Barmouth
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 Barmouth, from across the Mawddach estuary | |
  Barmouth Location withinGwynedd | |
| Population | 2,522 |
| OS grid reference | SH613158 |
| Community |
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| Principal area | |
| Preserved county | |
| Country | Wales |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | BARMOUTH |
| Postcode district | LL42 |
| Dialling code | 01341 |
| Police | North Wales |
| Fire | North Wales |
| Ambulance | Welsh |
| UK Parliament | |
| Senedd Cymru – Welsh Parliament | |
52°43′19″N4°03′18″W / 52.722°N 4.055°W /52.722; -4.055  Map of the community | |
Barmouth (formalWelsh:Abermaw;colloquiallyY Bermo) is a seaside town andcommunity in thecounty ofGwynedd, north-westWales; it lies on theestuary of theAfon Mawddach andCardigan Bay.[1] Located in thehistoric county ofMerionethshire, the Welsh form of the name is derived fromaber (estuary) and the river's name,Mawddach.[2] The English form of the name is a corruption of the earlier Welsh formAbermawdd.[3][4] The community includes the villages ofLlanaber, Cutiau andCaerdeon.
"Finally, when we left the southern bank and crawled to the opposite side over the bridge, almost a mile long and supported on mighty posts of oak, on our right the river bed, inundated by the sea at high tide and looking like a mountain lake, on our left Barmouth bay stretching to the bright horizon, I felt so joyful that I often scarcely knew where to look first... To the south-west the terrain lay open in a wide semi-circle, so that from the forecourt of the house you had a view of the full length of the estuary from Dolgellau to Barmouth, while these places themselves were excluded from the panorama, which was almost devoid of human habitations, by a rocky outcrop on one side and a laurel-grown hill on the other. Only on the far side of the river could the little village ofArthog be seen - in certain atmospheric conditions, said Austerlitz, you might have thought it an eternity away - infinitesimally small, with the shadow ofCadair Idris rising behind it to a height of almost three thousand feet above the shimmering sea."
The town grew around theshipbuilding industry, and more recently as aseaside resort. Notable buildings include themedievalTŷ Gwyntower house, the 19th centuryTŷ Crwnroundhouseprison andSt John's Church.
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 eight miles [13 km] inland, andCadair Idris within compass of a day's walk, Barmouth can always hold its own against any rival."[5]
Dinas Oleu (Citadel of Light), which is located east of the town on the adjoining hillside,[1] was the first tract of land to be donated to theNational Trust.[6] Panorama Walk, to the east of the town, was developed as a coastal footpath in theVictorian era to contribute to the town's attractions for visitors. The walk is designated at Grade II on theCadw/ICOMOS Register of Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest in Wales.[7] On the route of the walk stands the Glan-y-Mawddachestate. Originally aRegency villa, the house, which islisted at Grade II,[8] 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.[9]
Barmouth features prominently in the novelAusterlitz byMax 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 nearbyLlanaber.[10]
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The town is served byBarmouth railway station.Transport for Wales operate northbound services toPwllheli viaHarlech,Porthmadog andCriccieth; eastbound services travel toBirmingham International viaTywyn,Machynlleth,Welshpool,Shrewsbury,Telford Central andWolverhampton.[11]
Connections for southbound services toBorth andAberystwyth can be made atDovey Junction or Machynlleth.Barmouth Bridge, which takes theCambrian Line over the River Mawddach, was also previously at the end of theRuabon–Barmouth line; this line passed throughBala andDolgellau. The southern end of the bridge is now the start of theMawddach Trail, acycle path and walkway that uses the oldtrackbed.
Local bus services are provided byLloyds Coaches and link the town with nearby destinations such as Harlech,Tan-y-Bwlch, Porthmadog and Dolgellau. Cross-country bus services are available toWrexham via Bala,Corwen andLlangollen, as part of theWelsh Government fundedTrawsCymru network.[12]
TheBarmouth Ferry sails from Barmouth toPenrhyn Point, where it connects with thenarrow-gaugeFairbourne Railway for the village ofFairbourne. The town has aRNLI lifeboat station, which includes a visitors' centre with shop and viewing gallery.[13]
The nearestrugby club is inDolgellau, 7 miles (11 km) away.[14] Barmouth has one majorfootball team:Barmouth & Dyffryn United, which competes in theWelsh Alliance League. Barmouth is the venue for the annual Barmouth Beach Race, amotocross event. Usually taking place on the last weekend in October, the event sees riders take part inbeach 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.[15] The harbour hosts the annualThree Peaks yacht race.[16]
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