I didn’t have great hopes for the walk from Llyn Dinas, I had passed the lake many times on the A498 while driving through to the west coast but it always looked dark and uninviting (unlike the picturesque Llyn Gwynant just a couple of miles back along the road). The Pass of Aberglaslyn however was famed for its natural beauty and the trail through Cwm Bychan sounded interesting ….so off we set on a cold winter’s day.

By the time we reached the lay-by, and start point, close to the Sygun Copper Mine the sun was shining brightly on this February day in 2008. We parked the car and set off across the bridge that spanned the Afon Glaslyn. To the west Moel Hebog stood proudly in the winter sunshine. We bear left in the opposite direction with the frost-covered ground crunching underfoot.

We followed the river to what I believed was its source at Llyn Dinas, this was not an HM Stanley moment (the Welsh explorer who discovered the sources of both the Nile and Congo rivers) …as we had walked just 1000 yards. ( I later discovered that the true source of the Glaslyn is Llyn Glaslyn, a lake in a cwm on the eastern slopes of Snowdon).

As we reached the lake the aspect opened out in the bright sunshine and what a revelation. The lake, with a distant Moel Siabod as backdrop, was sparkling in the sunshine. It just goes to show how wrong you can be about a place.

Llyn Dinas invited further exploration around its southern edge (but that is for another day), we had other intentions and set off in a southwesterly direction up the hillside toward Cwm Bychan.

A brisk walk up the slopes of Mynydd Sygun to Grib Ddu delivered even better views of  Llyn Dinas. When you consider that Glaslyn translates to English as Blue Lake you could be forgiven for presuming that the river was named after this beautiful blue lake. The unusually snow-less summit of Snowdon loomed large to the north.

As we climbed I thought this north-western flank of the hill looked rather barren in its winter garb; I could only imagine the purples and greens of the heather and bracken of summertime. However, there were great views of the surrounding hills and those ubiquitous rhododendrons were still adding a splash of colour where they had survived the slash and burn policy of the Snowdonia National Park Authority. (Rhododendrons are an invasive species that were introduced to Britain in the late 18th century and became popular in the Victorian era).

We had our break at the top of the hill close to the fingerposts that guided us on our way. Surprisingly there was a young family group having a picnic close by, and they had reached the top with a baby and a buggy in tow. I could not recommend this walk for prams, buggies and definitely not wheelchairs, but it goes to show that with a bit of effort many of the trails are more accessible than we sometimes think in these days of “health and safety”.

Feeling refreshed we set off for Cwm Bychan and the second part of the trail. Soon we are descending the cwm, the landscape is softer here with grassland, bracken, and rushes interspersed with rocky outcrops. We admire the view of the Glaslyn Estuary while walking among reminders of Wales’s industrial heritage. Metal stanchions and the cable terminus gear are all that remain of the Cwm Bychan copper mine, where mining for ore started in the early 18th Century.

Nearby are reminders of Wales’ more recent pastoral heritage with a number of sheepfolds that appear to be part of the rock strewn landscape. The path runs alongside a small stream that is forded by large stepping-stones that make a pleasant place to stop for another break and enjoy the view of the valley below.

We exit Cwm Bychan and the track leads through ancient woodlands close to Nantmor before joining the trail that heads north through the Aberglaslyn Pass alongside the Afon Glaslyn. Watch out in the woodlands for Pen-y-Groes the 18th Century cottage that was the birthplace of Richard Owen, the Welsh bard known as 'Glaslyn' (1831-1909).

Within the pass the trail is squeezed between the river and the track of the Welsh Highland Railway (that will eventually journey from Caernarfon in the north to Porthmadog in the south). This lack of space has left one section in the gorge that might be considered tricky for some. But its worth the effort to appreciate the clear waters of the Glaslyn tumbling over the boulder strewn river bed.

On leaving the gorge we cross the river and enter a wide flat landscape leading to the village of Beddgelert. It is necessary to cross to the west bank of the river if you wish to visit Gelert’s grave ( the grave of the legendary hound that belonged to a Welsh Prince). We pass St Mary’s Church before reaching the village where there is the choice of a pint in the pub, a cuppa tea in Lyn’s Café, or the opportunity to choose from a selection of ice creams from the ice cream store.

From the village it is a rather boring one-mile walk alongside the A498 road to the lay-by and end of the walk.

As we started back toward home the sun was setting and the gloom had settled on Llyn Dinas. Nothing new about that I thought, but at least I now knew the dark lake was well worth another visit.