Join Me On A Hike To Cwn Idwal (The Devils Kitchen) In The Heart Of Snowdonia National Park (Original Pictures)

perceptualflaws (66) in travel • 7 years ago (edited)

Starting at Llyn Idwal

I'm starting this walk alongside the beautiful Llyn (lake) Idwal. This lake's beauty hides within it a tragic local legend, a legend from which it derives it's name. The legend relates to the story of Owain who was the 12th century prince of Gwynedd. It's told that whilst he left to fight in the war Owain enstrusted the care of his son Idwal to his brother Neffyd. Now Idwal was an exceptionally handsome and intelligent child and this reminded Neffyd of his own sons failings, consumed with jealousy Neffyd took the boys out for a walk and ended up drowing Idwal in the lake. It's said that after hearing this tragic news Owain returned a broken man and named the lake after his son as a mark of respect. Legend states that to this day the lake is a place of sadness and as such no birds will fly over it. Indeed if you listen on the right day it's said you can still hear Idwal's wailing echo across the water.

Cwm Idwal

Cwm Idwal was the first official national nature reserve in Wales and it's easy to see why. The Cwm (basin) forms a beautiful ampitheater behind the aforementioned lake. This is known as one of the finest places in the country to observe the effects and subsequent retreat of glaciation. This area is also a botanists paradise and contains many rare artic-apline plants and vegetation including ferns, lichens, mosses, wild welsh poppies and numerous flowers.

Today and lost within my own thoughts my mind drifts like tumbleweed through a desert of dreams, an autumn leaf buffeted and blown by the winds of change and polarity. Indeed the change that grips the world around us provides a stark contrast to the history and timeless nature of a landscape that now begins to envelop my mind, body and soul.

As I climb higher the orchestra of silence plays around me like a vibrational symphony of beauty. A symphony that pervades my every atom and resonates a connection to this majestic landscape and indeed the natural world at large.

On The Edge

The Devils Kitchen

As I climb higher we begin to enter a chasm known as the devils kitchen. It derives this name from the fact that in the misty days of yesteryear legend used to say that the the clouds that rose from inside it looked like smoke rising from a chimney. It was said to be a sign that the devil was cooking in his kitchen.

The devils kitchen is a renowned area for ice climbing and as such (as we were lucky enough to have a lovely day) this is the only picture that isn't mine but instead is borrowed from berwynevans.blogspot.com.

Devils Kitchen4.JPG

On Top Of The World, Well Y Garn To Be Precise

After leaving behind the Devils Kitchen I decide to take a sharp turn to the right and climb to the top of Y Garn. This mountain stands at 937m (3,107ft) and commands some fantastic views over literally hundreds of miles of Snowdonian mountain wilderness and coastline.

On a day like today the clouds hasten past and provide a beautiful if fleeting companion to the rays of sun that shine and illuminate the mountainscape in front of me. What a day to be alive, to be free and still holding onto the vestiges of youth. Indeed days like these poignantly remind me of the preciousness of each lungful of air, each bewitching rustle of wind and each crystal clear bubbling stream. One day these views and this moment will live only within my fading memories and so today I want take the time to remember every sprig of purple heather. My mind drifting amongst a mountainside of flowers, each one struggling for survival against a whistling summer breeze that tugs gently at my clothes.

The Way Home

Now begins the long journey back, a journey that will culminate in a well deserved swim in a beautiful woodland lake. I hope you've enjoyed this walk and found inspiration to enjoy this beautiful part of the world.

The Swim

Written by perceptualflaws
All pictures (except the ice picture) are perceptualflaws originals
Gifs courtesy of @justcallmemyth

I'm proud to be both a member and supporter of the Minnow Support Project - brought to you by the hard work of: @aggroed, @teamsteem, @canadian-coconut and @ausbitbank,
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7 years ago by perceptualflaws (66)

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ma1neevent (66) · 7 years ago

@perceptualflaws,

This gem of a post was discovered by the @OCD Team!

Reply to this comment if you accept, and are willing to let us share your gem of a post! By accepting this, you have a chance to receive extra rewards and one of your photos in this article may be used on our compilation post!

You can follow @ocd – learn more about the project and see other Gems! We strive for transparency.

I really loved all of the great photos you've included in this travel post! Those ice climbing ones are crazy. Beautiful scenery there!

