Waterloo Port[1], also known as Porth Waterloo[2], or Porth y Dwr is a coastal hamlet and area of Caernarfon in Gwynedd, Wales.[3]
Port Waterloo
| |
|---|---|
 Porth Waterloo and the Menai Strait | |
  Port Waterloo Location within Gwynedd | |
| Principal area | |
| Preserved county | |
| Country | Wales |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | CAERNARFON |
| Postcode district | LL55 |
| Police | North Wales |
| Fire | North Wales |
| Ambulance | Welsh |
| UK Parliament | |
| Senedd Cymru – Welsh Parliament | |
It lies midway between Caernarfon and Bangor, the Isle of Anglesey is directly opposite the hamlet, across the Menai Strait. It is part of the community of Caernarfon.
History
edit
Waterloo Port was once part the parish of Llanbeblig[4], part of the Hundred of Is-Gorfai in Caernarfonshire.[5]
After being annexed and becoming a part of Caernarfon, Porth Waterloo did not see any real changes to how daily life was for its residents.[6] It became known for its seaweed farming and this trade continued into the 1970s.[7]
Transport
edit
The Bangor and Carnarvon Railway opened in the May 1851, connecting Bangor and Caernarfon. It passed directly through the middle of the hamlet, although no station was opened to serve it. The nearest stations were both Caernarvon and Griffith's Crossing.
The station at Griffith's Crossing was closed in 1937, with Caernarvon station remaining the closest station to the hamlet until its closure in 1970. The line was also closed between Caernarvon and Menai Bridge but was reopened temporarily following the Britannia Bridge 1970 fire. This temporarily saw freight reusing the line for ships to Ireland until the bridge was repaired in 1972 and the line was once again fully closed.
Today, the old trackbed between Bangor and Caernarfon has become mostly reused for the Lôn Eifion between Dinas and Caernarfon.[8] Although the section north towards Treborth and Bangor is now mostly occupied by the A487 road and other developments. There are proposals to reinstate the line between Bangor and Caernarfon, and then possibly to Afon Wen, via the former Carnarvonshire Railway.[9]
Regular buses now connect the hamlet to Caernarfon and Bangor, as well as other towns such as Llandudno, Deganwy, Llandudno Junction, Conwy, Llanfairfechan, Penmaenmawr, Porthmadog, Dolgellau, Machynlleth and Aberystwyth.[10]
Present day
editToday, Port Waterloo remains a quiet coastal hamlet, with only minor developments that have now made it a part of the town of Caernarfon.[11] It is a popular tourist attraction and holiday hamlet.[12] Despite this, it still retains its distinct coastal scenery and views across the Menai Strait towards the Isle of Anglesey.[13]
References
edit- ↑ "Waterloo Port, Caernarfon, Wales - MapQuest". www.mapquest.com. Retrieved 4 June 2026.
- ↑ Prost, Gary (27 June 2023). The United Kingdom's Natural Wonders: Scotland and Northern Ireland, Lake District and Yorkshire Dales, Wales and West Midlands, England. CRC Press. p. 203. ISBN 978-1-351-16559-4.
- ↑ GENUKI. "Genuki: Alphabetical list and index for places in Caernarfonshire, Caernarvonshire". www.genuki.org.uk. Retrieved 4 June 2026.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ↑ GENUKI. "Genuki: Alphabetical list and index for places in Caernarfonshire, Caernarvonshire". www.genuki.org.uk. Located in the "W" section of the list on Genuki. Retrieved 4 June 2026.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ↑ GENUKI. "Genuki: Llanbeblig, Caernarvonshire". www.genuki.org.uk. Retrieved 4 June 2026.
- ↑ Holden, Chris. The Essential Underwater Guide to North Wales. Volume One, Part Two.: Trwyn Porth Dinllaen to South Stack. Calgo Publications. pp. 40, 43, and 60. ISBN 978-0-9545066-4-3.
- ↑ Transactions. 1973. p. 22.
- ↑ Iball, Haydn (8 August 2014). "Bob Saxby wants the Bangor to Caernarfon railway restored". North Wales Live. Retrieved 4 June 2026.
- ↑ Hughes, Owen (25 December 2025). "Gwynedd train route would see bridge over A55 and rail tunnel". North Wales Live. Retrieved 4 June 2026.
- ↑ "Map – bustimes.org". bustimes.org. Retrieved 4 June 2026.
- ↑ "Active Travel – Waterloo Port, Caernarfon | YGC - Ymgynghoriaeth Gwynedd Consultancy". ygc.cymru. Retrieved 4 June 2026.
- ↑ "20 Best Things To Do In Waterloo Port Near Me | Attractions in Gwynedd". Day Out With The Kids. Retrieved 4 June 2026.
- ↑ Ridout, Joanne (21 April 2023). "Welsh terrace with the best sea views could be your next renovation project". Wales Online. Retrieved 4 June 2026.