Porthmadog is one of the largest towns in Snowdonia and is rich in maritime history which came about after William A. Madocks built a sea wall in 1808-1811, becoming its best-loved landmark. Known as 'The Cob', this mile-long embankment across the estuary shaped the destiny of the town in reclaiming 7,000 acres of Traeth Mawr from the sea for farming use. The diversion of the Afon Glaslyn caused it to scour out a new natural harbour deep enough for small ocean-going sailing ships, with the first public wharves appearing in 1825. This gave the town its name which translates as 'Madog's Port'. Quarry companies followed, with wharves along the shore almost to Borth-y-Gest, making it a vital, busy shipping port for the international slate trade, brought down from Blaenau Ffestiniog to the quays along the Afon Dwvrvd and then boated to Porthmadog for transfer to seagoing vessels. By 1873 more than a thousand ships carrying over 116,000 tons of slate left Porthmadog. It then became a busy harbour town situated on the Glaslyn Estuary with a good range of shops and attractions, including nearby Portmeirion and is now an excellent base for touring the surrounding area. Although rich in maritime history, you can't keep narrow-gauge railway enthusiasts away from Porthmadog, with no less than three lines – the Ffestiniog (running to Blaenau Ffestiniog), the Welsh Highland Railway (running all the way to Caernarfon) and the Welsh Highland Heritage Railway (with its excellent hands-on railway museum). The tracks and locos left behind after the slate trade made it one of the most popular tourist areas in Wales being the hub of the Ffestiniog Railway.
The Ffestiniog Railway established in 1832 is the oldest independent railway company in the world, and the steam train takes you on a 13½ mile journey from the harbour in Porthmadog to the slate-quarrying town of Blaenau Ffestiniog. Trains were not the only mode of transport in Porthmadog's history as an important hub based on the slate industry. The town's Maritime Museum however tells the story of the town's rapid 19th-century growth into a thriving slate exporting and shipbuilding port for handsome three-masted schooners known as Western Ocean Yachts. Two miles away at Morfa Bychan is Black Rock Sands, a popular wide sandy beach which stretches for miles, low-tide caves, rock pools and an area rich in marine life where it's possible to drive right onto the beach - a favourite with wind-surfers and kite buggy enthusiasts. T. E Lawrence, of Lawrence of Arabia fame lived nearby and the 14th century poet Shelley is reputed to have regularly visited here. Between Black Rock Sands and Porthmadog is the small picturesque harbour village of Borth-y-Gest with its beautiful estuary and mountain views. From the harbour car park a short walk takes you up to the headland where walkers can follow the Wales Coast Path to the beach at Morfa Bychan where you can follow the path along the beach, passing the sand dunes and the cliffs. The more adventurous can continue as the path then leaves the cliffs and heads inland on public footpaths and country lanes toward Moel y Gest.
The Wales Coast Path extends right around the Welsh coastline and the sections close to Criccieth are easy to access. Trains and buses connect nearby towns so you can walk one way and catch the train or bus back. Criccieth is a friendly seaside town overlooked by an ancient castle and is known as the 'Pearl of Wales on the Shores of Snowdonia'. This attractive Victorian seaside resort is popular with tourists for its fantastic beaches and its traditional Welsh charm. Overlooking the town on its headland stands the remains of the 13th century Criccieth Castle originally built by Llywelyn the Great. The origin of the name 'Criccieth' has been disputed over the years, but many believe it is a reference to welsh words 'crug caeth'. These words translate to 'hill captives' as the hill on which the castle was built upon was once used as a jail.
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Two miles to the east of Porthnadoc is the enchanting Italianate style tourist village of Portmeirion, designed by Sir Clough Williams-Ellis in the early 20th century. With the Hotel Portmeirion as its waterfront hub, The Central Piazza with its Riviera inspired houses, ornamental garden and campanile, is the centrepiece of the village. A pretty little plaza contains guest accommodation, the Mermaid Spa and Caffi'r Sgwar a great spot to grab a coffee and The Round House, the cottage where Number Six lived in the popular TV Series 'The Prisoner', now a shop selling nostalgic memorabilia. There is also a ten-hectare woodland, an Edwardian wild garden designed by Caton Haigh, who was a world authority on Himalayan flowering trees and exotic plants.
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