BETTWS Y COED

bettws y coed, an urban district of carnarvonshire, north wales, 4 m. from llanrwst and 16 m. from llandudno, on a branch of the london & north-western railway. pop. (1901) 1070. the name means "warm place of the wood," according to llyn's definition of _bettws_. the other derivation of the word from _abbatis_ (_domus_) agrees with its vicinity to yspytty[1] ifan (ieuan), _hospitium ioannis_, near pentre'r foelas. the words "y coed" are added to distinguish this bettws from several others in wales, especially that near llandeilo fawr, carmarthenshire, not far from the bettws hills. bettws y coed is a favourite village for artists and tourists. it is a centre for excursions towards capel curig and snowdon, or towards blaenau festiniog, via roman bridge. there is excellent fishing for salmon and trout, and in summer coaches leave their daily loads of tourists here. the best-known streams and waterfalls are llugwy, lledr, with rhaiadr y wenol (swallow falls), conwy and machno falls. in the neighbourhood are dolwyddelan castle and the hill of moel siabod. footnote: [1] other places named "yspytty" are y. cynfyn and y. ystwyth. for the name yspytty, cf. bale's _king john_, 2125: "so many masendeens (_maisons dieu_), hospytals and _spyttle_ howses."