Forgotten gem in Wales crowned the UK’s best hidden waterfall and it’s easy to see why
- UK Hidden Gems
- 26 minutes ago
- 2 min read
Some waterfalls crash loudly over sharp rocks, filling the air with noise, while others drift softly from tall cliffs in gentle curtains of mist.
Out of the 10 main types of waterfalls, the horsetail style is known for its calm and graceful look, and North Wales is home to one of the finest examples.
It may not be the tallest in the area, as Pistyll y Llyn in the Cambrian Mountains rises higher and is one of the tallest waterfalls in the UK.
What makes Conwy’s Rhaeadr y Parc Mawr, also called Grey Mare’s Tail, so special is its magical setting among the lakes and mountains of Eryri.
The waterfall splits into two streams at the top where a large rock divides the water, creating a beautiful double cascade.
One visitor described it as a little forgotten gem, and the name Grey Mare’s Tail comes from the way the water spreads across the rock like a horse’s tail.
After experts studied TikTok posts about hidden beauty spots, the waterfall was recently named the best hidden waterfall walk in the UK, and it is not hard to understand why.
A Tripadvisor review praised the spot by saying, “Well worth finding,” and added that the falls are tall and impressive, and you might even have the place to yourself.
The Welsh name Rhaeadr y Parc Mawr links back to the historic Parc Mine in Gwydir Forest, which feeds the stream that flows down into the waterfall.
The Grey Mare’s Tail sits close to Gwydir Castle, a fortified Tudor mansion.
In the 1550s, its owner Sir John Wynn cleverly redirected the water from above the falls along the hillside into a storage tank, creating enough pressure to power a fountain in his garden.
The name Grey Mare’s Tail was given by Lady Willoughby of Gwydir. Judy Corbett, the current owner of Gwydir Castle, wrote about the waterfall in her book Castles in the Air.
She explained that even in summer the spray felt fresh and cool, and said it seemed like water that had spent much of its life flowing underground.
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Litter tends to spread, so if you see any and are able to pick it up and dispose of it outside the hidden gem, it will help keep the area tidy.
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