Join walkers and climbers in following copper miners’ footsteps to a lake with Arthurian connections, nestling beneath Snowdon’s summit
Walkers climbing Snowdon make use of the old Miners Path. It was built to carry copper from the Britannia Copper Works near Llyn Glaslyn to Pen y Pass, from where it was transported to Caernarfon.
Alongside Llyn Llydaw you can clearly see the derelict workings of the old Britannia crushing mill. This mill was joined to the mines further up the slopes by an aerial ropeway (long since disappeared). Copper mining came to an end in 1916, but the waste tips still litter the landscape around Llyn Glaslyn. Warning: on no account should the mines be entered.
Llyn Llydaw is steeped in Arthurian legend. It’s not hard to imagine the lake as the setting in which Excalibur, Arthur’s sword, was thrown by his trusty knight Sir Bedivere to the Lady of the Lake. High above is ‘Bwlch y Saethau’ (‘Pass of the Arrows’), another place with Arthurian associations.
As you cross the causeway, built in 1853 to bring the copper down to Pen y Pass, marvel at the breathtaking views before turning towards Snowdon’s summit. Before the causeway was built, horses and wagons laden with copper were carried across Llyn Llydaw on rafts. But following an accident in which a horse drowned in 1853, it was decided to build a causeway on the site.
In order to construct the causeway, the water level had to be lowered by 12ft. During this process an ancient oak dug-out canoe was discovered - proof that humans have roamed this mountain for thousands of years.
Park at Pen y Pass on A4086
Betws y Coed - 11 miles (approx)
Bus stop Pen y Pass
Follow Miner’s Track up to Llyn Llydaw and Llyn Glaslyn. Britannia Mill is alongside Llyn Llydaw. Mines are visible above Llyn Glaslyn. Approx 3 miles from Pen y Pass car park to Llyn Glaslyn.
Britannia Mill can be seen alongside the Miner’s Track at Llyn Llydaw. The mine levels and spoil heaps are at Llyn Glaslyn and the adits should NOT be entered.
Full Figure Gride Reference: SH 629545 OS Landranger Map Sheet: 115