Bala ( cy, Y Bala) is a town and

community A community is a social unit (a group of living things) with commonality such as place, norms, religion, values, customs, or identity. Communities may share a sense of place situated in a given geographical area (e.g. a country, village, tow ...

Gwynedd Gwynedd (; ) is a county and preserved county (latter with differing boundaries; includes the Isle of Anglesey) in the north-west of Wales. It shares borders with Powys, Conwy County Borough, Denbighshire, Anglesey over the Menai Strait, and C ...

Wales Wales ( cy, Cymru ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is bordered by England to the Wales–England border, east, the Irish Sea to the north and west, the Celtic Sea to the south west and the ...

. Formerly an

urban district Urban district may refer to: * District * Urban area * Quarter (urban subdivision) * Neighbourhood Specific subdivisions in some countries: * Urban districts of Denmark * Urban districts of Germany * Urban district (Great Britain and Ireland) (hist ...

, Bala lies in the historic county of

Merionethshire , HQ= Dolgellau , Government= Merionethshire County Council (1889-1974) , Origin= , Status= , Start= 1284 , End= , Code= MER , CodeName= ...

, at the north end of Bala Lake ( cy, Llyn Tegid). According to the 2021 Census, Bala had a population of 1,999. 72.5 per cent of the population can speak

Welsh Welsh may refer to: Related to Wales * Welsh, referring or related to Wales * Welsh language, a Brittonic Celtic language spoken in Wales * Welsh people People * Welsh (surname) * Sometimes used as a synonym for the ancient Britons (Celtic peop ...

Toponym

The Welsh word ''bala'' refers to the outflow of a lake.

History

Tomen y Bala - a Norman motte - geograph

The Tower of Bala ''(

: Tomen y Bala)'' ( high by diameter) is a tumulus or "moat-hill", formerly thought to mark the site of a

Roman Roman or Romans most often refers to: *Rome, the capital city of Italy *Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD *Roman people, the people of ancient Rome *''Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a letter ...

camp. In the 18th century, the town was well known for the manufacture of flannel,

stockings Stockings (also known as hose, especially in a historical context) are close-fitting, variously elastic garments covering the leg from the foot up to the knee or possibly part or all of the thigh. Stockings vary in color, design, and transparen ...

glove A glove is a garment covering the hand. Gloves usually have separate sheaths or openings for each finger and the thumb. If there is an opening but no (or a short) covering sheath for each finger they are called fingerless gloves. Fingerless glov ...

s and hosiery. The large stone-built

theological college A seminary, school of theology, theological seminary, or divinity school is an educational institution for educating students (sometimes called ''seminarians'') in scripture, theology, generally to prepare them for ordination to serve as clergy, ...

, ''Coleg y Bala'', of the

Calvinistic Methodists Calvinistic Methodists were born out of the 18th-century Welsh Methodist revival and survive as a body of Christians now forming the Presbyterian Church of Wales. Calvinistic Methodism became a major denomination in Wales, growing rapidly in the 1 ...

and the

grammar school A grammar school is one of several different types of school in the history of education in the United Kingdom and other English-speaking countries, originally a school teaching Latin, but more recently an academically oriented secondary school ...

(now Ysgol y Berwyn), which was founded in 1712, are the chief features, together with the statue of the Rev. Thomas Charles (1755–1814), the theological writer, to whom was largely due the foundation of the

British and Foreign Bible Society The British and Foreign Bible Society, often known in England and Wales as simply the Bible Society, is a non-denominational Christian Bible society with charity status whose purpose is to make the Bible available throughout the world. The Soc ...

. In 1800 a 15-year-old girl,

Mary Jones Mary Jones may refer to: People American * Mary Alice Jones (1898–1980), American children's writer *Mary Cover Jones (1896–1987), American psychologist * Mary Ellen Jones (chemist) (1922–1996), American biochemist * Mary Ellen Jones (politi ...

, walked the from her home village Llanfihangel-y-Pennant to purchase a Welsh bible in Bala. The scarcity of the Bible, along with the determination of Mary to get one (she had saved for six years), was a major factor in the foundation of the

in 1804.

