Welsh locations

From Festipedia, hosted by the FR Heritage Group
Spelling Pronounced (using a rough English phonology) Meaning - see also The meaning of Welsh names on the F.R.
Aberglaslyn Aber-GLAS-lyn Glaslyn mouth (the estuary was tidal up to this point before the building of the Cob)
Afon Gwyrfai AV-on GWEER-vie (rhymes with 'die') River Gwyrfai
Beddgelert Beth-GEL-ert ('th' as in 'then') Gelert's grave
Bettws Garmon BET-us GAR-mon ('u' as in 'put') Blessed Garmon
Blaen y cwm Bline uh coomb ('cwm' rhymes with 'keep stum') Top of the valley
Blaenau Ffestiniog BLIGH-na Fes-TIN-iog or BLIGH-nigh or BLANE-uh Heads of Ffestiniog
Bod-Ychain BOD-erCH-'IGN Place of Oxen
Bontnewydd Bont NEW-ith ('e' as in 'hen'; 'th' as in 'then') New Bridge
Bowydd BOW-ith (rhymes with 'toe'-'with')
Bryn Gloch brin gloch (as in 'loch') Bell Hill
Bryn y Felin brin-uh-VEL-in Mill Hill
Bryngwyn Brin-gwin White Hill
Bwlch y slaters Bwoolkh uh slatters Slaters' pass
Cae Ednefed Kye ED-N'V-ED Ednyfed's Field
Cae Hen Kye Hen (rhymes with 'lie') Don't forget to stretch the 'e'. Old Field
Cae Moel Kye moyle Bare Field
Cae Pawb K eye P ow B. Everyone's field
Caernarfon correctly Kire-NAR-von, or colloquially K'nar-von
Castell Cidwm CAST-ell KID-um (rhymes with 'keep stum') Wolf's Castle
Cefn-Bychan Junction CEV'N B'CH-ahN Little Ridge Junction (old name for disused Groby branch junction.
Cesail CES-isle
Coed y Bleiddiau Koyd uh BLAYTH-ya Wolves' wood
Conglog CON-glog
Croes Ddwyafan Croise Thoo-ee-AV-an (soft 'th' as is 'this')
Croesor KROY-sore
Cutting Budr Cutting BIDDR Dirty Cutting
Cutting Gwlyb Cutting GOO'-LIB Wet Cutting
Cutting Naddu Cutting NA-THI Hewn (not blasted) Cutting
Cutting Bothy Cutting Bothy An English form of 'bwythyn' a hut
Cwm Orthin Coomb ORthin ('cwm' rhymes with 'keep stum') Orthin valley
Cwt y Bugail Coot y BIG-isle ('cwt' rhymes with "put") Shepherd's hut
Cyrnant KURR-nant Beside the valley and/or brook
Dduallt THEE-atht (sort of! - see notes on pronunciation of 'll') Black hill
Diffwys DIF-ooees Precipice
Dinas Junction DEE-nas Junction Fort
Dolrhedyn Dol-H'RED-IN Fern meadow
Drum Drim
Fron Boeth Vron Boy-th
Fron-Wen Vron-WEN White breast - i.e. hillside
Garnedd GARR-NETH ('neth' with soft 'th', as in 'nether') Cairn
Gelliwiog GETH-lee-WEE-og (sort of! - see notes on pronunciation of 'll')
Glan yr Afon glan-urr-AV-on Riverside
Glanrafon Glan-RAV-on Riverside
Glan-y-Mor GLANNA-MOR Shore of the seashore
Glan-y-Pwll GLANNA-POO'-HL' Shore of the pool
Gloddfa Ganol GLOTH-va GAN-ol
Graig Ddu Graheeg Thee Blackrock
Gweithy-Cryddion GWIGH'TH/GWAYTH-DI CR'THE-YON Cobblers' Workshop
Groesffordd GROYSS-FORRthe Crossroads - old Dinas Junction
Gwredog Isaf goor-ED-og EE-sav Lower Gwredog
Gwyndy GWIN-DI White House
Gysgfa G'SSg-VA Sleeping Place
Hafod HAV-od Summer herder's dwelling
Hafod Garregog HAV-od Garr-EGG-og Rocky Hafod
Hafod Ruffydd HAV-od RIFF-ith ('th' as in 'then') (?) Griffiths' Hafod
Hafod y Llyn HAV-od-uh-thlin Hafod by the lake
Hafodty HAV-od-tee
Llanfrothen Thlan-VROTH-en
Llechwedd LLEC-weth (soft 'th', as in 'nether') Hillside
Llechwedd-Coed LLEC-weth KOYD (soft 'th', as in 'nether') Hillside in the Wood
