g o d a Porthm
Exploring
Porthmadog is a gem of a harbour town that offers something for everyone. Steve Goodier takes a visit…
In a previous life I travelled North Wales for several years selling timber – and if you’re wondering what that has to do with the town of Porthmadog, let me explain. My abiding memory of the area is desperately scrabbling about my car to find the 5p toll money I needed to pay the toll to cross the Cob embankment over the Glaslyn Estuary and reach the town in time to deposit the day’s cheques before the bank shut for the afternoon. Those of us who remember this toll will sigh at a bit of lost Wales that is never coming back. There was something very traditional about the elderly man who sat by his little toll hut be it summer or winter and took your money which he dropped into a tin. scenery. As well as this the Welsh Highland Heritage Railway The toll was abolished in 2003 when the Welsh Assembly
line has its main station and visitor centre near the north end
Government bought the Cob. In fact, so much has changed
of Stryd Fawr opposite the mainline station – it runs to Pen-y-
since those days thirty odd years ago, but I still visit
Mount and is much loved by railway enthusiasts and general
Porthmadog to get a coffee after a day in the nearby Molwyn
tourists alike. Lovers of coastal scenery are well catered for
mountains, or to pick up an Indian takeaway from a little
in this area with Morfa Bychan and the huge beach at Black
restaurant I know on the back streets. I am also partial to
Rock Sands a mere two miles away. Between Black Rock
parking in the town and climbing the rugged and exciting
Sands and Porthmadog you will find the picturesque harbour
mini mountain, Moel y Gest which rises above the sea and the
village of Borth-y-Gest which has a lovely estuary and offers
streets of Porthmadog.
superb mountain views. And to top it all Criccieth is close by (just five miles away) with two more superb beaches and its
Times have certainly altered since Porthmadog was the
medieval castle.
busiest slate port in North Wales, but it is still a bustling seaside town with numerous yachts and boats mooring in the
Porthmadog has a population of around 4,200 and was home
pretty harbour. It has a good range of shops, cafés, pubs and
to the 1987 National Eisteddfod. The town was known as
restaurants and, despite the newish road that bypasses the
Portmadoc prior to 1974 with the name being derived from the
town now, it is still very popular with tourists.
word ‘port’ and the surname of one William Maddocks who was instrumental in establishing the town as the place we
Geographically Porthmadog lies near the entrance to the
know today.
estuary of the Afon Glaslyn where it runs into Tremadog Bay. It is serviced by the A487 which runs to Bangor and
So let’s take a look at him. It was William Maddocks who built
the A498 which goes to Beddgelert. The town lies on the
the sea wall known as the Cob between 1808 and 1811 (its
Cambrian Coast railway line and is also the southern terminus
opening was marked by a four-day feast) and inadvertently
of the rebuilt Welsh Highland Railway line which runs from
established Porthmadog’s credentials as a developing town.
Caernarfon through spectacular Snowdonian mountain
Three weeks after it opened it was breached by high tides
NWM 2021 Page 25