Please Reply and I will nominate your post to the @OCD Curators for possible extra votes and Steemit Exposure!

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1 vote

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perceptualflaws (66) · 7 years ago

@ma1neevent Many thanks for noticing and picking my post. I would be delighted to accept your kind offer.

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gabato (67) · 8 months ago

This is gold!

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tremendospercy (65) · 7 years ago

Wow dude that looks like a fantastic trip.
Brilliantly captured pictures dude and great words as ever.

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1 vote

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perceptualflaws (66) · 7 years ago

Thanks for the kind words my friend, it's greatly appreciated. It was a beautiful day out and I'm glad that came across in the post :)

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niko77 (43) · 7 years ago

Very beautiful :) follow

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perceptualflaws (66) · 7 years ago

Thank you for your kind words and follow :)

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sylejmanbajgora (45) · 7 years ago

I like the view there. I would like to do hiking there with my group. Keep going and show us others hike. We have a same blog for hike. You can check to my blog. I wish you the best on your hikes @perceptualflaws

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perceptualflaws (66) · 7 years ago

Thanks @sylejmanbajgora I will be sure to take a look at your blog

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minnowsupport (70) · 7 years ago

Congratulations! This post has been upvoted from the communal account, @minnowsupport, by perceptualflaws from the Minnow Support Project. It's a witness project run by aggroed, ausbitbank, teamsteem, theprophet0, someguy123, neoxian, followbtcnews/crimsonclad, and netuoso. The goal is to help Steemit grow by supporting Minnows and creating a social network. Please find us in the Peace, Abundance, and Liberty Network (PALnet) Discord Channel. It's a completely public and open space to all members of the Steemit community who voluntarily choose to be there.

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shellyduncan (60) · 7 years ago

@perceptual flaws - glad I found this via @ocd post. A great piece of work...looks really stunning. would love to hike there.

Following and looking forward to more great posts

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perceptualflaws (66) · 7 years ago

@shellyduncan many thanks for taking the time to read and comment. I'm really glad you appreciated the post. It's a beautiful spot to hike and once you're up high there is also a beautiful day long ridge walk, but I shall save that for another time.

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nathenial (55) · 7 years ago

Great photos! Looks like an amazing place of the world!

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perceptualflaws (66) · 7 years ago

@nathenial Many thanks for taking the time to read and comment, it's greatly appreciated. You're right, it's a beautiful spot and I'm glad that came across in the post.

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1 vote

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nathenial (55) · 7 years ago

My absolute pleasure! Please continue to post awesome adventures like this one.

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vixgriffth (37) · 7 years ago

Hi there, what a brilliant post. I found you via a different thread where you were commenting about FB and had written a poem about it. I really enjoyed it so clicked on your profile and found this gem of a post. Cwm Idwal is one of my fav places and I love the photos you took they were really great as well as the story you told. I love the folklaw of north Wales and am hoping to write about some of the stories too once I've gotten to grips with steemit!!
Anyways you have my upvote and follow, I'm also going to resteem this :)

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perceptualflaws (66) · 7 years ago (edited)

@vixgriffith Thanks for taking the time to read and leave such kind words, it's greatly appreciated. Really glad you appreciated the post and pictures, it's a really beautiful spot eh? These were taken a few weeks ago and I'm already yearning to go back. That's a great idea and the story of Beddgelert is also a beautful if sad one, lots of Arthurian legends in the area as well so you'll be spoilt for choice. Thanks a million for the upvote, resteem and follow .. I've added you to my follow list, have a great day!

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lyndsaybowes (71) · 7 years ago

Omg that photo on the edge is dizzying!! WOW!!!

And that swim looks amazing, just the perfect end to a beautiful day, thank you so much for sharing <3

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perceptualflaws (66) · 7 years ago

Thank you @lyndsaybowes I'm really glad you enjoyed it .. The swim was beautiful, but the water is straight off the mountains so it was bracing to say the least :)

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lyndsaybowes (71) · 7 years ago

Oooh brrrr yeah I could imagine...grew up near the Rockies :)

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perceptualflaws (66) · 7 years ago

Not as cold as when I went cliff jumping in the glacier fed rivers near Jasper though :)

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lyndsaybowes (71) · 7 years ago

Oooh jeeeeesus.....yeah....that's some crazy sh*t right there!!

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