Betsi Cadwaladr Betsi Cadwaladr (24 May 1789 – 17 July 1860), also known as Beti Cadwaladr''Welsh National Heroes'' by Alun Roberts, Y Lolfa, 2002 and Betsi Davis, was a Welsh nurse. She began nursing on travelling ships in her 30s (1820s) and later nursed in ...

, who worked with

Florence Nightingale Florence Nightingale (; 12 May 1820 – 13 August 1910) was an English Reform movement, social reformer, statistician and the founder of modern nursing. Nightingale came to prominence while serving as a manager and trainer of nurses during t ...

in the

Crimea Crimea, crh, Къырым, Qırım, grc, Κιμμερία / Ταυρική, translit=Kimmería / Taurikḗ ( ) is a peninsula in Ukraine, on the northern coast of the Black Sea, that has been occupied by Russia since 2014. It has a pop ...

, and who gave her name to the Health Board, came from Bala. Other famous people from the Bala area include

Michael D. Jones Michael Daniel Jones (2 March 1822 – 2 December 1898) was a Welsh people, Welsh Congregational church, Congregationalist minister and principal of a theological college, but is best remembered as a founder of the Welsh settlement in Patago ...

, Christopher Timothy,

Owen Morgan Edwards Sir Owen Morgan Edwards (26 December 1858 – 15 May 1920) was a Welsh historian, educationalist and writer. He is often known as O. M. Edwards. Biography Owen Edwards was born in Llanuwchllyn near Bala, the eldest son of Owen and Beti Edw ...

, born in

Llanuwchllyn Llanuwchllyn () is a village and community in Gwynedd, Wales, near the southern end of Bala Lake (Llyn Tegid). It is one of the most sparsely populated communities in Wales. The electoral ward includes the small settlement of Llangywer. The ...

, and

T.E. Ellis Thomas Edward Ellis (16 February 1859 – 5 April 1899), often known as T. E. Ellis or Tom Ellis, was a Welsh politician who was the leader of Cymru Fydd, a movement aimed at gaining home rule for Wales. Ellis was, for a time, the most pro ...

, born in

Cefnddwysarn Cefnddwysarn () is a small village in Gwynedd, Wales. It is located on the A494 road approximately 3 miles east of the town of Bala and 8 miles west of Corwen. The village is situated within the traditional county of Merionethshire, and the com ...

. Bala hosted the

National Eisteddfod The National Eisteddfod of Wales (Welsh: ') is the largest of several eisteddfodau that are held annually, mostly in Wales. Its eight days of competitions and performances are considered the largest music and poetry festival in Europe. Competitors ...

in 1967, 1997 and 2009. The 2009 Eisteddfod was notable because the chair was not awarded to any of the entrants as the standard was deemed to be too low. Bala hosted the Eisteddfod Genedlaethol yr Urdd Gobaith Cymru, National Eisteddfod for the Welsh League of Youth, in 2014. On 16 June 2016, Bala's name was changed to Bale temporarily in honour of

Real Madrid Real Madrid Club de Fútbol (, meaning ''Royal Madrid Football Club''), commonly referred to as Real Madrid, is a Spanish professional football club based in Madrid. Founded in 1902 as Madrid Football Club, the club has traditionally wor ...

forward

Gareth Bale Gareth Frank Bale (born 16 July 1989) is a Welsh professional footballer who plays as a winger for Major League Soccer club Los Angeles FC and the Wales national team. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest wingers of his generation ...

. This was only for the duration of

UEFA Euro 2016 The 2016 UEFA European Football Championship, commonly referred to as UEFA Euro 2016 (stylised as UEFA EURO 2016) or simply Euro 2016, was the 15th UEFA European Championship, the quadrennial international men's football championship of Europe o ...

Twinning

Bala, Ontario Bala is a compact rural community in the township municipality of Muskoka Lakes, District Municipality of Muskoka in Central Ontario, Canada. It is well-known for the Bala Falls, the source of the Moon River, which flows from Lake Muskoka to the ...

, Canada, was named after the town in 1868. They have become twin towns.

Geography

Set within the

Bala Fault The Bala Fault is a SW-NE trending geological fault in Wales that extends offshore into Cardigan Bay. In the offshore area it is a major normal fault and forms the bounding structure to the Cardigan Bay Basin, with a fill including about of Lias ...

