Acknowledged as one of the beauty spots of North Wales, Llyn Crafnant is hidden within a valley in the hills above the village of Trefriw. This is a very visitor friendly location with free car park, plenty of marked walking routes and a lakeside cafe. On the eastern side of the lake Gwydir Forest reaches down to the shoreline and to the west is the Carneddau Mountain range. A small river flowing out of the northern end of the lake flows down into Trefriw where it powers the woollen mill before joining the River Conwy.
The forestry commission provide a free car park and toilets near to the lake and this is the starting point for various marked walking routes. The lake is about a mile in length and offers an easy walk around the shoreline following the road and forest tracks. Other routes take you onto Llyn Geirionydd in the next valley or as far as Capel Curig.
A popular café is found half way along the eastern shore serving a range of hot and cold food and cream teas. It only takes cash so make sure you bring enough with you. It is possible to drive to the café but the small car park can fill up on busy days.
If you’re short on time, or have reluctant participants in tow, a walk from the car park to the café offers great views, a pleasurable (if short) walk and an incentive to reach the destination.
Fishing permits and boat hire are also available from the café.
Location
This is one of the more accessible hidden places in Snowdonia. You can walk up from the Trefriw but most people drive. It’s a fairly steep climb at first followed by a gentle ascent through the woods. It’s a single track road which may mean giving way to traffic coming the other way but there are plenty of passing points.
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Tŷ Hyll
Located on the A5 between Capel Curig and Betws y Coed, Tŷ Hyll (or ‘Ugly House’ in English) is anything but ugly and is in fact rather charming! Nobody knows for sure how the house got its name. Some say it was built by thieves who would target travellers which gave it its fearsome reputation, whilst others believe the name is derived from the river it lies on – the Llugwy. Others still say that it is the big crude boulders outside that gave the house its name.
Trefriw Woollen Mills
Mills were once a huge part of Welsh industry, but over the years the number still in use has declined. However, Trefriw is one of the few wool mills still in working use. Trefriw was originally a ‘pandy’ (fulling mill in English) and hand spun and woven cloth would be washed here. It used its position on the River Crafnant to drive the waterwheels and wash the wool.
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