Myrddin ap Dafydd Crwydro

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-Pont Fawr, Llanrwst,

-spanning the river Conwy...

-..is one of Wales's

-most recognisable bridges.

-For locals, there is an easier way

-to walk from Llanrwst to Trefriw.

-Via Pont Gower.

-I'm on my way to Trefriw

-to meet Myrddin ap Dafydd.

-A local lad who's roamed these

-mountains since he was a boy.

-This area has been the inspiration

-for many of his songs.

-# When the scythe

-was on the bracken,

-# When the axe was sharp,

-# When the sickle

-was harvesting here,

-# And the land was maintained.

-# The foreign landlord

-had a huge wall around his mansion.

-# But only gave spare stones

-# For the labourer

-to build his dwelling.

-# When the turf was ploughed,

-# And the seeds were in the furrows,

-# When the rake was harvesting,

-# And the slope

-was under the heavy crops.

-# There were families

-in the neighbourhood,

-# Even though the work was hard,

-# And four walls and slates

-were a refuge for the language. #

-What's your connection with Trefriw?

-I'm from Llanrwst.

-When we were kids, we used

-to come to Trefriw over Pont Gower.

-It was a safe path for us

-to come here on our bikes.

-Trefriw's football pitch

-was better than Llanrwst's!

-The family moved to Trefriw

-when I was 15.

-It was like moving from the city

-to the country.

-The garden in Llanrwst

-consisted of one geranium pot.

-We had two acres of land here.

-It gave us a chance to explore

-the mountains and the valleys.

-Cwm Cowlyd,

-Cwm Crafnant and Geirionydd.

-Is that where your fondness

-for the countryside began?

-Yes, I often went walking.

-I soon knew most of the area

-around here.

-In Trefriw, the sun shines down

-on you in the morning.

-I'm an early riser.

-There's something magical

-about the hours around dawn.

-The sun is very pure

-early in the morning.

-They say the early sun is good

-for fruit trees.

-It helps the dew disappear early.

-These apples look very tasty.

-You go first.

-What's this river called?

-This is the Crafnant.

-It flows all the way down

-from Llyn Crafnant.

-It passes a number of water mills

-on the way.

-This is an excellent place

-for a young child to grow up.

-This is an excellent place

-for a young child to grow up.

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-None of these paths are straight.

-Hardly any of the houses

-in the village face the same way.

-They all look as if they've

-slid down the hillside.

-It's very peculiar.

-The climbing starts in earnest now.

-Look at these stone walls - there

-are a lot of stone walls in Trefriw.

-Trefriw had many excellent

-wall builders.

-The best in Wales.

-The best in the valley.

-We start our journey in Trefriw -

-where do we go next?

-We follow one of my favourite paths,

-up past Grinllwm mountain.

-That takes us

-up above Cwm Crafnant...

-..all the way

-to the Klondyke lead mine.

-Years ago, there was a thriving

-industry in nearby lead mines.

-From there, we pass Llyn Geirionydd,

-Llanrhychwyn...

-..Castell Gwydir

-and back to Llanrwst.

-We're heading for the forest now...

-..along a wall

-that separates two houses.

-We're walking along the wall.

-It's a peculiar path.

-This area is full of peculiarities.

-Did this area influence you

-as a poet?

-The seasons are very close

-to you here.

-After moving to Trefriw,

-I became part of a strong community.

-We used to hold evenings

-of poetry competitions...

-..at Plas Celyn and Fron Deg.

-People would come together

-for nights of poetry.

-That's what sparked my interest

-in poetry.

-If it's fun, you're attracted to it.

-Yes, but I remember R E Jones

-of Llanrwst...

-..bringing us all back down

-to earth one night.

-We were all laughing...

-..and he told us that we were

-the only people in the world...

-..who held such poetry evenings.

-It makes you think.

-It's an inspiration for some people

-to write poetry.

-We don't want this tradition

-to die out.

-What were your early influences?

