Cwmorthin Waterfall
Waterfall Gwynedd, Wales
About Cwmorthin Waterfall
A short, steep walk from the car park at the end of Cwmorthin Road brings you to this cascade dropping over weathered rock into a clear pool, with a wooden footbridge crossing just below it. What makes the spot unusual is its surroundings: the waterfall sits at the foot of the old Cwmorthin slate quarry, which operated from 1810 until 1997 and was connected to the Ffestiniog Railway in 1860. The ruined stone buildings and slate waste tips loom above the water, giving the whole place a quiet, slightly eerie atmosphere that's hard to find elsewhere. Follow the path uphill and you reach Llyn Cwmorthin, a mountain lake hemmed in by more quarry ruins. Blaenau Ffestiniog is one of the wettest corners of Wales, so the falls run with real force through autumn and winter — summer visits are fine too, though the flow is calmer and the shallows near the base are popular for paddling with children.
Location & details
- Category
- Waterfall
- Region
- Gwynedd, Wales, United Kingdom
- Coordinates
- 52.99055, -3.96444
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