Blaenau Ffestiniog
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Blaenau Ffestiniog is a small town in north Wales. It has a population of 4,830 (2001 census).
Located in the mountains of Snowdonia, the town was once a major centre of the slate mining industry. This industry declined during the early 20th century. The town's economy is now largely dependant on tourism. Although the town is in the centre of the Snowdonia National Park, the boundaries of the Park are specifically arranged to omit the town with its substantial slate waste heaps from the Park.
Blaenau Ffestiniog boasts several major tourist attractions, including the Ffestiniog Railway, and also the Llechwedd Slate Caverns, a former slate mine open to visitors.
The hills around Blaenau Ffestiniog form the watershed between the River Conwy flowing to the north and the River Dwyryd flowing to the west.
Blaenau Ffestiniog hosted the National Eisteddfod in 1898. It is traditionally part of Merionethshire.
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Pronunciation
The "official" Template:Ref Welsh pronunciation of Blaenau Ffestiniog (IPA) is Template:IPA but the first word is more commonly pronounced Template:IPA by local Welsh speakers, and variants such as Template:IPA are sometimes heard from English speakers.
Transport links
At one time the town was the terminus for three separate railway lines, each with its separate station or stations:
- the Ffestiniog Railway
- the Conwy Valley Line
- the former Great Western Railway line from Bala.
Today Blaenau Ffestiniog railway station on the site of the former Great Western station serves as a combined station for the Ffestiniog Railway and the Conwy Valley line, their previous stations being no longer in use.
Blaenau Ffestiniog is on the A470 road which runs from the north to the south of Wales. Immediately to the north of the town the road climbs steeply to the Crimea Pass.
Noted former residents
- John Cowper Powys, novelist.
- Llwybr Llaethog, musical group.
References
Template:Note G. M. Miller (Ed), BBC Pronouncing Dictionary of British Names, Oxford University Press, 1971. ISBN 0-19-431125-2