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manager Dowie Bowen in the 1970s. Bowen described seeing a crocodile-like creature, about eight feet (2.4 m) in length emerge from the water. Bowen's report was soon followed by another sighting in 1979, when a fisherman visiting the lake also described seeing a large hump-backed beast at the water's surface. By the 1990s the various sightings had attracted film crews and investigators. One
Japanese crew spent three days investigating and filming the lake using specialist diving equipment and a submarine. However, no substantial evidence for the creature's existence has been found.
766:. The survival of the gwyniad has led to discussions as to whether the lake could support a larger predator, and whether such a creature could survive in its isolated environment into modern times. Supporters for the potential existence of an afanc creature suggest that both the lake's size (40 metres deep and almost 6 km long) and the abundance of potential prey within it (pike, perch, brown trout and eels) would be able to support a single large predator or even a breeding population.
79:
627:
63:
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AU: G. S. TAYLOR, P. HILLIS, I. WALKER TI: Pilot-Plant Trials on River Dee Water at
Huntington SO: Water and Environment Journal VL: 7 NO: 4 PG: 333-342 YR: 1993 ON: 1747-6593 PN: 1747-6585 AD: Research Manager and Research Assistant, respectively, Research and Technical Development, Huntington WTW,
758:
Modern reports of sightings have been recorded since the 1920s. These include strange disruptions of the water's surface, disturbance of watercraft and the increase in local belief that a beast was living below the lake's surface. Of these sightings, the most notable was reported by the lake's
595:
had a constant and sufficient supply of water. In the 1950s, these sluices were removed when the Dee and Clwyd River
Authority constructed a new outlet channel and sluices to better control flooding of the upper Dee caused by uncontrolled releases of water from the lake. The operation of these
723:"It was said Llyn Tegid (now called Bala Lake) was bottomless. Centuries ago an expert diver tried it, but was terribly frightened by his experience. He asserted that a dragon was coiled up at the bottom of the lake, and if he had not been very careful the creature would have swallowed him."
647:
There was a belief in Wales that certain lakes are offended when mortals attempt to measure their depths. Two men went out in a boat to the deepest part of the lake to measure it with a plummet and line. They were angrily warned by the lake to return to the shore or face destruction.
634:
Bala has been a tourist destination since the early 19th century. With the advent of the railways, Bala saw a growth in visitor numbers. This continued with the invention of the motor vehicle. The lake remains popular; it has two sailing clubs, and a number of companies provide
707:
that had to be secured and locked every night with a lid so that the spring water would not be corrupted by supernatural influences. For whatever reason, the man responsible for this task neglected his duty, though some say the
604:. The sluices allows water stored in the lake between 159.2m OD and 163.5m OD (4.3m height difference) to be utilised in managing the flow in the Dee. This body of water is estimated to be some 18,000,000 m
1066:
458:. However, the word "bala" means "outlet of a lake", giving Bala Lake an impossible meaning. The usage of the English name in preference to the Welsh name is considered controversial by many. In 2023, the
1376:
583:, water can flow either into or out of the lake at the normal outflow point. Controls on the level of water in the lake were first constructed around 1840. Sluices designed and built by
463:
345:, feeds the 3.7 miles (6.0 km) long by 0.5 miles (0.8 km) wide lake. It was the largest natural body of water in Wales even before its level was raised by
531:
544:(the glutinous snail). According to legend, whilst the Dee itself flows through the lake, the waters never mix. However this was not confirmed by the detailed
596:
sluices enables the lake to operate as water storage or water capacitance in the Dee system and thus allow water to be abstracted at
Huntington near Chester,
712:
had found a way to open it. In any event, the water burst forth from the spring and completely drowned a nearby town, and this is how the lake was formed.
696:, Tegid Foel's entire court was drowned in one night. Although in legend, its lights and the little town around it can still be seen on moonlit nights.
