Bro...Aberdaron Bro...

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-This week, Shan and I

-are visiting an area...

-..known by the locals

-as the world's end.

-"When I am old and famous,

-with money in my purse

-"And all my critics silenced,

-for better or for worse

-"I'll buy me a lonely cottage,

-and at its door shall be

-"The rocks of Aberdaron

-and the wild waves of the sea."

-Shani, you wild thing. Let's go!

-Welcome to Bro from Aberdaron.

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-Yes, we've come to Aberdaron.

-It's a beautiful seaside village.

-It's at the far end

-of Gwynedd's Lleyn Peninsula.

-It's 15 miles west of Pwllheli.

-It's 33 miles south west

-of Caernarfon.

-It's home to 1,019 people.

-In the middle of the village

-is a 17th-century stone bridge.

-It crosses the River Daron

-as it approaches the sea.

-Not far from the beach are the old,

-whitewashed fishermen's cottages...

-..a reminder of the community's

-traditional dependency on the sea.

-I kick off our visit to Aberdaron

-on the beach.

-I'm looking out at all the yachts.

-The kids are having fun, John.

-The kids are having fun, John.

-

-Yes, look at them.

-They're going really well.

-This is their sixth year of sailing.

-There are about 30 of them.

-I think there may be 35 this year.

-Are they training or racing?

-Robin will be out with them tonight.

-He'll set up a little race for them.

-It looks as if the race has begun.

-They're circling the buoy.

-Are these conditions perfect?

-A bit of sun and a breeze?

-It's surprising

-how windy it gets at sea.

-It looks nice,

-but it's quite choppy out there.

-Sailing has always been popular.

-Aberdaron has seen

-centuries of sailing, surely?

-125 years of sailing, I'm told.

-Our own records go back 100 years.

-Dafid, are some of these boats

-unique to Aberdaron?

-Yes, the boats of Aberdaron,

-known as the Lleyn Peninsula boats.

-They're clinker vessels,

-measuring about 15 feet.

-They started out as fishing boats.

-They've been adapted for sailing.

-I would estimate that...

-..half a dozen to ten of them

-are currently in use.

-But I remember 20 of them

-sailing in this bay.

-Were the boats used for fishing

-or catching lobster?

-Lobster and crab

-were caught in the old days.

-They were two-bow boats at first.

-But, to lift lobster pots, sterns

-were added to strengthen the boats.

-They were substantial enough

-to lift the pots without capsizing.

-Are these boats still built today?

-Funnily enough,

-one new boat was built this year.

-Before that,

-none had been built for many years.

-We renovated and repaired old boats.

-Do the old boats still sail?

-Oh, yes, my recently-retired boat

-was over a century old.

-It's in the harbour.

-You'll see it's like new.

-I'm sure I've been sailing now

-for almost 50 years.

-I've decided this year

-to call it a day.

-You're hanging up your sails.

-You're hanging up your sails.

-

-Age has caught up with me.

-Dafid, let's all give up now,

-and go for a pint in the sunshine.

-Great idea. Who's paying?

-It's John's shout.

-Aberdaron is a very popular

-holiday destination.

-Visitors come here

-in their thousands every year.

-At the village's edge

-is Dwyros camping and caravanning.

-I'm here to help out

-on the maintenance side.

-Hello, Alun. How are you?

-Hello, Alun. How are you?

-

-Hello, are you well?

-I'm fine, but you're busy here.

-I'm fine, but you're busy here.

-

-There's plenty to do.

-I hope you want a break.

-You've been working hard.

-I wouldn't say no, to be honest.

-There's a lot of upkeep,

-but the site's looking good.

-At this time of year,

-the grass-cutting is never-ending.

-By the time you've finished,

-you'll probably have to start again!

-You must be so happy living in this

-location, and with your life here.

-Is this a hobby

-or a full-time occupation?

-It's not full-time,

-but it takes up most of my time.

-There are other things I do as well.

-What's special about the area?

-I'd say it's the wonderful location.

-There's something

-quite unique about this area.

-Many have been visiting regularly

-for 50 years - year in, year out.

-Obviously, there's something

-really special about Aberdaron.

