This Country Park [translated as: The Lake of Owain's Flag] is essentially tucked away more or less out of site, but it is a place with a magickal legend of great local importance. The legend goes that there was a magickal well on the mountain called Mynydd Mawr, which the well keeper, who was named Owain, let his horse drink from the beautiful clear water each day. One day he became distracted and forgot to replace the capstone. The well quickly overflowed and threatened to drown the whole valley, but quick-thinking Owain rode his horse rapidly around and around the water and stopped the flow.
When you do find the park, you are greeted by a cute avenue of pine trees, which lead to a spacious carpark. Parking costs £2.00 but this money goes back into the development of the visitor's facilities, and the upkeep of the park itself. A season ticket for parking is available for £10.00 per year. Adjacent to the car park is a small cafe, a small children's play area and rather superb wooden fortifications for kids to play on. One of them is a sort of castle with several ways in and out, and the other is akin to a ship floating in the water outside the fort. There is also a long 'cable slide' upon which my eldest screams with laughter, as his daddy zooms him back and forth on it.
For the nature lovers, the park has several long walks, one of which stretches off into the woodland way off in the distance. There are bridle paths and cycle paths, walks and a visitor's centre at the lakeside. Fishing is also obviously very popular and there is a vast array of flora and fauna to look at.
The cafe is well-stocked and reasonably priced with seating in- and outdoors.
All in all, a well-kept, well-designed play park which kids will love, coupled by long walks for the grown-ups to stretch their legs on. Dogs are welcome, but owners are responsible for the poop! read more