dyficrossings

Dyfi River Crossings.

Geraldus Cambrensis crossed by boat to Aberdyfi in the 1200s; the squires of Ynysmaengwyn had a lease on the Dyfi Ferry from at least the 1400s; the first Dyfi Bridge at Machynlleth was built in 1533, replacing an existing ford, and Saxton's map of the mid-1600s shows it to be one of only two bridges crossing the river at that time - the other being Pont Minllyn. John Ogilby's linear map in Britannia: Volume 1 of an Illustration of the Kingdom of England and Dominion of Wales (1675), includes at one point the warning: "To Mahunleh over the river a dangerous passage". However, the 1891 Ordnance Survey map is the earliest I've managed to find so far that shows all of the Dyfi crossings, large and small, from source to estuary - and the rest of this section takes a look at these.

The establishment of the turnpike roads in the late 1700s, the building of major new roads in 1821-27, the development of the stage coach system, and the coming of the railway in 1862-67 would all have had major effects on travel in the valley, but the transport revolution of the 20th Century was to change things for ever. Here's my interpretation:

Using the 1891 map as my reference point, and comparing this with the 1903/1904 and modern day OS maps, a trend emerges which reflects the way that life has changed in the area since the coming of motorised transport. The demands for improved links across the river must have led to new roadbridges being built at strategic points to carry the extra traffic where before there existed only a ford or footbridge. Muddy or dusty tracks - depending upon the season - were in many cases upgraded to metalled roads and in one instance, near Mathafarn, a brand new road and the Jubilee Bridge were built in late Victorian times where before there wasn't any kind of river crossing or even a footpath. The result of these improvements would have been to drastically reduce travel times across and along the valley.

With these upgrades in place, many local fords and footbridges would inevitably have fallen into disuse, although other crossings were retained and improved. For example, the stepping stones at Llanerch/Rhyd-y-Moch have been replaced by a private road bridge (to keep the moch trotters dry?). As the travel time by road between Dyfi Bridge and all points downstream decreased, so the need for the ferries must have diminished, but it's still a considerable trip to get from Aberdyfi to Ynyslas - just a mile away as the crow flies, but 23 miles by road.

The two local railways vanished, along with their river crossings, as the slate industry declined - although the main line still hangs on by the skin of its teeth and crosses the river near Dyfi Junction. (A plan in 1861 to build a railway bridge across the estuary was abandoned in 1865.) The Corris Railway is now being redeveloped as a tourist attraction, but its Dyfi crossing was dismantled in 1949, to be replaced recently by an ultra-modern leisure-related cycle/footbridge, Pont Mileniwm, which is on the National Cycle Network. It seems that following a decline in the number of footbridges, these are on the increase again, as tourism brings cyclists and walkers to the area.

The busiest road crossings today are at Machynlleth's Dyfi Bridge and at Minllyn, near Dinas Mawddwy. The ancient packhorse bridge, Pont Minllyn, is still there (as is its stone-arched replacement), well-hidden from traffic speeding across the modern road bridge right next to it and, although it looks very fragile, Pont Minllyn is in a good state of preservation - as long as nobody tries to use it.

Comparing the OS maps mentioned above, this is how the number of ferries/bridges/fords, etc., change over the years:

Date of Map	Ferries	Fords	Footbridges	Road Bridges	Railway Bridges	Total Crossings
1891	2	19 + 1 set of stepping stones.	9	5 + 1 disused packhorse bridge.	3	40
1903/1904	2	Poss 15	Poss 4 or 5	6 + 1 disused packhorse bridge.	3	31-32
Modern Maps	0	4	5 or 6	12 + 1 disused packhorse bridge and 1 disused road bridge.	1	24-25

And for those of you who've made it this far, the following table lists every crossing on the river, in excruciating and tedious detail:

