Swallow Falls

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Swallow falls
Caernarfonshire
Swallow falls.jpg
Swallow Falls
River: River Llugwy
Type: Cascade
Co-ordinates: 53°6’9"N, 3°50’48"W

Swallow Falls is a multiple waterfall system in Caernarfonshire, on the River Llugwy near Betws-y-Coed. It is visited by tens of thousands of tourists annually.

Name

The name 'Swallow Falls' appears to be a name coined by or for early tourists. In Welsh it is Rhaeadr Ewynnol, meaning "Foaming Waterfall". One suggestion is that the Welsh word ewynnol ('foaming') was mistaken for the similar-sounding y wennol ('swallow').[1]

In 1913 the second Lord Ancaster, the landowner, gave the Swallow Falls to the local council, who decided to make a charge for visiting it in order to pay off some of the £15,000 debt incurred through the installation of water and electricity supplies to the village. Once the debt was cleared the parish retained the fee, resulting in Betws-y-coed having the lowest rates in the country. This was ended in 1974.[2]

Admission

Admission is via an automatic turnstile gate which rotates when a fee of £1.50 is inserted into the coin slot.

There are several viewing platforms, accessed by a pathway and a set of steps.

References