Tywyn

Tywyn (formerly Towyn) is a town of 3,300 people (2011) and seaside resort in Gwynedd, Wales. Tywyn sits on the Cardigan Bay shoreline of Mid Wales and is surrounded by the green valleys and hills of Bro Dysynni, which form the south-western corner of the Snowdonia National Park. It is most famous as the home of the Talyllyn Railway, and also as the location for an early Marconi radio transmitting/receiving station.

Tywyn has attracted travellers for at least a thousand years, as the church of St Cadfan and its adjacent well have long been a site of pilgrimage. Modern pilgrims are more likely to "take the waters" somewhere along the 4 miles of sandy beach. In Welsh the name is pronounced [ˈtəwɨn] or [ˈtəwin], whereas the English pronunciation tends to be /ˈtaʊ.ɪn/.

The town
Tywyn is not a large town and is easy to get around on foot. Tywyn's main hub is the High Street, which runs west to east. The eastward extension of the High Street is College Green, which passes the Market Hall and St Cadfan's Church and runs into Corbett Square (the oldest part of the town). From here the main road leads out of town to the east and north. The westward extension of the High Street is Pier Road, which runs under a railway bridge down to the beach. The mainline station is found at the western end of the High Street, this is also where the buses stop. Running south-east from the mainline train station is Station Road, which leads past the High School to the Talyllyn Railway Wharf Station, at which point it becomes Brynhyfryd Road, leading east to the hospital, where it becomes Aberdyfi Road, the main road out of town to the south. Leading south-westwards from the junction of the High Street and College Green, Neptune Road crosses Station Road at Wharf Station, and continues to the beach at Neptune Hall. Marine Parade runs along the seafront, joining Neptune Road and Pier Road. The east end of town is known as Pendre, while the area between Station Road and the sea is known as Bron-y-Mor. From the west end of the High Street, Idris Villas leads north-west to the low-lying area of town known as Sandilands.

Bro Dysynni
Bro Dysynni is the name for the fertile agricultural hinterland to the east and north of Tywyn. Essentially, it covers the 2, parallel Valleys of the Dysynni and Fathew rivers. The area is easily explored on foot, bicycle, by car or by the Talyllyn Railway, or by a combination of these. There are a number of villages spread throughout the 2 valleys and along the coast.


