The Iron Age Hill Fort at Tre Ceiri on the Lleyn Peninsular in North Wales dates back to 200 B.C. This site ,“Town of the Giants” is one of the most spectacular ancient monuments in the British Isles. This site was used by the Celts during the Roman Invasion of North Wales but the legionnaires never were able to take it over on account of the heavy barrage of stones pelted at them from above! Looking out to the west, over the Irish Sea the Isle of Man can be seen and on a clear day Ireland. Wild Wales Walkabouters in early June atop Tre Ceiri.
Hywel Roberts, who moved stateside 20 years ago, was visiting the area with an American tour group he had organised to explore north Wales. The group stayed at Tan y Gader, a luxury guesthouse in Dolgellau, which formerly served as the town’s maternity home between 1939 and 1974. Guesthouse owner Jayne Lacey said: “Hywel told us he was born at Tan y Gader and lived in Arthog and felt very moved and emotional when shown the room where he was born, which is now called The Secret Garden room. “He now lives in America where he moved many years ago and has resided for some time. “From here, he runs his touring group called ‘Wild Wales Tours and Walkabouts’ bringing Americans to north Wales. “He m
Yesterday a hike up the Cnicht in the Moelwynion Mountain range in the Snowdonia National Park in North Wales. This 689 meter majestic peak often referred as the Matterhorn of Wales can be reached from the village of Croesor. The fence made out of spoils from the local quarry. Cotton Grass growing on an upland fen and mount Snowdon the highest peak in Wales & England in middle left. Atop Cnicht. Rhinocarpon Geograhicum lichen littered the floor of the old quarry an excellent gauge of good healthy air! Some of our guests catching the T2 bus from Porthmadog to Bangor to catch the ferry to Dublin on their journey back home.
Our first stop yesterday was the National Museum of Slate in Llanberis followed by lunch in Llanrwst at Ty Hwnt-y-Bont. We spent the afternoon at Bodnant Gardens walking around in the glorious sunshine. Last nights dinner at the Sgwar in Tremadoc where we celebrated a wedding anniversary!
After breakfast at our comfortable Guest House, Tan Y Gader in Dolgellau yesterday morning, Steve our friendly taxi driver drove us to Blaenau Ffestiniog. We boarded the Ffestiniog Mountain Highland Railway to the seaport town of Porthmadog. A couple of love birds under the roses and the kissing gate activity continues, it must be all the good sea air!
Yesterday morning a visit to Castell y Bere, built by the Welsh Prince Llewelyn the Great in the 1220’s to defend the southwest part of the princedom of Gwynedd. Close by we visited the ancient Mary’s Chapel. Lunch in Aberystwyth and teatime at Nant Eos, a Georgian mansion nestled deep out in the woods. Nant Eos, translated into Welsh, is the place by the small creek where the nightingale sings!
We started off this morning in the foothills of Cader Idris and visited a Bronze Age burial ground. An old homestead above the Black Road built by the Romans 2000 years ago. Walking through glades of ancient oaks, hazel, holly and mountain ash trees, and the falls in Arthog. Wild Valerium and Foxglove blooming on the sea wall at Barmouth. Our ferryman shipped us over the Mawddach estuary where we caught the Miniature Steam Railway to Fairbourne. Last nights supper at Tafarn y Gader the award winning Tapas Bar in Dolgellau.
This morning our stalwart group of Walkabouters hiked up Tre Ceiri considered the finest Iron Age hill fort on these Isles. We descended the 1500 foot peak overlooking the Irish Sea down to Nant y Gwtheryn, a Welsh Learning Residential Center where we drank tea and gorged on freshly baked goods! Tonight storytelling around a fire at the roundhouse Nant y Gwtheryn here on the Lleyn Peninsular with a master storyteller presenting a tale from the Welsh folk tales, the Mabinogion. These ancient tales were the earliest prose stories of the literature of Britain.
