Y Bala

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0:00:00 > 0:00:00- *

0:00:01 > 0:00:04- Wales, a country full of history...

0:00:04 > 0:00:08- ..where ancient tales - continuously intertwine.

0:00:11 > 0:00:16- The name of this river has become - a symbol of rebellion in Wales.

0:00:18 > 0:00:21- These superb views have attracted - all kinds of characters.

0:00:22 > 0:00:24- I don't think - that's a coincidence.

0:00:27 > 0:00:30- This week, we're in Bro Tegid...

0:00:30 > 0:00:35- ..an area teeming with characters, - each with their own unique story.

0:00:36 > 0:00:41- Some are historical, some legendary, - some even more colourful.

0:00:44 > 0:00:49- Some are true stories, - some slightly more incredible...

0:00:49 > 0:00:52- ..but each one a part of us.

0:00:58 > 0:01:01- Cader Idris, - Aran Benllyn and the Arenig...

0:01:01 > 0:01:07- ..loom over a patchwork of farmland - surrounding Bala Lake.

0:01:08 > 0:01:13- It's easy to see why this area has - attracted tourists for centuries.

0:01:21 > 0:01:26- Tourism and travel has changed - this landscape over the years...

0:01:26 > 0:01:32- ..but the same people remain here, - holding onto this special area.

0:01:32 > 0:01:34- This is our habitat.

0:01:43 > 0:01:47- Our journey encompasses Bala - and Penllyn's five parishes.

0:01:48 > 0:01:53- Llandderfel, Llangower, Llanycil, - Llanuwchllyn and Llanfor.

0:01:53 > 0:01:58- The five parishes may be linked, - but they are also very different.

0:01:58 > 0:02:02- It's a rural, agricultural - and very cultured area.

0:02:03 > 0:02:05- It was Bob Lloyd, Llwyd o'r Bryn...

0:02:05 > 0:02:10- ..who coined the phrase "y pethe" - in reference to Welsh culture.

0:02:10 > 0:02:15- Our journey starts on his home turf, - east of Bala, in Cefnddwysarn.

0:02:16 > 0:02:21- Cynlas farm is part - of the Rhiwlas estate.

0:02:21 > 0:02:24- I'm the fourth generation here.

0:02:27 > 0:02:31- I can imagine that farming - has changed a lot over the years.

0:02:31 > 0:02:33- It has changed, yes.

0:02:33 > 0:02:37- This is a photo of Morgan Hughes, - my great-grandfather...

0:02:38 > 0:02:41- ..with the traction engine - that worked the thresher.

0:02:42 > 0:02:47- My great-grandfather went around - Penllyn with the thresher.

0:02:48 > 0:02:52- But tractors came along - and made the work easier.

0:02:53 > 0:02:55- Farming has changed a lot.

0:02:55 > 0:03:01- Generations grew up here, but Cynlas - is important locally as well.

0:03:01 > 0:03:05- It was the home - of Thomas Edward Ellis, the MP.

0:03:05 > 0:03:09- There's a monument to him - on the main street in Bala.

0:03:09 > 0:03:14- He's buried in Cefnddwysarn - and was born here in 1859.

0:03:14 > 0:03:19- He was elected an MP in 1886...

0:03:20 > 0:03:24- ..with the Liberal party - in Westminster.

0:03:24 > 0:03:27- It must be a nice feeling...

0:03:28 > 0:03:30- ..to share a home - with a man like him.

0:03:30 > 0:03:32- Cynlas is a lovely place.

0:03:32 > 0:03:35- We've come here on a splendid day.

0:03:36 > 0:03:39- You have been lucky - with the weather.

0:03:39 > 0:03:41- I do sometimes think...

0:03:41 > 0:03:46- ..that we don't appreciate - or realize what we have around us.

0:03:47 > 0:03:52- This area is a very cultured area.

0:03:52 > 0:03:58- There are ample opportunities here, - and Bala is well worth a visit.

0:04:01 > 0:04:05- There are magnificent views - looking towards the town.

0:04:06 > 0:04:10- It's easy to see - why so many flock to this area.

0:04:11 > 0:04:14- One of the main attractions - is Bala Lake.

0:04:19 > 0:04:23- So many people have been attracted - to this area over the years.

0:04:23 > 0:04:26- This week, I'm going on their trail.

0:04:26 > 0:04:28- I'm starting here, on Bala Lake...

0:04:29 > 0:04:32- ..then head north to Arenig Fawr...

0:04:32 > 0:04:36- ..back through Bala, ending up - on the other side of the lake.

0:04:38 > 0:04:42- Bala Lake, the largest - natural lake in Wales...

0:04:43 > 0:04:46- ..attracts thousands every year, - from Wales, Britain...

0:04:47 > 0:04:50- ..and maybe, just maybe, - much further afield.

0:04:50 > 0:04:53- On a cold January night in 1974...

0:04:54 > 0:04:58- ..as local families settled down - in front of their TVs...

0:04:58 > 0:05:00- ..they heard a huge explosion...