-An eisteddfod was held in Trefriw

-each year.

-I used to compete regularly

-in the local eisteddfod.

-J R Jones, Talybont,

-was one of the adjudicators.

-He gave me

-a wonderful adjudication once.

-An encouraging word from people

-like him went a long way.

-It's started raining.

-We're coming up

-to the mountain path now.

-This must have been

-the old mountain wall.

-We're on the northern face

-of the mountain.

-It's the sheltered side

-of the mountain.

-Huw Sel, a carpenter and a poet

-from Ysbyty Ifan...

-..claimed that wood

-from north-facing trees...

-..was of better quality.

-The trees were tougher.

-Some of the trees had a kink

-in the middle.

-It was useful for making

-a scythe handle.

-Huw had a rich vocabulary

-of Welsh words.

-I learnt a lot from him. He'd

-normally work with the ash tree.

-This is a birch -

-some would say it's a silver birch.

-But it's a downy birch.

-This is a real mountain tree.

-The old farmers and carpenters

-knew their stuff.

-There are some interesting names

-in this area.

-This is called Cefn Cyfarwydd.

-There's something in that name...

-..and people were familiar with it.

-In the olden days, a story teller

-was called a 'cyfarwydd'.

-Cwm Cowlyd is the other side

-of this ridge.

-There's a reference

-to the owl of Cwm Cowlyd...

-..in the tale of 'Culhwch ac Olwen'.

-That owl could remember

-way back to a time...

-..before the first tree

-was cut down in Cwm Cowlyd.

-There was a Roman settlement

-in Trefriw.

-There were wells here

-that contained a lot of iron.

-These were the wells in Cae Coch.

-They've reopened now -

-they're well worth seeing.

-There was a lot of iron, lead

-and zinc in the rocks around here.

-We're about to reach Klondyke now.

-Klondyke? That's a strange name.

-"And here they drown."

-This is an old lead mine.

-The lead that was left over

-is still there.

-It's contaminated the water. There

-are very few fish in this river.

-That's Mynydd Deulyn over there.

-Crafnant on the one side

-and Geirionydd on the other.

-You have to be careful

-where you walk around here.

-There are huge holes

-scattered everywhere.

-Take care.

-It's opening out now.

-There must have been an old railway

-line on this flattened area.

-We're walking along

-such a natural area...

-..but you can still see

-man's influence in some places.

-This is the old incline that

-brought lead from the upper shafts.

-You can see where the lead fell

-from the buckets.

-This is a very rough path.

-Yes, indeed.

-It's well worth coming down here.

-These are the best mining remains

-in the area - look at this shaft.

-It has a huge entrance.

-I have no idea

-where these shafts lead.

-An interesting piece

-of architecture.

-That's one way to cross a river!

-This is a huge building.

-Three storeys.

-It's an amazing building -

-and imagine what went on inside it.

-The lead industry was still strong

-here until about 50 years ago.

-There were night shifts here -

-Parc was the last working mine.

-Pubs in Llanrwst would open at

-6.00am for the nightshift workers.

-Scotland Road was the old

-Scott area of town.

-T Glynne Davies describes it

-amusingly in the novel 'Marged'.

-It's where the miners used to live.

-There were Irishmen,

-experienced Cornish miners...

-..and miners from Yorkshire.

-Many of the families

-still live in the area...

-..with surnames such as Berry,

-O'Connor, Harker and Metcalfe.

-They moved here to work and they're

-now naturalised Welsh families.

-Scott was the old miners' town -

-it was the wild west of Llanrwst.

-I remember a story about Ifan

-Denbigh arguing with his wife.

-These miners would carry

-dynamite in their pockets.

-He was arguing with his wife

-at home in Scotland Road...

-..and he threw

-a stick of dynamite into the fire...

-..and ran out of the house.

-His house exploded

-but his wife survived!

-Can't live with them,

-can't live without them!

-The decline of the mining industry.

