Afon Braint

Afon Braint is a river in the south of the island of Anglesey, North Wales.[1] Its primary source is Llyn Llwydiarth, (coordinates: 53.283884, -4.178133), a lake on Mynydd Llwydiarth, within the Pentraeth Forest, east of Penraeth, and south-west of Llanddona.

This river is unusual, in so far as it has two estuaries; Both flow into the Menai Strait to the south of the island. The river splits near Llanfairpwllgwyngyll (at coordinates: 53.219124, -4.228168), where one branch flows briefly eastwards, then south into the Menai Strait at Pwllfanogl (at coordinates: 53.215660, -4.202717).

The other main branch of Afon Braint flows south westward from Llanfairpwllgwyngyll, towards Brynsiencyn, parallel and to the north of the A4080 road until Dwyran, where it turns south-west, passing beneath the road, flowing into the Menai Strait at Traeth Abermenai, east of Newborough Warren, near Pen-Lôn. At this terminus, Afon Braint is a tidal river (coordinates: 53.147763, -4.336195).

In modern Welsh, the word 'braint' means, 'privilege, prerogative, birthright; honour, dignity, blessing; status, position, rank, value, state; right, freedom, liberty',[2] however the river name is thought to derive from Brigantia, a goddess in Celtic (Romano-British and Gallo-Roman) religion of Late Antiquity.[3]

The prehistoric Bryn Celli Ddu, considered to be one of Wales's finest passage graves,[4] is located 200 metres (660 ft) from the river.[5] Near to the village of Dwyran, there is a series of large limestone stepping stones across the river.[1] There is a Grade II listed bridge in close proximity to Penmynydd.[6]

In 2004, the river flooded causing disruption to the train services on the Holyhead to Chester line at the Llanfairpwllgwyngyll crossing.[7] A tugboat has been named after the river; the Afon Braint was delivered to the Holyhead Towing Company in April 2005.[8]