Up into Gwydir: the Llyn Elsi trail from behind St Mary's

The Gwydir Forest Park surrounds Betws-y-Coed, and the best-known walk into it starts in the middle of the village. Natural Resources Wales starts its Llyn Elsi Walk on the forest road behind St Mary's Church on Holyhead Road, and it climbs through the forest to a lake above the village. It is the obvious walk for a half day when the cloud is too low for anything higher.

The waymarked walk

NRW, which manages the forest, grades the Llyn Elsi Walk strenuous and gives it as 6.2 kilometres, 3.9 miles, with 318 metres of climbing, taking two to three hours. Its description is honest about the ground: the trail rises and descends steeply from the village on forest roads and narrower footpaths, under a metre wide in places, unmade and uneven, with mud, rocks and tree roots. There are benches and perches on the steep ascent and several more round the lake.

Older leaflets and third-party sites quote shorter distances and an easier grade. Trust NRW's current page, and follow the waymarks on the ground.

What you get at the top

The climb from St Mary's to the stone monument on the knoll above the lake is a little under two kilometres by the forest paths. The monument marks the opening of the village water works, and Llyn Elsi below it is dotted with small wooded islands. NRW's full walk carries on round the lake before dropping back to Betws.

Where to start, and where to park

Start behind St Mary's, not from the Pont y Pair car park. NRW's Gwydir page makes the distinction: its other village trails start from Pont y Pair, the Llyn Elsi Walk does not. Pont y Pair car park is charged, and NRW notes that the council-run toilets there charge too. If you have come by train, St Mary's is a few minutes' walk from the platform.

What to expect

This is a working forest, so expect occasional diversions; NRW lists changes to trails at the top of its Gwydir Betws-y-coed page. With over 300 metres of climbing, wear proper boots.

Before or after

• St Michael's Old Church, the 14th-century church by the station, is a short walk from St Mary's and open daily from Easter to the end of October.
• Iechyd Da Deli on Station Approach is the place in this guide for picnic supplies, and the Popty bakery inside the Spar on Holyhead Road for bara brith.
• Y Stablau at the Royal Oak, on Holyhead Road near St Mary's, takes walk-ins, per Visit Conwy; the Pont-y-Pair Inn serves food from noon.

Further into Gwydir

NRW runs other sites in the forest park, including Ty'n Llwyn, where its Swallow Falls Walk starts. That one is also graded strenuous and is covered in the waterfalls guide.