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Afon Gwyrfai

Gwynedd geography stubsRivers of GwyneddRivers of SnowdoniaWales river stubs

The Afon Gwyrfai is a short river in Gwynedd, Wales. For half of its length it flows through Snowdonia National Park. Exiting Llyn y Gader it flows north through the small village of Rhyd-ddu to enter the southeastern end of Llyn Cwellyn. Downstream of the lake it flows northwest past Betws Garmon, leaving the national park and continues to the southern edge of Waunfawr. It then turns slightly west to flow on to Bontnewydd beyond which it turns slightly south to enter Foryd Bay (Y Foryd). The tidal channel within the bay flows north into the western end of the Menai Strait. Principal tributary streams include the Afon Treweunydd which contributes water from the reservoir of Llyn Ffynnon-y-gwas and from the lakes of Llyn Glas, Llyn Coch and Llyn Nadroedd in Cwm Clogwyn immediately west of the summit of Snowdon. The tidal channel of the Gwyrfai within Foryd Bay also accepts the flow of the left bank tributaries, the Afon Foryd, Afon Rhyd and Afon Carrog. The river is shadowed by the line of the Welsh Highland Railway for much of its length, and by which it is crossed four times.The name may signify the '(river of) curved places', referencing its meandering course.

Excerpt from the Wikipedia article Afon Gwyrfai (License: CC BY-SA 3.0, Authors).

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N 53.10653 ° E -4.31088 °
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LL54 5UL , Llanwnda
Wales, United Kingdom
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Foryd Bay
Foryd Bay

Y Foryd (meaning 'the estuary' or 'the inlet'), also known as Foryd Bay, is a tidal bay in Gwynedd, Wales. It is located at the south-western end of the Menai Strait, about two miles south-west of Caernarfon. Several rivers flow into the bay and there are large areas of mudflats and salt marsh. A shingle spit partly blocks the mouth of the bay. At the north-western end is Fort Belan, built during the 18th century. Aerial photography in the drought of 2018 identified rectangular structures possibly of Roman age, at Glan y Mor, on slightly raised ground adjacent to the shoreline. This layout is very unusual in Roman Wales; it is rectilinear but has no defences and is otherwise unlike the military Roman sites in Wales, nor does it resemble the native defended settlements with their roundhouses and irregular outlines, nor the occasional villas. It is similar to the buildings and ditched enclosures excavated on the other side of the Menai Strait at Tai Cochion. To the south is a rectangular ditched structure or possible building, with an internal subdivision, measuring 25 by 13 m. To the north is a pair of almost identical structures; both groups are linked by a linear ditch or boundary. Close by, an early field system runs north-west to south-east between Plas Farm and the shores of the Menai Strait; the fields are rectangular, with at least one visible ditched hollow way.The bay has been designated a Site of Special Scientific Interest and in 1994 it became a Local Nature Reserve because of its importance for wildlife. Many birds visit in winter and during migration, including large numbers of wildfowl and waders such as wigeon which peak at over 3000 birds. Notable species include brent goose, jack snipe, spotted redshank and greenshank. Terns roost at the mouth of the bay.