 * Aberdyfi, 4 miles to the south, is another seaside resort, but with a very different feel to Tywyn. A good choice of accommodation and places to eat. Renowned golf course. Yacht Harbour with charter boats available for sea fishing or wildlife-spotting. Donkey rides on the beach and "crabbing" from the pier for the youngsters, kite-surfing and other adventure sports for big kids of all ages.
 * Abergynolwyn. The terminus of the Talyllyn Railway, 7 miles to the north-east of Tywyn. Former Slate Mining village. In its heyday, Abergynolwyn slate was much in demand, and many illustrious buildings, including the Palace of Westminster are roofed with it. The village pub is the Railway Inn, which serves good, locally sourced food. Traditional Welsh sing-a-longs have been known to break out in the bar at weekends. Good value homecooked food is also available at Caffi'r Ceunant in the village hall (booking essential for Sunday Lunch). Lovely waymarked walks in the forestry to the south of the village pass waterfalls and the old slate workings (look out for the innovative wind-up interpretive displays, which you power yourself), while the "Postman's Pass" to the north follows the Afon Dysynni river through to the adjacent valley, giving access to Castell-y-Bere and Craig-yr-Aderyn.
 * Bryncrug. 2 miles inland from Tywyn, where the Dysynni and Fathew valleys meet. The village pub, The Peniarth, serves meals.
 * Dolgoch. 5 miles from Tywyn in the Fathew Valley. A small private hotel and a number of holiday apartments, some of which are available as self-catering accommodation. A brick-built Victorian viaduct carries the Talyllyn Railway across a steep, wooded ravine, down which the Afon Fathew flows over some spectacular waterfalls, accessed by waymarked woodland walks. A great place for a walk when the weather is not so good, as the ravine and woodlands will shelter you from any wind, and the waterfalls are at their best after rain! Wear hiking boots or wellies if it's been raining unless you only plan to go to the bottom of the first set of falls.
 * Fairbourne and Friog. 2 villages either side of the mainline railway, about 10 miles to the north of Tywyn. Fairbourne a small holiday resort with its best days behind it. Does have its own narrow-gauge steam railway which links to a passenger ferry across the Mawddach Estuary to Barmouth.
 * Happy Valley (Cwm Maethlon). About a mile out of town on the Aberdyfi Road, take a (signed) left turn, to enter the peaceful green place that is Happy Valley. No village here, but cottages, farms and a church spread right along the valley of the Afon Dyffryn Gwyn river. The road continues over a pass to drop down to the village of Cwrt in the Dyfi valley. About a mile before the top of the pass, a car park on the right is the starting point for the short (but quite steep) walk up to Bearded Lake (Llyn Barfog) and a nearby echo. Also nearby is Carn March Arthur, a stone which legend states, bears the hoofprint of King Arthur's horse, left during a battle with a monster called the Afanc, which lived in the lake.
 * Llanegryn. Lovely little village across the Dysynni Valley from Bryncrug. Perhaps a little too quiet - due to the lack of any shop or pub. Visit Cil y Sarn farm on the road to Rhoslefain for delicious local wildflower honey (they display a board next to the road when it's in stock)
 * Llanfihangel-y-Pennant. Founded to support the nearby castle of Castell-y-Bere. Picturesque church and the cottage of Mari Jones.
 * Llangelynin. A few houses and an ancient church clinging to the cliff edge a couple of miles south of Llwyngwril. One of the graves in the churchyard is that of Abram Wood "The King of the Gypsies". On the wall inside the church is a horse bier which is a rare example of its type. Look out for the bowl-shaped stone at the right of the main door inside the porch - it's said to fill with water when rain is on the way.
 * Llwyngwril. Pretty seaside village (though with a disappointingly stoney beach), about 7 miles north of Tywyn. Has an atmospheric village pub, the Garthangharad. On the hillside above the village the remains of an old Iron Age hill fort, Castell y Gaer, can still be seen.
 * Rhoslefain. A scattering of houses and farms just before the main road north gets back to the coast between Llanegryn and Llwyngwril.
 * Talyllyn and Minffordd. 2 hamlets, at either end of the famous picture-postcard Talyllyn Lake (Llyn Mwyngil). About 10 miles north-east of Tywyn. In Talyllyn, is the Tynycornel hotel. The village church is notable for having 2 gates - 1 at the bottom of the hill for Talyllyn residents, the other at the top for worshippers coming over the hill from Corris. Minffordd is one of the main starting points for the ascent of Cadair Idris.

Get in
See also the Wales article for an overview of transport into, and across, the country.

By train
Tywyn is served by Cambrian Coast line trains on the Machynlleth to Pwllheli line, operated by Arriva Trains Wales. Connections from the UK National Rail network can be made via Shrewsbury and Machynlleth.

The narrow-gauge Talyllyn Railway also connects the town to the village of Abergynolwyn.

By bus
Bws Gwynedd services 28 and 30 from Machynlleth, Aberystwyth and Dolgellau stop outside the mainline train station. TrawsCymru cross-Wales services stop at Machynlleth and Dolgellau, with direct buses coming from Bangor in the north-west, Wrexham in the north-east, and Cardiff and Swansea (via Aberystwyth or Brecon) in the south. Service 30 does not run on Sundays or public holidays, and service 28 operates a severely restricted service on those days.

By car
Tywyn is on the A493 Machynlleth to Dolgellau road. Tywyn can be accessed from the UK motorway network at the M54 near Shrewsbury and M53 and M56 near Chester. Allow at least 90 minutes from leaving the motorways to arriving in Tywyn, though as the routes from both Shrewsbury and Chester are very scenic, many travellers will take much longer, stopping at places such as Welshpool, Ruthin, Bala, Dolgellau or Machynlleth en route.

By plane
There are no major airports in the immediate vicinity. Birmingham, Manchester or Liverpool airports are the closest, with Birmingham offering a simple rail connection to Tywyn via Shrewsbury and Machynlleth. Private aircraft can use Mid-Wales Airport,, at Welshpool (no scheduled flights), which is about an hour's drive from Tywyn, slightly longer if travelling by train. Plans for a similar facility at the former RAF Llanbedr, near Harlech are at an early stage.

By boat
Ferries from Ireland to Wales arrive at Holyhead (from Dublin) and Fishguard (from Rosslare). Buses from Holyhead via Bangor and Dolgellau. Buses from Fishguard via Cardigan and Aberystwyth to Machynlleth.

Visitors arriving by private yacht should make use of the harbour at nearby Aberdyfi. The Harbour Master can be contacted on.

By bus
Bus services in the area are provided by a number of operators, coordinated by the local authority under the Bws Gwynedd banner.

