Mysterious Britain & Ireland

Country and County: Gwynedd

Apparitions / Haunted Hotels / Haunted Wedding Venue / Hauntings

Gwydir Castle

Gwydir Castle is nestled in the Vale of Conwy in North Wales, and it has a long and fantastic history. The first recorded owner was Howell ap Coetmor, whose family members are recorded as having fought at the battles of Poitiers (1356), Shrewsbury (1402) and Agincourt (1415).

Apparitions / Haunted Pubs / Hauntings

The Black Boy (Buoy) Inn

On Northgate Street, in the Royal Borough of Caernarfon, you will find an excellent free house called the Black Boy Inn which is reputedly haunted. When it was built, circa 1522 it consisted of two inns, one the ‘Kings Arms’ and the other the ‘Fleur de Lys’. At some stage, one landlord acquired both buildings and the ‘Black Boy’ as we know it today was created.

Legends

Sarn-y-Bwlch

Sarn-y-Bwlch (Causeway of the Pass) is the middle of the three Cardigan Bay sarnau. It is the smallest of the three sarns, and it extends for about 6 kilometres offshore out from Pen Bwlch point at Tywyn, in a south westerly direction. Its charted depth is as shallow as 0.3 metres (Admiralty chart 1972).

Legends

Sarn Badrig

Sarn Badrig, also known as St. Patrick’s Causeway, starts from Mochras point on Shell Island (or Mochras) and extends out in to Cardigan Bay for about twenty-four kilometres (fourteen miles, some nine of which are exposed at neap tides). It is one of three such ridges of rock and shingle that can be found on this west Welsh coast.

Dragons / Fairies / Folklore / Folktales / King Arthur / Legends / Welsh Fairies / Welsh Folktales

Llyn Barfog (The Bearded Lake)

Llyn Barfog is situated in high countryside above the northern banks of the River Dyfi. The lake is isolated, small, and covered with yellow water lilies in the summer. Sir John Rhys in Celtic Folklore suggests that it was originally called Llyn-y-Barfog (The Bearded One’s Lake) referring to some ancient mythical being who would have lived there.

Other Mysteries

Llyn-y-Dywarchen

This is a privately owned lake beside the B4418 which has a rather complex shape and a small island in the centre, which is not uncommon in highly glaciated areas. There is a curious story attached to this lake. Once upon a time Llyn-y-Dywarchen had an additional floating island.

King Arthur / Legends

Llyn Ogwen

Four miles North from Capel Curig along the A5; and at 310 metres above sea level you’ll find Llyn Ogwen covering an area of 78 acres. Its ancient name was reportedly Ogfanw (young pig); and it is one of the shallowest lakes in North Wales, averaging 6 feet, and only being 10 feet at its deepest point.

Legends

Llyn Morwynion ‘Lake of the Maidens’

Llyn Morwynion is probably the lake where, according to the Mabinogion, Blodeuedd and her Maidens of Ardudwy drowned whilst fleeing from the wizard Gwydion and the men of Gwynedd.

King Arthur / Legends

Llyn Llydaw (Brittany Lake)

At 1,430 feet above sea level Llyn Llydaw (Brittany Lake) is another sterile glacial lake of Yr Wyddfa (Mount Snowdon) in its eastern valley Cwn Dyli. It has an industrial air about it, and it has the Miners’ track crossing its eastern end by a causeway that was built in 1853 when the lake was lowered.