Menai Strait

Menai Strait, a channel between Carnarvonshire and the island of Anglesey, running east-north-east from its southern extremity to Bangor, a distance of 14 miles, where it widens out into Beaumaris Bay. Its width varies from about 200 yards to 2 miles, whilst the scenery on both sides is very picturesque. The navigation is hazardous, but for the sake of expedition vessels under 100 tons, and occasionally some of larger size, pass through the strait. At its entrance the tides sometimes rise to a height of 30 feet; ordinary neap-tides, however, do not rise more than from 12 to 15½ feet. Communication between the mainland and Anglesey was formerly solely maintained by ferry-boats at different points, but since 1825 access has been afforded by a suspension bridge, and since 1850 by the Britannia Bridge. See BRIDGE.