0:05:01 > 0:05:02- ..and the earth shook.

0:05:02 > 0:05:04- They rushed to their windows.

0:05:05 > 0:05:09- Some say they saw orange lights - falling from the sky to the east.

0:05:09 > 0:05:14- Planes from Anglesey were scrambled - to search the area.

0:05:14 > 0:05:18- The official explanation - states that nothing was found.

0:05:18 > 0:05:23- Unofficially, people online claim - to have seen spaceship parts...

0:05:23 > 0:05:28- ..and corpses being hidden - by the army under cover of darkness.

0:05:28 > 0:05:33- The same thing happened - in Roswell, New Mexico, in 1947.

0:05:34 > 0:05:36- You're heard of Area 51.

0:05:36 > 0:05:38- Could this be Area Fifty-wa?

0:05:39 > 0:05:42- There are ways - to explain the lights.

0:05:42 > 0:05:45- They could have been linked - to a military exercise...

0:05:46 > 0:05:49- ..or a meteor shower - seen across the UK that night.

0:05:50 > 0:05:51- And the explosion?

0:05:52 > 0:05:55- Maybe the lake - had something to do with that.

0:05:55 > 0:06:00- Underneath me now is the Bala Fault.

0:06:03 > 0:06:07- Earthquakes are caused - by breaks in the Earth's crust.

0:06:07 > 0:06:11- On that night in 1974, - an earthquake was registered here...

0:06:11 > 0:06:14- ..measuring 3.5 - on the Richter scale.

0:06:15 > 0:06:19- But in 2008, - almost 35 years later...

0:06:19 > 0:06:23- ..lights were again seen - over the Berwyn mountains...

0:06:23 > 0:06:26- ..and, closer to home, - on the banks of Bala Lake.

0:06:26 > 0:06:31- But so far, no-one knows - what happened that night.

0:06:42 > 0:06:45- Northwest of Bala, - in the parish of Llanycil...

0:06:46 > 0:06:49- ..the River Tryweryn - flows through Llyn Celyn.

0:06:50 > 0:06:52- But the river flow - isn't all that has changed.

0:06:53 > 0:06:57- At one time, the GWR's - Bala to Ffestiniog train...

0:06:57 > 0:07:01- ..steamed along where I'm standing.

0:07:01 > 0:07:04- This line was closed - in January 1961.

0:07:04 > 0:07:08- But unlike the water, even if - the railway was still here...

0:07:08 > 0:07:10- ..it would hardly reach Bala now.

0:07:26 > 0:07:27- I can see where I am now.

0:07:28 > 0:07:32- The railway and the river - run alongside each other here...

0:07:32 > 0:07:36- ..past Arenig quarry - and where Capel Celyn once was.

0:07:37 > 0:07:41- ..then out at the other end, - the river and the railway...

0:07:41 > 0:07:45- ..ran down towards Bala.

0:07:54 > 0:07:58- In 1962, a dam was built - to block the River Tryweryn.

0:07:58 > 0:08:01- The name became synonymous - with oppression...

0:08:02 > 0:08:06- ..as the water level rose - and drowned Capel Celyn village.

0:08:06 > 0:08:10- The dam stands on the old site - of the Tyddyn Halt station.

0:08:10 > 0:08:13- That's not visible now, obviously...

0:08:13 > 0:08:19- ..but the old railway line can be - seen in Frongoch, nearer Bala.

0:08:19 > 0:08:22- The old station still stands...

0:08:22 > 0:08:27- ..over 50 years since the Bala - to Ffestiniog line closed.

0:08:30 > 0:08:35- We're in the old signal box - at Frongoch station.

0:08:36 > 0:08:40- It's among the smallest signal boxes - on the Great Western, I'd say.

0:08:40 > 0:08:43- You've got an old photo - of the station.

0:08:43 > 0:08:48- We referred to it as the belfry, - and the platform is there.

0:08:48 > 0:08:51- And this is where we are now.

0:08:51 > 0:08:53- That's the signal box, yes.

0:08:53 > 0:08:58- Do you remember the cost of a ticket - from Bala to Frongoch?

0:08:58 > 0:09:02- In December 1959, - it was threepence for a child.

0:09:03 > 0:09:04- A one-way ticket.

0:09:04 > 0:09:05- This is the ticket.

0:09:07 > 0:09:09- For an adult, it would be double.

0:09:10 > 0:09:15- But in the old days, - it cost a penny a mile to travel.

0:09:15 > 0:09:18- There was an old couplet.

0:09:18 > 0:09:23- "For threepence, the land will pass - Like lightning for three miles."

0:09:23 > 0:09:24- A penny a mile?

0:09:24 > 0:09:25- A penny a mile?- - Yes, that's right.

0:09:26 > 0:09:31- You must have heard stories about - this line that not many have heard.

0:09:31 > 0:09:36- The train came from Trawsfynydd - one Saturday night.

0:09:36 > 0:09:40- The cushions in the first class - carriage weren't there.

0:09:41 > 0:09:46- Someone had thrown them - out of the train there...