Tywyn
In the town, service 29 Clipa Tywyn does a regular circuit from the mainline train station to Sandilands and the Promenade and back via the Talyllyn Railway Wharf Station and the High Street (no service on Sundays or public holidays). Most reasonably able-bodied people will tend to walk as it's not a great distance.

Bro Dysynni
Service 28 Dolgellau-Tywyn-Machynlleth follows the coast road and serves local villages including Arthog, Fairbourne, Llwyngwril, Llanegryn, Bryncrug, Aberdyfi, Cwrt and Pennal. Service 30 Tywyn-Minffordd-Machynlleth serves Bryncrug, Abergynolwyn, Talyllyn, Minffordd, Corris. Service 30 does not run on Sundays or public holidays, and service 28 operates a severely restricted service on those days.

By rail
The Talyllyn Railway serves a number of stations and halts on its 7-mile journey from Tywyn Wharf station to Abergynolwyn. This can be useful if you're staying at one of the camp sites or B&Bs in and around the village of Bryncrug.

The mainline railway serves Aberdyfi, Tonfanau, Llwyngwril and Fairbourne.

Talk
You will hear both English and Welsh (Cymraeg) spoken around the town. According to the 2001 census, 40.5% of the town's population were Welsh speakers. This is almost twice the national average (20.5%), but considerably less than the average for Gwynedd (68.7%). By local standards then, Tywyn is a relatively "English" town. As with anywhere in Wales, visitors will encounter no problems conversing in English, though a "Bore da" (Good morning) or "Diolch" (thank-you) will always be appreciated. Check out the Welsh phrasebook for more phrases and a pronunciation guide.

Wildlife
Marine mammals including dolphins, porpoises and seals, can often be seen from Tywyn seafront. Cardigan Bay is home to one of only two breeding groups of Bottle-nosed Dolphins around the UK coast. The other can be found in the Moray Firth in North-west Scotland.



The Broadwater is the local name for the estuary of the Dysynni river. It's around a mile to the north of the town. Follow The Gwalia, the narrow road between St Cadfan's Church and the cinema. This runs straight across a flat flood plain, in between irrigation ditches, until it reaches the river. The Broadwater is an important nesting site for wildfowl, including moorhen, coots, swans, grebes and various species of duck, including the Red-Breasted Merganser, for which the Broadwater is said to be the most southerly nesting spot in the UK.

Craig-yr-Aderyn (Bird Rock) is around 5 miles to the north-west of Tywyn in the picturesque Dysynni Valley. The rock plays host to the only inland nesting colony of cormorants in Europe. Other birds including choughs and peregrines also nest on the rock, which used to host to a small number of feral goats that gave their name to the steep path Llwybr y Geifr down from the rock. Remnants of an Iron Age hillfort can be found on the summit.

Until their re-introduction to parts of England and Scotland, this area was home to the only remaining Red Kites in the UK. The other commonly seen raptor in the area is the buzzard.

With the exception of the rabbit, wild land mammals in the area tend to be very shy (and also largely nocturnal) and are therefore rarely seen. foxes, badgers, hares, stoats, weasels and polecats are all present in the area, as are various species of mice, voles and shrews.

Outdoor pursuits

 * Hillwalking


 * There is much good Hillwalking available in the area, which forms the southernmost part of the Snowdonia National Park. The largest (892m/2927ft) and best known mountain is Cadair (sometimes spelt Cader) Idris, which is the second most climbed mountain in Wales. The most popular and one of the best routes is the Minffordd Path which starts from the hamlet of the same name. The mountain can also be climbed from the village of Llanfihangel y Pennant at the head of the Dysynni valley, and there are also a number of paths from the northern side, accessed from Dolgellau. The lower Tarren range of hills provide excellent walking, without the crowds that can sometimes be found on Cadair Idris. Ordnance Survey Explorer Map sheet OL23 Cadair Idris and Bala Lake is essential.


 * Legend has it that there are only 3 potential outcomes if you spend the night on Cadair Idris. Either you will die in the night, you will wake up insane, or you will wake up as a bard (poet). If you want to test this out then there are some excellent wild camping spots on the shores of Llyn (lake) Cau (accessed from Minffordd), or Llyn y Gadair on the Dolgellau side. Check out the article on Leave-no-trace camping before you go.