, Bala Lake is the largest natural lake in Wales at in length and 800 metres (900 yards) wide. At 35 metres (110 feet), its depths could hide the tower of St Giles Church in

Wrexham Wrexham ( ; cy, Wrecsam; ) is a city and the administrative centre of Wrexham County Borough in Wales. It is located between the Welsh mountains and the lower Dee Valley, near the border with Cheshire in England. Historically in the count ...

and still have 1 metre (3 feet) of water above. The lake has occasionally been known to freeze over, most recently in the severe winters of 1947 and 1963. The rare

Gwyniad The gwyniad (''Coregonus pennantii'') is a freshwater whitefish native to Bala Lake ( cy, Llyn Tegid) in northern Wales. The population is threatened by deteriorating water quality and by the ruffe, a fish introduced to the lake in the 1980s and ...

fish—trapped in the lake at the end of the last ice age, some 10,000 years ago—is in danger because its natural home is increasingly unsuitable. A member of the whitefish family, it is found only in the lake. Cwm Hirnant, a valley running south from Bala, gives its name to the Hirnantian Age in the Ordovician Period of geological time. The closest major urban areas to Bala are

at ,

Chester Chester is a cathedral city and the county town of Cheshire, England. It is located on the River Dee, close to the English–Welsh border. With a population of 79,645 in 2011,"2011 Census results: People and Population Profile: Chester Loca ...

at , and

Liverpool Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough in Merseyside, England. With a population of in 2019, it is the 10th largest English district by population and its metropolitan area is the fifth largest in the United Kingdom, with a popul ...

, to the northeast. Nearby villages include

Llanfor Llanfor is a village in Gwynedd, Wales near the town of Bala, in the community of Llandderfel. History There is evidence of an Iron Age Hill Fort in the immediate area and Roman Castrum. In the 6th century an unknown Monk from Llanfor was repu ...

Llandderfel Llandderfel is a village and a sparsely populated community in Gwynedd, Wales, near Bala, formerly served by the Llandderfel railway station. The community also includes the settlements of Glan-yr-afon, Llanfor, Cefnddwysarn and Frongoch. T ...

, Llanycil,

Llangower Llangywer (or Llangower) is a community near Bala, Gwynedd, Wales. It is in the historic county of Merionethshire, and is located on the south side of Bala Lake. In 2011 the population of Llangywer was 260, with 67.2% of them able to speak Wels ...

Rhyd-uchaf Rhyd-uchaf is a hamlet in Gwynedd, Wales, approximately northwest of Bala and south of Frongoch (by footpath), on an unnamed road which provides access to Arenig Fawr. The community population taken at the 2011 census was 78. Talybont Cha ...

and

Rhos-y-gwaliau Rhos-y-gwaliau is a small hamlet in Meirionnydd, Gwynedd, North Wales, about south-east of Bala. It is home to the Rhos y Gwaliau Outdoor Activity Centre and a now disused Victorian chapel, built for the Calvinistic Methodists. The Berwyn ...

Climate

As with the rest of the UK, Bala benefits from a maritime climate, with limited seasonal temperature ranges, and generally moderate rainfall throughout the year. Bala Mill Falls - geograph

Attractions

The

Afon Tryweryn The Tryweryn is a river in the north of Wales which starts at Llyn Tryweryn in the Snowdonia National Park and after joins the river Dee at Bala. One of the main tributaries of the Dee, it was dammed in 1965 to form Llyn Celyn, drowning the ...

, a river fed from

Llyn Celyn Llyn Celyn () is a reservoir constructed between 1960 and 1965 in the valley of the River Tryweryn in Gwynedd, Wales. It measures roughly long by wide, and has a maximum depth of . It has the capacity to hold of water. It was originally ...

which runs through Bala, is world-famous for its white water

kayak A kayak is a small, narrow watercraft which is typically propelled by means of a double-bladed paddle. The word kayak originates from the Greenlandic word ''qajaq'' (). The traditional kayak has a covered deck and one or more cockpits, each se ...

ing. International governing bodies, the International Canoe Federation, the European Canoe Union and the

British Canoe Union British Canoeing, formerly known as the British Canoe Union (BCU) is a national governing body for canoeing in the United Kingdom, established in 1936 as the British Canoe Union. In 2000 it federalised to become the umbrella organisation for t ...

all hold national and international events there. The

Canolfan Tryweryn Canolfan Tryweryn is the National White Water Centre for Wales, and is based near Bala in north Wales. It developed the first commercial white water rafting operation in the UK in 1986, and since then has grown to become the largest and on ...

