref name=":1">Template:Cite map</ref> was the first tract of land to be donated to the National Trust.<ref name=":0">Template:Cite web</ref> Panorama Walk, to the east of the town, was developed as a coastal footpath in the Victorian era to contribute to the town's attractions for visitors. The walk is designated at Grade II on the Cadw/ICOMOS Register of Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest in Wales.<ref>Template:NHAW</ref> On the route of the walk stands the Glan-y-Mawddach estate. Originally a Regency villa, the house, which is listed at Grade II,<ref>Template:NHAW</ref> was extended in the late 19th and early 20th centuries and an important garden laid out which is designated at Grade II* on the Cadw/ICOMOS register.<ref>Template:NHAW</ref>

Barmouth features prominently in the serialised short-story 'Rob the Red-Hand' published by Dolgellau-born Thomas Richards who published it in the Hobart Town Magazine between 1833 and 1834.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> In addition, the town is a key location the novel Austerlitz by Max Sebald. The town is featured in an idyllic light, with the narrator visiting several times during his childhood [see box].

In January 2014, two trains were stranded at Barmouth after severe winter storms destroyed the sea wall at nearby Template:Lang.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Transport

File:Barmouth railway station, Gwynedd (geograph 4662694) (cropped).jpg
Barmouth station
File:Barmouth Bridge, Wales (7946059554).jpg
Barmouth Bridge

The town is served by Barmouth railway station. Transport for Wales operate northbound services to Template:Rws via Template:Rws, Template:Rws and Template:Rws; eastbound services travel to Birmingham International via Template:Rws, Template:Rws, Template:Rws, Template:Rws, Template:Rws and Template:Rws.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Connections for southbound services to Template:Rws and Template:Rws can be made at Dovey Junction or Machynlleth. Barmouth Bridge, which takes the Cambrian Line over the River Mawddach, was also previously at the end of the Ruabon–Barmouth line; this line passed through Bala and Dolgellau. The southern end of the bridge is now the start of the Mawddach Trail, a cycle path and walkway that uses the old trackbed.

Local bus services are provided by Lloyds Coaches and link the town with nearby destinations such as Harlech, Tan-y-Bwlch, Porthmadog and Dolgellau. Cross-country bus services are available to Wrexham via Bala, Corwen and Llangollen, as part of the Welsh Government funded TrawsCymru network.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

The Barmouth Ferry sails from Barmouth to Penrhyn Point, where it connects with the narrow-gauge Fairbourne Railway for the village of Fairbourne. The town has an RNLI lifeboat station, which includes a visitors' centre with shop and viewing gallery.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Sport

Barmouth has one major football team: Barmouth & Dyffryn United, which competes in the Central Wales Football League. Barmouth is the venue for the annual Barmouth Beach Race, a motocross event. Usually taking place on the last weekend in October, the event sees riders take part in beach racing, using a temporary motocross course constructed on the beach. Over 200 riders typically take part in this event, with spectators attending free of charge. The event attracts champion riders from England and Wales.<ref>WalesDirectory.co.uk retrieved 11 March 2015</ref> The harbour hosts the annual Three Peaks yacht race.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Notable people

See also

References

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