CWM IDWAL // Snowdonia

Most people heading for Snowdonia

National Park do so for one obvious reason: to climb Snowdon itself. But that is to forget there are any number of equally, if not more, stunning walks to be enjoyed in this beautiful region, with the Cwm Idwal route being a case in point.

The great ice-carved cwm (a steep-sided hollow) holds the clear waters of Llyn Idwal, named after the son of the 12th-century prince, Owain Gwynedd, and makes a fine centrepiece to any trail you might follow in this truly stunning scenery.

The crags that surround these waters are known as the Devil’s Kitchen, but don’t be put off – this family-friendly route is not to be missed.

It’s also of note that Sir Edmund Hillary trained on the Idwal Slabs, which can be seen on the walk high above the cwm, before he and his team took on Mount Everest in the early 1950s.