40 pages/33 walks

Y Bala meaning the outflow of the lake has a beautiful setting on the shores of Llyn Tegid, the largest natural lake in Wales, surrounded by hills and mountains. It lies within the southern area of the Snowdonia National Park on a natural fault that has provided an important route into the heartland of Wales since prehistoric times, and later became part of the Roman road system. At the heart of the district of Penllyn, the town was created in 1310 by Roger de Mortimer to reinforce English control of the district.

Despite its English origins, Y Bala is a strong Welsh-speaking community that has produced renowned poets, politicians and preachers, who have helped to shape cultural and religious life in Wales, and further afield in Patagonia. In the 18th and early 19thC the town was renowned for its knitted woollen gloves, stockings and caps. Today, it retains its status as a small market town for the local farming community, and as a centre of the Welsh language and culture.

The area is well known for its watersports, but it is also excellent walking country. This new fully revised third edition of this guidebook explores its diverse scenery and history through 22 walks. It includes a few new walks, routes to hilltop forts and viewpoints accessible on Open Access land, as well as two linear walks between Y Bala and Llanuwchllyn, now sections of Snowdonia National Park's superb waymarked upland circular trail around Llyn Tegid.

There are walks across pastureland, over open hills and moorland, by rivers and lakes, through woods and forests. They offer extensive views and visit many places of historical interest. These routes, which range from 9 miles, follow public rights of way or permissive paths. A key feature is that most routes, as well as containing shorter walk options, can easily be linked to provide longer and more challenging day walks, if required.

One of Wales finest areas for walking.