Bala Lake
OS Grid Ref:- SH 9235
Beautiful Bala Lake, crossed by the River Dee, is the largest body of water in Wales, being four miles long and a mile wide.
The lake is known in Welsh as 'Llyn Tegid', it is widely used by watersport enthusiasts, because of the winds which sweep through its mountain valley setting. Kayaks and Yachts are available for hire to tourists, the steam trains of the Bala Railway run along its shore.
The Bala Railway runs for 7-kilometres (4.5 miles) along the lake's south east shore. The popular gauge line has three steam locomotives, two of which worked in the slate quarries of North Wales.
The small town of Bala, which has a long and interesting history, is situated at the northern end of the lake. It holds a regular
Monday market and has a range of shopping facilities and accomodation, as well as the National Whitewater Centre for
watersports. Historic town walks are availiable.
In around 1310, in effort to quell the rebellion, Bala was granted a Royal Charter by Roger De Mortimer of Chirk Castle, the current street plan dates back to this era. Tomen y Bala, the town's castle, is adjacent to a large car park on Mount Street. This is a medieval earthwork castle of the 11th to 12th century. It is 40m wide and 9m high and offers superb views across the town. Llywelyn the Great is believed to have commandeered Tomen Y Bala in the early part of the 13th century.