Directions: SH 649604 / OS Explorer Map OL17

A laid mountain path with some stone steps leading up to the lake, reasonably flat to far end of lake, optional steep path up to the Twll Du or Devil's Kitchen, back around the other side of the lake. Not suitable for wheelchairs.

Legends: The hanging valley of the Cwm shelters a lake with a dark secret concerning the death of a Welsh prince, while the plume of steam that rises from a crack in the crags above gives the area another name and legend.

The cloud of mist, when viewed from ships at sea, was seen as having sinister origins and the phenomena was christened the Devil's Kitchen. It is however simply caused by moist air hitting the rock face, forcing it upwards, so that it cools and condenses, forming swirling clouds.

Derek Brockway says...
This walk is easy to get to from the main A5 road. A short walk takes you from the car park up into the mountains. The view down Nant Ffrancon Valley is amazing but come prepared. When I was there in late February we had hail and sleet showers.

Cwm Idwal is a special place and one of the best locations in Britain to see the effects of the last Ice Age.

The geological features drew naturalist Charles Darwin here in the 19th century. Botanists still come to study the rare arctic - alpine plants such as the Snowdon Lily which is under threat from global warming.

You can easily find the beautiful little white flowers of the starry saxifrage growing in wet bits by the path at the far end of the lake. Others, including the lovely Snowdon Lily, which is only found in Snowdonia, are more on the crags, out of the reach of nibbling sheep and goats!

I love all the area's Welsh names: Clogwyn y Geifr (the cliff of the goats), Pen yr Ole Wen (top of the white light) and Twll Du (black hole, but known in English as the Devil's Kitchen).

Hywel Roberts - Snowdonia National Park says...
The sight of Llyn Idwal is breathtaking, nestling as it does in the north-facing Cwm Idwal, and surrounded by the high peaks of Y Garn and Y Glyder Fawr.

It is rare to find so many glaciation features in such a small area: moraines, rock striations, roche moutonnees, erratic boulders and exposed rock strata in the high cliffs. Arctic-alpine plants also abound.

If you're lucky you may come across the small and fragile Lloydia serotina, the Snowdon Lily. Seek out the right type of rock and you never know what plants you might find.

It is reputed that no bird flies over the lake, because of a terrible accident in the past. It is said that the carer of young Prince Idwal neglected his duties, allowing him to fall to his death from the cliffs of Twll Du.

(This walk was also done as part of the Radio Wales Weatherman Walking series in 2002)