Location	Map Ref	Type of Crossing	1891 Map	1904 Map	Modern Map	Notes
Aberdyfi	613956	Ferry	Yes	Yes	No	Mentioned as early as the 1200s. The lowest ferry on river, this direct Aberdyfi -Ynyslas link saved a 23 mile detour via Dyfi Bridge. There was still a ferry in 1912, and it was marked as such on a 1966 OS map. The Refuge on Cerrig-y-Penrhyn has now gone.
Glandyfi	693969	Ferry	Yes	No	No	Connected footpaths from Pennal and Ynys farm on the North bank to Glandyfi.
Garreg	695972	Ford	Yes	Yes	No	Connected footpaths from Pennal and Ynys farm on North bank to Garreg/ Glandyfi. A major crossing point, and anecdotal evidence of cattle using this point to cross within living memory. It was the lowest ford on the river, which is still tidal at this point.
Dyfi Junction	695979	Railway Bridge	Yes	Yes	Yes	A trestle bridge built about 1863, it carries the coastal line to Aberdyfi. Originally included a drawbridge to allow ships to pass through, but the last recorded opening was in 1890. The drawbridge was replaced by a fixed section in 1910, so putting paid to any shipping above this point.
Derwenlas	718994	Ferry	No	Yes	No	Crossed from Cei Ward to the North bank, where a footpath leads to Llugwy in one direction and Dolgelynen in the other. Highest ferry on (still tidal) river.
Machynlleth/Dyfi Bridge	744019	Road Bridge	Yes	Yes	Yes	Carries today's A487 over the river, where it is met by the A493 from Aberdyfi. First road bridge upstream from estuary, and still the main crossing point for heavy vehicles. First built 1533, this one dates from 1805.
Machynlleth/Ffridd	749020	Railway Bridge	Yes	Yes	No	Carried the Corris Railway over the river near Ffridd Gate. Originally a wooden trestle bridge, but in 1906 replaced by a metal girder bridge carried on stone piers. Railway closed in 1948 and bridge dismantled in 1949.
Machynlleth/Pont Mileniwm	749020	Footbridge	No	No	Yes	Crosses river near Ffridd Gate. Built 2000 and forms part of the National Cycle Network. Lowest point of the river crossed by a footbridge.
Aberffrydlan	780026	Ford	Yes	No	No, but shown on 1954 map.	Aberfrydlan to Pwll Glas. Footpath still there. John Ogilby's linear map in Britannia: Volume 1 of an Illustration of the Kingdom of England and Dominion of Wales (1675), includes the warning: "To Mahunleh over the river a dangerous passage".
nr Abergwydol	791031	Ford	No	No	No, but shown on 1954 map.	Linked Abergwydol to Llanwrin.
Nr Coed Ddôl	798035	Ford	Yes	No	No	Linked footpath nr Coed-Ddôl on North bank to footpath joining main road on South bank.
Pen-y-Bont	803038	Footbridge?	Yes	No	No	Unclear on map. Linked footpath that followed North Bank with Pen-y-Bont on South bank.
Pen-y-Bont	805038	Ford	Yes	Yes	No, but shown on 1954 map.	Connected a footpath and track from Mathafarn to Pen-y-Bont on South bank.
nr Mathafarn	809043	Road Bridge	No	Yes	Yes	Carries B4044, linking Cemmaes Road with Llanwrin on North bank. The new road and Jubilee Bridge must have been built on or around one of Queen Victoria's jubilee years, 1887 or 1897. I recall the bridge as being of single tied arch construction and always painted green in the 1960s. At a later stage it became unsafe, and was temporarily replaced by a Bailey Bridge, until funds could be found for the permanent structure you can see here today.
Cemmaes Road	817046	Ford	Yes	Yes	No, but shown on 1954 map.	Linked a track from Cemmaes Road to a minor road on North bank.
Rhyd-y-Gwiail	831055	Ford	Yes	No	No	Connected North bank near Rhyd-y-Gwiail with footpath to Cemmaes. *Rhyd* = Ford. *Gwiail* = Rods or Switches.
Cemmaes Bychan	833059	Ford	Yes	No	No, but shown on 1954 map.	Crossed river between Rhyd-y-Gwiail and Cemmaes.
Cemmaes/Bont Rhyd-y-Gwiail	834062	Footbridge Road Bridge	Yes No	Yes No	No, but shown on 1954 map. Yes	Metal bailey bridge, dated 1961. Connects Cemmaes with minor road on North bank.