-As it happens, Alun,

-I have a free afternoon.

-Is there a job for me

-to cut a blade of grass or two?

-Well, do you fancy strimming?

-I'm not so sure.

-I don't have any overalls.

-My hair gets in the way.

-Perhaps we could help.

-I have something else here.

-That'll be easier for you.

-That'll be easier for you.

-

-Ideal, I won't have to walk!

-Do you trust me?

-Do you have faith in me?!

-Well, why not? Let's try it.

-Here goes then.

-Health and safety!

-A little knot in my clothing.

-Right then, here I go.

-Does it have enough power?

-Does it have enough power?

-

-Oh, plenty.

-Oh, plenty.

-Here's the ignition.

-All I do is press that pedal.

-I then go straight ahead.

-Thanks, Alun. I'll see you

-in a couple of hours.

-Tony Jones is a photographer.

-He lives in Rhiw,

-a village near Aberdaron.

-His great interest lies

-in taking shots of dawn and sunset.

-Tony, as a photographer,

-I'd say you're spoilt in Aberdaron.

-True enough. Isn't it wonderful?

-It's ideal today. The tide is out.

-The colours in the sand

-are just amazing.

-It's easy to be inspired

-in a place like this, isn't it?

-The light here in Lleyn

-is something incredible.

-Of course, we also get mist,

-rain and wind here.

-But the light we see here today is

-really unbelievable, it really is.

-These days, everyone in Aberdaron

-knows you as a photographer.

-But you used to be a sailor.

-Yes, I was at sea for 40 years.

-I flew home from Australia

-on my 56th birthday.

-That was two years ago,

-and I told my wife that was it.

-I'd been working for six weeks,

-operating cranes in Australia.

-I was on a special crane

-aboard a Norwegian ship.

-I'd been with

-a Norwegian line for 10 years.

-On arriving home,

-I said I'm not going back.

-Hey, you'd better carry on,

-before you lose the light.

-Alaw Tecwyn and Huw Erith

-have been raised in this area.

-They have been so inspired

-that they compose songs together.

-Alaw, we know you

-as a successful young singer.

-Huw, you're well known

-as a poet and fisherman.

-Tell me,

-how did your partnership come about?

-Do you compose the music,

-and does Huw supply the poetry?

-Alaw asked me to write some words.

-I know next to nothing about music.

-I write the words

-and give them to her.

-She just gets on with it after that!

-It started when I was

-doing my GCSEs at school.

-Composing music was part of that.

-I decided that I'd like to

-compose music for a song.

-I thought I'd ask Huw to help.

-He's a local, and I'm friends

-with his son, Owain.

-I then started my A levels,

-and we kept it going.

-Do you relax when you're composing?

-Yes, I do. It's a personal pastime.

-I like composing,

-and I find it enjoyable.

-I'm not seeking critical acclaim

-or anything like that.

-I just do it for pleasure.

-And you've recently recorded a CD.

-Yes, a CD containing three songs.

-We created it for ourselves really.

-We wanted a souvenir of our songs.

-Perhaps others

-might enjoy our work too.

-Does any one song encapsulate

-everything about Aberdaron for you?

-I'd say it would be

-the first song on our CD.

-I wrote it, thinking about

-my uncle whose name I share.

-He was killed when his ship

-was torpedoed in World War II.

-My thoughts strayed

-towards the attraction of the sea.

-Many young men have been

-drawn to a life at sea.

-I myself have three sons

-who are all sailors.

-There were some, in times past,

-who would go away for a long time.

-Some were away for two years.

-Others never returned.

-I wondered about their longing, and

-that of their families and lovers.

-The song is called Mor Hallt.

-# Let's wait for tonight

-# Let's get drunk

-on the crest of a wave

-# Let's taste the wild surf

-# And sleep sound to its heartbeat #

-I'm enjoying the view today,

-here in lovely Aberdaron.

-It's evidently

-a place of inspiration, Huw.

-Yes, it's the inspiration

-of the land and the sea.

-It's in our upbringing

-and our heritage.

-It's in the roots of our language.

-It's all around us.

-The sea inspires me.