Llog Meurig HLOG MAY-RIG Meurig's Holding
Llyn Cwellyn Thlin QUE-thlin (see note on pronunciation of ll) Cwellyn Lake
Llyn Ystradau Thlin Us-TRAD-eye or Us-TRAD-uh Vale Lake
Lôn Eifion Lawn AY-vee-on
Maenofferen Mine-off-ER-en was colloquially pronounced Mine-OFF-ram !
Maentwrog Mine-TOOR-og ('oo' as in 'moon')
Meillionen Mayth-ee-ON-en (the 'th' is not 'th', but the Welsh ll (see note on that sound) Clover
Minffordd MEAN-forth ('th' as in 'then') Colloquially MIN-forth Road Side
Moelwyn MOIL-win Bald Hill
Nantmor NANT-moorr (the 'r' should be positively sounded) Stream to the Sea
Pant Mawr Pant Mour (rhymes with "our") Big Valley
Parc Park Park
Pen y Bryn Pen-uh-Brin Hill End
Pen-Cefn PEN CEV'N Top of the Ridge
Pen Cob PEN Cob/CAWB End (literally "head") of the Cob
Pen-Craig PEN CRIGH'G Top of the Rock
Penrhediad PEN-H'RED-YAD Top of the Gradient (literally , flow)
Penrhyndeudraeth Pen-hrin-DYE-Dry-TH (literally Hill End) Headland (between) Two Beaches
Penrhyn Pen-hrin (colloquially, there is no emphasis on the first syllable but often a suggestion of 'd' between the syllables.
Pen-RIN, as often heard from railway personnel and incomers really grates so please avoid it).
Hill End
Pen-Y-Mount Pen-uh-mount
Peudy PAY (as in "lop a yew") -DI or PIE-DI "Cowhouse" - now a ruin
Plas PLAAS ('plas' rhymes with 'ass') Mansion or Palace
Plas-y-nant Plas-uh-nant ('plas' rhymes with 'ass') Mansion in the Valley
Pont Cae'r Gors pont kye' rr gors ( 'o' in gors as in 'hot'. Make sure that you sound the 'r' in gors) Bridge of the field of the marsh
Pont Seiont pont SAY-ont Seiont bridge
Porthmadog Porth-MAD-og Port of Madoc or Maddocks
Portreuddyn Port-RAY-thin (soft 'th' as in 'this')
Prenteg PREN-teg
Quellyn CWE-thlin (see note on 'll')
Rhiwbach HROO-bach Little Hill
Rhiwbryfdir Hroo-BRUV-deer (the 'r' in deer must be positively sounded)
Rhiwfachno Hroo-VAC-no ('ch' as in 'loch')
Rhiw Goch Hroo-GOCH Red Bank
Rhiw Plas Hroo-PLAS Red Mansion/palace
Rhostryfan Hros-TRU-van
Rhosydd HROS-eeth ('th' as in 'with')
Rhyd Ddu Hreed Thee Black Ford
Salem SAL-em ("sal" rhymes with "pal") Biblical place name (means "Peace")
Stesion Fein STESH-on Va'hin (vine)
(note : The spelling of 'Fain' as 'Fein' is incorrect, and is a post-revival idiosyncrasy.
Narrow Station
Tan yr Allt tan-er-acht Under the Hillside
Tan y Bwlch Tan-uh-bullch ('bull' as the animal, and 'ch' as in Scottish 'loch') Under the Pass
Tanygrisiau Tan-uh-GRISH-ya Under the Steps
Traeth Mawr Try-th Mour (rhymes with 'our' but with the 'r' positively sounded)) extensive tidal sands
Tro Bagl TRO/TRAW BAGG'L (Shepherd's) Crook Curve
Tro Ffatri TRO/TRAW FATRI "Factory Curve" - by Moelwyn Mills
Tryfan Junction TRU-van
Ty Fry TEE-VREE Upper House
Waunfawr WINE-vour (rhymes with "our" but with the 'r' positively sounded
Wernlas Ddu Wern-lass thee (rhymes with 'cairn')
Wrysgan RIS-gan
Ynysferlas UN-is-VER-lass short green island
Ynysfor UN-is-vor (again, the 'r' should be sounded)

See also[edit]

Wilson D H (1965) Dduallt , and Other Dragons - A Glossary, Ffestiniog Railway Magazine No.28, pages 15 - 19