Dinas Emrys
Rising 76 metres above the Glaslyn valley floor, the wooded hillock of Dinas Emrys is one of the most myth-saturated spots in all of Wales — and most visitors drive straight past it. This is where Merlin prophesied the battle of the red and white dragons, and where the red dragon of the Welsh flag was born in legend.
The Legend of the Dragons
According to the Mabinogion and the Historia Regum Britanniae, it was here that the warlord Vortigern tried to build a fortress, only for the foundations to keep collapsing. Merlin revealed the cause: two dragons sleeping in a pool beneath the hill, the red dragon of the Britons and the white dragon of the Saxons, locked in eternal battle. The red dragon prevailed — and became the emblem of Wales.
The hilltop retains the earthwork remains of an Iron Age hill fort and a medieval tower, adding real archaeological weight to the mythology. Standing on the summit, overlooking Llyn Dinas and the Nantgwynant valley, you feel entirely removed from the modern world.
The Walk Up
The moderate 5km loop starts from the National Trust Craflwyn car park, winding through magical oak woodland, crossing streams and passing small waterfalls before the final steep scramble to the summit. The views over the Beddgelert valley and surrounding mountain ranges from the top are genuinely breathtaking and little-visited compared to the busier trails nearby.
Allow around two hours for the full loop. The path is well-signed but a OS map or navigation app is recommended; the final ascent is steep and requires sure-footed confidence.
Dinas Emrys on video
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