0:09:46 > 0:09:48- ..to use in their own house.

0:09:50 > 0:09:52- This is another gem.

0:09:53 > 0:09:57- The River Tryweryn - meandered like a snake...

0:09:57 > 0:09:59- ..slowly along the valley.

0:10:00 > 0:10:05- It was a great place - for salmon to lay eggs.

0:10:05 > 0:10:10- Poachers would go after the salmon.

0:10:10 > 0:10:13- The keepers - would come up on the train.

0:10:13 > 0:10:18- If the keeper was on the train, - the guard shone a red light.

0:10:19 > 0:10:23- If it was all clear, no keeper, - the green light would come on.

0:10:23 > 0:10:28- The guard might well have been - slipped a salmon for helping them.

0:10:28 > 0:10:31- He must have known the poachers.

0:10:31 > 0:10:35- They probably went up - on an earlier train!

0:10:47 > 0:10:47- .

0:10:52 > 0:10:52- *

0:10:53 > 0:10:58- Bala's White Lion Hotel - has a rich history.

0:10:58 > 0:11:01- It was built in the 18th century.

0:11:01 > 0:11:06- Guests include the noted traveller - George Borrow and Queen Victoria.

0:11:07 > 0:11:12- But the White Lion could well - have more permanent guests...

0:11:12 > 0:11:16- ..than any other local hotel.

0:11:17 > 0:11:21- This place has been full of ghosts.

0:11:21 > 0:11:23- I sense someone here now.

0:11:31 > 0:11:34- An older man, with greying hair.

0:11:36 > 0:11:38- He's got a long black coat.

0:11:41 > 0:11:42- He likes his beer.

0:11:45 > 0:11:49- The name Huw springs to mind, - but I may be imagining that.

0:11:49 > 0:11:51- That's all I'm getting.

0:11:51 > 0:11:54- I get the impression - that I know him.

0:11:54 > 0:11:55- I'm not sure.

0:11:57 > 0:12:00- That I remember him - from when I was a child.

0:12:01 > 0:12:03- He's becoming distant now.

0:12:03 > 0:12:07- That's all I'm getting, - but he's definitely here.

0:12:09 > 0:12:12- I've been here many times - over the years.

0:12:13 > 0:12:16- There are many ghosts here, - restless spirits.

0:12:16 > 0:12:20- We've come across - 28 different ones here.

0:12:20 > 0:12:24- People who stay here - experience things at night.

0:12:24 > 0:12:26- Banging.

0:12:27 > 0:12:28- Bad smells.

0:12:28 > 0:12:31- Rooms becoming cold, or hot.

0:12:31 > 0:12:34- They also see things, apparitions.

0:12:42 > 0:12:47- In this room, we had a gentleman.

0:12:47 > 0:12:52- He told me that he had come here - to stay for a week...

0:12:53 > 0:12:56- ..to shoot pheasants at Rhiwlas.

0:12:57 > 0:13:02- He wasn't menacing, - he just wanted to tell his story.

0:13:02 > 0:13:06- That he had come here - from Grosvenor Park, near Chester.

0:13:06 > 0:13:10- He wanted us to know he was here, - and that was that.

0:13:10 > 0:13:13- So, you came here - to exorcise the ghost.

0:13:13 > 0:13:16- Yes, we were invited here.

0:13:16 > 0:13:19- I thanked him - for making himself known...

0:13:20 > 0:13:23- ..and asked him - to leave the guests alone.

0:13:23 > 0:13:25- And that's what happened.

0:13:33 > 0:13:36- There's an interesting story - about this room.

0:13:37 > 0:13:40- I got a phone call - from the lady who ran the place.

0:13:40 > 0:13:43- She couldn't go through this door.

0:13:43 > 0:13:47- I asked if it was locked, - but it didn't have a lock.

0:13:47 > 0:13:51- I asked if the knob turned, - but it didn't have a knob.

0:13:51 > 0:13:56- They'd tried kicking it to get in, - all to no avail.

0:13:56 > 0:13:57- I said I'd try.

0:13:57 > 0:14:01- I put my hand on the door - and it opened, just like that.

0:14:02 > 0:14:06- There was an old man there, - an Englishman, very irate.

0:14:07 > 0:14:11- He was angry that the maids - were interfering with his room.

0:14:11 > 0:14:15- This was his room, - and he was in charge of the laundry.

0:14:16 > 0:14:19- I asked the two maids - to apologize to him...

0:14:19 > 0:14:20- ..and they did so.

0:14:21 > 0:14:23- They had no trouble afterwards.

0:14:23 > 0:14:24- And he's not there now.

0:14:24 > 0:14:26- And he's not there now.- - No, not at this time.

0:14:27 > 0:14:27- Are you sure?

0:14:27 > 0:14:28- Are you sure?- - He's not there.

0:14:42 > 0:14:46- When did you become aware - that you had this ability...

0:14:46 > 0:14:50- ..to see spirits - and to contact the other side?

0:14:50 > 0:14:52- I was about 30 years old.

