Lake Vyrnwy is actually a man-made reservoir (Image: Getty)
is a very scenic part of the UK, and the country boasts many stunning places to enjoy . Lake Vyrnwy in Powys is one of these, but it hides a sad secret. It is actually a reservoir, and was built to supply the growing city of Liverpool with drinking water. In doing so, it submerged the village of Llanwddyn.
Nowadays, wildlife thrives in the area, and the Lake Vyrnwy Nature Reserve and Estate surrounds the man-made body of water. This is jointly managed by the RSPB and Hafren Dyfrdwy. Ornithologists, cyclists and hikers flock there to enjoy all that the area has to offer. This includes a walk to Rhiwagor Waterfall, and a bird hide.
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Lake Vyrnwy dam wall was the first of its kind in the UK (Image: North Wales Daily Post)
The lake is also famous for its dam, which can be walked and driven across.
It was the first large stone-built dam in the UK and cost £620,000 at the time.
This was the equivalent to £90million in 2023.
For the reservoir to fulfill its function, the aqueducts carrying water to Liverpool were constructed between 1881 and 1892.
During an intensely hot summer in 2022, the water level at Lake Vyrnwy dropped to such low levels that the remains of Llanwddyn became visible.
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During very hot weather, the remains of the village of Llanwddyn emerge (Image: Mirrorpix)
These included roads, bridges, dry stone walls, and tree stumps, as well as foundations of houses and an old way marker.
A church, three pubs, several shops, and 37 houses once made up the rural village.
One person who posted images of the exposed remnants on said that his late grandmother had known a girl who lived in Llanwddyn, and had lost her home after the village was flooded, WalesOnline reported.
Another posted images of the lake and said that the water level was “shockingly low”.
So much so that people were reportedly able to walk out to a tree which is usually an island.