Fairy Falls, Trefriw facts for kids
The Fairy Falls (in Welsh: Rhaeadr y Tylwyth Teg) is a beautiful waterfall in the small village of Trefriw. You can find it in north Wales. This waterfall is part of the River Crafnant. This river starts at a lake called Llyn Crafnant. Another river, the River Geirionydd, joins it further up. After the Fairy Falls, the River Crafnant flows into the larger River Conwy.
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About Fairy Falls
The main part of the Fairy Falls is about 25 feet (around 7.6 meters) tall. The water flows down a sloped rock face. These falls were created a very long time ago, during the last Ice Age. This was about 20,000 years ago!
How the Falls Formed
During the last Ice Age, a huge glacier moved down the Conwy Valley. As it moved, it cut off the end of the Crafnant valley. This left a "hanging valley," which is like a valley that ends suddenly high above another one. This is how the Fairy Falls and other smaller falls were formed.
Water for the Falls
Not all the water from the River Crafnant goes over the falls. A little bit upstream, some water is sent through a pipe. This water is used to create hydro-electric power for a local wool factory. During very dry times, this can mean there isn't much water, or even no water, going over the falls. But for most of the year, there's plenty of water. You can see how strong the water is by looking at the worn-down rocks at the bottom of the falls.
The "Fairy Glen"
Downstream from the main Fairy Falls, there are several smaller waterfalls. Old postcards also called these "Fairy Falls." This whole area, from the main falls to the smaller ones, was known as "Fairy Glen." It used to be more open than it is today. In the Edwardian times (the early 1900s), there was a clear path along the River Crafnant. People loved to walk from the river banks, through the famous Fairy Glen, and then continue up towards Llyn Crafnant.
Why "Fairy Falls"?
An information sign near the waterfall explains how it got its name. It says that people in the Victorian era (the late 1800s) loved stories about fairies. They thought many beautiful places were home to these tiny, magical creatures. So, they named this enchanting spot "Fairy Falls."
While there are no official reports of fairies at the falls themselves, a writer named Wirt Sikes wrote about many local fairy sightings in 1880. His book, British Goblins—Welsh Folk-lore, Fairy Mythology, Legends and Traditions, talks about these stories. There's even a pub in the village called "The Fairy Falls," named after the waterfall!
Visiting the Falls
The Fairy Falls are easy to reach on foot from different directions. They are part of the Trefriw Trails, which are a series of walks around the village and nearby areas.
- Route 4 starts from the village shops. It follows the path along the river through Fairy Glen and past the falls.
- Route 5 also takes this path. Then, it continues on to Llyn Geirionydd and Llyn Crafnant.