National Whitewater Centre has its home in Bala. There are at least three local

campsite A campsite, also known as a campground or camping pitch, is a place used for overnight stay in an outdoor area. In British English, a ''campsite'' is an area, usually divided into a number of pitches, where people can camp overnight using te ...

s that cater for the influx of canoeists from many parts of the world. An annual

music festival A music festival is a community event with performances of singing and instrument playing that is often presented with a theme such as musical genre (e.g., rock, blues, folk, jazz, classical music), nationality, locality of musicians, or h ...

known as 'Wa Bala' is also held in the town. The venue hosts local Welsh bands and is similar in format to

Dolgellau Dolgellau () is a town and community in Gwynedd, north-west Wales, lying on the River Wnion, a tributary of the River Mawddach. It was the traditional county town of the historic county of Merionethshire ( cy, Meirionnydd, Sir Feirionnydd) un ...

's Sesiwn Fawr. Nearby are the mountains

Aran Fawddwy Aran Fawddwy is a mountain in southern Snowdonia, Wales, United Kingdom. It is the highest point (county top) of the historic county of Merionethshire (for local government purposes, it lies within the current council area of Gwynedd). ...

and

Arenig Fawr Arenig Fawr ( en, Great High Ground) is a mountain in Snowdonia, North Wales, close to Llyn Celyn reservoir, alongside the A4212 between Trawsfynydd and Bala. Location Arenig Fawr is the highest member of the Arenig range, with Arenig Fach ( ...

. Coleg y Bala is at the top of the hill on the road towards

. The Victoria Hall is a small old cinema, that had been a community hall. There are several chapels: notably Capel Mawr and Capel Bach. The livestock market on Arenig Street is still going strong. Bro Eryl estate was built just after

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

Mary Jones World Mary Jones World ( cy, Byd Mary Jones) is a small heritage centre located in Llanycil near Bala, Gwynedd, Wales. Situated on the north shore of Bala Lake, it provides information on Mary Jones, a fifteen-year-old girl from Llanfihangel-y-Pennant ...

, a heritage centre about Mary Jones and her Bible is located just outside the town in nearby Llanycil.

Bala Town Hall Bala Town Hall ( cy, Neuadd y Dref Y Bala), known in the late 19th century as the County Hall ( cy, Neuadd y Sir Y Bala), is a municipal building in Bala, Gwynedd, Wales. The structure, which is now used as a restaurant, is a Grade II listed bui ...

, which now operates as a restaurant, dates back to circa 1800.

Transport

Bala has been served by various railway stations on the

Great Western Railway The Great Western Railway (GWR) was a British railway company that linked London with the southwest, west and West Midlands of England and most of Wales. It was founded in 1833, received its enabling Act of Parliament on 31 August 1835 and ran ...

: *

Bala Lake Halt railway station Bala Lake Halt railway station in Gwynedd, Wales, was formerly a station on the Ruabon Barmouth Line, Ruabon to Barmouth line. Bala (Penybont) is the current terminus of the Bala Lake Railway, and has occupied the site of the former halt sinc ...

was Bala's first station, on the

Bala and Dolgelly Railway Bala may refer to: Places India *Bala, India, a village in Allahabad, India * Bala, Ahor, a village in the Jalore district of Rajasthan * Bala, Raebareli, a village in Uttar Pradesh, India Romania * Bala, Mehedinți, a commune in Mehedinţi ...

(open 1868 to 1882; 1934 to 1939) **

Bala (Penybont) railway station Bala Lake Halt railway station in Gwynedd, Wales, was formerly a station on the Ruabon to Barmouth line. Bala (Penybont) is the current terminus of the Bala Lake Railway, and has occupied the site of the former halt since 1976. The narrow-g ...

is the name of the Bala Lake

heritage railway A heritage railway or heritage railroad (US usage) is a railway operated as living history to re-create or preserve railway scenes of the past. Heritage railways are often old railway lines preserved in a state depicting a period (or periods) i ...

