Blaenau Ffestiniog
Blaenau Ffestiniog is a historic mining community in Wales, in the historical area of Merionethshire, although now part of the unitary authority of Gwynedd. The population of the area of Ffestiniog was 4,875 according to the 2011 census, including the nearby village of Llan Ffestiniog, that makes it the 4th most populous community in Gwynedd, after Bangor, Caernarfon, and Llandeiniolen. Llan Ffestiniog's population of 864 puts the population of Blaenau itself at around 4,000. Blaenau Ffestiniog was at one time the 2nd biggest community in North Wales, behind only Wrexham. After getting to 12,000 at the peak growth of the slate industry, the population dropped with the decline in the need for its slate. Today the community counts greatly on visitors, who come for tourist attractions that include the close-by Ffestiniog Railway as well as Llechwedd Slate Caverns. As the slate market decreased, the population of Blaenau Ffestiniog has actually additionally decreased, to 4,875 in 2011. At the same time the tourist industry has come to be the community's largest company. The revitalized Ffestiniog Railway as well as the Llechwedd Slate Caverns are popular traveler attractions, as is the Antur Stiniog downhill mountain cycling centre. Recent attractions include the Zip World Titan zip-line site, which also now features the Bounce Below slate mine task centre.
