Get the biggest stories sent straight to your inbox Sign up for regular updates and breaking news from WalesOnline Thank you for subscribing We have more newsletters Show me See our privacy notice Invalid Email

A sword which dates back to the sixth century and the days of King Arthur has been discovered at a Welsh lake.

The sword was discovered by National Trust rangers whilst working on the footpaths near Llyn Ogwen in Snowdonia.

After careful cleaning and verification, experts have revealed that the sword dates back around 1,500 years.

National Trust archaeologist Kathy Laws said: “Snowdonia is shrouded in myths and legends and there are countless stories about King Arthur. Locally there are claims Excalibur ended up in Llyn Llydaw whilst other legends implicate Llyn Ogwen.

“We didn’t actually find the sword in the lake, but the proximity and the age of the piece support Llyn Ogwen’s claim to the legend.

“It’s astonishing to think, that after all these years, it would turn up during what has been dubbed as the ‘Year of Legend’ by Visit Wales. We’re just gobsmacked!”

(Image: Robbie Shade/Flickr)

The group of rangers were out checking paths, as part of National Trust Wales’ ongoing work to maintain the stunning landscape of Snowdonia, when they caught a glimpse of something buried in the mud.

Lead ranger Dewi Roberts said: “We were just resurfacing a section of the path when a glint caught my attention. We weren’t sure what it was to begin with so we carried on digging, even though it was covered in mud it was obvious that we’d found a sword.

“We all tried pulling it out carefully. Looking back it was quite a surreal moment. We’re all aware of the legend. We had no idea at the time that the sword could actually be that old and could potentially be Excalibur.”

National Trust Wales are continuing to work with Arthurian experts and archaeologists to verify the exact age of the sword and whether the faint embellishments along the hilt match the sword described in the Mabinogion.

For now, the sword will be on display at Ogwen Cottage with more information available from National Trust’s rangers base. Visitors can also embark on a walk around Llyn Ogwen, taking in the discovery site for themselves.

For more information on the walks go here.