0:14:53 > 0:14:56- My wife and I and another local man - went to a house.

0:14:56 > 0:15:00- We went through every room - on the ground floor except one.

0:15:00 > 0:15:06- We went into it and it was - like walking into a freezer.

0:15:06 > 0:15:08- A cold wind caught my throat.

0:15:08 > 0:15:11- The hairs on my arms stood on end.

0:15:11 > 0:15:13- Chills began - at the base of my spine...

0:15:14 > 0:15:16- ..and ran up my spinal cord - to my brain.

0:15:16 > 0:15:19- I had no idea - what was happening to me.

0:15:19 > 0:15:22- I felt a bang, - a big bang next to me.

0:15:22 > 0:15:25- Like a sledgehammer hitting a rock.

0:15:25 > 0:15:28- This foul stench filled the room.

0:15:28 > 0:15:31- I couldn't breathe - and I had to run out.

0:15:32 > 0:15:34- I didn't know what was going on.

0:15:34 > 0:15:38- That's when I realized - there must be a ghost there.

0:15:38 > 0:15:39- It was a new experience for me.

0:15:39 > 0:15:43- It was a new experience for me.- - I can imagine there are believers.

0:15:43 > 0:15:46- But there must also be sceptics...

0:15:47 > 0:15:50- ..who think that it's all - a complete pack of lies.

0:15:51 > 0:15:55- What's your response to those - who don't believe what you say?

0:15:56 > 0:16:01- People must realize that there are - very few true psychics around.

0:16:02 > 0:16:05- If that's a good or a bad thing, - I don't know.

0:16:05 > 0:16:10- But I've helped a lot of people - to exorcise ghosts from their homes.

0:16:11 > 0:16:15- What's supposed to happen - when the dead disturb the living?

0:16:15 > 0:16:19- All I do is try - to pacify those spirits.

0:16:20 > 0:16:23- People are afraid - to talk about their experiences...

0:16:23 > 0:16:28- ..in case others make fun of them, - and that has happened often.

0:16:28 > 0:16:30- But there's nothing to fear.

0:16:30 > 0:16:34- If you do have problems, - go to someone who can handle them.

0:16:41 > 0:16:46- Behind me, the River Tryweryn ends - and joins with the River Dee.

0:16:47 > 0:16:52- Further downstream, in 1804, - floodgates were built...

0:16:53 > 0:16:55- ..by none other than Thomas Telford.

0:16:58 > 0:17:00- Some years - before his famous bridges...

0:17:00 > 0:17:03- ..at Betws-y-Coed, - Conwy and Menai Bridge...

0:17:04 > 0:17:08- ..Telford served his apprenticeship - building canals in Shropshire.

0:17:09 > 0:17:12- All canals - need water from somewhere.

0:17:13 > 0:17:15- Telford wanted to find a way...

0:17:15 > 0:17:19- ..to transport coal from the - coalfield of northeast Wales...

0:17:20 > 0:17:22- ..to the ports in Ellesmere.

0:17:22 > 0:17:26- He wanted to build a canal - and needed water to feed that canal.

0:17:26 > 0:17:29- Where would that water come from?

0:17:29 > 0:17:30- From the River Dee.

0:17:31 > 0:17:35- It was an ideal way to create it - and maintain it at a certain level.

0:17:35 > 0:17:38- But why build floodgates in Bala?

0:17:38 > 0:17:42- It's a long way - from the industrial north-east.

0:17:42 > 0:17:43- It is, indeed.

0:17:43 > 0:17:46- Telford realized - that it was possible...

0:17:47 > 0:17:50- ..to store surplus water - in Bala Lake.

0:17:50 > 0:17:54- When the River Dee was low, - water could be released...

0:17:54 > 0:18:00- ..to ensure a constant water supply - to maintain the canal's level...

0:18:00 > 0:18:03- ..and its availability to industry.

0:18:04 > 0:18:08- I notice that Telford's floodgates - are long gone.

0:18:08 > 0:18:11- There's no trace - of his floodgates today.

0:18:11 > 0:18:16- This building and the gates - were erected in the 1950s.

0:18:16 > 0:18:19- I do have some photos here...

0:18:19 > 0:18:23- ..clearly from the days - before health and safety!

0:18:24 > 0:18:27- People working in the middle - of a dangerous current...

0:18:28 > 0:18:30- ..with no harnesses, - hats or the like.

0:18:31 > 0:18:34- So, this is the River Dee - flowing beneath my feet here.

0:18:35 > 0:18:36- This is the Dee, yes.

0:18:36 > 0:18:39- But about 100 yards up there...

0:18:40 > 0:18:43- ..the Tryweryn flows into the Dee.

0:18:44 > 0:18:46- This is how these gates work.

0:18:46 > 0:18:50- When the Tryweryn and the Dee - are in full flow...

0:18:50 > 0:18:55- ..a lot of that water, - rather than flowing downstream...

0:18:55 > 0:18:58- ..is held back by the gates...

0:18:58 > 0:19:03- ..and diverted upstream, incredibly, - and stored in Bala Lake...

