Today’s Treasures – Lake Bala – Llyn Tegid
The largest natural lake in Wales, fed by the River Dee (Afon Dyfrdwy) which has its source on the slopes of Dduallt (Black Hill) in the mountains of Snowdonia.
It is thought that the lake was once much larger and extended much further north (over Bala town) and south to Llanuwchllyn – and probably previously flowed west into Cardigan Bay, whereas now the River Dee flows north east through it, then along the Welsh border, around Chester and eventually into the Irish Sea at Liverpool Bay.
Formed by glaciers, the lake is home to a rare whitefish called the Gwyniad, a relic of the last Ice Age, and a very rare mollusc Myxas Glutinosa – the Glutinous snail. In the summer it’s calm surface and shallow edges are ideal for watersports and kayaks, canoes and paddleboards pepper the surface.
The Bala Railway, built on a section of the former Ruabon to Barmouth GWR route (closed in 1965) runs along the south east shore from Bala to Llanuwchllyn (the village above the lake). The railway has 3 steam locomotives, 2 of which were rescued from Welsh slate quarries. The 2 ft narrow gauge steam trains trundle along the tracks providing stunning views of the lake and glimpses of the surrounding mountains – Arenig Fawr, Aran Benllyn and Aran Fawddwy.
Llyn Tegid translates as ‘Lake of Serenity’ and it certainly lives up to its name. Even in winter, when the lake overflows appropriating the car park and lakeside pathways, the scenery is stunningly beautiful, with windblown waves caressing the trees and bushes at the edges of the lake.
According to legend, the lake has its own monster – ‘Teggie’ haunts the underwater palaces of King Tegid and his wife, the white witch, Ceridwen, legendary mother of the famous Welsh bard Taliesin who was Celtic mythology’s ‘Chief of Bards’. He served in the court of several mythic kings including King Arthur where his powers of poetry and prophecy were highly regarded. Sometimes, on moonlight nights, it is said that the towers and turrets of King Tegid’s castle can be glimpsed beneath the waves.
Published in the February edition of the Whitchurch Gossip