755:
Marie
Trevelyan collated a number of local legends including the story of a coiled dragon-like creature living in the lake some centuries earlier.
364:, which was once an important centre for the North Wales woollen trade, is located on the north-eastern end of the lake. The 3-mile (4.8 km)
567:, in partnership with the water industry, the farming community and others, has put in place a plan for reducing pollution inputs to the lake.
375:(whose name means "church above the lake "), runs along the lake's south-eastern shore using a section of former trackbed from the former
78:
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612:
1251:
1221:
1196:
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425:. This name was also recorded by other English writers as "Pimble-mere" (in the 1813 Cambrian Travellers' Guide) and "Pemble Mere".
1267:
123:
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930:
486:, effectively damming the valley so resulting in the establishment of the lake, and on which the town of Bala now stands.
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and the level at its outflow is automatically controlled. Depending on flow conditions and the level of water in
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858:
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406:
179:
883:"Historic Landscape Characterisation Bala and Llyn Tegid - Area 1 Llyn Tegid (Lake Bala) (PRN 24701)"
548:
work undertaken from the 1990s, to understand and manage the occurrence of algal blooms on the lake.
439:
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1317:"The North Wales X-Files: Is there a monster living in the depths of this lake in Snowdonia?"
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and the place where his court stood is now beneath the waters of the lake. According to
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52:
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455:
451:, a common Welsh place name element meaning "fair" (as in pleasant or fine scenery).
444:
361:
247:
155:
1351:
687:
519:
454:
The lake's name is often given as "Bala Lake" in
English, after the nearby town of
434:
372:
1241:
958:"'Deleting Wales'? BBC makes waves after referring to Llyn Tegid as 'Bala Lake'"
552:
515:
414:
413:
deriving from "pum plwyf" (five parishes). This name refers to the parishes of
1346:
1037:
1012:
783:
752:
662:
580:
326:
882:
138:
125:
988:. Vol. a–baldog. University of Wales. 2006. p. 648. Archived from
751:. The legend of such a creature in this lake was recorded in 1909, when the
545:
422:
342:
1123:
530:, a fish unique to the locality and listed as critically endangered by the
670:) is associated with the lake. He was the husband of the goddess or witch
474:
The lake formed in a glacial valley along the fault line between Bala and
17:
1106:
1088:
North West Water Ltd.; Technical
Specialist, Water Treatment Group, WRc.
1058:
762:
The lake is already known to be home to a unique and extant species, the
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418:
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The lake in an 1893 advertisement for the White Lion Royal Hotel in Bala
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The drowning of the court of Tegid Foel also survives in a variant
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www.geograph.co.uk : photos of Bala Lake and surrounding area
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611:
535:
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1013:"Snowdonia: Eryri National Park to use Welsh lake names only"
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Trioedd Ynys
Prydein: The Triads of the Island of Britain
447:
as "Lake of Beauty", where the name "Tegid" derives from
534:
due to the introduction of the invasive and non native
466:, thus favouring Llyn Tegid in English-language usage.
1377:
Sites of
Special Scientific Interest in East Gwynedd
923:
The
Itinerary through Wales The Description of Wales
639:, yachts and various other types of boats for hire.
591:
were installed to ensure that the newly constructed
1291:"Here be monsters: on the trail of Teggie in Wales"
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464:all-Welsh list of standardised names for its lakes
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116:
1235:
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860:Of the passage of the River Dee, and of Chester
720:
443:, published in 1568. The name is translated by
925:, translated by R.C.Hoare, Dent, London 1908
409:states that the lake was also referred to as
8:
944:Wild Wales Its People, Language, and Scenery
405:. In his 1804 translation of Gerald's work,
85:
559:which indicated a significant and worrying
44:
1053:
1051:
31:
1144:
1142:
1122:
482:, the receding Dee valley glacier left a
1268:"Days Out: The Shy Monster of Bala Lake"
737:Many of Wales' largest lakes feature in
616:A group of children by a sailing dinghy
337:, which has its source on the slopes of
775:
437:name "Llyn Tegid" first appears in the
600:in order to supply fresh water to the
1212:Ifans, Dafydd & Rhiannon (1980).
