At a glance
22 lakes — from Bala Lake (the largest natural lake in Wales) and high mountain tarns to reservoir recreation areas. North Wales lakes are used for wild swimming, watersports, walking and wildlife watching.
About lakes in North Wales
The lakes of North Wales were formed by glaciation. The great ice sheets that covered Snowdonia until about 10,000 years ago carved the U-shaped valleys and deposited the moraines that impound today's lakes. Glacial cirques — hollowed by rotational ice — created the hanging lake tarns (llyns) high on the mountain faces: Llyn Glaslyn below Snowdon, Llyn Idwal in Cwm Idwal, Llyn Llydaw in the Glaslyn valley.
Bala Lake (Llyn Tegid) is the largest natural lake in Wales at 4 miles long. It holds the gwyniad — a unique species of freshwater whitefish found nowhere else on earth, isolated in the lake since the end of the last ice age. The Bala Lake Railway follows the eastern shore on a 4.5-mile narrow-gauge journey from Bala to Llanuwchllyn.
Llyn Padarn at Llanberis is the most accessible wild swimming lake, with a designated area and nearby facilities. Llyn Gwynant in the Glaslyn valley, backed by the Snowdon massif, is widely considered the most beautiful. Llyn Ogwen at the head of the Nant Ffrancon pass is shallow, accessible from the A5, and the starting point for the Cwm Idwal NNR walk and the ascent of Tryfan.
Top 8 lakes
Lakes by activity
- Wild swimming
- Llyn Padarn (most accessible), Llyn Gwynant (most beautiful), Llyn Tegid shallows (warmest). See our full wild swimming guide.
- Watersports (sailing, kayaking, paddleboarding)
- Llyn Tegid (Bala Watersports), Llyn Padarn (National Watersports Centre), Llyn Brenig (Watersports Centre), Llyn Crafnant (rowing boat hire).
- Walking
- Cwm Idwal circular (Llyn Idwal, 2.5 miles, free), Llyn Gwynant valley walk, Llyn Tegid circuit (12 miles full), Llyn Padarn Country Park circuit (4 miles).
- Wildlife and fishing
- Llyn Tegid for gwyniad (scientific interest only — no angling for gwyniad), Llyn Padarn for arctic charr, Llyn Brenig for trout fishing (permits from visitor centre).
Frequently asked questions
Bala Lake (<span lang="cy">Llyn Tegid</span>) is the largest natural lake in Wales, measuring 4 miles (6.4 km) long and up to 1 mile (1.6 km) wide. It holds the unique gwyniad — a freshwater fish found nowhere else in the world, trapped in the lake since the last ice age. The Bala Lake Railway runs 4.5 miles along the eastern shore. Watersports, sailing and kayaking are all available.
Yes. Llyn Padarn at Llanberis has a designated wild swimming area near the National Watersports Centre (Plas Menai), making it one of the most accessible and safest wild swimming lakes in Snowdonia. The lake is relatively warm for a mountain lake, reaching 16–17°C in August. The Padarn Country Park on the shore has free parking, café and facilities. Llanberis village is a 5-minute walk.
Llyn Glaslyn ("Blue Lake") is a high mountain tarn at 600 m altitude, cupped beneath the summit crags of Snowdon. Reached via the Pyg Track or Miners' Track from Pen-y-Pass, it is famous for the copper-blue colour of its water (caused by copper compounds from the old mine workings). A ruined copper mine building sits on the shore. The water temperature rarely exceeds 12°C even in summer. Not recommended for wild swimming without appropriate cold-water experience.
Llyn Celyn is a reservoir in the Tryweryn Valley created in 1965 by Liverpool Corporation to supply water to the city. The flooding required the drowning of the Welsh-speaking village of Capel Celyn — all 67 residents lost their homes. The project became a landmark event in Welsh political history and contributed significantly to the growth of Welsh nationalism. A memorial chapel sits above the waterline. The Tryweryn river below the dam is used by the National White Water Centre for kayaking and rafting.
Bala Lake (Llyn Tegid) has sailing, kayaking, windsurfing and fishing. Llyn Padarn (Llanberis) has the National Watersports Centre with kayaking, paddleboarding and sailing hire. Llyn Brenig reservoir in the Clwydian Range has a watersports centre, designated swimming area and cycling trails around the shore. Llyn Crafnant near Llanrwst has rowing boat hire and is excellent for families.
A circular walk around Llyn Tegid takes approximately 12 miles and 4–5 hours, following the western shore on footpaths and the eastern shore partly via the Bala Lake Railway. Shorter walks along either shore are possible. The town of Bala at the northern end has parking, cafes and shops. The Bala Lake Railway eastern shore walk (4.5 miles, one way) can be done as a linear walk with a train return.