Llyn Goddion Duon

Llyn Goddion Duon is a small, remote lake high in the Gwydir Forest in north Wales. It sits at 242 metres above sea level and covers just four hectares. The water is entirely surrounded by dense coniferous forest with no natural clearings nearby. A single track winds through the trees to the shore, built originally to help fight fires and later used by anglers. The lake has no connection to nearby reservoirs or mine supply ponds, making it one of the few natural lakes in the area. Its name may be a map error. Some believe it should be Llyn y Goeden, meaning ‘Lake of the Tree’, but a cartographer’s mistake turned it into Goddion Duon, with ‘duon’ meaning ‘black’. Brown trout swim in the water, regularly stocked by the Betws-y-coed Anglers Club. In 1890 an advertisement for Cobden’s Hotel in Capel Curig already mentioned the lake as a fishing spot for guests. Even today the nearby Army Training Camp at Capel Curig still draws water from the lake. Visitors find a quiet shoreline reached by the narrow forest track. The water is dark and still, reflecting the tall pines around it. Anglers sit on the banks hoping for a catch, while the occasional ranger passes along the path. There are no buildings, cafés or signs—just the sounds of wind in the branches and water lapping the shore. The lake lies far from roads and villages, giving a sense of isolation in the middle of the forest.