-We're heading up towards

-Llyn Geirionydd now.

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-Llyn Geirionydd

-is just over this ridge.

-This hill is called Bryn Y Caniadau.

-Taliesin's court was situated here.

-This was a permanent site for

-the eisteddfod until 80 years ago.

-60 eisteddfodau were held here.

-About 1,000 people attended

-the eisteddfod here.

-How recently were they held here?

-They were held here until the 1920s.

-They were established

-by local poets.

-Three in particular - Gwilym Cowlyd,

-Trebor Mai and Gethin Jones.

-This is Taliesin's Monument.

-Taliesin Bencerdd.

-It's been here for over 150 years.

-It fell during a fierce storm

-in 1976.

-It was rebuilt very recently.

-They've retained

-many of the old stones here.

-When people attended

-the eisteddfod...

-..they would carve their names

-in the rock.

-There are some strange names here -

-Eryr Alwen!

-T H Parry-Williams has carved

-his name here somewhere.

-Gwilym Cowlyd took his name

-from Llyn Cowlyd.

-He lived in Ardda, near Llyn Cowlyd.

-Trebor Mai lived just over

-this ridge in Llanrhychwyn.

-His name conjures up

-an image of a renowned poet.

-His name is actually

-"I am Robert" in reverse!

-Gwilym Cowlyd

-was a very special man.

-He was a printer, a poet

-and also ran a bookshop in Llanrwst.

-He collected books, too.

-He'd collect more than he sold.

-In the end,

-he had to close down the shop.

-He kept a bull mastiff at his shop.

-Cowlyd would work

-at the back of the shop...

-..and the dog

-would look after the shop.

-The dog knew where

-the most precious books were kept.

-If a visitor went anywhere near

-these books, the dog would growl.

-No wonder he didn't sell many books.

-They called the early eisteddfodau

-an 'arwest'.

-They were great occasions.

-They were similar

-to rebel eisteddfodau.

-They were rebelling

-against the National Eisteddfod.

-Clwydfardd had his Gorsedd

-in the National Eisteddfod.

-It had become very anglicised.

-MPs and landowners were allowed

-to join the Gorsedd.

-Cowlyd and his friends wanted

-a return to the tradition...

-..when the Gorsedd

-was only for bards and composers.

-Cultured people. The Eisteddfod had

-to return to its Welsh roots, too.

-It also needed to be held

-in a wide open space.

-This is where they would hold

-their eisteddfodau.

-Things took a turn for the worse

-when Trebor Mai and Gethin died.

-Cowlyd went off the rails somewhat.

-He created problems when

-the Eisteddfod came to Llanrwst.

-Clwydfardd would cry to the masses,

-"Is there peace?"...

-..and Cowlyd would shout,

-"No, there isn't!"

-His behaviour became

-more and more erratic.

-The Shah of Persia

-was part of his Gorsedd.

-He wanted to get some big names

-in his Gorsedd.

-The Pope and the Amir of Afghanistan

-were also in his Gorsedd.

-He was very anti-establishment.

-He had a very sad end to his life.

-He died a pauper in Llanrwst.

-They didn't put a headstone

-on his grave for 30 years.

-He was a genius, in some ways.

-Today, the Eisteddfod is close

-to how Cowlyd wanted it to be.

-We have to stop here - this

-is Llywelyn Fawr's old church.

-Llanrhychwyn.

-Rhychwyn was a saint

-in the 6th Century.

-He was the son of Helyg -

-you've heard of Llys Helyg.

-He lived in the 6th Century.

-It's a very old building.

-There are two sections - this one,

-facing south, is the older section.

-This was built

-almost 1,000 years ago.

-The walls are very thick

-and the door frames are quite low.

-The door is amazing.

-You can't speak aloud in here.

-You always whisper

-when you're in a church.

-The roof trusses

-are all made of wood.

-A lot of work

-went into building this.

-Look at the stained glass window -

-one of the oldest in Wales.