 * Surfing. In the right conditions, Tywyn beach can offer fine surfing. Surfers tend to gather around the concrete slipway at the south end of the main promenade. The best surf is often to be found just north of this point but as wind, swell and tide change it can be worth checking out other parts of the beach, particularly The Pipe, an outlet pipe (nothing nasty, it carries the Afon Dyffryn Gwyn river for the final few yards on its journey to the sea) covered by rocks, a short distance further south. Speak to local surfers or watch the waves yourself from the sea wall before picking your spot). In a large swell, there is also a break at the nearby village of Llwyngwril, however, this is rocky and for experienced surfers only.
 * Surfing. In the right conditions, Tywyn beach can offer fine surfing. Surfers tend to gather around the concrete slipway at the south end of the main promenade. The best surf is often to be found just north of this point but as wind, swell and tide change it can be worth checking out other parts of the beach, particularly The Pipe, an outlet pipe (nothing nasty, it carries the Afon Dyffryn Gwyn river for the final few yards on its journey to the sea) covered by rocks, a short distance further south. Speak to local surfers or watch the waves yourself from the sea wall before picking your spot). In a large swell, there is also a break at the nearby village of Llwyngwril, however, this is rocky and for experienced surfers only.
 * Surfing. In the right conditions, Tywyn beach can offer fine surfing. Surfers tend to gather around the concrete slipway at the south end of the main promenade. The best surf is often to be found just north of this point but as wind, swell and tide change it can be worth checking out other parts of the beach, particularly The Pipe, an outlet pipe (nothing nasty, it carries the Afon Dyffryn Gwyn river for the final few yards on its journey to the sea) covered by rocks, a short distance further south. Speak to local surfers or watch the waves yourself from the sea wall before picking your spot). In a large swell, there is also a break at the nearby village of Llwyngwril, however, this is rocky and for experienced surfers only.
 * Surfing. In the right conditions, Tywyn beach can offer fine surfing. Surfers tend to gather around the concrete slipway at the south end of the main promenade. The best surf is often to be found just north of this point but as wind, swell and tide change it can be worth checking out other parts of the beach, particularly The Pipe, an outlet pipe (nothing nasty, it carries the Afon Dyffryn Gwyn river for the final few yards on its journey to the sea) covered by rocks, a short distance further south. Speak to local surfers or watch the waves yourself from the sea wall before picking your spot). In a large swell, there is also a break at the nearby village of Llwyngwril, however, this is rocky and for experienced surfers only.
 * Surfing. In the right conditions, Tywyn beach can offer fine surfing. Surfers tend to gather around the concrete slipway at the south end of the main promenade. The best surf is often to be found just north of this point but as wind, swell and tide change it can be worth checking out other parts of the beach, particularly The Pipe, an outlet pipe (nothing nasty, it carries the Afon Dyffryn Gwyn river for the final few yards on its journey to the sea) covered by rocks, a short distance further south. Speak to local surfers or watch the waves yourself from the sea wall before picking your spot). In a large swell, there is also a break at the nearby village of Llwyngwril, however, this is rocky and for experienced surfers only.
 * Surfing. In the right conditions, Tywyn beach can offer fine surfing. Surfers tend to gather around the concrete slipway at the south end of the main promenade. The best surf is often to be found just north of this point but as wind, swell and tide change it can be worth checking out other parts of the beach, particularly The Pipe, an outlet pipe (nothing nasty, it carries the Afon Dyffryn Gwyn river for the final few yards on its journey to the sea) covered by rocks, a short distance further south. Speak to local surfers or watch the waves yourself from the sea wall before picking your spot). In a large swell, there is also a break at the nearby village of Llwyngwril, however, this is rocky and for experienced surfers only.

Buy
While nobody would describe Tywyn as a shopping mecca, it has so far escaped the "Tescofication" that has blighted much of the UK. It has a good variety of shops, almost all of which are located on the High Street, and its eastward extension, College Green. Early Closing day in Tywyn is Wednesday, when most shops do not open after lunchtime.

The Easter Fair is an annual street market which takes place on Easter Monday in the town centre. The market stalls return every Monday throughout the summer months on the market field behind the Corbett Arms Hotel.

Supermarkets

 * J. R. Baldwin - Spar High Street. Allegedly the biggest Spar shop in Europe. Was the town's only real supermarket until the arrival of newcomer.
 * Co-op Station Road. Right next to the station.
 * Tywyn Central Stores Neptune Road. . Right where Neptune Road meets the High Street. Much smaller than the 2 above, but handy if you're at the eastern end of town.

Eat
Tywyn has a great number of places to eat, mostly spread along the High Street and College Green. The bulk of these are informal cafe style places serving brunch, lunch and afternoon tea and open only during the daytime. Evening diners will find a smaller number of establishments available but there are still a number of good choices.



