CORWEN TO BALA. I93 



taking advantage of it, made it one of their chain 

 of fortreifes which extended through the country to 

 the coaft of Filntfiiire. — The hiftory both of this 

 place and of the tov/n is little known. I only find 

 that the mount was fortified in the year 1202 by 

 Llewelyn ap lorwerth, prince of North Wales. — 

 On the eaflern bank of the Dee, not far diflant, 

 there is another mount called Caflell Gronw Befr o 

 Benllyn, The Cajile of Gronw the Fair ^ of Penllyn^ 

 a Welfli chieftain who lived in the fixth century *. 



Bala Lake, 



Llyn Tegid, or Pimblemere, for this pool has thefe 

 Various names, is about a quarter of a mile fouth 

 of the town of Bala. It is by much the largefl of 

 the Welfh lakes, being about four miles long, and 

 in many parts near a mile in breadth. The fcenery 

 around it is mountainous, but not fufficiently rude 

 to render it very pidurefque. It reminded me of 

 the low mountain-fcenery furrounding Winander- 

 mere, in the north of England. From the bottom, 

 however, the diverfified fhores prefent to the eye a 

 pleafmg fcene. On the weft are feen the fummits 

 of the lofty Arrenigs. Arran Benllyn, beyond the 

 upper end of the pool, ftretches his black and rocky 

 front into the clouds ; and in the extreme diftance, 

 in fainter colours, are feen the three fummits of 

 Cader Idris. 



• Powcl, 258. Pennant, ii. 77. 80. Cam. Reg.i. 191. 

 VOL. II. o This 



