Cwm Idwal by Doug Thomas on Flickr.
- Location: Car park at the west end of Llyn Ogwen.
- Distance: 3-4 miles
- Description: A mecca for climbers and geologists - the hanging valley of the Cwm shelters a lake with a dark secret.
- Directions: SH 649604/ OS Explorer Map OL17
This area is a mecca for climbers, walkers, botanists and photographers alike.
Derek Brockway was joined on this walk by Hywel Roberts from Snowdonia National Park Authority.
The sight of Llyn Idwal is breathtaking, nestling in the north facing Cwm Idwal and surrounded by the high peaks of Y Garn and Y Glyder Fawr.
The area has some amazing Welsh names including Clogwyn y Geifr (the cliff of the goats), Pen yr Ole Wen (top of the white light) and Twll Du (black hole, but known in English as the Devil's Kitchen).
The trail is well marked with reasonably flat stone steps leading up to the lake or an optional steeper path up to Twll Du or Devil's Kitchen around the other side of the lake - unsuitable for wheel chairs.
Legends
The hanging valley of the Cwm shelters a lake with a dark secret concerning the death of a Welsh prince, while the plume of steam that rises from a crack in the crags above gives the area another name and legend.
The cloud of mist, when viewed from ships at sea, was seen as having sinister origins and the phenomena was christened the Devil's Kitchen.
It is however simply caused by moist air hitting the rock face, forcing it upwards, so that it cools and condenses - forming swirling clouds.
It is also reputed that no bird flies over the lake, because of a terrible accident in the past. It is said that the carer of young Prince Idwal neglected his duties, allowing him to fall to his death from the cliffs of Twll Du.
Llyn Idwal
Botany
The remarkable geology drew naturalist Charles Darwin here in the 19th century and botanists still come to study the rare Arctic and alpine plants such as the snowdon lily which is under threat from global warming.
This remarkable plant is often overlooked as it resembles grass and is hard to spot growing out of gaps in the cliff edges. In May and June however you'll spot it's lovely white flowers.
You can also find the beautiful little white flowers of the starry saxifrage growing in boggy areas along the path at the far end of the lake.
Other plants including the lovely snowdon lily, which is only found in Snowdonia, are more on the crags, out of the reach of nibbling sheep and goats.
Geology
Cwm Idwal is a special place and one of the best locations in Britain to see the effects of the last Ice Age.
Cwm Idwal comprises of volcanic and sedimentary rock which was laid down in a shallow Ordovician sea, 450 million years ago.
It was later pushed up and deformed into the distinctive u-shaped fold known today as the Idwal Syncline.
The site has been further shaped by ice and snow which covered the uplands during cold phases of the last Ice Age.
It is rare to find so many glaciation features in such a small area: moraines, rock striations, , erratic boulders and exposed rock strata in the high cliffs.
This walk first appeared on the Radio Wales, Weatherman Walking series in 2002.
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| Sunday | Monday | Tuesday | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Conditions |
 sunny |
 cloudy |
 sunny intervals |
| Max Temperature | Max: 16°C | Max: 13°C | Max: 13°C |
| Min Temparature | Min: 10°C | Min: 8°C | Min: 6°C |
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