Wales: Lakes & Reservoirs

Few places pack so much water, drama and story into a small country. From corrie lakes tucked beneath Eryri cliffs to vast Victorian dams that turned valleys into inland seas, Wales is stitched together by its llynoedd (lakes) and cronfeydd dŵr (reservoirs). Each shoreline carries its own mood: mist on slate black water, a breeze that turns the surface to silver, a still morning that mirrors the sky.

The icons are here. Llyn Tegid (Bala Lake), the largest natural lake in Wales, stretches long through Meirionnydd. Llangorse lies wide with reed beds and birdlife. In the high places you will find talismanic waters such as Llyn Idwal ringed by shattered cliffs, Llyn Llydaw on the slopes of Yr Wyddfa, and Llyn y Fan Fach along the Beacons escarpment. By the coast the Bosherston Lakes wander toward caves and beaches. On Môn, Llyn Alaw sits open to the Anglesey sky.

Wales is also a masterclass in water engineering. Lake Vyrnwy, Llyn Clywedog, Llyn Brianne and the sculptural dams of the Elan Valley were built for distant cities. Today they are destinations in their own right, wrapped in forest and moor, circled by lanes and trails, watched by red kites and weather.

This map brings them together: every named lake and reservoir in Wales, from famous viewpoints to quiet tarns. Pins aim for parking beside the water where it is mapped, or the centre of the lake if not, so you can go straight from map to shoreline. Swim, paddle, wander, take photographs, and leave it as you found it.

Croeso i’r dŵr

• Croeso = welcome

• i’r = to the (i + yr)

• dŵr = water (pronounced like “doorr”)