Caernarfonshire
Caernarfonshire Sir Gaernarfon | |||
Location Map ( geo) | |||
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Primary Destinations | |||
Bangor • Betws-y-Coed • Caernarfon • Conwy • Llandudno • Porthmadog | |||
Other Important Destinations | |||
Pwllheli | |||
Current Highway Authorities | |||
Conwy • Gwynedd | |||
Borders | |||
Anglesey • Denbighshire • Merionethshire | |||
Welsh Government Roads | |||
A5 • A55 • A470 • A487 | |||
Caernarfonshire (Sir Gaernarfon in Welsh, formerly known as Carnarvonshire and then Caernarvonshire in English) is one of the traditional counties of Northern Wales. The county council was abolished in 1974; after about 20 years administered by Gwynedd it is now split between Gwynedd and Conwy.
Geography & Economy
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Caernarfonshire consists of the northwestern section of the Welsh mainland and includes the Creuddyn and Lleyn Peninsulas. The latter is largely low-lying but further east the county moves into the mountains of Snowdonia, including the eponymous mountain itself. The county's eastern border runs along the Vale of Conwy. Although Caernarfonshire has a long coastline with most of its large settlements along it, it is not well-known for being by the sea. Porthdinllaen, near Morfa Nefyn, was nearly chosen to be a major port but lost out to Holyhead so remains a small fishing village. Llandudno and Pwllheli are both seaside resorts. Caernarfon and Conwy each have a famous castle and town walls but the majority of tourists come to Caernarfonshire to visit Snowdonia. Bangor claims the oldest bishopric and longest High Street in Britain.
Roads
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Caernarfonshire's road network is built around its geography and centres of population. Roads in Snowdonia are forced to follow the passes, with the A55 even having to tunnel due to the lack of space between the hills and the sea; this road also tunnels under the River Conwy. Although Lleyn has much more suitable terrain for road construction, its lack of large settlements means few roads are needed. The North and Mid Wales Trunk Road Agent maintains the county's four trunk roads: the A55 along the north coast and into Anglesey, the A5 from Bangor into Snowdonia, the A470 skirting the east of the county, and the A487 skirting Snowdonia to the west. Most non-trunk roads in Caernarfonshire are maintained by Gwynedd Council, whilst the few roads in the east (mostly around Llandudno and the Vale of Conwy) are maintained by Conwy CBC. Two bridges connect Caernarfonshire with Anglesey: the Menai Suspension Bridge carries the A5 but most traffic crosses the Britannia Bridge, which carries the A55 and railway line.
Route | From | To | Length |
|
---|---|---|---|---|
A5 | London | Holyhead | 252 miles | View |
A55 | Holyhead | Chester | 88 miles | View |
A470 | Cardiff | Llandudno | 185.1 miles | View |
A487 | Haverfordwest | Menai Bridge | 173.8 miles | View |
A497 | Minfford | Nefyn | 22.5 miles | View |
A498 | Porthmadog | Pen-y-Gwryd | 14.8 miles | View |
A499 | Llanwnda | Abersoch | 23.7 miles | View |
A544 | Waterloo Bridge, Betws-y-Coed | Llandudno | 19.4 miles | View |
A546 | Llandudno Junction | Llandudno | 4.8 miles | View |
A547 | Conwy | Prestatyn | 24.0 miles | View |
A4085 | Penrhyndeudraeth | Caernarfon | 19.7 miles | View |
A4085 | Tremadog | Llanwnda | 15.0 miles | View |
A4086 | Caernarfon | Capel Curig | 17.9 miles | View |
A4087 | Bangor | Capel-y-Graig | 3.2 miles | View |
A4087 | Menai Bridge | Capel-y-Graig | 1.8 miles | View |
A4244 | Brynrefail | Llys-y-gwynt | 6.6 miles | View |
A4971 | Bodawen | Porthmadog | 2.5 miles | View |
A5110 | Conwy | Tal-y-Cafn | 4.5 miles | View |
A5122 | Llys-y-Gwynt | Capel-y-Graig | 6.3 miles | View |
B4354 | Chwilog(E) | Tan-y-graig | 9.2 miles | View |
B4366 | Caernarfon | Groeslon roundabout | 5.3 miles | View |
B4406 | Conwy Falls | Penmachno | 2.4 miles | View |
B4407 | Pont yr Afon Gam | Pentrefoelas (W) | 9.9 miles | View |
B4407 | Llan Ffestiniog | Conwy | 29.3 miles | View |
B4409 | Bethesda | Glasinfryn | 3.2 miles | View |
B4410 | Tan-y-bwlch | Prenteg | 5.4 miles | View |
B4411 | Glan-Dwyfach | Criccieth | 4.3 miles | View |
B4412 | Bryncynan Inn | Morfa Nefyn | 1.1 miles | View |
B4413 | Aberdaron | Llanbedrog | 12.7 miles | View |
B4414 | Llanbedrog | Abersoch | 2.7 miles | View |
B4415 | Nanhoron | Efailnewydd | 6.1 miles | View |
B4416 | Nefyn | Bryncynan Inn | 1.0 mile | View |
B4417 | Pen-y-groeslon | Llanaelhaearn | 16.2 miles | View |
B4418 | Penygroes | Rhyd Ddu | 7.5 miles | View |
B4419 | Victoria Dock, Caernarfon | St David's Road roundabout | 0.86 miles | View |
B4547 | Capel-y-graig | Groeslon roundabout | 2.1 miles | View |
B5106 | Conwy | Betws-y-coed | 15.1 miles | View |
B5107 | Caernarfon Road | Holyhead Road | 0.1 miles | View |
B5113 | Colwyn Bay | Pentrefoelas | 22.2 miles | View |
B5114 (Llanrhos) | Llanrhos | Tywyn | 2.3 miles | View |
B5115 | Colwyn Bay | Tywyn, Llandudno | 6.4 miles | View |
B5279 | Tal-y-cafn | Ty'n-y-groes | 0.9 miles | View |
B5443 | Llanddulas | Abergele | 2.7 miles | View |
T11 | London | Holyhead | View | |
T19 | Chester | Bangor | View | |
T81 | Fishguard | Bangor | View | |
T85 | Maentwrog | East of Conwy | View |
Key
Junctions
Bridges, Tunnels, and other Crossings