Archives for: August 2005
A Journey to Wales 2005
For the pictures, check this URL: http://ambiorix.druidcircle.org/wales2005/
DAY 1: Wednesday, july 27, 2005
Today we journeyed for almost 10 hours to reach the town Llangollen, and the Bed & Breakfasts "Bryn Meirion", a place I had chosen particularly because I had stayed here before. We received a typical warm Welsh welcome, but my first welcome to Britain came much sooner than expected, this time. It was when the train had parted the tunnel under the sea, and the first British landscape became visible. I knew then already, that I was home. Curiously, I felt the sign again, that Teperis had drawn on my forehead when he baptised me in the druid faith, the eve before his departure from Belgium. The sign was on my forehead again, its outlines vague yet almost burning-though without hurt. The burning sign and the welcome feelings eventually made way for some sleep again.
Arriving in Llangollen, the beautiful hill Dinas Bran welcomed us to the valley, and the friendly people of the B&B informed us that they had attempted to contact the authors of the book "The Keys to Avalon" for me, but one was away in Tibet, and the other one had not yet answered his phone. We concluded the evening by a short visit to the town's centre and had dinner at a place called "Oak Grill".
DAY 2: Thursday, july 28, 2005
Today's weather forecast had promised us typical British weather: rain. And rain it did all day, but that did not stop us from sticking to our planned schedule. We started down the path to Valle Crucis Abbey, the remains of a medieval abbey of a Cisterian Order of White Monks. Though I had been there before, and knew what to expect, it was still as impressive as ever. Few other people braved the rain to visit this place, yet it was worth it. We visited the room with the discovered gravestones on display, and Jenni believes Teperis would have reproached me for sitting a the edge of one of them, to change the film in my camera while we were still in a dry place. However, I did not forget to pay my respect to the grave. Even though the stone was nowhere near its original grave, where the person's spirit is housed, I made a little sign of the cross with my hand to show respect for the dead person's religion, and afterwards extended a Druidic blessing of peace.
Having finished our tour around the abbey, we returned to the little ship attached to it, bought some things including a few books with stories for children, yet the retelling of myths: the story of Taliesin, and of Bran and Branwen. Thereafter we went to visit the Eliseg's Pillar, hoping I could find a reference to Viortigern/Gwytherin, but alas, some of the inscriptions were faded.
Dropping off the souvenirs from the small ship, in the B&B, we set out for today's challenge: Dinas Bran. It took us a long walk through the rain, sometimes heavy rain, before we could even reach the gate that would start off the path uphill. This was the very same gate the motorcycle guy had dropped me off so willingly two years before. The tiring climb uphill started here, and the rain kept pouring without end-sometimes even so bad that we were forced to seek shelter under a tree. Eventually, we neared the top of the hill, and this is where I noticed holes in the ground. Not very deep, but rather wide, shaped like a human foot-only larger, much larger. The thought struck me then, that King Bran, to whom this hill is attributed, was said to be a giant-and these looked like giant feet tracks!
Having reached the ruins of the castle on top, there were no further tracks, but the rain started pouring harder than ever. This forced us to keep our time limited, as well as the pictures as I did not want to risk my camera getting wet. Maybe this was what could also be considered a Druid Initiation, except that the Gods performed it on us themselves. We endured the element of Earth, by climbing uphill, the element of Air by the strong wind on top of the hill, and the element of Water-which I would think needs no further explanation. The only element missing was Fire.
We descended downhill toward the village, and noticed that shortly after we left the hilltop, the rain became less. I looked up the hilltop, and saw a brighter light in the sky from behind the hilltop-even though momentarily. Both being soaked almost to the bone, we arrived back in Llangollen. The horse drawn boat trip I took two years ago, was sadly no option today. The rain had kept people away. In the village, we bought some more Celtic and Welsh items-a pillow, shirts, cards and maps. The rain kept pouring even long after we had returned all soaked to the B&B.
DAY 3: Friday, July 29, 2005
Today the weather started off cloudy and windy but dry, and luckily it stayed this way for the entire day. The people of the B&B dropped us off at the foot of a hill, where on top, after a long climb and walk between the sheep, we reached the Moel Ty Uchaf stone circle. It looked the same as it did when I was here two years ago, except the thistle in the middle of the circle was gone, and a white stone lay there instead.
When we went a little downhill on the other side to find two cairns (ancient burial graves) that were on the map, we did some amazing discoveries! One of the discoveries was another stone circle! I didn't understand how I could have missed it last time, or how nobody else ever noticed, but then I remembered the grass being higher last time, while now it seemed to be recently cut. Yet, the owner of the land must have known of this second circle, since he deliberately cut the grass around it. This circle is by no means in the same good condition as the other one, and many of the stones were overgrown with grass. We were not anticipating any such find, and had not prepared ourselves with the necessary tools, so we had to improvise when measuring the circle. The circle is about 10m in diameter, and the largest (visible) stones are about 30 to 40 cm wide. We counted about 48 stones in total forming the circle, although we had to stomp our walking sticks on the ground to find most of the stones.
