If you’re looking for one of the most beautiful walks in Wales then look no further than the circular hike around Llyn Idwal. Follow the A5, from the east past the unmistakeable Tryfan, follow the road around Llyn Ogwen & park up at the side of the road, by the Ogwen visitor centre. Head up the steps between the visitor centre and small cafe/ toilet block, follow the path for about half a mile, over the bridge until you come to a fork. Follow it round to the right and walk for another half a mile until you reach the spectacular Llyn Idwal.
The shot above was taken in the middle of a storm, with winds dropping over the mountains to the rear end of the lake and reaching speeds of 60mph, making for some pretty amazing conditions.
Generally speaking, the lake tends to be pretty calm and you will often see people getting their kit off and heading in for an icy cold swim. If you’re not too tired after your walk and swim, you can hike up to the summit of Y Garn for some incredible views.
As you approach the lake, you are faced with two options:
You can follow the path to the right, over the bridge and around the north side of the lake to enjoy one of my favourite views - the ridge of Tryfan and the Ogwen Valley from the summit of Y Garn.
Or, you can take a left and make your way around to the South side of the lake for an extremely underrated climb past the Devil’s Kitchen (left of image) to a small lake which lies between Y Garn and the Glyders. It is here where you can enjoy a wild swim before deciding whether to circle back on yourself via the summit of Y Garn or, if you’re feeling hardcore, you can take on Glyder Fawr, Glyder Fach & Tryfan before descending down to Llyn Ogwen to complete one of the most challenging hikes out there.