-I probably write about it too often.

-The song came to me quite easily.

-I think that's always a good sign.

-I just sat by the piano...

-..and I phoned Huw

-to ask him to listen to it.

-Yes, it's a good song

-to start the CD, I hope.

-I have to say that you live

-in a truly splendid area.

-And we do appreciate it.

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-This week,

-we're on the Lleyn Peninsula.

-We're in the lovely area

-in and around Aberdaron.

-Two miles from Aberdaron

-is the village of Rhoshirwaun.

-Located here

-is Felin Uchaf Educational Centre.

-Research is undertaken here

-into creative work and lifestyles.

-Dafydd, you're busy here.

-Yes, we're quite busy,

-especially in this good dry weather.

-Now is the time to build walls.

-What are you all doing here?

-We're building a traditional wall.

-It's not a wall made out of stone...

-..to surround a field.

-Having said that,

-it does look like a perimeter wall.

-It's a wall for a house, Iolo.

-Half of it is mud,

-and the other half is stone.

-These are the footings

-for a house wall.

-What's the story

-behind Felin Uchaf Centre?

-A charity owns and runs the centre.

-It's a social centre, and we do

-charitable work with various groups.

-We work mainly with young people.

-We teach them countryside skills

-and building techniques.

-That is what we'll be doing

-in this initial, pioneering stage.

-We then intend to develop it

-into more of a cultural centre.

-We're trying to ask people

-to consider what we have locally.

-Let's use our natural resources,

-and earn a living from that.

-I know that all the farmers

-have been doing so for centuries.

-There's room for new businesses,

-even in construction, to do so.

-We all think

-about our carbon footprint.

-What other activities take place?

-Primarily,

-for the next five years...

-..building will be the main thing,

-but in different guises.

-We'll be looking at thatching roofs,

-stonemasonry and mud work.

-There'll be framing work

-out of oak, and that type of thing.

-We'd also like to offer

-cultural courses as well.

-But, at present, it's primarily

-building work, as you can see.

-It's all done on a voluntary basis.

-It's nice to see volunteers

-here from all over the globe.

-Yes, they're attracted by the work.

-Young people enjoy it, don't they?

-Some have come to Wales

-from very far afield.

-They want a real experience,

-and not just to pass through.

-They want to get to know the area.

-What better way is there?

-They handle local materials such as

-stones and clay, and do garden work.

-They become rooted in the area.

-Hey, enough chatting for now.

-I'd better roll up my sleeves.

-You'll need some gloves,

-so here's a pair.

-Otherwise, your hands will be cut.

-Good grief, the wetsuits

-make yet another appearance!

-This time, Shan,

-we're going surfing.

-Off we go.

-Well, we may have looked the part,

-but we had never surfed before.

-We were coached on the beach

-by three local surfers...

-..namely Gerallt Jones,

-Ifan Roberts and Deio Jones.

-We start by doing a press-up.

-Belly in!

-Belly in!

-

-Move forward.

-Hooray! It's easy on sand.

-Hooray! It's easy on sand.

-

-I nearly fell off.

-We've done this,

-so now we'll get wet, waves or not.

-Yes, we had to venture into the sea.

-We had great fun,

-despite a lack of waves!

-Up the road from Aberdaron

-is the cove of Porth Meudwy.

-From this beach, Shan and I

-will embark on a two-mile journey.

-We're going to Bardsey Island.

-Here to meet us is our guide,

-the fisherman Colin Evans.

-# On the way to Bardsey Island

-# An idea crossed my mind

-# I would see the picture

-so much clearer #

-Colin, I'm in your cabin now.

-I've left Iolo outside,

-enjoying himself.

-You take this little boat

-over to Bardsey every day.

-I do indeed, every single day

-that the weather permits.

-We cancel about thirty per cent

-of the trips due to bad weather.

-So, we're very lucky today.

-So, we're very lucky today.

-

-Yes, it's a really fine day today.

-It's perfect.

-How long have you been doing this?

-I've been running back and forth

-to the island for years.

-My grandfather and father

-were lifelong Bardsey fishermen.

-This boat was bought in 2003.

-I've been doing trips since then.