But the circle was not our only find: we found no less than four additional cairns nearby on the hill, that are not on the map!
After taking several pictures of everything, we went downhill again, ending up just a minute too late to catch a bus back to Corwen. Luckily we got a lift from a woman who turned out to be the wife of the owner of a camping just next to the hill we had visited. Dropping us off at Corwen, she gave us directions of how to find the bridge over the river Dee, to the northern side where we reached Caer Drewyn.
Caer Drewyn is a hllfort where the kings Owain Gwynedd and Owain Glyndwr had their stronghold in medieval times, but I also believe it to be the stronghold of Gwyn Ap Nudd, Lord of Avalon. The landscape did make sense: if the river Dee formed the Vale of Avalon (the Dee Valley), its entrance would be right here, as before this hill the valley would open up where the river flows from the south into a turn eastwards. Perhaps, Caer Drewyn was once the gatekeeper of Avalon's entrance. The hillfort was not extremely high, but much larger than it appeared, and the view on the surrounding landscape from up there was magnificent.
Returning to Corwen thereafter, where a statue can be found of Owain Glyndwr, we took the bus back to Llangollen, where we had dinner at a restaurant. This was when I decided to call Steve Blake, one of the authors of the book "The Keys to Avalon" that had brought me all the way to Wales two years ago already. I had received his phone number from the people of the B&B, and explained this to him. We ended up talking almost 15 minutes on the phone, and he also gave me his mobile phone number and email address. He told me to give him a call when we had arrived in Bangor the next day, since he has his office there at the Centre of Arthurian Studies, and he would try to meet up with us. Another day well spent!
DAY 4: Saturday, July 30, 2005
Today, most of the day was spent travelling to our next B&B location in the city of Bangor. We thanked the people of the Bryn Meirion B&B for their good services, and took the rain from Ruabon to Chester, where another train took us to Bangor. Having reached Bangor train station, finding - or rather, getting to - the B&B "Y Garth", would turn out quite the challenge. People at the train station told us it would be quite a walk still, especially with our heavy bags. Therefore, we chose a taxi to get to the B&B, but the taxi driver told us it was only 5 minutes away, near enough to walk on foot. His estimate of 5 minute was quite correct, if we actually had taken a taxi there! Instead, we carried our heavy bags all the way on foot, for what seemed to last an eternity! And each time I asked someone how much further, the answer was "just another 10 minutes". Didn't I hear that 10 minutes before each time?
All weary, we reached Y Garth B&B at last, where we received a friendly welcome and some handy information to get ourselves oriented in Bangor. Thereafter I called Steve Blake, and he told me he'd try to make time for a meeting, but it was not meant to happen-at least, not on this day yet. Instead we went shopping, and bought several more maps, as well as books. After having spent (too much) money, we went to a pub called Tap & Spile, where you can have a steak for less than £5!
DAY 5: Sunday, July 31, 2005
This day we spent mostly at Bangor's neighbour town Caernarfon. We spent some more money in a few stores, on Celtic and Welsh items, and visited Caernarfon castle, where I had hoped to see the original stone from the Bryn Celli Ddu burial hill, but alas, it was not on display at the time. From there, we went to visit Segontium, the remains of a Roman fort with a museum attached to it. When I was here two years before, I had spoken to a man that worked in the museum, who had offered to put my novel for sale there, whenever it would be ready. Today, however, someone else was working there. No less kind a man, though, who talked to us a bit about the role of the Romans and Segontium, and the Celts. He was also kind enough to teach us some words in Welsh. We had also planned to take the bus to Llanberis, a town somewhat more inland, but there was not enough time any more, so we returned to Bangor instead. Here, we gathered some information from nearby B&B's, to possibly organise a group trip in the future, whereafter we went to eat at a pub called "The Black Bull".
DAY 6 / Monday, August 1, 2005
Today we visited the Isle of Anglesey, otherwise known as Ynys Môn in Welsh. The weather was dry, unlike the day before, and we could finally enjoy some sunshine. We started off on a track toward a few standing stones and Bryn Gwyn, a small hillfort. The track, however, was not well indicated and largely overgrown, but eventually we found our way and reached the two rather standing stones, and Bryn Gwyn a little further. After that, the track went on and led us to Caer Leb, the remains of an ancient settlement.
From there, we walked into a small village called Brynsiencyn, had a drink at the only pub in that entire town and took a bus to our next destination on Anglesey: Bryn Celli Ddu. It had been the place where I had been before, and felt I did not want to leave it. It was still a bit of a walk from the bus stop to the site itself, but a farmer offered us a lift with his tractor.
When we reached the burial hill, and I sat down on top of it, I immediately felt the connection again, but Jenni made another discovery: we were actually able to enter the burial chamber! And what's more, we discovered that recently, people had left offerings in there: flowers, strawberries, …
Next on the list was the burial at Plas Newydd. While last time, I was able to get all the way to it, this time we were stopped halfway by someone with a grass mower, who told us not to go further, not even for just a picture, and that the police would be called if we did not leave immediately.
