Llyn y Bi is a remote mountain lake in the Rhinogydd that requires rough navigation across trackless terrain to reach. There is no path, no signpost, no other walkers. The lake itself is unremarkable in isolation; what it represents is complete immersion in a landscape that has had no accommodation made for the visitor — the Rhinogydd as they have always been. This is Experience #98 of the Snowdonia 100.
The Experience
The value of Llyn y Bi is not the lake itself but the process of reaching it: navigating by map and compass across heather and bog and ancient rock, finding a route through terrain that offers no assistance, arriving at a body of water that most visitors to Eryri will never see. This is the essential Rhinogydd experience — the oldest mountains in the national park, the least accommodating, the most rewarding for those who persist.
| Approach | Various — from Cwm Bychan or via the Rhinog ridge |
| Navigation | OS Explorer OL18; compass essential; GPS useful backup |
| Terrain | Deep heather, boulders, bog — slow progress |
| Note | This is navigational terrain — not a recommended route for beginners |
The Rhinogydd Principle
The Rhinogydd are the national park's best-kept secret and its most demanding mountain group. The rock is ancient and resistant; the vegetation is thick and unforgiving; the paths are few and the boggy areas are extensive. But for those who know how to navigate and are willing to accept slow progress and wet feet, the Rhinogydd offer genuine remoteness within one of Britain's most popular national parks. Llyn y Bi is the distillation of that experience.
Experience #98 of 100 — Hidden Eryri category.
Independently written — Snowdon.com