The exploding popularity of Watkin Pools beauty spot that claimed lives of two women
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In summer the mountain water often looks inviting even for those not toiling up Yr Wyddfa (Snowdon). The waters are aqua blue and a series of tumbling water adds to the illusion of being somewhere else altogether more exotic.
Lying just a short hike from the A498, the Watkin Pools are perfect for Instagrammers wanting wild swimming photos without trying too hard. Until this week, their popularity was taken granted and their use unquestioned.
On Wednesday evening, two woman died in the pools. One was dragged from the water, the other was pulled out later by rescue teams but died despite desperate attempts to revive her. A police investigation is underway into an incident that's shocked and saddened the whole of Britain. You can read our story on the tragedy here
Any activity in the mountains carries a degree of inherent danger: on average eight people die each year on Yr Wyddfa, from a combination of falls, trips and health conditions. Few have fallen victim to the mountain's lakes, streams and pools.
While the cause of this week's tragedy has yet to be confirmed, wild swimming – or just taking a quick plunge – is not without risk, especially in ice-cold mountain waters where rocks can be slippery and jagged. This week the Royal Life Saving Society (RLSS) UK issued a special warning to Welsh residents and visitors to stay vigilant when in, on or around, water this summer.
It follows new figures showing that, in 2024, Wales had a drowning rate double the UK National average. During the year there were 18 accidental drownings and a further 19 involving water where the cause of death is yet to be officially confirmed.
Matt Croxall, interim charity director at RLSS UK, said: 'The high drowning rate reported in Wales emphasises just how important it is that families are aware of the importance of water safety and have the correct knowledge to be safe around water.' Join the North Wales Live Whatsapp community now
(Image: Ian Lilley)
The popularity of Yr Wyddfa's Watkin Pools exploded in the wake of the Covid pandemic. Analysis of parking data from 2021 showed a dramatic 64% rise in the use of the Pont Bethania car park in Nant Gwynant compared with the pre-Covid year of 2019.
Some of these users will have been hikers ascending the Watkin Path, regarded as one of the toughest routes to the summit. But Eryri National Park officers believe much of the increase was due to 'trending social media posts' for the photogenic Watkin Pools.
At the time, one travel website described it as 'one of the most beautiful spots in the whole of Snowdonia and, maybe therefore, in the whole of the UK'. Since then, the superlatives have only become more gushing.
Guides describe the pools as a 'perfect cool-down' for walkers trudging up the mountain. In reality, many of those taking a dip do it purely to luxuriate in the surroundings and grab all-important photos before heading straight back down. It's been rated one of the best places in the UK to inspire 'Insta envy'.
(Image: Ian Lilley)
Not so long ago the Watkin cascades were named the UK's second best 'hidden waterfalls'. Their ubiquity on social media suggests they are far from 'hidden' but it's easy to see why they are popular. 'Paradise found!' exclaimed one swimmer on YouTube.
If not aqua blue on cloudy days, the waters are always crystal clear. In some cascade sections, users imagine themselves in 'infinity pools', peering out over rocky outcrops to beautiful views of the Nant Gwynant valley below.
Dangling from a branch above a tree-lined pool is a makeshift rope swing. Between two others is a slab of rock that doubles as a slide. Hundreds of clips have been posted on TikTok where the cascades are increasingly being called 'Snowdon's fairy pools'.
One visitor said: '5-star turquoise waters – the kind of place that makes you feel like its summer on the darkest day. Crystal clear, ice cold, delicious. Children adore it.'
In recent years, solitude has become harder to find in the pools. Visitors advise it's best to arrive early to avoid the crowds as the waterfalls get busy after lunch. More often than not on sunny days, users end up sharing their 'paradise' with others.
However you don't have to get wet to enjoy the cascades and their iconic slab bridge. Picnics here have become ever more popular and the ground nearby increasingly worn.
All visits to the mountains come with a health warning, as this week's double tragedy starkly illustrates. Yet each year more than 600,000 people still head to Yr Wyddfa for the life-affirming challenge and beauty that it offers.
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