0:19:03 > 0:19:08- ..until such time - as more water is required...

0:19:08 > 0:19:11- ..or it poses less of a flood risk.

0:19:11 > 0:19:14- It has also benefitted - the people of Bala.

0:19:14 > 0:19:19- Scenes like this, flooded homes, - were once fairly regular events.

0:19:19 > 0:19:25- Fortunately, that hasn't happened - for decades now.

0:19:25 > 0:19:29- The way this system is operated - is partially responsible for that.

0:19:30 > 0:19:35- So, if you send water back to - Bala Lake and control its level...

0:19:35 > 0:19:38- ..is it still a natural lake?

0:19:39 > 0:19:43- I was taught, like thousands - of other schoolchildren...

0:19:43 > 0:19:47- ..that Bala Lake - is Wales' largest natural lake.

0:19:47 > 0:19:51- But, in one way, it isn't, - because the lake's level...

0:19:51 > 0:19:55- ..has been controlled manually - for over two centuries.

0:19:55 > 0:20:00- It's also officially defined - as a reservoir now...

0:20:00 > 0:20:05- ..because there is an embankment - to prevent Bala flooding.

0:20:05 > 0:20:09- But it'll always be - a natural lake to me.

0:20:19 > 0:20:24- I've left Bala for the time being - to walk the wilds to the north-west.

0:20:25 > 0:20:29- In the winter of 1910, - Llanelli artist James Innes...

0:20:29 > 0:20:31- ..came to sleep wild in Snowdonia.

0:20:32 > 0:20:34- One night, he drank heavily...

0:20:34 > 0:20:38- ..and somehow woke up - at the foot of this mountain.

0:20:38 > 0:20:43- He fell in love with it - and invited friends to join him.

0:20:44 > 0:20:48- Those friends were artists - Augustus John from Tenby...

0:20:48 > 0:20:50- ..and Australian Derwent Lees.

0:20:50 > 0:20:55- None of them were local, - but they all lived here a while.

0:20:55 > 0:21:00- They were enchanted by one mountain - in particular, Arenig Fawr.

0:21:00 > 0:21:04- They slept in a nearby cottage - but painted on the mountains.

0:21:05 > 0:21:08- They walked all day, - lugging their equipment...

0:21:08 > 0:21:12- ..then, when the light - and conditions were perfect...

0:21:13 > 0:21:16- ..they painted scenes - before the moment passed.

0:21:16 > 0:21:20- Three wild men - conveying wild landscapes on canvas.

0:21:26 > 0:21:29- The Arenig school disbanded in 1913.

0:21:30 > 0:21:35- A year later, aged just 27, - James Innes was dead.

0:21:46 > 0:21:49- Innes painted this image - of Arenig Fawr.

0:21:49 > 0:21:54- Works by all three survive, - most in private collections, sadly.

0:21:55 > 0:21:58- But they're a testament - to this fine landscape...

0:21:58 > 0:22:02- ..and the colourful characters - that passed this way.

0:22:05 > 0:22:08- Running alongside Bala Lake, - the old GWR line...

0:22:08 > 0:22:13- ..once linked Barmouth in the west - with Ruabon in the east.

0:22:14 > 0:22:17- By now, the Bala Lake Railway - carries tourists.

0:22:18 > 0:22:21- But the River Dee - still flows eastwards...

0:22:21 > 0:22:24- ..passing through Bala Lake.

0:22:24 > 0:22:28- It's a lake that contains - some very rare species.

0:22:31 > 0:22:34- We're in the parish of Llangower.

0:22:34 > 0:22:37- Behind us - is the parish of Llanuwchllyn...

0:22:37 > 0:22:41- ..and over there - is the parish of Llanycil.

0:22:41 > 0:22:45- All three parishes converge - on Bala Lake itself.

0:22:45 > 0:22:47- How big is the lake?

0:22:47 > 0:22:51- How big is the lake?- - The lake is about 1,100 acres.

0:22:52 > 0:22:53- Is it deep?

0:22:53 > 0:22:57- Is it deep?- - The deepest point is 43 metres.

0:22:57 > 0:23:01- Apart from being able to stand - near so many parish boundaries...

0:23:01 > 0:23:03- ..why are we in the water?

0:23:03 > 0:23:08- Many will be aware that we have - a very rare fish here, the gwyniad.

0:23:08 > 0:23:10- We also have an equally rare snail.

0:23:10 > 0:23:14- The glutinous snail.

0:23:14 > 0:23:15- That's a mouthful.

0:23:15 > 0:23:16- That's a mouthful.- - It is indeed.

0:23:19 > 0:23:20- How rare is it?

0:23:20 > 0:23:24- It's the only lake in Britain - where they can be found.

0:23:24 > 0:23:28- It's so small and hard to see, - and it hides under stones.

0:23:29 > 0:23:34- It was first recorded - in Bala Lake in 1850.

0:23:34 > 0:23:38- It was recorded in detail - for about a century.

0:23:38 > 0:23:41- But for about 50 years, - we thought we'd lost it.

