Bwlch y Groes pass, up the valley of the River Twrch and down the valley of the River Dovey goes from Llanuwchllyn to Dinas Mawddwy and is not for faint hearted drivers especially in snow or frost.

Bala Lake Railway has its station, workshops and cafe in Llanuwchllyn with lovely views of the lake from the carriages as the engine steams its way down to the other end of the lake at Bala, 4 miles away. There is a very famous mixed choir here, one of the best in the world, called Côr Godre’r Aran. There’s also a keen amateur football team and one of the Westminster Members of Parliament lives here - he represents the Party of Wales - Plaid Cymru.

There are many Eisteddfodwyr here, the Eisteddfod is a keenly fought annual competitive literary and musical festival, a unique feature of the Welsh culture and tradition.

A mile or so down the main road to Bala, unmarked, is Caer Gai, once the site of a Roman Camp. Tradition has it that it was the home of Sir Hector from the King Arthur legends and the name commemorates his son Cai Hir (Long Kay) – that’s the Sir Kay of the legends.

Llanfor

Llanfor, about a mile from Y Bala, is the site of the subsidiary Roman camp to the one at Caer Gai and guards the outfall end of the lake. In the graveyard here there’s an unusual mausoleum belonging to the Rhiwlas Estate, a family which can trace its ancestors back to the ancient Princes of Wales. The words on the tomb say “As to my latter end I go, To win my Jubilee, I bless the good horse, Bendigo; Who built this tomb for me.” Evidently one of the family won a substantial bet at the horse races.

Llywarch Hen, the 7th Century Welsh Bard, is supposed to be interred at Llanfor near the site of an ancient circle of stones, where he could have had his home. He was one of King Arthur’s generals and also a member of his council. He is said to have lost 24 of his sons in battle and he spent the rest of his time all alone afterwards until he was 150 years old reminiscing with his harp about his life full of misfortune.

Llanycil

Llanycil, the mother parish church of Bala nestles by the lakeside. The graves of Thomas Charles and Lewis Edwards are amongst the Yew trees near the lake. At Glan Llyn, on the left, about 2 miles further on towards Llanuwchllyn is the year round camp for the Urdd (Welsh League of Youth). This hall was once the summer home of Sir Watkins William-Wynne of Ruabon, who also owned the lake. Death duty payments transferred the lake to the Crown.