Llyn Llydaw (from the Welsh meaning ''

Brittany Brittany (; french: link=no, Bretagne ; br, Breizh, or ; Gallo: ''Bertaèyn'' ) is a peninsula, historical country and cultural area in the west of modern France, covering the western part of what was known as Armorica during the period ...

lake'') is a

natural lake A lake is an area filled with water, localized in a basin, surrounded by land, and distinct from any river or other outlet that serves to feed or drain the lake. Lakes lie on land and are not part of the ocean, although, like the much larger ...

Snowdonia National Park Snowdonia or Eryri (), is a mountainous region in northwestern Wales and a national park of in area. It was the first to be designated of the three national parks in Wales, in 1951. Name and extent It was a commonly held belief that the nam ...

on the flanks of

Snowdon Snowdon () or (), is the highest mountain in Wales, at an elevation of above sea level, and the highest point in the British Isles outside the Scottish Highlands. It is located in Snowdonia National Park (') in Gwynedd (histori ...

, Wales' highest

mountain A mountain is an elevated portion of the Earth's crust, generally with steep sides that show significant exposed bedrock. Although definitions vary, a mountain may differ from a plateau in having a limited summit area, and is usually higher t ...

. This long thin lake has formed in a cwm about one-third of the way up the mountain. It is one of the most visited lakes in the

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotland, Wales and No ...

. Thousands of people every year visit

and many walk past this lake on the Miners' Track.

History

Llyn Llydaw is the largest of the three lakes on Snowdon's eastern flank. Higher up lies

Glaslyn Glaslyn ( cy, Blue lake) is a lake in the Snowdonia National Park in Gwynedd, north-west Wales. It is found at approximately above sea level in a cwm on the eastern flanks of Snowdon. It is a rough ellipse in shape, about east–west and abo ...

, and lower down lies Llyn Teyrn. In 1905, a pipeline was built from the lake into the valley below. Water from the lake powers the Cwm Dyli

hydro-electric Hydroelectricity, or hydroelectric power, is electricity generated from hydropower (water power). Hydropower supplies one sixth of the world's electricity, almost 4500 TWh in 2020, which is more than all other renewable sources combined an ...

power station below. The pipeline and power station continue to operate in 2019.

Popular culture

The lake featured in

Robson Green Robson Golightly Green (born 18 December 1964) is an English actor, angler, singer-songwriter and presenter. His first major TV role was as hospital porter Jimmy Powell in BBC drama series '' Casualty'' in 1989. He then went on to portray Fusi ...

's ''Wild Swimming Adventure'' ( ITV December 2009), chosen because it is claimed to be the coldest lake in Britain. Green's website states that the water was 7° Celsius. Robson Green website

References

External links

www.geograph.co.uk : photos of Llyn Llydaw and surrounding area
Beddgelert Llydaw Tourism in Gwynedd Llydaw Tourism in Snowdonia {{Gwynedd-geo-stub