-How long has it been here?

-It was installed by the Wynne family

-when the second section was built.

-Llywelyn Fawr may well have sat

-in these seats.

-It's one of the few buildings

-in Wales...

-..you can be sure he visited

-at one time or another.

-He was very close

-to the Conwy Valley.

-He was born at Dolwyddelan Castle...

-..he was buried at the monastery

-in Aberconwy...

-..and his burial stone

-is in Llanrwst.

-This was his church.

-His hunting court was in Trefriw.

-He'd walk up the steep hill

-from Trefriw to Llanrhychwyn.

-According to the stories, his wife,

-Siwan, was not an early riser.

-She seldom made the trek here

-on a Sunday morning.

-Llywelyn built a church in Trefriw

-in the end - St Mary's Church.

-Siwan was of Norman descent.

-It is said he built the church...

-..to save Siwan the steep walk

-every Sunday morning.

-He was keeping his wife happy!

-There's a certain something

-about ancient churches.

-You almost feel closer to God.

-There's a special atmosphere here.

-There are pieces of furniture

-with names and dates carved on them.

-Some of them have been here

-for 400 years.

-There's something magical about

-them and the gravestones outside.

-You can see examples

-of the old style of calligraphy.

-There's a wonderful colour

-to these flowers.

-There are a number of roads

-down from Llanrhychwyn...

-..but this road, which leads

-to Castell Gwydir, is special.

-There are different types of trees

-here, too.

-Holly trees with red berries.

-Red leaves on the beech tree.

-Red leaves on the beech tree.

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-Oak. Horse chestnut.

-There's a cedar tree over there -

-one of many in the area.

-We're within sight

-of Castell Gwydir now, Iolo.

-It's not a real castle -

-it's an Elizabethan palace.

-It has wonderful chimney stacks

-from the Elizabethan period.

-The Wynne family lived here. They

-were very powerful in north Wales.

-John Wynne of Gwydir was the most

-well-known member of the family.

-He wrote a book about his family

-and about local history.

-This lowland is quite wet

-after the recent rainfall.

-It would be a lot worse without

-this river defence here.

-It's done well

-during periods of high water levels.

-This is an old river path.

-They've raised it

-and strengthened it.

-John Wynne lived in Gwydir -

-'gwydir' means old low land.

-That's why it's called Gwydir.

-He began the work of strengthening

-the river defence around here.

-He had a small harbour near Gwydir.

-Boats would sail up the river

-carrying wine from Beaumaris.

-They built a huge estate

-and included this lowland.

-There were many tales

-about John Wynne of Gwydir.

-He would often trick people.

-He once called his lawyer

-to his garden in Gwydir.

-He placed some of the

-garden's earth in his own shoes.

-Both of them went to a cottage

-in Dolwyddelan...

-..and he stated that he was

-standing on Gwydir territory.

-The lawyer confirmed this...

-..and the poor old widow

-signed her home over to Wynne.

-That's why he was knighted,

-I suppose.

-Here we are - Pont Gower.

-The end of the road.

-We've walked along flat countryside,

-wooded slopes...

-..valleys, lakes and mountains.

-A very varied walk.

-This is Pont Gower - who was Gower?

-He was Trefriw's Vicar.

-He saw his opportunity when

-the railway was built in Llanrwst.

-This is Llanrwst and Trefriw's

-train station.

-He built a wooden bridge

-to link the villages.

-He placed a toll booth at one end...

-..and collected contributions, for

-the Vicar's sherry fund probably!

-He'd also transport people

-back and forth to Trefriw.

-There were a lot of stories

-about John Gower.

-You'll have to come back again

-to hear some more.

-Delighted! Any excuse!

-# But May came to Nant Conwy,

-# To green the hazel and the ash.

-# The habitat of the hard woods,

-# Will survive in spite of this.

-# Spring's colours came once more,

-# Where the hard winter had been.

-# The land will beat the master,

-# While the oak remains. #

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