All walks › Eryri: Ogwen and the Carneddau
Eryri: Ogwen and the CarneddauLlyn Eigiau and the Broken Dam
A level track to a reservoir whose dam burst in 1925 and drowned sixteen people in the village below, with the breach still gaping.
- Distance
- 4.3 mi / 7 km
- Time
- 2 hr 30
- Ascent
- 180 m
- Difficulty
- Moderate
- Shape
- There and back
Where it is
The circle shows the general area, not the exact start. Use the directions link below to get to the car park itself. Contours and paths shown are OpenTopoMap, drawn from OpenStreetMap data.
The route
The track runs from the road end to the dam and the lake. Level and easy, with the option of continuing into the cwm.
Worth knowing
- The breach in the dam is enormous and worth walking right up to.
- The road in is long, single track and steep, with few passing places.
- Craig yr Ysfa’s cliffs at the head of the cwm are among the biggest in Wales.
What you’ll see
The broken dam and its breach, the lake, and the cliffs at the head of the cwm.
Background
The dam failed on 2 November 1925, sending a flood through Dolgarrog that killed sixteen. Many more survived because they were at the cinema.