So we turned back, after I took a picture anyway, had a drink at Plas Newydd's public area nearby, and then moved on to today's last destination: Castle Beaumaris. Though the construction of this medieval castle was never finished, it was impressive nonetheless.
DAY 7: Tuesday, August 2, 2005
Today we visited a place I had never been to myself: Llandudno. First on the list was Deganwy Castle, or at least its few remains, located on a twin hill where, according to legend, Taliesin rescued Elphin who had been imprisoned there by his uncle Maelgwyn.
After that, we went on to the Great Orme, where we visited a burial hill and chamber, and took the tour through the ancient Great Orme mines, that turned out far more interesting than we originally assumed.
Further up the Great Orme, we enjoyed the magnificent views onto the ocean. On our way down, we looked up the hillfort of Pen-Y-Dinas, but discovered that it was not possible to get on it. The hour was too late for the Llandudno Museum, so we went back home and slept our last night in the B&B at Bangor.
DAY 8: Wednesday, August 3, 2005
Today we spent much time in a bus on our way to our next B&B: Tywyn at the west coast of Wales. The landscape along the way, and its many hills, was impressive. We settled in the B&B called "The Arthur", indeed, an Arthurian-themed B&B near the coast, and close to where according to legends, the now-drowned land of Cantref Gwaelod was located.
DAY 9: Thursday, August 4, 2005
Before noon, we went to the coast to find the tree stumps that can be seen there at low tide. The tree stums would indicate that there was once a forest there, but the rising of the sea leavel had drowned them to the extent that only lifeless tree stumps would remain now, indicating that the legend of Cantref Gwaelod might well be true, and that where we see the sea now, was once fertile and prospering land, until the sluices were closed too late one day and the land was washed away forever. People may believe or disregard the legend, but the tree stumps are definitely there. We found several of them, some small and some rather large, and also one that seemed to have fallen down at one point, long ago. But it was not the only discovery. I also noticed what appeared to be the foundation stones of some kind of settlement. This was clearly man-made, and in stone rather than tree stump. Maybe this was the Caer Rihog settlement described in the legends? We asked the people of the B&B about these foundation stones, and they too believed it to be so, even though they were told that those were tree stumps as well. Why does nobody speak of the foundation stones, and why aren't they on the maps? Surely we aren't the first ones to have found them!
After our visit to the seaside, we took the train to Aberystwyth, where we visited a castle and had a look at Pen Dinas hillfort, and found a great pub to eat at before heading back.
DAY 10: Friday, August 5, 2005
Today we set out to visit Lake Bala (Llyn Tegid), linked to the legends of Ceridwen and Taliesin. We attempted to locate a Roman fort named Caer Gai, where supposedly Arthur grew up together with his foster brother Sir Kay. After failing to find it, we asked the local farmer that lived there, and he told us that we were standing on it. Unfortunately, the entire fort was buried underground. Next, we went on to visit the town Bala, an Bala Lake, and found yet another great pub to eat before we returned.
DAY 11: Saturday, August 6, 2005
Today we visited "King Arthur's Labyrinth" in Corris, some kind of park dedicated to the tales of King Arthur. We were taken into a cave corridor, until we reached an underground river. We took a boat to reach the other side, where the tour started. The tour told a more traditionally Welsh version of King Arthur's story, talking about Merlin and Vortigern, Arthur and the giant with the cloak made of beards, how Arthur dug up the head of King Bran, the Battle of Camlann, the journey to Avalon and thereafter the story of Gwaelod and Taliesin, and how a man found the cave where Arthur and his knights slept. After the tour, we took the Bard's Quest, a labyrinth that leads you through the different Welsh tales, from the Mabinogion and otherwise. After returning to the B&B, we ate at the restaurant "The Round Table", very commendable!
DAY 12: Sunday, August 7, 2005
Today was the last day of our vacation here in Wales. We went to Celtica, an exhibition that basically tells about the life of the early British Celts and their culture, and although I had hoped to also see some Celtic artefacts and such, which the exhibition was not about, it was interesting nonetheless.
Celtica is located in the town of Machynlleth, a town that apparently has very little to offer otherwise on a sunday afternoon. I had hoped to visit the Owain Glyndwr Centre, but it was closed, and finding a place that serves food in the afternoon was not much easier. In the end, we had to choose the only option left: the White Lion Hotel that serves food all day. I would rather that they didn't, because while they were more expensive than most other pubs we had eaten at before, their food was not half as good as at other places. Yet, we had enjoyed a nice day with fine weather, and came back with some more Celtic items.
I can certainly say that this journey through Wales was unforgettable. We will leave for home tomorrow, and I will carry many new, and good memories in my heart, while with me I bring renewed strength and inspiration to build upon, to realise my goals in life to unite a people, and a culture.