Town centre


Tywyn's 3 pubs are all within a hundred yards or so of each other at the east end of town. "The White" and "The Tred", as they are known locally, tend to be the busiest, with locals often moving between the two over the course of an evening. Those out on a session will often start with a couple of pints each in 2 or even all 3 of the pubs in nearby Aberdyfi before getting a taxi or train back to Tywyn in time for a couple more pints before closing time.

Local area

 * There are 3 pubs in Aberdyfi, four miles to the south on the main coast road or one stop to the south on the mainline railway.

All public buildings in Wales, including pubs, are now non-smoking.

Sleep
The Tourist Information Centre on the High Street can help with availability information and bookings.

Bed & Breakfast and self-catering cottages
There are a number of B&Bs in the town, especially on Pier Road. Out of town, many farms in the area also offer B&B and/or self-catering accommodation. This list is just a small selection.



Hostels and bunkhouses


The nearest YHA hostel to Tywyn is about 12 miles away in Penmaenpool, in the hills above the main A493 Dolgellau Road.

Camping
There are literally dozens of small campsites dotted around the Bro Dysynni area.



Beaches and coast
Tywyn Beach has a safe reputation due to its gently-shelving nature, but sensible precautions should still be taken. The promenade is covered by a Beach Patrol during summer months, but outside of this area there is no safety coverage. At the far southern end of the beach, near the mouth of the River Dyfi, tidal currents can be strong and unpredictable.

General advice for safe swimming:
 * A red flag means danger. Do not enter the water if the red flag is flying
 * Consider bathing at a beach that's under lifeguard protection
 * Don't swim alone at a deserted beach
 * Don't use inflatables. They are easily swept away by strong currents
 * If you see someone in trouble, call 999 and ask for Coastguard
 * Inquire about swimming conditions at local tourist offices prior to venturing to a beach without lifeguard cover
 * Read warning notices posted near beach access sites

Mountains
Snowdonia's mountains claim lives every year. The weather can change very quickly in this part of the World, and this is especially true in the mountains. Make sure you are wearing suitable clothing and footwear, and always carry a suitable map. Ordnance Survey 1:25000 scale Explorer Map OL23 Cadair Idris and Bala Lake is ideal, alternatively the 1:50000 scale Landranger series sheets 124 Dolgellau and Porthmadog and 135 Aberystwyth and Machynlleth.

Follow the Mountain Safety Code:

Before you go
 * Learn the use of map and compass
 * Know the weather signs and local forecast
 * Plan within your capabilities
 * Know simple first aid and the symptoms of exposure
 * Know the mountain distress signals
 * Know the country code

When you go
 * Never go alone
 * Leave written word of your route and report your return
 * Take windproofs, woollens and survival bag
 * Take map and compass, torch and food
 * Wear climbing boots
 * Keep alert all day
 * Avoid disturbance to farming, forestry and field sports

If there is snow on the hills
 * Always have an ice axe for each person
 * Carry a climbing rope and know the correct use of rope and ice axe
 * Learn to recognise dangerous snow slope

Stay healthy
In an emergency, dial 999 or 112 (ideally from a landline) and request ambulance, police, fire service or coastguard.


 * Bronglais District General Hospital, Aberystwyth. . The nearest Accident & Emergency unit. Open 24 hours.
 * Tywyn Memorial Hospital, Aberdyfi Road, Tywyn., or (out of hours). Local cottage hospital. Medical cover is provided by the local GP surgery from 8:30AM to 6:30PM.  The care is then taken over by the out of hours service.  The Minor Injuries Unit is open from 9AM to midnight and is staffed by a clinical practitioner.
 * The Health Centre, Pier Road, Tywyn. or  (out of hours). Local GP practice. Reception open M Tu Th F 8AM-6:30PM, W 8AM-12:30PM.
 * Central Pharmacy, 11 High Street, Tywyn. . Open M-Sa 9AM-1PM and 2-5:30PM.
 * Neptune Dental Surgery Neptune Road, Tywyn. . NHS and private dentist. Has an attached dental laboratory for any denture repair work.

Banks
There are 3 banks in the town, Barclays, HSBC and Natwest, all close to the eastern end of the High Street. All 3 have cash machines (ATMs).

Post Office
The town's Post Office can be found around half-way along the High Street, opposite the Tourist Information Centre.