395:records the lake in his 12th century
320:
288:
280:
272:
263:
7:
1289:Atkinson, David (14 December 2020).
1038:"Snowdonia Guide, Bala Lake website"
1011:Hoskin, Rowenna (16 November 2023).
551:In the 1990s the lake suffered from
1270:. The Independent. 24 February 2002
1243:Folk Lore And Folk Stories Of Wales
1059:"Bala Bridge Sluice Gates (410466)"
863:(Book II, Ch. 11: Chester ed.)
730:Folk-Lore and Folk Stories of Wales
1150:Folklore and Folk Stories of Wales
1094:10.1111/j.1747-6593.1993.tb00854.x
909:Dictionary of Place-names of Wales
563:of the lake. Investigation by the
227:1.87 sq mi (4.8 km)
25:
84:
77:
61:
1105:John Hopkins (16 August 2018).
907:Owen, H.W.; Morgan, R. (2007).
230:
222:
214:
206:
1315:Bagnall, Steve (15 May 2016).
1162:Bromwich, Rachel, ed. (2006).
1:
1166:. University Of Wales Press.
703:. Near the lake was a walled
617:
460:Eryri National Park Authority
106:
887:Gwynedd Archaeological Trust
678:, the 6th century CE early
538:; and the very rare mollusc
1347:Bala Lake Illustrated Guide
1107:"Dee regulation reservoirs"
577:River Dee regulation system
575:The lake forms part of the
502:, only native to this lake.
1413:
1240:Trevelyan, Marie (1909).
1148:Trevelyan, Marie (1909),
985:Geiriadur Prifysgol Cymru
816:Sites Information Service
686:whose work survived in a
667:
478:. Towards the end of the
349:to provide water for the
301:
297:
219:0.5 mi (0.8 km)
211:3.7 mi (6.0 km)
72:
60:
43:
741:, often associated with
1187:Gantz, Jeffrey (1987).
942:Borrow, George (1862).
732:, Marie Trevelyan 1909.
526:. It also contains the
371:, between the town and
235:138 ft (42 m)
1124:10.1680/jdare.18.00035
1042:www.snowdoniaguide.com
788:www.snowdoniaguide.com
726:
631:
623:
506:The lake has abundant
503:
407:Sir Richard Colt Hoare
315:
45:
27:Lake in Gwynedd, Wales
1382:Ramsar sites in Wales
1191:. New York: Penguin.
921:Giraldus Cambrensis,
857:Giraldus Cambrensis.
629:
615:
497:
322:[ˈɬɨ̞nˈtɛɡɨd]
398:Itinerarium Cambriae
377:Ruabon–Barmouth line
341:in the mountains of
1111:Dams and Reservoirs
992:on 28 December 2005
837:"Bala Lake Railway"
484:recessional moraine
421:, Llanuwchllyn and
135: /
1372:Tourism in Gwynedd
1319:. North Wales Live
1117:(3). ICE: 94–101.
643:In Welsh mythology
632:
624:
565:Environment Agency
504:
290:Reference no.
684:Sub-Roman Britain
369:Bala Lake Railway
305:
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16:(Redirected from
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1392:Lakes of Gwynedd
1387:River Dee, Wales
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964:. 28 August 2021
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690:manuscript, the
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462:voted to use an
355:Llangollen Canal
329:glacial lake in
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181:Primary outflows
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1069:. 24 March 2010
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602:Wirral, England
593:Ellesmere Canal
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541:Myxas glutinosa
492:
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440:Cronica Walliae
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401:under the name
393:Gerald of Wales
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351:Ellesmere Canal
285:7 November 1991
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196: countries
167:Primary inflows
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1246:. p. 13.
