Not Just a Lake Traditional Cache

Y Bala is a pretty little town in Snowdonia and home to Llyn Tegid (Bala Lake). The lake is the largest natural lake in Wales nestled between mountains of Snowdonia with its own heritage railway and is the only home to the Gwyniad, a fish trapped there since the last ice-age. Beyond the lake, Y Bala has a bustling High Street with a large number of independent shops, restaurants, cafes, a cinema and several local craft shops and studios. Y Bala also has a long and interesting history, most of which is not widely known. The town was founded in 1310 by Roger de Mortimer but has a large 11th century Norman Motte and Bailey mound (Y Tomen) and even earlier, Roman camps in the area. The original school house was founded in 1712 and later in 1851 was restored by, and remodelled on, Jesus College Oxford. One of the High Street banks was the family home to Thomas Charles who was one of the founders of the British and Foreign Bible Society (1804) and there is a statue to him in Tegid Street (he was inspired by Mary Jones who in 1800 aged 15 walked 26 miles to Bala to buy a Welsh Language Bible – information centre in Llanycil). Y Bala was also the home to Michael D Jones (preacher and Principal of the towns Theological College) who was the instigator of the emigration of the Welsh settlers of “Y Wladfa”, the Welsh speaking region of Chubut Patagonia in Argentina. The junction at the Southern end of the High Street (Stryd Fawr) where the cache is located was home to The Old Forge, the towns Toll Gate house, The Red Lion Pub, a Baptist Chapel and Neuadd Buddug (Victoria Hall) which was erected to celebrate the visit of Queen Victoria. The buildings still remain but most now have different uses. From this junction there are two ways to get back to the lake, one of which in the near future will hold a new Station for the lake railway which is (in planning) to be extended into the town itself. Thank you for reading this far. This is just scratching the surface of modern and historic Bala. Please take your time to enjoy both on your visit to the town.