Fairbourne Spit facts for kids

Fairbourne Spit viewed from Barmouth panorama point

Fairbourne Spit (also known as Penrhyn Point) is a long spit of sand and shingle at the mouth of the River Mawddach where it reaches Cardigan Bay, on the west coast of Wales. The gravel probably originates from Llwyngwril to the south, while the sand and dunes at the north end of the spit are partly deposited from the river, which is a long-term sink for sandy sediment.

The narrow-gauge Fairbourne & Barmouth Railway (built in 1895) runs the length of the spit and, at the very end of the headland a ferry service makes the river crossing to Barmouth.

In the 2010s the spit is one of the locations around the coast of Wales that will no longer have its sea defences repaired, threatening Fairbourne and the surrounding area with regular flooding.