Lôn Eifion is part of
Lôn Las Cymru, the
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 ...
National Cycle Route
The National Cycle Network (NCN) is the national cycling route network of the United Kingdom, which was established to encourage cycling and walking throughout Britain, as well as for the purposes of bicycle touring. It was created by the cha ...
, which is about long.
Lôn Eifion is the section which runs for from
Caernarfon
Caernarfon (; ) is a royal town, community and port in Gwynedd, Wales, with a population of 9,852 (with Caeathro). It lies along the A487 road, on the eastern shore of the Menai Strait, opposite the Isle of Anglesey. The city of Bangor is ...
to
Bryncir along most of the former Caernarfon to
Afon Wen
Afon Wen is a small hamlet on the Llŷn peninsula in the Welsh principal area of Gwynedd.
Location
It is located at the mouth of the Afon Wen river, half a mile from the village of Chwilog and midway between Pwllheli and Cricieth.
History ...
line. This line was that of the
Carnarvonshire Railway
The Carnarvonshire Railway was a railway connecting Caernarvon railway station (terminus of the Bangor and Caernarvon Railway line from Bangor) with Afon Wen.
History
The Carnarvonshire Railway was absorbed into the LNWR in 1869. At the gro ...
(later
LNWR
The London and North Western Railway (LNWR, L&NWR) was a British railway company between 1846 and 1922. In the late 19th century, the L&NWR was the largest joint stock company in the United Kingdom.
In 1923, it became a constituent of the L ...
and
London, Midland and Scottish Railway
The London, Midland and Scottish Railway (LMSIt has been argued that the initials LMSR should be used to be consistent with LNER, GWR and SR. The London, Midland and Scottish Railway's corporate image used LMS, and this is what is generally u ...
), and joined with the
Cambrian Coast Line
The Cambrian Line ( cy, Llinell y Cambrian), also known as the Cambrian Main Line ( cy, Prif Linell y Cambrian) and Cambrian Coast Line ( cy, Llinell Arfordir y Cambrian), is a railway line that runs from Shrewsbury, England, westwards to Aber ...
at Afon Wen. Running alongside for part of the way is the trackbed of the old
Nantlle Tramway, along which horse-drawn
tram
A tram (called a streetcar or trolley in North America) is a rail vehicle that travels on tramway tracks on public urban streets; some include segments on segregated right-of-way. The tramlines or networks operated as public transport are ...
s carried slates from the quarries in the Nantlle Valley to the port at Caernarfon from where they were exported.
From Caernarfon to Llanwnda Station the Lôn Eifion runs alongside that of the
Welsh Highland Railway
The Welsh Highland Railway (WHR) or Rheilffordd Eryri is a long, restored narrow gauge heritage railway in the Welsh county of Gwynedd, operating from Caernarfon to Porthmadog, and passing through a number of popular tourist destinations in ...
. At the Llanwnda station the Lon Eifion continues south over Glanrhyd to the A487/A499 Pwheli/Porthmadog roundabout, which prior to the
Penygroes bypass, was the site of the old
Llanwnda Rail Station on the
Carnarvonshire Railway
The Carnarvonshire Railway was a railway connecting Caernarvon railway station (terminus of the Bangor and Caernarvon Railway line from Bangor) with Afon Wen.
History
The Carnarvonshire Railway was absorbed into the LNWR in 1869. At the gro ...
. Crossing the roundabout you join the Llanwnda - Groeslon section of the route Lon Eifion, passing on your right the railway cottages built to serve the railway station. The route continues alongside the A487 before passing underneath the road bridge at Afon Llifon before continuing to the village of
Groeslon
Groeslon (; Welsh: ''Y Groeslon'', "the crossroads") is a small village in the community of Llandwrog in the Welsh traditional county of Caernarfonshire. Groeslon is administered by Gwynedd Council.
The population was 880 at the 2011 census
...
. Crossing the road at the
Tafarn Pennionyn the Lon Eifion continues on the East side of the A487 until crossing over again via a foot bridge. Once over the foot bridge the Lon Eifon cuts through woodland heading due South, passing the rear of
Inigo Jones Slate Works and further on to open field land with views to the West of
Pontllyfni and
Aberdasach and
The Rivals
''The Rivals'' is a comedy of manners by Richard Brinsley Sheridan in five acts which was first performed at Covent Garden Theatre on 17 January 1775. The story has been updated frequently, including a 1935 musical and a 1958 List of Maverick ...
until reaching another footbridge at the end of Clynogg Road and continuing down to the roundabout of A487/B4418. Continuing south the Lon Eifion continues to closely follow the A487 until vearing away and more South Westerly at Nebo. It continues on a much quieter and greener route along the old railway line through trees and farm land down to
Bryncir.
At
Bryncir the cycle route deviates from the old railway line and heads westerly and steeply upward through a farm and on to single track road before heading south again into Cricceith.
See also
*
Rail trail
A rail trail is a shared-use path on railway right of way. Rail trails are typically constructed after a railway has been abandoned and the track has been removed, but may also share the right of way with active railways, light rail, or streetcar ...
References
https://www.whr.co.uk/
https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/new-link-road-bid-ease-12923049
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Llanwnda_railway_station.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carnarvonshire_Railway
https://getoutside.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/local/groeslon-gwynedd-ll547tn
https://getoutside.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/local/bryncir-gwynedd
External links
Gwynedd Council - Recreational Routes - Lôn EifionSustrans Routes2Ride: Cycling Lôn Eifion
{{DEFAULTSORT:Lon Eifion
Cycleways in Wales
Transport in Gwynedd
Rail trails in Wales