URPoint Details
Llyn Alwen is a small natural upland lake on Mynydd Hiraethog and lies on the rolling Silurian moorland to the north-west of Mwdwl-eithin and about 10 km to the east of Betws y Coed. The discharge from the lake flows under the A543 road to form the headwater of Alwen Reservoir
The Alwen Reservoir or Cronfa Alwen is a 5 km long reservoir with the bulk lying in Cerrigydrudion community, while the northern arm forms the boundary between Pentrefoelas, to the west, and Llansannan and Nantglyn, to the north and east. It is held back by the 27 metre high Alwen Dam, which impounds the Afon Alwen, and is 8 km downstream from Llyn Alwen.
It was built between 1909 and 1921, originally to supply water to the town of Birkenhead, near Liverpool in England.
The dam is a gravity-arch masonry dam. The "first stone" of the dam records that the engineers were Sir Alex. Binnie, Son and [George] Deacon and the contractors were Sir Robert McAlpine. A large water treatment facility was built below the dam, and a cast iron underground aqueduct laid to Birkenhead. The original water treatment buildings are still standing, but the equipment inside has long gone, replaced by modern plant in a new
The Alwen Reservoir or Cronfa Alwen is a 5 km long reservoir with the bulk lying in Cerrigydrudion community, while the northern arm forms the boundary between Pentrefoelas, to the west, and Llansannan and Nantglyn, to the north and east. It is held back by the 27 metre high Alwen Dam, which impounds the Afon Alwen, and is 8 km downstream from Llyn Alwen.
It was built between 1909 and 1921, originally to supply water to the town of Birkenhead, near Liverpool in England.
The dam is a gravity-arch masonry dam. The "first stone" of the dam records that the engineers were Sir Alex. Binnie, Son and [George] Deacon and the contractors were Sir Robert McAlpine. A large water treatment facility was built below the dam, and a cast iron underground aqueduct laid to Birkenhead. The original water treatment buildings are still standing, but the equipment inside has long gone, replaced by modern plant in a new
- Type:
- Landmark