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History of the Lake Bala
Centuries ago the main industry in Bala, perhaps unsurprisingly, was knitting. Many people made their living as ‘knitters’ and the staple product for most was socks – which were then sold in the ‘knitters market’.
The area around Lake Bala is steeped in Welsh history and ancient culture. It is one of the most likely regions in which you’ll hear to hear the Welsh language spoken (around 80% of the population use it as their first language) and it is also one of the best places to hear the famous Welsh male voice choirs.
Other historical anecdotes about Lake Bala are less firmly rooted in fact – but still hold great interest.
One such tale concerns a walled in spring which had to be locked up every night to prevent evil spirits from disturbing the waters. On one occasion the keeper of the spring forgot to put the lid on it and, some hours later, the waters burst out and submerged the nearby town of Bala. The site of the submerged town is now known as Lake Bala and some locals believe that if you listen closely, the sounds of the old town can still be heard.
The town which we now know as Bala is itself very old and dates back to 1307.
Legend also decrees that Lake Bala is home to a monster, or water dragon, which rears its ugly head only very rarely. The monster has acquired the name ‘Teggie’ due to the Welsh name for Lake Bala (Lyn Tegid). Centures ago, a diver was allegedly sent to ascertain the depth of Lake Bala, but he returned to the surface pretty quickly after finding a sleeping dragon coiled up at the bottom of the lake.
