Lake Ogwen,
From whence issues the river Ogwen. This lake is well stocked with
excellent trout of a peculiar colour and flavour, surpassing in these
respects all fish found in the Caernarvonshire lakes; they are of a
bright yellow cast in the water, though when eaten they have a fine
salmon colour; they are easily taken with the fly. The surplus water of
this lake discharges itself at the western end, through a chasm in the
rocks, tumbling in three noble cataracts down a height of about one
hundred feet, called the Falls of Benglog, which are concentrated into a
bed in the luxuriant and beautifully green meadows of
Nant Ffrancon,
(Or the Beaver’s Hollow), so called from having been the resort of those
animals. This is a romantic and tremendous glen, destitute of wood, and
even of cultivation, except the narrow slip of a meadow which lies along
its bottom. The fantastic piles of rocks which compose its sides, rise
abruptly from their base, and stretch their barren points into the
clouds. The Holyhead and London road passes through the whole extent.
In 1685, part of a rock, forming one of the impending cliffs, became so
undermined by wind and rain, that loosing its hold, it fell in several
immense masses, and in its passage down a steep and craggy cliff,
dislodged some thousands of other stones. The largest piece of the
falling rock continued its motion through a small meadow, and rested on
the further side of the river Ogwen. In the winter of 1831, another part
of the rock gave way, when upwards of one thousand tons fell from near
the summit of Benglog, a little below the Ogwen cataracts; part rolling
straight across the road, fell into the valley and river at the bottom;
while another part having acquired a less momentum, rested on the road;
the intercourse of travellers was for some time impeded, although one
hundred miners were engaged in clearing the surface of the road. A
gentleman from the vale of Llanrwst had just passed along in his
carriage, on his way to Bangor, when the terrific sound of the dissolving
mountain fell upon his astonished ear.
The mountains at the upper end of this vale form a scene singularly
grand; on each side the hollow appears guarded by a huge conical rock,
Trivaen on the right, and Braich-dû on the left. These, with the
Glyder-vach and the Glyder-vawr, and some other mountains, fill up the
distance, and apparently close the vale.
Near this place, beside a little gothic cottage, is a small hone quarry,
Y Trivaen, which received its name from three tall stones standing in an
upright position on its summit, and from below had the exact resemblance
of three men. Of these only two remain.