page_title: Llyn Cowlyd
hierarchical_section_title: Llyn Cowlyd
caption_attribution_description: English: Llyn Cowlyd. With an area in excess of 100ha, Llyn Cowlyd is the deepest lake in Snowdonia. The Cwm and its lake were purchased by Colwyn Bay Council in 1891 and the lake enlarged by the building of a dam. Water is piped from the dam end to Colwyn Bay a distance of 18 miles. The reservoir, now owned by Dwr Cymru/Welsh Water, also supplies Conwy and Deganwy as well as the aluminium works at Dolgarrog.
context_page_description: Llyn Cowlyd is the deepest lake in northern Wales. It lies in the Snowdonia National Park at the upper end of Cwm Cowlyd on the south-eastern edge of the Carneddau range of mountains, at a height of 1,164 feet above sea level. The lake is long and narrow, measuring nearly 2 miles long and about a third of a mile wide, and covers an area of 269 acres. It has a mean depth of 109 feet and at its deepest has given soundings of 229 feet, this being some 45 ft greater than its natural depth, the water surface having been raised twice by the building of dams.
  The surrounding hills drop steeply to the water's edge, from Cefn Cyfarwydd and Creigiau Gleision to the east, and Pen Llithrig y Wrach to the west, and as a consequence have not been forested in the 20th century, as were the slopes of neighbouring Llyn Crafnant. Indeed, there is not a tree to be seen, and the general aspect is one of bleakness. Dependent on the weather conditions, the waters often appear dark.
  The supply of water to Llyn Cowlyd is assisted at its south-western end by a leat which runs roughly east–west along the 1370-foot contour to the south and west of the lake, along the Llugwy valley.
context_section_description: Llyn Cowlyd is the deepest lake in northern Wales.  It lies in the Snowdonia National Park at the upper end of Cwm Cowlyd on the south-eastern edge of the Carneddau range of mountains, at a height of 1,164 feet (355 m) above sea level.  The lake is long and narrow, measuring nearly 2 miles (3 km) long and about a third of a mile (500 m) wide, and covers an area of 269 acres (1.1 km²).  It has a mean depth of 109 feet (33 m) and at its deepest has given soundings of 229 feet (70 m), this being some 45 ft (14 m) greater than its natural depth, the water surface having been raised twice by the building of dams.
  The surrounding hills drop steeply to the water's edge, from Cefn Cyfarwydd and Creigiau Gleision to the east, and Pen Llithrig y Wrach to the west, and as a consequence have not been forested in the 20th century, as were the slopes of neighbouring Llyn Crafnant.  Indeed, there is not a tree to be seen, and the general aspect is one of bleakness.  Dependent on the weather conditions, the waters often appear dark.
  The supply of water to Llyn Cowlyd is assisted at its south-western end by a leat which runs roughly east–west along the 1370-foot contour to the south and west of the lake, along the Llugwy valley.  It is also fed by water from Llyn Eigiau.
  Llyn Cowlyd can be reached by road from Trefriw, some 3 miles (5 km) to the east, although the metalled road stops at a gate, the best part of a mile from the lake itself, beyond which private vehicles are not permitted.  Llyn Cowlyd can also be reached by foot from Capel Curig, some 2 miles (3 km) away, from the ridge of Cefn Cyfarwydd, or from above Dolgarrog.  A good path runs along the north-western shore of the lake.
  The stream which flows from Llyn Cowlyd is called Afon Ddu.  This flows into the river Conwy, passing Pont Dolgarrog on the B5106 road, just south of the village of Dolgarrog.  The gorge cut by the river at this point is popular for gorge walking.
caption: View looking north-east down the length of the lake
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