Bala

Bala (Welsh: Y Bala) is a picturesque town of 2,000 people (2021) on the shores of Lake Bala (Welsh: Llyn Tegid) in Gwynedd, North Wales. It lies at the south-eastern edge of the Snowdonia National Park. Excellent national centre for white water rafting and canoeing nearby.

By road
Bala lies on the main A494 Mold—Dolgellau road, a few miles south of its junction with the A5 London—Holyhead trunk road.

By bus
Bala is served by TrawsCymru T3, between Wrexham and Barmouth. Connections with services from South Wales and North-West Wales can be made at Dolgellau.

By train
Bala is not connected to the national rail network. The nearest connections are at Wrexham or Blaenau Ffestiniog. The Bala Lake Railway makes the 9-mile journey to the village of Llanuwchllyn at the southern end of Bala Lake. This follows part of the route of the old Ruabon—Barmouth line, which was closed in the 1960s.

Talk
According to the 2001 census, Bala ranked 11th most Welsh-speaking town in the country, with 80.1% of the town's population able to speak the language fluently. As with anywhere in Wales, visitors will encounter no problems conversing in English, though a "Bore da" (Good morning) or "Diolch" (thank-you) will always be appreciated.

Do

 * For a more sedate water-borne experience, it is possible to hire rowing boats, canoes and sailing dinghies on Bala Lake.
 * Look out for Tegi, Bala's answer to the Loch Ness Monster, which is said to inhabit the deep waters of Bala Lake. Visitors can make up their own minds as to the likelihood of her existence. The lake houses a genuinely (scientifically verified) unique creature: the Gwyniad (Coregonus pennantii), a freshwater fish of the salmon family. The Gwyniad is native only to Bala Lake which existed nowhere else in the world. A project to introduce it to another nearby lake was undertaken from 2003 to 2007, to mitigate the risk of its extinction should some tragedy (pollution or similar) befall Bala Lake.
 * Football: Bala Town ("The Lakesiders") play soccer in the Cymru Premier League. That's the top tier within Wales, but mostly amateur and on a par with England's fifth-tier National League. Their stadium is Maes Tegid, capacity 3000, on Castle St.
 * Look out for Tegi, Bala's answer to the Loch Ness Monster, which is said to inhabit the deep waters of Bala Lake. Visitors can make up their own minds as to the likelihood of her existence. The lake houses a genuinely (scientifically verified) unique creature: the Gwyniad (Coregonus pennantii), a freshwater fish of the salmon family. The Gwyniad is native only to Bala Lake which existed nowhere else in the world. A project to introduce it to another nearby lake was undertaken from 2003 to 2007, to mitigate the risk of its extinction should some tragedy (pollution or similar) befall Bala Lake.
 * Football: Bala Town ("The Lakesiders") play soccer in the Cymru Premier League. That's the top tier within Wales, but mostly amateur and on a par with England's fifth-tier National League. Their stadium is Maes Tegid, capacity 3000, on Castle St.
 * Look out for Tegi, Bala's answer to the Loch Ness Monster, which is said to inhabit the deep waters of Bala Lake. Visitors can make up their own minds as to the likelihood of her existence. The lake houses a genuinely (scientifically verified) unique creature: the Gwyniad (Coregonus pennantii), a freshwater fish of the salmon family. The Gwyniad is native only to Bala Lake which existed nowhere else in the world. A project to introduce it to another nearby lake was undertaken from 2003 to 2007, to mitigate the risk of its extinction should some tragedy (pollution or similar) befall Bala Lake.
 * Football: Bala Town ("The Lakesiders") play soccer in the Cymru Premier League. That's the top tier within Wales, but mostly amateur and on a par with England's fifth-tier National League. Their stadium is Maes Tegid, capacity 3000, on Castle St.

Events

 * A number of canoeing competitions are held in the area
 * Wa Bala music festival
 * Wa Bala music festival

Sleep

 * Henstent Holiday Park, Henstent Park, B4391 Llanfyllin To Bala Rd, Llangynog, Powys, SY10 0EP. Perfect for those looking for tourer caravan accommodation, Henstent Park is a short distance away from Bala.
 * Henstent Holiday Park, Henstent Park, B4391 Llanfyllin To Bala Rd, Llangynog, Powys, SY10 0EP. Perfect for those looking for tourer caravan accommodation, Henstent Park is a short distance away from Bala.

Go next

 * Llangollen
 * Chester - Historic City of Chester on the border with Wales.