-I started when lobster-catching and

-fishing were becoming uneconomic.

-This venture was

-an attempt to diversify.

-It's worked out well.

-It's worked out well.

-

-Yes, things aren't too bad.

-You had no real choice.

-You had no real choice.

-

-In all honesty, no.

-I couldn't leave this area,

-especially not Bardsey Island.

-I had to find a way of earning

-a decent living in these parts.

-I don't mind the sea.

-I wouldn't go so far

-as to say that I like the sea.

-I've seen too much

-of the damned thing.

-No, I've stayed here,

-and it's a livelihood for me.

-I chug back and forth to the island.

-I try to help the resident

-community on Bardsey Island.

-We carry the post, and

-chicken and cattle feed.

-We have some woollen blankets

-to take over there today.

-It all works OK, I think.

-What can I expect there?

-It's not a big island.

-It's big enough, and even I

-haven't seen every single corner!

-Eight people live there,

-and that's important in my book.

-Over 100 people have lived

-on it during the past century.

-It's a living island, combining

-conservation and agriculture.

-It's a very special place,

-with its seductive, spiritual side.

-The monks were drawn here first,

-back in the sixth century.

-An abbey stood here for 1,000 years.

-Then came the dissolution

-of the monasteries in about 1538.

-They say that 20,000 saints

-lie buried on the island.

-There is a real tranquillity here.

-If the weather changes, Colin,

-maybe I'll have to stay overnight.

-But it won't change, unfortunately!

-We'll leave it there.

-Keep up the good work!

-This was my first time on Bardsey.

-I was enchanted by its beauty.

-Agriculture has been important

-since the earliest times.

-Old agricultural sites

-are probably the best explanation...

-..for the island's medieval ruins.

-The Bardsey Island Trust

-appoints farmers nowadays.

-As tenants,

-they have to manage the island.

-Iolo and I have come

-to meet two of them.

-Are you making progress?

-Are you making progress?

-

-Yes, we think so.

-How many sheep do you have?

-We have 350 sheep,

-50 yearling ewes...

-..and about 11 rams.

-I see you have some cattle here too.

-We have 25 Welsh Blacks and a bull.

-I imagine that island farming

-must be quite difficult.

-Yes, the weather is a big factor.

-When it's fine, it's fantastic.

-But if not, it's hard to reach here.

-There can be problems with calves.

-Otherwise, it's not bad.

-Carting the sheep back and forth

-by boat can be quite a job.

-I expect it's easier

-just to jump into a Land Rover.

-Yes, that must be easier. But then

-you, Angharad, come from this area.

-You've also been away,

-and dragged Carwyn back with you!

-From Llannon.

-Yes, I worked in Aberystwyth

-for a year with a little deaf girl.

-Then, I returned to this area,

-so that Carwyn could farm with Dad.

-Were you very keen to return?

-Yes, and I've appreciated

-the area much more since returning.

-It's obvious that

-anyone would miss this place.

-Carwyn, have you had

-a good welcome here?

-Yes, I certainly have.

-It's different

-to Llannon and Aberystwyth.

-Yes, it is.

-And there's the language barrier!

-Do you understand Angharad?

-Do you understand Angharad?

-

-I'm getting there slowly.

-Do you know what you agreed to?

-You've signed the contract now.

-Well done, you're very industrious.

-We haven't done much today, have we?

-Can we help you in any way?

-Yes, as it happens,

-some help would be appreciated.

-Just a small job, I hope.

-How's this one for you, Iolo?

-Gosh, Angharad.

-That's not a ram, it's a buffalo!

-Look at its size.

-I've never seen one that big.

-It must be the Bardsey Island air!

-You know, I'd love to help you out.

-It would be an easy job.

-A two-minute job for us, really.

-But, as it happens,

-our boat is about to leave, Shani.

-We have to go,

-but thanks to you both!

-Best of luck with the buffalo.

-Quick, Shani! Let's go!

-Well, Shan, your first visit

-to Bardsey Island is almost over.

-It's been an eye-opener. I've been

-inspired. What a marvellous place!

-S4C Subtitles by Simian 04 Cyf.

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