0:23:42 > 0:23:45- Why has it chosen - this lake as a home?

0:23:45 > 0:23:50- It seems that the water - is of good quality, very clear.

0:23:50 > 0:23:52- That helps the snail to live here.

0:23:52 > 0:23:53- That helps the snail to live here.- - How will we see it?

0:23:54 > 0:23:56- I do have one way - that makes it much easier.

0:24:04 > 0:24:08- Here it is, the glutinous snail.

0:24:08 > 0:24:10- As an archaeologist...

0:24:10 > 0:24:13- ..I know - from studying snail shells...

0:24:13 > 0:24:17- ..that they tend to stay - in one particular habitat.

0:24:18 > 0:24:22- Their shells show what habitats - were around there in the past.

0:24:22 > 0:24:26- Would it be possible - to do something similar with these?

0:24:27 > 0:24:32- What makes these different - is that they have a mantle.

0:24:32 > 0:24:36- You can see the colours, - browns and greens...

0:24:36 > 0:24:39- ..and gold specks.

0:24:40 > 0:24:44- For people who study snails, - they must be very pretty examples.

0:24:45 > 0:24:48- The mantle, a kind of jelly, - probably helps to keep it safe.

0:24:49 > 0:24:53- If a hunter wants to eat it, - it makes it hard to get hold of.

0:24:53 > 0:24:55- It's an extremely rare snail.

0:24:56 > 0:24:59- It's on a list of critically - endangered pond species.

0:25:00 > 0:25:02- A list of 18 species - that we could lose.

0:25:03 > 0:25:06- It's so small, no wonder - it was missing for 50 years!

0:25:07 > 0:25:07- .

0:25:12 > 0:25:12- Subtitles

0:25:12 > 0:25:14- Subtitles- - Subtitles

0:25:15 > 0:25:17- We're roaming Bro Tegid...

0:25:18 > 0:25:22- ..an agricultural area - where early rising is a way of life.

0:25:23 > 0:25:26- This diligence may be one reason...

0:25:26 > 0:25:29- ..why some locals have succeeded - very far from home.

0:25:32 > 0:25:37- I'm now in the parish of Llanycil, - north-west of Bala Lake...

0:25:37 > 0:25:41- ..on the trail of one of Bala's - most famous daughters.

0:25:43 > 0:25:48- Many characters were attracted here, - but she left to travel the world.

0:25:49 > 0:25:52- She never forgot - where she came from, though.

0:25:52 > 0:25:57- Here, in 1789, - Betsi Cadwaladr was born.

0:25:57 > 0:26:02- Her name is very familiar now, - at every hospital in North Wales.

0:26:02 > 0:26:05- But it all started for her - here in Llanycil.

0:26:11 > 0:26:14- When she fell out - with her family at Pen Rhiw...

0:26:15 > 0:26:16- ..and it happened a lot...

0:26:17 > 0:26:20- ..Betsi escaped up here, - to Craig y Fron.

0:26:21 > 0:26:24- These caves fed the imagination...

0:26:24 > 0:26:26- ..of a young girl - who liked music and dance.

0:26:27 > 0:26:29- Her mind was never on her work.

0:26:30 > 0:26:35- It was here that Betsi - first thought about foreign lands.

0:26:35 > 0:26:40- Those dreams would one day - take her to London, Singapore...

0:26:40 > 0:26:43- ..Tasmania, Rio, India and China.

0:26:44 > 0:26:49- Her final trip, at the age of 65, - took her to the Crimean War.

0:26:50 > 0:26:54- Her big inspiration - was nurse Florence Nightingale...

0:26:54 > 0:26:57- ..cited by the British press - at the time...

0:26:58 > 0:27:01- ..as a symbol of hope amid the war.

0:27:01 > 0:27:03- Propaganda is one thing.

0:27:03 > 0:27:04- Truth is another.

0:27:06 > 0:27:10- Florence Nightingale, - if you believe Betsi's stories...

0:27:10 > 0:27:14- ..had three hot meals a day - while other nurses ate leftovers.

0:27:17 > 0:27:20- Florence didn't like the fact...

0:27:20 > 0:27:24- ..that Betsi was Welsh - and working-class.

0:27:24 > 0:27:26- She may also have been envious.

0:27:26 > 0:27:30- Betsi had received - much more training as a nurse.

0:27:30 > 0:27:34- Things eventually got so bad - that Betsi had to flee...

0:27:34 > 0:27:36- ..closer to the front line.

0:27:37 > 0:27:41- After she came back to Britain, - the war had left its mark on her.

0:27:41 > 0:27:43- She didn't live long afterwards.

0:27:44 > 0:27:47- But we remember Betsi Cadwaladr - more now than ever.

0:27:47 > 0:27:50- She's one of Bala's - biggest characters...

0:27:51 > 0:27:54- ..which says a lot, - because there are so many of them.

0:28:01 > 0:28:06- Another huge character - is from the Rhiwlas estate family.

0:28:06 > 0:28:11- The Price family can trace - their roots back to Rhys Fawr...

