Blaenau Ffestiniog

historic mining town in Gwynedd, Wales

Blaenau Ffestiniog, sometimes known locally as just Blaenau, is a town in Gwynedd in North Wales and in the historic county of Merionethshire. In 2011, around 4,875 people lived there.

Blaenau Ffestiniog

Blaenau Ffestiniog
Map of Gwynedd, with a red dot showing the position of Blaenau Ffestiniog
Map of Gwynedd, with a red dot showing the position of Blaenau Ffestiniog
Blaenau Ffestiniog
Location within Gwynedd
Population4,875 (2011)
OS grid referenceSH705455
Principal area
Ceremonial county
CountryWales
Sovereign stateUnited Kingdom
Post townBLAENAU FFESTINIOG
Postcode districtLL41
Dialling code01766
PoliceNorth Wales
FireNorth Wales
AmbulanceWelsh
UK Parliament
List of places
UK
Wales
Gwynedd
52°59′38″N 3°56′20″W / 52.994°N 3.939°W / 52.994; -3.939

It is in the middle of Snowdonia and is 18.63 miles (29.98 km) south east of the city of Bangor.

It is an old town that is known for its slate mining. Today, it relies on its tourism. When it was a large mining town, it was Wales' second-biggest town, behind Wrexham.

Language change

Most people who come from or live in Blaenau Ffestiniog speak Welsh. In the 2011 census, 78.6% of people who live there said they can speak it. This makes it one of the most-Welsh speaking towns in Wales.

Transport change

Blaenau Ffestiniog railway station is the northern end of the Ffestiniog Railway, a narrow-gauge heritage railway that starts at Porthmadog. The railway goes through very mountainous and forested areas and is very popular with tourists.

The town also has a mainline train station that is connected to the heritage station. It is the southern end of the Conwy Valley line from Llandudno, another line known for its views.

Twin towns change

Blaenau Ffestiniog is twinned with:

Gallery change