Snowdonia: Dolgoch Waterfalls, Aberdovey and Bearded Lake Walk

Today Chris and I had the day to ourselves as the rest of the group had booked a zip line experience up at Penrhyn Quarry near Bathesda. I’m not keen on man-made thrill seeker experiences of this nature and Chris wasn’t keen either so we said goodbye to the others and set off in the car heading south!

We drove to Dolgoch and parked in the associated car park to do the ‘Dolgoch Waterfalls Walk’. There are 3 waterfalls in total and there is a choice of walk options. People with mobility issues or those with pushchairs can enjoy the first waterfall as it is reached by a flat, smooth path which goes under the Dolgoch Viaduct.

To reach the other waterfalls involves a steep and uneven climb and quite a few steps!

The path flattened out at the top of the valley.

We could see some views in the distance in gaps through the trees. The third waterfall was near the top of the valley and had a picnic bench. Here, with a bit of care, it would be possible to dip your toes in the water as it cascaded over the flat rocks.

This was a short and enjoyable walk although if I were to choose between these and the Rhaeadr Nantcol Waterfalls, Nantcol would win as the falls are prettier, the views more panoramic and spectacular and the walk is easier.

From the waterfalls we drove to Aberdovey a quiet town overlooking the Dyfi Estuary. We soon found a large half empty car park along the sea front and set off in search of a snack.

Aberdovey was quiet so we had a drink in the Tides Inn wine bar and googled “things to do in Aberdovey” and found Llyn Barfog, the Bearded Lake to be recommended.

But first we went off in search of lunch and found the recommended Seabreeze restaurant. Unfortunately they were not open for lunch but the menu looked excellent and they had a table at 5:45 pm so we decided to book that and visit at the lake in the meantime.

This entailed a short drive for about 20 minutes to the free ‘Bearded Lake’ car park. We first had to pass through a farm and took the footpath behind the farm and uphill towards the lake.

Climbing up towards the lake.

As we walked higher, panoramic views of the valley opened up behind us.

We had reached the lake and I climbed up to the highest point but couldn’t see the estuary from here.

And Llyn Barfog has a legend! Dating back to the Celtic times of King Arthur it is said a fierce monster lived in the lake and it would kill anyone who dared to enter its waters. And at times, the monster would go on the rampage and attack residents of nearby villages! But thankfully King Arthur came to the rescue and managed to slay the beast. Phew…

The lake was scenic and covered in lily pads. We made our way through bright green bracken to the edge to take some photographs.

We spent about 20 minutes at the lake before heading back down the same footpath and back to the car.

We finished our day with a fabulous meal in the Seabreeze restaurant. It was popular and busy even at the beginning of the evening. We both had the special of the day, the pan fried fillet of local hake and wild mushroom risotto, peas, samphire, basil pesto and parmesan. Washed down with a Rioja this was superb and we both agreed it was one of our best meals of the year! This restaurant is highly recommended for a visit if you are in the area.

Summary

Another day, another rainy forecast and yet the weather was dry with sunny spells again! Hurrah 🙂

Chris and I had a really enjoyable day with a mix of waterfalls, a small seaside town, a short and picturesque walk and a delicious meal in a lovely seafood restaurant. When we met up with our friends later in the evening they were all somewhat underwhelmed by the zip line experience which made me feel even more thankful to have made the choices we did.