Llyn Elsi

Llyn Elsi is a reservoir lake in Gwydir Forest, more than 700 feet above Betws-y-Coed, reached by a path that climbs steeply from behind St Mary’s Church. The lake covers about 30 acres and holds one small island; before it was dammed it was two separate, smaller lakes, Llyn Rhisgog and Llyn Enoc. A dam built in 1914 raised the water to supply the village, and a memorial beside the lake records Lord Ancaster’s grant of the water rights that made this possible, the same Ancaster family that gave Swallow Falls to the local council around the same period.

The lake sits in Gwydir Forest Park, which Natural Resources Wales manages, inside Eryri National Park. The climb out of the village is the hard part: a steep, sometimes stepped path through mixed woodland for the first stretch, easing onto gentler forestry track once the height is gained. A path then circles the lake, with benches near the dam memorial for a rest, and views opening north-west towards the Carneddau and Glyderau ranges, with Moel Siabod visible on a clear day. The lake is still stocked with trout by a local angling club.

Covering around 6.4 kilometres and roughly 300 metres of ascent over two to two and a half hours, this is rated moderate rather than easy, entirely on account of that initial climb rather than anything technical. It suits anyone based in Betws-y-Coed who wants a walk without a car, and dogs are welcome on a lead throughout. It does not suit anyone wanting a flat stroll, since there is no way to reach the lake without climbing several hundred feet first.