I’ve been itching for an adventure in Wales for a little while now, partially to explore somewhere I’ve never been before but also to take some photos, and of course walk the spaniel too. Lockdowns have been hard, and getting out and exploring always makes me feel inspired.
So, I checked the weather report, set my alarm for an eye-watering 5am wake up call, set off at 6am and drove from Shropshire to Carneddau and Glyderau. I’ve been wanting to visit this spot for well over a year now, but with restrictions in place due to the pandemic, it’s the first time I’d visited Wales in over 16 months! It was worth the wait.
Getting there
The view driving through Snowdonia National park in Wales was stunning. Being surrounded by giant mountains really puts things into perfective, how insignificant our rat race human lives are. It always makes me appreciate being in the moment and not to take it all too seriously, there’s bigger things out there.
I managed to get to the carpark for about 8.15am, and it was already busy, so if you’re planning to park as close as possible, I’d recommend getting there as early as possible. Bear in mind I went on a dry Saturday in August, so, it was bound to be busy anyhow. There is loads of parking on the A5 road in laybys, but parking along the main road is going to require a some extra steps. The bonus of the carpark is there are a few facilities too, including a little cafe (that does epic sausage rolls and millionaire shortbread), toilets, and an info centre too.
Walking the trail
Once I finally got out on the trail, I spotted an installation that names each of the surrounding mountains and their height, which was very cool. I went through what looks like a handcrafted gate, with beautiful leaf design on the handle, and walked over a pretty wooden bridge, that wouldn’t look out of place in Lord of the Rings. On from there I was greeted by purple and plum tones of heather, multiple bustling streams surrounded by a variety of rocks and epic mountains on all sides towering over me. What a truly breathtaking start to a walk.
I followed the Cwm Idwal route, taking me to Llyn Idwal, a picturesque lake. It’s said that in 1831 Charles Darwin visited this very lake and found tiny fossils supporting his theory of evolution. It’s also Wales’ first National Nature reserve. With history like that, it’s easy to see why this place is so popular.
The beginning of the route is open and easy access, so great for families and mixed abilities. I followed the path around to the right, where I could see the mountain range towering over. There’s an incline, to which I wondered where the lake was. Looking around there were streams that looked like they’re been cut into the landscape. It’s was incredibly quiet at this point in the morning, the sun was still hidden being the clouds, although it threatened to come out a few times. Getting closer to the rock face revealed a mixture of jagged edging and fallen rocks.
Finding the lake
As soon as I reached the top of the incline, the view opened up to reveal Llyn Idwal. It was worth the walk! Such a peaceful looking lake, surrounded by giants Welsh mountains. A collection of large and small rocks littered the edge of the lake. I stopped for a while to take in the view.
To the right of where I was standing, was a beach, so I continued on. Upon closer inspection the beach was made of tiny stones, ground down to give a beachy look. Very small waves lapped up on the beach, only adding to the calming atmosphere .
There seemed a multitude of vibrant heather and plants surrounding the lake. It makes you wonder how they survive the elements.
I continued on my journey around the lake in an anti-clockwise direction (later realising the map that I photographed at the start suggested walking around the lake in a clockwise direction, but by the time I’d realised I was half way around). I came across this huge boulder (below), it makes you wonder how it got there, did it fall from the surrounding mountains or could it have been out there? Either way, I couldn’t help but take a photo.
As I walked further around, I looked back on where I’d been. Every few steps took on a different breathtaking view and composition.
Breathtaking views
About half way around the lake, the path seemed to flatten out revealing a giant lurking in the background, Carnedd Llewelyn. What a spectacle.
After a series of steps I turned to see this collection of rocks. I always find it impressive when you can see layers of rocks like this.
After walking around the beautiful Llyn Idwal, I started another nearby route which would take me to Llyn Bochlwyd over a ridge line. It’s a slightly less walked path, but still full of beautiful views. It was all uphill, so I took it slow and steady.
It had started to rain and the path was getting a bit slippery, so I turned around and fell in love with the scene below. It was almost a hopscotch of large stones in amongst the long grass to lead the way.
For one last highlight, I walked up a hill to get a glimpse of Llyn Owgen as I was leaving. It was worth a quick diversion.
Highly Recommended
All in all, I was really impressed with Carneddau and Glyderau, it has epic views, an accessible route, and facilities nearby. I’d highly recommend it if you’re in the Snowdonia area, or looking for epic views in Wales. I plan to return when there’s a bit of snow on the top. I really love to return to places I’ve visited in different seasons, the light is different and hopefully with a bit of snow there will be even more definition in the mountains.