Bala is a small town in what has sometimes been referred to as the ‘lake district’ of Snowdonia – it is home to a large outdoor centre, famed for international events such as cycling, triathlons, canoeing, swimming and even white-water canoeing.
Don’t worry though, you don’t need to be in peak physical fitness to visit Bala; their outdoors scene isn’t limited to those with high energy levels. There are plenty of gentler activities, such as walks and easy routed cycle paths. Why not make a week of it and see everything that the area has to offer? Stay in one of the holiday parks Bala and make it your basecamp.
The town itself is relatively small, it more or less lies on either side of one main stress, the Stryd Fawr (“Great Street”). Before tourism peaked in the area, Bala was known for manufacturing, particularly items of clothing such as gloves and stockings. However, nowadays it is much more famous for being a tourist destination.
Bala Lake is undeniably one of the town’s main draws, it’s beautiful and has plenty of opportunities to try out water sports. You have the option to rent a variety of equipment such as, canoes, yachts and kayaks. In fact, Llyn Tegid (to give it it’s proper name) is the largest natural lake in Wales as it measures two square miles of surface area.
The lake is also a great spot to do some fishing with the main catches on offer being, pike, trout, salmon and perch – though the lake is also home to the critically endangered gwyniad, a small whitefish which is only found in this particular lake and has lived there since the last Ice Age, 10,000 or so years ago.
Bala is well-known as being a place for lovers of the great outdoors. There are some wonderful walking and hiking trails centred around the town – this isn’t a surprise. Bala lies just within Snowdonia National Park, so it has a wealth of stunning countryside for visitors to explore. There are also a couple of all-ability trails, which allows people with pushchairs, wheelchairs and mobility scooters to take in the sights as well – it really is a place for everyone.
There are also three different heritage trails for you to enjoy; these are informative and very interesting trails which take visitors through the history of Bala and its people. One is of course dedicated to the town itself, another features Betsi Cadwaladr – the Welsh Florence Nightingale, and the third one will teach you about Mary Jones, the inspiration behind Bala’s famous Bible Society. In 1800, Mary walked 25 miles from her village to Bala in order to buy a bible.
If all that isn’t enough for you, there are those lovely cycling routes available, along with some exhilarating downhill mountain biking trails, in addition to canoe trails. Bala is a truly beautiful town with a rich heritage and history – you’ll love having the chance to explore all it has to offer.
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