Walking / Kayaking Llyn Crafnant and Llyn Geirionydd

                                                                                      click on image to enlarge

  Nestled within picturesque valleys, where the Gwydyr forest meets the lower slopes of the Carneddau mountains are the two wonderful lakes of Llyn Crafnant and Llyn Geirionydd. These can both be visited as part of a circular walk that starts from the carpark at the Northern tip of Llyn Crafnant (accessed via the town of Trefriw), or from the carpark at the southern tip of Llyn Geirionydd (accessed via Betws-Y-Coed). The two lakes are about a mile apart, separated by the forested slopes of Mynydd Deulyn (Mountain of the Two Lakes). They can be navigated individually as smaller walks or together, covering a distance of 5 miles and should take around 2.5 hours. The routes are mostly well marked offroad paths, which are dog friendly. The circular route from Trefriw which includes the waterfall, meets the Northern tip of Geirionydd and navigates the whole of Llyn Crafnant and covers a distance of 8.1 miles. This should take around 4 hours.

                                                                        Trout fisherman at Llyn Crafnant

There are many different walking routes routes available, depending on your ability. If you prefer to keep to the lower slopes, there is a path that navigates the watersedge around Llyn Geirionydd, although Llyn Crafnant does involve a little bit of steep climbing, but nothing too extreme. You are really spoilt for choice when it comes to viewing points or places to stop for a rest, my personal favourite is the view from the summit or lower reaches of Crimpiau, this is along the path that leads to Capel Curig. Many hardy walkers start their journey from the car park in the town of Trefriw, and continue through the valley around Llyn Crafnant and ascend the steep incline of Carnedd Moel-siabod which eventually leads to Capel Curig. The views along this 13 mile route are spectacular, so bring your camera.

                                                      Llyn Geirionydd viewed from the lower part of Crimpiau

Kayaking

Kayaking is permitted at Llyn Geirionydd. The carpark is located in close proximity to the lake, so it is easy to launch from there. The lake is almost a mile in length and you have 45 acres to explore. The surrounding backdrop is of forested slopes and mountains and once you've launched yourself away from the civilization of the carpark, you are transported into a haven of tranquility.

                                                                                Kayaking on Llyn Geirionydd