Cemmaes	836062	Railway Bridge	Yes	Yes	No	Carried Mawddwy Railway 1856-1951.
Cemmaes School	841065	Ford	Yes	Yes	No, but shown on 1954 map.	Footpath linking minor roads on both banks.
Cwm Llinau	844077	Ford	Yes	Yes	No, but shown on 1954 map.	Connected path from Cwm Llinau with minor road on North bank. Bridle path still approaches from Cwm Llinau, but doesn't continue on North bank.
Cwm Llinau/Ty'n Llechwedd/Ty'n y Rhos	843080	Ford	Yes	Not marked	Yes	Bridle path, still there, connects A470 on South bank to minor road on North bank.
Dolcorsllwyn Hall	843090	Ford	Yes	Yes	Yes	Bridle path, still there, connects A470 on South bank to minor road on North bank.
Aberangell	847097	Road Bridge	Yes	Yes	Yes	Pont Walton. Carries minor road between A470 on South bank and Aberangell on North bank.
Gwastadgoed	851104	Ford	Yes	Yes	No	Linked footpath from Gwastadgoed with minor road on South bank.
Mallwyd/Pont Mallwyd	857122	Road Bridge	Yes	Yes	Yes	Carries minor road which joins crossroads at Mallwyd with minor road on North bank.
Minllyn/Pont Minllyn	860139	Packhorse Bridge	Yes	Yes	Yes	Built in early 1600s and long disused.
Minllyn/Pont y Ffinnant	860139	Road Bridge	Yes	Yes	No	Disused road bridge; single arch stone construction. (Old Painting.)
Minllyn	860139	Road Bridge	No	No	Yes	Modern metal girder/concrete construction. Carries the A470 to Dolgellau.
Dinas Mawddwy	861149	Footbridge	Yes	Not marked	Yes	Carries footpath which joins bridle path to Tan-y-Bwlch and beyond.
Dinas Mawddwy	861149	Ford	Yes	Yes	Yes	Carries bridle path from minor road on North bank to Tan-y-Bwlch and beyond on South bank. A further footbridge is shown just upriver on a 1900 larger scale map. Bridle path shown on modern map.
Abercywarch	868157	Ford Footbridge	No No	Yes No	No Yes	Links minor road on North bank to footpaths on South bank leading to Ty Gwyn and Tan-y-Bwlch
Abercywarch/Ty Gwyn	872157	Ford Roadbridge	Yes No	Yes No	No Yes	Links minor roads on both banks. Road Bridge has metal railings.
nr Ty'n y Coed	878159	Footbridge	Yes	No	No	Footpath from Ty'n-y-Coed to minor road/footpath on South bank.
Llanerch	886163	Stepping Stones Road Bridge (Private)	Yes No	No No	No Yes	Footpath from Llanerch. No footpath shown on modern map. Just downriver of here is a bank called *Rhyd-y-Moch* = Ford of the Pigs.
Efail-fach	891167	Ford	Yes	Yes	Yes	Links minor roads, North and South of the river.
Efail-fach	892167	Footbridge	Yes	Not marked	Yes	Links minor roads, North and South of the river.
Erw-garegog	894177	Footbridge Ford Roadbridge	Yes Yes No	No Yes No	No No Yes	Links minor roads, North and South of the river. Stone Road Bridge replaced Footbridge and Ford.
Llanymawddwy/Coed Cae	897182	Footbridge Roadbridge	Yes No	No No	No Yes	Footpath from minor road on North bank to Coed Cae. Modern map shows footpath has been upgraded to a minor road, with a roadbridge.
Llanymawddwy	907191	Ford Footbridge Bridge	Yes Yes No	No Poss Yes	No No Yes	Footpath from minor road near Llanymawddwy to Wern-gau on South bank. Modern map shows footpath is now a track.
Bryn Hall	908194	Ford Footbridge Roadbridge	Yes Yes No	Yes No No	No No Yes	Links minor roads on North bank with track/footpath on opposite bank. Replaced Ford and Footbridge.
Pont-y-Pennant	905202	Road Bridge	Yes	Yes	Yes	Crossing point for minor road. Highest road bridge on the river.
Ty Canol	904208	Ford	Yes	Poss	No	Footpath from Ty Canol to Pen-y-Geulan(?). Footpath and ford have disappeared from modern map. Was the highest ford on the river.
Rhiw March	901214	Footbridge	No	No	Yes	Carries footpath over the river. Highest footbridge on the river.

There's one more "crossing", and that's the Gauging Station near Dyfi Bridge, used to measure the flow of water in the river, and part of a network of such stations in the UK.

See: http://www.nwl.ac.uk/ih/nrfa/station_summaries/064/001.html

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