You may have heard of Bala – the lakeside wonderland town with gorgeous views and endless amounts to do. But what is it that makes Bala so special?
Well, to begin with, it’s in the awesome region of North Wales, which is placed number 4 in Lonely Planet’s Top 10 Regions in the World! North Wales is quickly becoming the hottest area in the UK for adventure and leisure, so come and join the party.
Bala’s obvious attraction is it’s a gigantic lake, it’s actually the largest natural lake in Wales. You can canoe on it, walk around it, or even participate in the open water swimming championships and triathlons – this includes the national selection!
Rafting and kayaking at the national whitewater centre, which is a canoe world championships venue.
Why not take a scenic ride, along the lakeside on what was voted the Best Small Railway of 2012?
Cyclists rejoice! Cycle over the amazing Bwch y Groes- the highest road pass in Wales.
There are also some fantastically challenging routes as part of the Wild Wales Challenge.
Why not take a scenic drive over the mountains of Berwyn over to the Pistyll Rhaeadr, which is, in fact, the highest waterfall in all of Wales!
Visit the amazingly well maintained Caerau Uchaf Gardens, which are the highest garden open to the public in all of Wales and featured in the Tony Russell article ‘The Finest Gardens in Wales’.
You’ll also be pleased to know that Snowdonia is an International Dark Sky Reserve. This means you are able to witness the night sky in all its glory without the interrupting light pollution that nearby large towns and cities emanate – it means you can see further into the depths of space than anywhere else locally.
A fan of wildlife? Bala Lake (Llyn Tegid) is a Ramsar wetlands site of international importance, which means the biodiversity of fish, birds and other kinds of wildlife is recognised in its abundance and complexity. The lake is home of the gwyniad, a species of whitefish which is unique to the area. The lake shoreline is also the only UK location where the species of glutinous snail is found. The local river of Tryweryn is also, unbelievably one of the few places in the UK where freshwater pearl mussels exist, the river is also home of the lamprey eels.
There are so many fantastic places for you to stay while here, whether it’s camping, b+b, caravan parks Snowdonia, or other forms of accommodation.
If you are planning your Wales adventure, Bala is an ideal location for you to base yourself – with so many options for fun activities and adventure to be had, along with the natural wonder of the location and option of accommodation there is really nothing to lose by taking your first step towards your wilderness adventure in the heart of Snowdonia.
