Wales

Aberglaslyn, Llyn Dinas and Cwm Bychan walk

Along this challenging circular route you'll take in the spectacular Aberglaslyn gorge with the Glaslyn river raging alongside the path. The trail passes Bedd y Ci (the grave of Prince Llywelyn's faithful hound), the beautiful village of Beddgelert, the placid waters of Llyn Dinas and the old copper mine workings of Sygun and Cwm Bychan.

Keep to the path

Keep to the path as the area is dotted with tunnels, spoil heaps and pits.

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Total steps: 6

Start point

National Trust car park, Nantmor, grid ref: SH597462

Step 1

From the car park, go through a gate near the toilet block and turn left for Aberglaslyn. Walk up through the woods, when you reach the river turn right to follow it upstream. This fisherman's path will take you along the side of the Aberglaslyn gorge. Great care should be taken when negotiating this part of the path, especially the stone buttress above the river. Continue until you reach the railway tracks and take care when crossing: the Welsh Highland Railway service travels between Caernarfon and Porthmadog along this route. Cross the railway line and turn left onto the bridge to cross the river, then turn right towards Beddgelert and continue upstream.

Step 2

As you approach the village of Beddgelert don't miss the detour on the left to see Gelert's grave from the famous Welsh legend. See if you can spot the special bronze sculpture of Gelert nearby.

Gelert's Grave

The legend of Gelert's grave tells the story of the 13th-century Prince Llywelyn and his faithful hound Gelert. On returning from a hunt one day, Prince Llywelyn was greeted by Gelert, who was covered in blood. The prince rushed to the cradle of his young son only to find a bloodstained room and an empty cradle. Furious, he plunged his sword through Gelert. Later Prince Llywelyn discovered a dead wolf nearby and heard the cries of his son. Gelert had killed the wolf and saved the child.

Bronze sculpture of Gelert, the hound of Llywelyn the Great in Beddgelert, Snowdonia, Wales — Gelert's bronze sculpture in Beddgelert, Wales | © National Trust / Keith Jones

Step 3

At Beddgelert head right over a footbridge then left, following the river upstream. Cross a street and go through a gate.

Step 4

At the next gate, turn right onto a narrow lane. Follow this past Sygun Copper mine. At the river, turn right to follow the path upstream towards the lake.

Glaslyn river and Moel Siabod in the distance, Craflwyn and Beddgelert, Wales — Glaslyn River and Moel Siabod, Snowdonia | © National Trust Images / Malcolm Davies

Step 5

By the lake shore (Llyn Dinas) turn right up a stone-pitched footpath that zig-zags up the hill. At the top continue for half a mile (ignore the first path on the right) at the fork, bear right.

Llyn Dinas

According to legend the red dragon rests in the depths of this placid lake. Today Llyn Dinas is part of the Llyndy Isaf farm estate, cared for by the National Trust following a public appeal in 2011. Farming for conservation is encouraged on the estate by grazing Welsh Black cattle, which you might spot along the lake in early summer. Head up the zig-zag path and admire the handy work of our footpath team, who have been busy creating a stone-pitched path to help alleviate erosion here.

Step 6

From Bwlch y Sygun take the left path (heading south). Then bear right, down Cwm Bychan to the car park.

Industrial past and wildlife

As you descend into the valley along the path you'll notice several pylons within the landscape. These are the remains of the aerial ropeway built in 1927 to carry copper ore from the upper end of Cwm Bychan down the valley. Historical accounts show that the system wasn't a complete success, with buckets often said to hit the ground, spilling their loads. The remains of the ropeway entrances, spoil heaps and other buildings hark back to the area's industrial past. The area also includes internationally scarce heathland, which can only be found in western coastal areas of Europe. This provides habitat for butterflies such as the grayling butterfly and birds including the wheatear and whinchat.

A view of Cwm Bychan ropeway, a relic of the copper mining industry in Snowdonia, Beddgelert, Wales. — Cwm Bychan ropeway, a relic of the copper mining industry, Beddgelert, Wales | © National Trust Images/Graham Eaton

End point

Nantmor car park, grid ref: SH597462

Trail map

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near Beddgelert, Gwynedd, LL55 4NG

01766510120

eryri@nationaltrust.org.uk

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Keep to the path

Total steps: 6

Total steps: 6

Start point

Step 1

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Step 2

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Step 3

Step 4

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Step 5

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Step 6

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End point

Trail map