's station on the site of the Bala Lake Halt *

Bala (New) railway station Bala railway station was on the Great Western Railway's Bala Ffestiniog Line in Wales. It replaced the first Bala station which was further away from the town, on the Ruabon–Barmouth line. The route to Blaenau was single track throughout. T ...

- Bala's second station, on the

Festiniog and Blaenau Railway The Festiniog & Blaenau Railway (F&BR) was a narrow gauge railway built in 1868 to connect the town of Blaenau Ffestiniog in Wales with the slate quarries around Tanymanod and the village of Llan Ffestiniog, to the south. At Blaenau Ffesti ...

(open 1882 to 1965) *

Bala Junction railway station Bala Junction railway station was on the Ruabon to Barmouth line in southern Gwynedd, Wales. It closed to passengers on Monday 18 January 1965. Bala Junction was unusual in that it was inaccessible by road and merely served as an interchange ...

- The meeting point of the

Bala and Dolgellau Railway Bala may refer to: Places India *Bala, India, a village in Allahabad, India * Bala, Ahor, a village in the Jalore district of Rajasthan * Bala, Raebareli, a village in Uttar Pradesh, India Romania *Bala, Mehedinți, a commune in Mehedinţi C ...

Corwen and Bala Railway Corwen is a town and community in the county of Denbighshire in Wales. Historically, Corwen is part of the county of Merionethshire. Corwen stands on the banks of the River Dee beneath the Berwyn mountains. The town is situated west of Llango ...

and the

Bala and Festiniog Railway The Bala and Festiniog Railway was a , standard gauge, railway backed by the Great Western Railway (GWR) in north-west Wales. It connected Bala with Blaenau Ffestiniog. History The railway originally connected Bala with Llan Ffestiniog. ...

(open 1882 to 1965) The Bala Lake Railway ( cy, Rheilffordd Llyn Tegid) runs for from

to the edge of the town, along a section of the former trackbed of the

line Line most often refers to: * Line (geometry), object with zero thickness and curvature that stretches to infinity * Telephone line, a single-user circuit on a telephone communication system Line, lines, The Line, or LINE may also refer to: Arts ...

between Ruabon and Barmouth. It terminates at

, which opened in 1976 on the site of the former Lake Halt station. As of 2020, work is being undertaken to extend the line along the

lake A lake is an area filled with water, localized in a basin, surrounded by land, and distinct from any river or other outlet that serves to feed or drain the lake. Lakes lie on land and are not part of the ocean, although, like the much large ...

foreshore to a new station in the town center. Bus services are provided by Lloyds Coaches, as part of the

Welsh Government The Welsh Government ( cy, Llywodraeth Cymru) is the Welsh devolution, devolved government of Wales. The government consists of ministers and Minister (government), deputy ministers, and also of a Counsel General for Wales, counsel general. Minist ...

funded TrawsCymru network. Services operate westbound to

Barmouth Barmouth ( cy, Abermaw (formal); ''Y Bermo'' (colloquial)) is a seaside town and community (Wales), community in the county of Gwynedd, northwestern Wales, lying on the estuary of the Afon Mawddach and Cardigan Bay. Located in the Historic coun ...

via

, and eastbound to

via Corwen and Llangollen. Through ticketing is available for onward connections at Dolgellau, to Bangor, Machynlleth and

Aberystwyth Aberystwyth () is a university and seaside town as well as a community in Ceredigion, Wales. Located in the historic county of Cardiganshire, means "the mouth of the Ystwyth". Aberystwyth University has been a major educational location in ...

. The town lies on the A494, a major trunk road that leads to

, 18 miles to the southwest, and to

Ruthin Ruthin ( ; cy, Rhuthun) is a market town and community in Denbighshire, Wales, in the south of the Vale of Clwyd. It is Denbighshire's county town. The town, castle and St Peter's Square lie on a hill, skirted by villages such as Pwllglas and ...