0:28:11 > 0:28:16- ..who led the Perfeddwlad soldiers - in support of Henry Tudor...

0:28:16 > 0:28:19- ..at the Battle of Bosworth Field.

0:28:19 > 0:28:24- But despite the links - with Henry VII...

0:28:24 > 0:28:29- ..it's a Victorian squire - who's best remembered in Bala.

0:28:30 > 0:28:33- Richard John Lloyd Price, - or RJ as he was known...

0:28:34 > 0:28:36- ..was an author, a gambler...

0:28:36 > 0:28:40- ..an entrepreneur, - an animal lover and much more.

0:28:41 > 0:28:45- He was a man of his time - who was willing to have a wager.

0:28:47 > 0:28:49- Here is RJ Lloyd Price, Rhiwlas.

0:28:49 > 0:28:54- He established the first sheepdog - trials in Wales, and in Britain.

0:28:54 > 0:28:56- The man himself.

0:28:56 > 0:28:57- The man himself.- - I wouldn't cross him.

0:28:58 > 0:29:01- There was something about him.

0:29:01 > 0:29:04- He was willing to have a go.

0:29:04 > 0:29:07- He was a colourful man, - a true Victorian...

0:29:08 > 0:29:11- ..ready to take a risk - and see what would happen.

0:29:11 > 0:29:13- He had the oddest ideas.

0:29:13 > 0:29:16- He was ahead of his time, in a way.

0:29:16 > 0:29:18- Table waters, for example.

0:29:18 > 0:29:21- There was a well near Bala, - St Beuno's well.

0:29:22 > 0:29:24- He decided to sell this water.

0:29:24 > 0:29:29- There's a famous advert - for these table waters.

0:29:29 > 0:29:32- In Welsh, it stated, - "cyn oered a nad asyn."

0:29:32 > 0:29:37- As cold as a donkey's bray, - which is some strapline.

0:29:37 > 0:29:39- Along with the water came whisky.

0:29:40 > 0:29:45- He couldn't see why we had to have - Scottish whisky or Irish whiskey.

0:29:46 > 0:29:49- What was wrong with Welsh whisky?

0:29:49 > 0:29:52- The problem was, - it wasn't all that good.

0:29:52 > 0:29:55- It wasn't left to mature - long enough in the barrel.

0:29:56 > 0:29:57- They sold it too soon.

0:29:58 > 0:30:01- Queen Victoria - was given a whole barrel...

0:30:01 > 0:30:04- ..when she came here - in 1892, I think it was.

0:30:04 > 0:30:08- We don't know if she drank it - or whether it's still around.

0:30:08 > 0:30:14- You talk about him as a squire, - one of the landed gentry...

0:30:14 > 0:30:18- ..but he was also protective - of this area and of Wales.

0:30:18 > 0:30:20- Yes, he was, in his own way.

0:30:20 > 0:30:23- I mentioned the sheepdog trials.

0:30:23 > 0:30:27- He was at London's Turf Club, - so the story goes.

0:30:27 > 0:30:31- A claim was made that Welsh - shepherds couldn't handle dogs...

0:30:32 > 0:30:35- ..as well as their English - and Scottish counterparts.

0:30:36 > 0:30:38- RJ Lloyd Price set up a competition.

0:30:38 > 0:30:43- It was held in October 1873, - at Garth Goch, not far from here.

0:30:44 > 0:30:49- Every local dog took part - in the first-ever sheepdog trials.

0:30:50 > 0:30:53- Unfortunately, a Scotsman won.

0:30:54 > 0:30:56- He lived in the Hirnant valley...

0:30:56 > 0:31:00- ..but he was a Scotsman, - with a dog called Tweed.

0:31:00 > 0:31:03- In a couple of years, - a decision was taken...

0:31:03 > 0:31:08- ..to hold sheepdog trials - at Alexandra Palace in London.

0:31:08 > 0:31:12- This time, a Welshman won, - the tenant at Cwmyraethnen.

0:31:22 > 0:31:28- Fly fishing is the leading form - of fishing in the Bala area.

0:31:30 > 0:31:35- The Tryweryn and the Dee - are full of trout.

0:31:36 > 0:31:38- Sea trout.

0:31:38 > 0:31:40- Salmon come up now.

0:31:40 > 0:31:44- There are eels, enormous pike.

0:31:45 > 0:31:49- When I fish, it's just me, - the rod, the fish...

0:31:50 > 0:31:51- ..and nature.

0:31:53 > 0:31:58- Once you catch a fish - with a fly you've tied yourself...

0:31:59 > 0:32:01- ..your heart starts to pump.

0:32:04 > 0:32:07- My grandfather - opened the shop many years ago.

0:32:08 > 0:32:11- It was one of the first - angling shops in North Wales.

0:32:15 > 0:32:19- I remember the first fly - because it was untidy.

0:32:19 > 0:32:21- I've never fished with it.

0:32:23 > 0:32:27- Tying a fly requires - lots of different material.

0:32:27 > 0:32:30- Cock feathers, hen feathers.

