Afon Wen
Encyclopedia
Afon Wen is a small hamlet
on the Llŷn peninsula
in the Welsh
principal area of Gwynedd
.
, half a mile from the village
of Chwilog
and midway between Pwllheli
and Cricieth.
was formerly a junction station on the Cambrian Coast Line, from where a connection could be made via the Carnarvonshire Railway
(later LNWR and LMS
) to the north coast at Caernarfon
. For many people the name of the place is synonymous with that line, as in the song Trên i Afon Wen by Welsh pop star Bryn Fôn
. The line was closed in 1965, and the track lifted. Part of the line, from Caernarfon to Dinas, is now part of the route of the newly re-opened Welsh Highland Railway
.
The section from Caernarfon to Bryncir has been converted into a footpath/cycleway that forms part of the National Cycle Network
Route 8 (NCN8) and is known as Lon Eifion.
Hamlet (place)
A hamlet is usually a rural settlement which is too small to be considered a village, though sometimes the word is used for a different sort of community. Historically, when a hamlet became large enough to justify building a church, it was then classified as a village...
on the Llŷn peninsula
Llyn Peninsula
The Llŷn Peninsula extends into the Irish Sea from north west Wales, south west of the Isle of Anglesey. It is part of the modern county and historic region of Gwynedd. The name is thought to be of Irish origin, and to have the same root Laigin in Irish as the word Leinster...
in the Welsh
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
principal area of Gwynedd
Gwynedd
Gwynedd is a county in north-west Wales, named after the old Kingdom of Gwynedd. Although the second biggest in terms of geographical area, it is also one of the most sparsely populated...
.
Location
It is located at the mouth of the Afon Wen riverRiver
A river is a natural watercourse, usually freshwater, flowing towards an ocean, a lake, a sea, or another river. In a few cases, a river simply flows into the ground or dries up completely before reaching another body of water. Small rivers may also be called by several other names, including...
, half a mile from the village
Village
A village is a clustered human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet with the population ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand , Though often located in rural areas, the term urban village is also applied to certain urban neighbourhoods, such as the West Village in Manhattan, New...
of Chwilog
Chwilog
Chwilog is a village in Eifionydd on the Llyn Peninsula in the Welsh county of Gwynedd. It forms part of the community of Llanystumdwy.The village is fairly linear, built up around the B4354 which crosses the peninsula to Boduan...
and midway between Pwllheli
Pwllheli
Pwllheli is a community and the main market town of the Llŷn Peninsula in Gwynedd, north-western Wales. It has a population of 3,861, of which a large proportion, 81 per cent, are Welsh speaking. Pwllheli is the place where Plaid Cymru was founded. It is the birthplace of Albert Evans-Jones -...
and Cricieth.
History & Amenities
Afon Wen railway stationAfon Wen railway station
Afon Wen was a railway station located in Afon Wen, Gwynedd.The station formed a junction between the Aberystwyth and Welsh Coast Railway and the Carnarvonshire Railway.- History :...
was formerly a junction station on the Cambrian Coast Line, from where a connection could be made via the Carnarvonshire Railway
Carnarvonshire Railway
The Carnarvonshire Railway was a railway connecting Caernarvon railway station with Afon Wen.-History:...
(later LNWR and LMS
London, Midland and Scottish Railway
The London Midland and Scottish Railway was a British railway company. It was formed on 1 January 1923 under the Railways Act of 1921, which required the grouping of over 120 separate railway companies into just four...
) to the north coast at Caernarfon
Caernarfon
Caernarfon is a Royal town, community and port in Gwynedd, Wales, with a population of 9,611. It lies along the A487 road, on the east banks of the Menai Straits, opposite the Isle of Anglesey. The city of Bangor is to the northeast, while Snowdonia fringes Caernarfon to the east and southeast...
. For many people the name of the place is synonymous with that line, as in the song Trên i Afon Wen by Welsh pop star Bryn Fôn
Bryn Fôn
Bryn Fôn is a Welsh actor and singer-songwriter .- Biography :Fôn attended Ysgol Gynradd Llanllyfni and Ysgol Dyffryn Nantlle before going on to study physical exercise and environmental studies at college. He began his career in entertainment by taking part in the opera Dic Penderyn in 1977...
. The line was closed in 1965, and the track lifted. Part of the line, from Caernarfon to Dinas, is now part of the route of the newly re-opened Welsh Highland Railway
Welsh Highland Railway
The Welsh Highland Railway is a long restored narrow gauge heritage railway in North Wales, operating from Caernarfon to Porthmadog, and passing through a number of popular tourist destinations including Beddgelert and the Aberglaslyn Pass. At Porthmadog it connects with the Ffestiniog Railway...
.
The section from Caernarfon to Bryncir has been converted into a footpath/cycleway that forms part of the National Cycle Network
National Cycle Network
The National Cycle Network is a network of cycle routes in the United Kingdom.The National Cycle Network was created by the charity Sustrans , and aided by a £42.5 million National Lottery grant. In 2005 it was used for over 230 million trips.Many routes hope to minimise contact with motor...
Route 8 (NCN8) and is known as Lon Eifion.