Betws Garmon

Betws Garmon
Footbridge at Betws Garmon
Betws Garmon is located in Gwynedd
Betws Garmon
Betws Garmon
Location within Gwynedd
Population249 (2011)
OS grid referenceSH535575
Community
  • Betws Garmon
Principal area
Preserved county
CountryWales
Sovereign stateUnited Kingdom
Post townCAERNARFON
Postcode districtLL54
Dialling code01286
PoliceNorth Wales
FireNorth Wales
AmbulanceWelsh
UK Parliament
Senedd Cymru – Welsh Parliament
List of places
UK
Wales
Gwynedd
53°05′42″N 4°11′17″W / 53.095°N 4.188°W / 53.095; -4.188

Betws Garmon is a community and small hamlet outside Waunfawr and near Beddgelert in Gwynedd, Wales. It has a population of 249.[1]

The summit of Snowdon lies within the community boundaries. Bryn Gloch has the newly reopened narrow gauge Welsh Highland Railway passing alongside it. The hamlet of Rhyd-Ddu is in the community.

Over the road from Bryn Gloch there is a parish church. Along the mountain extensive slate workings can be seen.

Betws Garmon also has a park near it. Near the station there is a road which leads to Rhosgadfan. Up that road there is a footpath that leads to Y Fron. A river that flows through the hamlet is called Afon Gwyrfai.

Site of Welsh Highland Railway station to be built at Betws Garmon, 1999

There was a folk tale concerning the family of Pellings, who lived at Betws Garmon until the 19th century. It was said that they were descended from a man and a fairy named Penelope. Penelope lived happily with her human husband until she was accidentally touched with a piece of iron, whereupon she disappeared forever.[2]

  1. ^ Office for National Statistics : Neighbourhood Statistics : Census 2001 : Gwynedd Archived 22 September 2010 at the Wayback Machine
  2. ^ Ash, Russell (1973). Folklore, Myths and Legends of Britain. Reader's Digest Association Limited. p. 382. ISBN 9780340165973.