Internet

 * Peniarth Arms, Bryncrug. Village pub with a Wifi Hotspot operated by BT Openzone
 * Peniarth Arms, Bryncrug. Village pub with a Wifi Hotspot operated by BT Openzone

Area code
Tywyn's area dialling code is 01654. To call from overseas, dial +44 1654 XXXXXX

Media

 * Cambrian News. Local English-language newspaper, published weekly. Covers Ceredigion, North Powys, South Gwynedd. Renowned for its occasionally bizarre headlines.
 * Dail Dysynni. Welsh-language monthly newspaper, dedicated to the Bro Dysynni area.
 * Radio Ceredigion 96.6-97.4 FM. Bilingual community radio station, broadcasting from Aberystwyth to the Cardigan Bay area.
 * BBC Radio Wales 882 and 657 AM.

Go next

 * Aberystwyth. The "capital" of mid-Wales, and once touted as national capital. Home to the National Library of Wales and one of the colleges of the University of Wales. A vibrant place during term time, quieter when the students have gone home, especially outside the summer months. Stand on Tywyn seafront and you can clearly make out the seafront of "Aber" a few miles to the south, where the coast of Cardigan Bay starts to sweep out to the west. Unless you've brought your speedboat, though, it's a 35-mile journey by road, as the first bridge across the River Dyfi is at Machynlleth. Better (though, if anything, slower) to travel by train (change at Machynlleth) which gives fantastic views of both sides of the Dyfi estuary and allows the opportunity to visit Machynlleth on the way back.
 * Dolgellau, 20 miles to the north on the other side of the Cadair Idris massif, was once the centre of a gold rush. The British royal family have traditionally worn wedding rings of Dolgellau gold. It also plays host to the Sesiwn Fawr world music festival every July.
 * Machynlleth is a pleasant market town with an "alternative" feel, 15 miles to the south-east. It hosts a regular street market every Wednesday, as well as being home to the Museum of Modern Art (MOMA). The Centre for Alternative Technology, a few miles north of the town, is well worth a visit. Just a short distance further north lies the village of Corris, with a number of craft shops.
 * The Cambrian Coast. The mainline railway station makes Tywyn an ideal base for exploring the west coast of Gwynedd, to the north of the town. The line generally sticks closely to the coast, with some spectacular views. Take advantage of the "North Wales Day Ranger" 2-zone ticket for just £7 for adults or £3.50 for kids (2009). This allows all day rail travel on the entire Cambrian Coast line from Machynlleth to Pwllheli, as well as bus travel in neighbouring areas and 50% off tickets for the Ffestiniog and Welsh Highland Railways. You can buy the ticket from the guard on the train.


 * The first major station to the north is at Barmouth, a busy seaside resort 25 minutes ride away, across the beautiful Mawddach Estuary. If you're heading straight back to Tywyn after seeing the sights of Barmouth, why not walk back across the bridge to properly take in those views of the estuary, and pick up the train again at Morfa Mawddach station (request only - signal with your hand to the driver that you wish to board the train), at the south end of the bridge. Most trains stop for around 10 minutes in Barmouth.


 * Twenty minutes (and several small village stations) beyond Barmouth, the train arrives at Harlech, dominated by its spectacular 13th-century castle. Contrast the style of this English built fortress with the Welsh built Castell-y-Bere.


 * From Harlech, it's another 15-minute ride to Minffordd, where you should alight to visit the Italianate village of Portmeirion, where cult TV series The Prisoner was filmed (Note that Portmeirion is about a 25 minute walk from the station). Minffordd station also offers connections with the narrow gauge Ffestiniog Railway to Blaenau Ffestiniog.


 * Just a few minutes beyond Minffordd the train arrives at Porthmadog, a pleasant port town, with a decent selection of shops and a small maritime museum. The town is named for Prince Madog who, legends tell, landed in Mobile Bay, Alabama, in 1170, thus discovering North America over 300 years before Columbus. Pothmadog is the terminus of two narrow gauge railways, the Ffestiniog and the Welsh Highland. The latter is expected to reopen along its full length in 2010, serving Beddgelert and Caernarfon and giving access to some of the paths to the summit of Snowdon.


 * A few minutes ride from Porthmadog brings the train to Criccieth, a seaside resort with another 13th-century castle (this time Welsh-built - note the great views across to Harlech Castle!), and finally to the end of the line at Pwllheli on the Lleyn Peninsula.


 * Even in summer there are only 6 or 7 trains per day in each direction (fewer in winter and on Sundays), so be sure to check the timetable (displayed at all stations) and make sure you know what time the last train back to Tywyn is due to leave.