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The Menai Strait
The Menai Strait is a unique strip of tidal water, separating the mainland in Gwynedd from Ynys Môn.
Catchment
Stretching for over 30km from the North in Trwyn Penmon to Abermenai Point, the Menai Strait also forms part of the marine special area of conservation.
Twelve rivers enter the Strait, nine from the mainland and four from Ynys Môn.
Although the Strait is not a river, the surrounding land and close proximity of people, agriculture, and urbanisation mean the Strait faces many challenges similar to the adjoining rivers.
Protected Status
The Y Fenai a Bae Conwy / Menai Strait and Conwy Bay special area of conservation (SAC) was designated in 2004 for five habitat features.
Approximately 26,500 hectares in total it is one of the best areas in the UK for the following features:
- Mudflats and sandflats not covered by seawater at low tide
- Reefs
- Sandbanks which are slightly covered by seawater all the time
Also having a significant presence of:
- Large shallow inlets and bays
- Submerged or partially submerged sea caves
The Menai Strait forms part of Wales’ wider Marine Protected Area (MPA) network, which aims to safeguard habitats and species of high ecological value. This larger network covers 69% of inshore waters (12> nautical miles) and 50% of offshore waters around Wales.
There are two crossings connecting Anglesey to the mainland; The Menai Bridge and the Britannia Bridge. Before the construction of the bridges, ferry crossing could prove fatal with the largest tragedy occurring in 1785 where 55 people became stranded on the soundbar resulting in all but one losing their lives. The need for easy travel to the mainland was increasing. Especially given the port of Holyhead providing a connection to Ireland.
The Menai Bridge
Construction began in 1819 and would be some of Thomas Telford’s most ambitious plans as the Menai Bridge would become the largest suspension bridge at the time. The bridge had to allow passage of ships underneath and as a consequence it was required to have at least 100 ft of clear space in the center. The bridge opened in 1826 and reduced the travel time from Holyhead to London by 9 hours.
The bridge has since undergone several modifications and repair work. The bridge originally had wooden decking and was replaced in 1893 with steel. Another modification was made to allow modern vehicles to cross by replacing the iron chains with steel.
The Britannia Bridge
Rail travel significantly increased in the 19th century and the need for a rail connection to Holyhead became apparent. It was suggested at the time that the carriages could be uncoupled from the locomotive before being drawn across one at a time by horse before being attached to a separate locomotive. However, this was scrapped and a new bridge was to be built by Robert Stephenson.
A challenge the bridge had to overcome was to be strong enough to carry a train and carriages. The solution was a tubular bridge that would carry the train. The bridge opened in 1850 with two spectacular limestone lions at either end that can still be seen to this day.
In 1970 a fire caused severe structural damage to the tubes and resulted in the bridge being reconstructed to carry both cars and trains. Read more about the fire here.
Around 20,000 years ago, Anglesey was completely submerged by ice. Two ice sheets from different sources were involved. The Snowdonian mountains were the source of ice streams that moved broadly northwards towards Anglesey, while the massive Irish Sea ice sheet, fed by glaciers from Scotland, Ireland and Cumbria, moved onto the island from the north.
The Irish Sea ice stream was dominant, and travelled north-east to south-west across the island, broadly in keeping with its NE-SW-trending, structurally controlled rock ridges.
The Welsh and Irish Sea ice streams met in the region of the present-day Menai Strait and produced a confluent south-westward flow. (source GeoMon).
In late glacial times the north-south valley was enlarged as an overflow channel for an ice-dammed lake to the northeast. Postglacial subsidence created a continuous marine channel from the three sections.