, Mold and Queensferry to the northwest. The A4212 starts in the town, and crosses the Migneint to

Trawsfynydd Trawsfynydd (; Welsh for "across hemountain") is a linear village in Gwynedd, Wales, near Llyn Trawsfynydd reservoir, and adjacent to the A470 north of Bronaber and Dolgellau and 10 km (6 miles) south of Blaenau Ffestiniog. The total com ...

. Heading southeast, the B4391 crosses the Berwyn range to the English border and the town of

Oswestry Oswestry ( ; ) is a market town, civil parish and historic railway town in Shropshire, England, close to the Welsh border. It is at the junction of the A5, A483 and A495 roads. The town was the administrative headquarters of the Borough of ...

Sport

Bala is home to Cymru Premier football club

Bala Town F.C. Bala Town Football Club ( cy, Clwb Pêl-droed y Bala) is a Welsh football team from Bala, Gwynedd, who play in the Cymru Premier. They play their home games at Maes Tegid. History For a full history see; '' List of Bala Town FC seasons'' Altho ...

who play at

Maes Tegid Maes Tegid ( en, Tegid Field) is a community playing field in Bala, Wales. It is currently used mostly for football matches, and is the home ground of Bala Town (). The stadium holds 3,000 people, with 504 seats and has been used by Bala Town ...

. Bala's local rugby club is Bala RFC.

Notable people

* Thomas Charles (1755 – 1814 in Bala), a Welsh Calvinistic Methodist clergyman. *

(1789–1860), nurse, eponym for

Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board (BCUHB) ( cy, Bwrdd Iechyd Prifysgol Betsi Cadwaladr) is the local health board of NHS Wales for the north of Wales. It is the largest health organisation in Wales, providing a full range of primary, commun ...

(1822 in Llanuwchlyn – 1898), a Welsh Congregationalist minister, principal of Bala theological college, a founder of the Welsh settlement in Patagonia and one of the fathers of modern Welsh nationalism *

John Hugh Jones John Hugh Jones (21 May 1843 – 15 December 1910) was a Welsh Roman Catholic priest, translator, and tutor. Life Jones was born in May, 1843, in Bala, Gwynedd, north Wales. After an education at Bala Grammar School and some private tuition f ...

(1843–1910) a Welsh Roman Catholic priest, translator and tutor. *

Richard John Lloyd Price Richard John Lloyd Price DL, JP (17 April 1843 – 9 January 1923), was squire of Rhiwlas Estate (about 64,000 acres in North Wales). He was a journalist, author, and judge at field trials and dog shows — best known as the organizer of th ...

(1843–1923), squire, journalist, author and judge at field trials *

T. E. Ellis Thomas Edward Ellis (16 February 1859 – 5 April 1899), often known as T. E. Ellis or Tom Ellis, was a Welsh politician who was the leader of Cymru Fydd, a movement aimed at gaining home rule for Wales. Ellis was, for a time, the most pr ...

(1859–1899), politician and leader of

Cymru Fydd The Cymru Fydd (The Wales to Come; ) movement was founded in 1886 by some of the London Welsh. Some of its main leaders included David Lloyd George (later Prime Minister), J. E. Lloyd, O. M. Edwards, T. E. Ellis (leader, MP for Merioneth, 1886– ...

Robert Thomas Jenkins Robert Thomas Jenkins CBE (31 August 1881 – 11 November 1969) was a Welsh historian and academic. Life Jenkins was born on 31 August 1881 in Liverpool. He moved with his family to Bangor, Gwynedd, when his father was appointed clerk to the ...

CBE (1881–1969), historian and academic, brought up in Bala. * Jack Evans (1889–1971), footballer, played 354 games for

Cardiff City F.C. Cardiff City Football Club ( cy, Clwb Pêl-droed Dinas Caerdydd) is a professional association football club based in Cardiff, Wales. It competes in the Championship, the second tier of the English football league system. Founded in 1899 as R ...

* Christopher Timothy (born 1940), actor

Gallery

Eglwys Crist, y Bala Christ Church, Bala, Gwynedd North Wales 04.JPG, Christ Church Eglwys Crist, y Bala Christ Church, Bala, Gwynedd North Wales 09.JPG, Christ Church

References

External links

Bala informationwww.geograph.co.uk : photos of Bala and surrounding area
{{authority control Towns in Gwynedd