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1321:. Retrieved
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1298:. Retrieved
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1272:. Retrieved
1262:
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1214:Y Mabinogion
1213:
1207:
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1083:
1071:. Retrieved
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1017:. Retrieved
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996:27 September
994:. Retrieved
990:the original
984:
978:
966:. Retrieved
962:Nation.Cymru
961:
952:
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902:
890:. Retrieved
886:
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865:. Retrieved
859:
852:
840:. Retrieved
831:
819:. Retrieved
812:
809:"Llyn Tegid"
803:
791:. Retrieved
787:
784:"Llyn Tegid"
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757:
746:
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688:Middle Welsh
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546:limnological
539:
505:
480:last ice age
473:
453:
448:
438:
435:Modern Welsh
432:
429:Modern names
417:, Llanfawr,
411:Pymplwy meer
410:
403:Penmelesmere
402:
396:
391:
373:Llanuwchllyn
366:narrow gauge
360:The town of
359:
316:
307:
306:
224:Surface area
92:
35:
29:
1323:1 September
1300:1 September
1274:1 September
1073:2 September
1019:16 November
621: 1885
516:brown trout
415:Llandderfel
244:Settlements
208:Max. length
142: /
117:Coordinates
1361:Categories
1015:. BBC News
931:0460002724
842:26 January
793:26 January
770:References
753:folklorist
668:Bald Tegid
666:(English:
663:Tegid Foel
652:Tegid Foel
608:Recreation
581:Llyn Celyn
476:Tal-y-Llyn
327:freshwater
317:Llyn Tegid
282:Designated
277:Llyn Tegid
254:References
232:Max. depth
216:Max. width
93:Llyn Tegid
46:Llyn Tegid
36:Llyn Tegid
18:Llyn Tegid
1342:Bala Lake
1216:. Gomer.
1133:240271632
968:28 August
892:28 August
867:28 August
745:, called
680:Brittonic
423:Llangywer
343:Snowdonia
335:River Dee
308:Bala Lake
187:River Dee
173:River Dee
96:Bala Lake
39:Bala Lake
1152:, p. 13.
821:25 April
716:"Teggie"
701:folktale
682:poet of
676:Taliesin
672:Ceridwen
490:Wildlife
419:Llanycil
383:Toponyms
108:Location
1063:Coflein
764:gwyniad
748:afancod
660:figure
598:England
528:gwyniad
500:gwyniad
470:Geology
353:(later
339:Dduallt
331:Gwynedd
160:natural
127:52°53′N
1250:
1220:
1195:
1170:
1131:
1067:RCAHMW
929:
814:Ramsar
705:spring
637:kayaks
553:blooms
522:, and
130:3°38′W
49:
1129:S2CID
710:Devil
536:ruffe
520:roach
512:perch
312:Welsh
194:Basin
111:Wales
53:Welsh
1325:2021
1302:2021
1276:2021
1248:ISBN
1218:ISBN
1193:ISBN
1168:ISBN
1075:2020
1021:2023
998:2012
970:2021
927:ISBN
894:2021
869:2021
844:2010
823:2018
795:2010
656:The
587:and
532:IUCN
508:pike
498:The
456:Bala
433:The
362:Bala
248:Bala
156:Type
1119:doi
1090:doi
555:of
524:eel
449:teg
357:).
293:535
1363::
1293:.
1232:^
1141:^
1127:.
1115:28
1113:.
1109:.
1065:.
1061:.
1050:^
1040:.
1029:^
960:.
885:.
811:.
786:.
618:c.
518:,
514:,
510:,
379:.
314::
1327:.
1304:.
1278:.
1256:.
1226:.
1201:.
1176:.
1135:.
1121::
1092::
1077:.
1044:.
1023:.
1000:.
972:.
896:.
871:.
846:.
825:.
797:.
310:(
55:)
51:(
20:)
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