Cwm Idwal Centre

The centre is a base for both the Carneddau and the Glyderau, so it is a good place to sort layers and check the weather before committing.

• An interactive exhibition on the geology, wildlife and history of the cwm.
• Public toilets and showers, available around the clock, and a genuine relief after a wet day on the tops.
• The Ogwen snack bar for drinks, snacks, pasties and local cakes.

The Cwm Idwal walk starts from the visitor car park. The circular route is about 4.8 km and roughly 3 hours, moderate but with steep and rough mountain sections, loose rock and boulders as you climb toward Twll Du, the Devil's Kitchen. Walking boots and waterproofs are essential. If you would rather not tackle the steep ascent, there is a shorter option that keeps things gentler while still reaching the lakeside. Dogs should be kept on leads. Do not swim in Llyn Idwal.

Along the way you pass the Darwin Idwal Boulders, moraine ridges, the towering Idwal Slabs and the headwall of the Devil's Kitchen.

Cwm Idwal is a classic bowl-shaped hanging valley, gouged out by ice, in rock formed around 450 million years ago. Charles Darwin visited Cwm Idwal and found marine fossils in the rocks and boulders, evidence that the area was once under the ocean. It became the first National Nature Reserve in Wales in 1954.

Spring and early summer bring the rare alpine plants the cwm is famous for. Listen for ring ouzel and wheatear on the slopes in the same months.

Treat the centre as your briefing room. Read the exhibition, use the facilities, get a coffee, then head up with waterproofs packed even if the sky looks kind. Weather here changes fast, and the cwm is far more rewarding when you are dressed for it.