Cregennan Lakes

Cregennan Lakes are two small lakes on the northern slopes of Cadair Idris, about 244 metres above sea level and owned by the National Trust. They sit above the southern shore of the Mawddach estuary, reached by a signed lane off the A493 near Arthog, with a National Trust car park and toilets right beside the water. The Trust asks visitors not to swim, kayak, paddleboard or let dogs into the lakes, to keep out invasive species and pollutants.

From the car park, a level path leads to the lakeshore, where the view opens back down the estuary towards the Mawddach and Barmouth Bridge in the distance. A short but steep climb, with an optional scramble on the most direct line, leads up to a rocky outcrop called Pared y Cefn-hir, where the ground opens out to a wider view: the lakes below, the cliffs of the Cadair Idris range rising immediately to the south, and the Rhinogydd hills visible north across the estuary.

This is a place to get a mountain view with almost no walking involved, since the lakeside needs no climbing at all, and it works well as a stop on a drive between Barmouth or Dolgellau and the coast at Fairbourne. It suits visitors who want the scenery of Cadair Idris without attempting the mountain itself. Skip it if solitude is what you want, since the easy access that makes it valuable also makes it popular. For the mountain itself rather than the view of it, the Minffordd Path onto Cadair Idris starts 20 minutes south-east.