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Llyn Idwal

Capel CurigLakes of Conwy County BoroughLakes of GwyneddLakes of SnowdoniaLlandygai
Ramsar sites in WalesTourism in Conwy County BoroughTourism in GwyneddTourism in Snowdonia
Idwal Slabs at the end of Llyn Idwal
Idwal Slabs at the end of Llyn Idwal

Llyn Idwal is a small lake (approximately 800 m by 300 m, or 28 acres) that lies within Cwm Idwal in the Glyderau mountains of Snowdonia.It is named after Prince Idwal Foel, a grandson of Rhodri Mawr, one of the ancient Kings of Wales. Legend states that the king's unfortunate offspring was murdered by being drowned in the lake. In fact Idwal Foel died in battle against the Saxons in 942 and an alternate version claims that he was cremated beside the lake, as was the burial custom for Celtic nobility. A number of small streams flow into Llyn Idwal from around Cwm Idwal. One small river flows out and joins the Afon Ogwen river at Pont Pen-y-Benglog near Ogwen Cottage, immediately above the Rhaeadr Ogwen waterfall.

Excerpt from the Wikipedia article Llyn Idwal (License: CC BY-SA 3.0, Authors, Images).

Llyn Idwal
Llwybr y Carw,

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Wikipedia: Llyn IdwalContinue reading on Wikipedia

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Latitude Longitude
N 53.115833333333 ° E -4.0255555555556 °
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Llwybr y Carw

Llwybr y Carw
LL57 3LZ , Llandygai
Wales, United Kingdom
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Idwal Slabs at the end of Llyn Idwal
Idwal Slabs at the end of Llyn Idwal
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Llyn Ogwen
Llyn Ogwen

Llyn Ogwen (; Welsh: [ˈɬɪn ˈɔɡʊɛn]) is a ribbon lake in north-west Wales. It lies alongside the A5 road between two mountain ranges of Snowdonia, the Carneddau and the Glyderau. Somewhat unusually, the county boundary at this point is drawn so that the lake itself lies in the county of Gwynedd, but all the surrounding land (excluding the outflow) lies in Conwy County Borough. Llyn Ogwen lies at a height of about 310 metres above sea level and has an area of 78 acres (320,000 m2), but is a very shallow lake, with a maximum depth of only a little over 3 metres. It is fed by a number of streams from the slopes of the mountains which surround it, which include Tryfan and Pen yr Ole Wen. The largest of these streams is Afon Lloer, which flows from Ffynnon Lloer. It is said that after the Battle of Camlann (King Arthur's final battle), Sir Bedivere (Bedwyr) cast the sword Excalibur into Llyn Ogwen, where it was caught by the Lady of the Lake. Tryfan is said to be Sir Bedivere's final resting-place. According to the writer Jonah Jones:"J. M. Archer Thomson, a headmaster of Llandudno School and a pioneer rock climber in Snowdonia quotes a strange legend from a Welsh magazine concerning Llyn Ogwen. A Shepherd happened upon a cave in Craig Cwrwgl above the lake containing the treasure of King Arthur. In the midst of the commotion caused by this intrusion, he turned to the lake, and 'behold thereon a coracle in which sat three women of more than mortal beauty, but the dread aspect of the rower would have filled the stoutest heart with terror.' E. W. Steeple, who recorded this legend, suggests it 'seems a little obscure, and it may be that it has become involved with another story', probably that of Llyn Llydaw." Llyn Ogwen is the source of the Afon Ogwen which flows north to reach the sea near Bangor. A dam was built in the Afon Ogwen at Ogwen Bank, in the early 20th century, to raise the level of the river in order to provide water for the use in the nearby Penrhyn Quarry. The lake is popular with anglers and is said to contain excellent trout.