So after a few locations had been considered we decided to jump right in and head out to Wales for a trip to the Lakes of Bala and Vyrnwy. Having seen a few pictures online of Vyrnwy i decided it is a must see location. The plan of action for the entire day was to spend the morning and early afternoon around Bala Lake, taking photos and running a time lapse, followed by early evening and night around Lake Vyrnwy for time lapse and night sky photography, as there is not much light pollution in the surrounding area making it a prime location for sky photography. Assuming the sky is clear.
Bala Lake
After looking for a parking space we found ourselves at Llangower station and car park with a fantastic view overlooking Bala Lake. The car park usually has a pay and display machine, but was out of order on the day we arrived. So after setting up camp with the cameras we found a jetty which looked like a fantastic idea to take photos from.
Click the photos to enlarge!
A worthwhile visit would be the small town of Bala, which is essentially a high street with numerous different shops and restaurants on it. Free parking along the main road for an hour if your just popping by to grab food and such. We stopped off at a chip shop names Y Badell Aur restaurant, which had some fantastic fish and chips! I would recommend taking the opportunity of grabbing food from here if in the area!
Lake Vyrnwy
Making our way from Bala to Lake Vyrnwy we found ourselves, coming across numerous lay-by and picnic areas to stop and admire the view. So we happily obliged! On a few occasions we found ourselves walking right down to the lake through the trees just to get that view for the photos. We spend around 3/4 hours just visiting different locations around the lake with another nice time-lapse taken from one of the picnic spots. Once the night started to close in we found a nice place to get some food and have a rest before the long journey back home which was at the Lake Vyrnwy hotel and spa, situated in the most ideal place for photos and views of the lake. Anyone who would be lucky enough to get a room with the balcony view of the lake would be amazed at the views. Also it looks like a great place to have a wedding!
Check out the photos, the Lake Vyrnwy ones were so much fun to shoot!
In the end, we was let down by the weather when it came to taking pictures of the stars with no light pollution, but we was not let down by every other part of the trip. We absolutely loved it and would happily do it all again!
Here is the time-lapse video from the trip. I hope you enjoy!
What a bummer that the weather didn’t cooperate with you. Luckily the clouds made for some moody photos and gorgeous time lapses! What a stunning destination!
LikeLike
It was a shame about not getting the clear night but i will go back again for sure! I loved how moody the photos came out!
LikeLike
Thats surely awesome. Wonder why I never came across the name. Anyway, great pics too. Loved the one with the curving road the most!
LikeLike
its such a nice place to visit! well worth the effort 🙂
LikeLike
Very nice pictures! It’s so green and then so blue… Love it! Just come back for the stars 🙂
LikeLike
The colors were amazing! so much change over a hour! i will come back for sure!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Loved your photos + the time lapse! Too bad the weather didn’t cooperate for the astrophotography…I’ve had that happen after a long drive, and it’s very disappointing! Great story, tho.
LikeLike
thank you very much! its luck of the draw i think when it comes to the weather, i could have done with stopping for a few days to see what i could do with it
LikeLike
Both Bala Lake and Lake Vyrnwy are great locations to take photos and videos. I can see this from the beautiful photos that you have captured. After watching your YouTube video, I think the weather worked in your favor to help create a more dramatic time lapse.
LikeLike
It did end up making it more dramatic, and considering it was the first full time lapse I’ve had a go at i think i was onto a winner! I will go back for sure and see how it changes in the winter possibly!
LikeLike
These photos are simply gorgeous! Pity about the weather, but I often find that clouds can really dramatise photos, especially when I use a long exposure. Your second photo of Bala Lake is definitely my favourite.
LikeLike
i can’t wait to visit again and see if i can improve on the photos! I’ve purchased some basic ND filters, so hopefully the long exposure photos will turn out amazing! Many thanks! 🙂
LikeLike
LOVE rocking up to a place when the parking meter is out of order – it’s little wins like this which totally kick the day off to a good start! Bala Lake and Lake Vyrnwy looks really beautiful, and I can see how they were fun to shoot! Give me a picnic by the lake with my camera and I’m happy any day! Sorry to hear you didn’t get the pictures you wanted of the stars – but overall, sounds like a fabulous trip!
LikeLike
It was a bonus for the parking meter situation! 🙂 the only thing we was missing was a picnic! but we grabbed fish and chips in Bala town, which was great! i may take a picnic next time! fingers crossed i can get over there in the winter when theres bit of frost or snow! Many thanks! 🙂
LikeLike
Great time lapse video. The Welsh countryside is beautiful, even if all of those adorable towns seem impossible to pronounce. One of the best things about living in London, was discovering how amazing the UK countryside is in general and how accessible it is. Oh, and congrats on winning the parking meter lotto. It is the best when you snag an out of order machine!
LikeLike
I love time-lapse videos! I also like the fact that you have the camera data under each picture. Wales is in our bucket list and I look forward to seeing these beautiful landscapes in person as well!
LikeLike
Bala Lake is added to my list. I just checked it is almost 4-hour drive from my home in London. Have you camped in a campsite? If yes, could you give me the name. I think it is better to go there in june or july. what do you think?
LikeLike
It would be worth the drive if you could camp over somewhere, but it was only 2 hours from me, so i drove and came back within the same day. so i wouldn’t be able to recommend a campsite I’m afraid! Many thanks!
LikeLike
Lake Bala and LakeVyrnwy look so ethereal. I can see that the lakes are relatively untouched by the trappings of commercialization and this makes them more alluring and pristine. I can see that the entire trip was an unforgettable experience. Love the time lapse too, it was wonderful.
LikeLike
It was fantastic, very memorable, especially being not seeing built up areas and how it has been untouched for many years! i need to find more areas with the same feel to it! Many thanks
LikeLike