Cwm Idwal

In a 2005 poll conducted by Radio Times, Cwm Idwal was ranked the 7th greatest natural wonder in Britain.

Cwm Idwal comprises volcanic and sedimentary rock which was laid down in a shallow Ordovician sea, and later folded to give rise to the distinctive trough-shaped arrangement of strata known today as the Idwal Syncline.

Given its elevation and north-facing aspect, Cwm Idwal is the most southerly place in Britain where Arctic plants such as moss campion and some alpine saxifrages, such as tufted saxifrage (Saxifraga cespitosa) and Micranthes nivalis, can be found.

Rhiwiau Caws (Idwal Slabs) and the cliffs around the head of Cwm Idwal are a popular area for rock climbing; Rhiwiau Caws (on the eastern side of the Cwm) in particular are popular with inexperienced climbers learning their skills.

In the mid-to-late 1950s and into the 1960s, this was the reunion excursion campsite of the first ascenders of Mount Everest and Kangchenjunga, held at Pen-y-Gwryd, many of whom were keen geologists and botanists.