Enjoy one of the walks around historic, man-made Blue Lake in St Bathans and view sluicings and gold mining remains.
While the heritage buildings are full of character and meticulously restored, the main feature of the town is a giant emerald lake.

By the 1930s, miners had created the deepest mining pit in the southern hemisphere – but it had started to encroach on the town. So, it was abandoned and allowed to slowly fill with water, where the remaining minerals in the soil gave the lake a distinctive emerald colour. Combined with the exposed cliffs, it has an almost lunar-like appearance.

In recent years, the town has increased in popularity as a tourist stop, where you can enjoy the heritage buildings alongside walks around the lake. It’s also popular for boating, kayaking and paddle boarding.