Walks with Lakes in Snowdonia
By Dave Roberts 
Walks with Lakes in Snowdonia
About Walks with Lakes in Snowdonia
Finding walk in Snowdonia that doesn’t feature a lake at some point would be a rather difficult task, with the glacial landscape peppered with ribbon lakes and glacial tarns. The walks below range from easy walks around one of the most scenic lowland lake – Llyn Dinas – that can be walked as a short family walk or as part of a longer walk including the Aberglaslyn Gorge to tough mountain traverses that most walkers will struggle to finish in a day.
One of our favourite walks is a secret route up Snowdon via Cwm Clogwyn where you can take time out to explore (or even wild camp) one of the three tarns hidden there, not to mention Llyn Ffynnon y Gwas that you pass get there in the first place and Llyn Cwellyn at the start of the Ranger Path. The Miner’s Track on Snowdon passes the three lakes of Llyn Teyrn, Llydaw and Glaslyn – start it from Pen y Gwryd and you can include Llyn Pen-y-gwryd, Those looking for an easier option can walk around Llyn Padarn in a couple of hours instead.
Capel Curig boasts Llynnau Mymbyr, with their iconic view towards Yr Wyddfa / Snowdon – but lack a route around and are best enjoyed as part of the walk up Moel Siabod from Plas y Brenin. Those looking for value for money can do no better than the 6 Lakes Tour in the Gwydir Forest that takes in Llyn Crafnant and Geirionnydd (which can be walked individually or together for a shorter walk) as well as numerous others on a taxing full day walk. A short walk from Betws-y-coed that comes highly recommended is one of the numerous routes to Llyn Elsi.
A walk around Llyn Idwal, Bochlwyd and Ogwen takes you deep in to the Glyderau mountains, yet doesn’t stray further than 1km from the main road. If smaller, more intimate tarns are your thing then the Glyderau via Cwm Clyd includes a number of smaller tarns – Llyn Clyd, Llyn Cŵn and Llyn y Caseg Fraith – as well as the option of descending via Bochlwyd and Llyn Idwal to the shores of Llyn Idwal.
Crossing the A5 to the Carneddau, with the High Carneddau route passing high over Ffynnon Llugwy and returning via Ffynnon Lloer. Llyn Cowlyd is the deepest lake in Snowdonia, which has been made deeper by the addition of the dam. You cannot easily walk around it, but makes a satisfying circuit with Creigiau Gleision which towers high above to form a high level walk around this lake.
The boggy tracts of the Moelwynion hide countless tarns and lakes, which boasts at least 20 lakes – depending how you count them and if you include a few nameless ones in the count. The best route would be to cross the entire range, ether north to Siabod or East over towards Moel Penamnen (and even more lakes!), but the Moelwynion from Croesor and from Tanygrisiau provide better options for the day walker.
Creigiau Cerrig y Myllt is a collection of barely known summits in the shadow of Cnicht, but hide a pair of intriguing lakes between their crags. Similarly, a traverse of the Rhinogydd mountains is one for the lake connoisseur as you pass the numerous lakes nestled into the rugged terrain including Llyn Morwynion, Llyn Du (not to be confused with the other Llyn Du) and Llyn Hywel, as well a few more which have all served as excellent wild camps at some point or other.
South Snowdonia also boasts two of the best low level lakeside walks in Llynnau Cregennen and the Precipice Walk around Llyn Cynwch. Cader Idris offers two routes – with the Fox’s Path from the north offering three lakes as it starts at Llyn Gwernan and passes Llyn y Gafr and Llyn y Gadair on the way, or the Minffordd Path which includes the impressive Llyn Cau and the nearby Llyn Mwyngil (Tal-y-llyn) that can be included with a minor detour.
We could easily include more walks in this collection – but we had to stop somewhere!
Walks with Lakes in Snowdonia – All the Routes and Articles
Walk to Llyn Llywelyn from Rhyd Ddu
Llyn Crafnant Walk – Circular Waymarked Trail
The Minffordd Path Walk up Cader Idris
Cwm Idwal and Llyn Idwal Family Walk
Cader Idris via the Fox’s Path / Llwybr Madyn
