The mines in this area were exploited from the 18th century up to World War I. The ore was shipped down the river until this became unnavigable. The earliest mining at Sygun probably dates back to Roman times, when the copper deposits on the outcrops were exploited. Throughout the 19th century, the mine changed hands as copper prices fluctuated. It was finally closed in 1903 when all of the machinery was recovered.
The hillside remained desolate until 1958, when it came to life with the filming of 'The Inn of the Sixth Happiness', starring Curt Jürgens, Ingrid Bergman, and Robert Donat.
After crossing the hilltop at Bwlch-y-Sygyn, the walk descends to Llyn Dinas, which lies on the valley floor a few miles north of Beddgelert at an altitude of about 55 metres above sea level. It is a shallow lake, with a maximum depth of only 10 metres. The lake is popular with anglers who fish for salmon and trout in its waters.
Beyond the south-west edge of the lake, the walk continues on a path leading towards Beddgelert, with Sygun Copper Mine encountered on this stage of the route. In 1983, work began to restore the mine and reopen it as a tourist attraction. Since it opened in 1986, the mine has won several awards. From the copper mine, the path runs on a course parallel with the section of the Afon Glaslyn between Llyn Dinas and Beddgelert.
On the return route, the walk passes the village of Beddgelert. The origins of the village's name are commonly related to the legend of a faithful hound, Gelert. The story goes that Prince Llywelyn, the 13th-century Prince of Wales, went hunting, leaving his baby son in the lodge. He returned to find the house in a mess and no sign of his son. Gelert appeared with his mouth and paws bloodstained. Llywelyn, jumping to conclusions, plunged his sword into the hound's side. He then heard a baby cry, and investigation revealed his son fit and well beside a dead wolf. Heartbroken, he buried the hound and erected stones over the spot so that Gelert would not be forgotten.
Unfortunately, this story is found in Celtic legends long before Llywelyn and the 13th century. The gravestones were probably put there by David Pritchard, landlord of the Royal Goat Inn, who publicised the story in 1801. As for the village name, it is more likely to refer to the grave of the Celtic Saint Gelert. Indeed, the second-oldest Celtic monastery taken over by the Augustinians in the 13th century was just to the north of the supposed site of Gelert's grave.
A section of the walk now follows the trackbed of the disused Welsh Highland Railway, and the final part of the route is along the Pass of Aberglaslyn, through Scots pines and larches planted in the early 19th century. The Afon Glaslyn is at its most dramatic throughout the pass, with spectacular stretches of rapids interspersed with quieter sections of water.
Acknowledgment: Text derived from the Out and Out Series; Discovering the Countryside on Foot. Pictures courtesy of Wikipedia.