0:32:30 > 0:32:35- Fur. Rabbit, hare, deer.

0:32:36 > 0:32:40- And wool from the fleece - of a black ram.

0:32:46 > 0:32:51- One fly can take between - two minutes and half an hour.

0:32:53 > 0:32:55- I'll tie hundreds in a day.

0:32:55 > 0:32:58- You'll never master the craft.

0:32:58 > 0:33:01- There's always - something new to learn.

0:33:06 > 0:33:09- At the western end of Bala Lake...

0:33:10 > 0:33:13- ..is the village - and parish of Llanuwchllyn.

0:33:13 > 0:33:17- Unlike the snails - living in the lake...

0:33:17 > 0:33:21- ..someone once lived here - who whizzed around at speed.

0:33:22 > 0:33:26- Officially, he was RJ Edwards, - but more knew him as Robin Jac...

0:33:26 > 0:33:31- ..or by the nickname Y Fellten Goch, - the Red Bolt of Lightning.

0:33:33 > 0:33:37- He was a Llanuwchllyn lad - who raced on the Isle of Man...

0:33:38 > 0:33:39- ..and was a local hero.

0:33:40 > 0:33:45- The consensus is that if the war - hadn't disrupted everything...

0:33:45 > 0:33:48- ..he could well - have become world champion.

0:33:49 > 0:33:51- He dressed in a unique way.

0:33:51 > 0:33:54- His helmet featured - Plaid Cymru's triban logo.

0:33:55 > 0:33:57- He was ahead of his time - in the 1940s...

0:33:58 > 0:34:02- ..in displaying the Plaid logo, - because it just wasn't done then.

0:34:03 > 0:34:06- His nickname, Y Fellten Goch, - came from his red leathers.

0:34:07 > 0:34:09- Everyone wore black - or brown leathers then.

0:34:10 > 0:34:13- I heard later - that a Douglas garage owner...

0:34:13 > 0:34:16- ..had sprayed them with red paint.

0:34:17 > 0:34:21- Twm, you knew Robin - and I hear he was a bit of a lad.

0:34:21 > 0:34:24- Well, I don't know.

0:34:24 > 0:34:27- His sister's sitting there!

0:34:28 > 0:34:31- This is how I remember Robin.

0:34:31 > 0:34:33- He was quite a character.

0:34:33 > 0:34:37- He always had a cigarette - in the corner of his mouth.

0:34:37 > 0:34:41- These stories all point - to a mischievous character.

0:34:41 > 0:34:43- But he had a different side.

0:34:44 > 0:34:48- He was a passionate nationalist, - as you know.

0:34:48 > 0:34:52- He wrote strict metre verses - on cigarette packets.

0:34:52 > 0:34:54- Here's one example.

0:34:54 > 0:34:59- "The day after marrying her, - Robert did something to cross her.

0:34:59 > 0:35:04- "Back he went to his mother, - And I suppose he's still there."

0:35:04 > 0:35:08- He had hundreds of those - around the house.

0:35:08 > 0:35:11- At what races - did he win these trophies?

0:35:11 > 0:35:14- There are two - Manx Grand Prix trophies.

0:35:14 > 0:35:16- He finished fourth and sixth.

0:35:16 > 0:35:20- There are photos of him racing - in his first Manx Grand Prix.

0:35:21 > 0:35:22- What year was this?

0:35:22 > 0:35:24- What year was this?- - That was 1934.

0:35:24 > 0:35:28- There's a photo - of him wearing these.

0:35:29 > 0:35:32- Every time he raced - in the Manx Grand Prix...

0:35:33 > 0:35:35- ..he was given one of these.

0:35:35 > 0:35:38- He was very proud to wear those.

0:35:38 > 0:35:42- Then after 1948, - he turned pro, as they say...

0:35:42 > 0:35:45- ..and competed in the TT.

0:35:45 > 0:35:48- The Manx Grand Prix - was for amateurs.

0:35:48 > 0:35:52- He raced twice in the TT, - finishing ninth both times.

0:35:52 > 0:35:56- It was quite a feat for a man - with no resources behind him.

0:35:56 > 0:36:00- He was racing against factory bikes - and big companies.

0:36:00 > 0:36:02- I'm told he was quite a poacher!

0:36:02 > 0:36:04- I'm told he was quite a poacher!- - Yes, he was a poacher.

0:36:04 > 0:36:05- Would he poach fish?

0:36:05 > 0:36:07- Would he poach fish?- - Yes, I suppose.

0:36:07 > 0:36:09- And the odd woman too!

0:36:13 > 0:36:18- When he went poaching, - he had a lookout.

0:36:19 > 0:36:24- The local policeman - used to flash his torch...

0:36:24 > 0:36:27- ..then Robin knew - that someone was around.

0:36:27 > 0:36:30- Every now and then, - the policeman got a salmon.

0:36:33 > 0:36:34- Was he ever caught?

0:36:34 > 0:36:36- Was he ever caught?- - No, no-one would catch Robin.

0:36:36 > 0:36:38- Certainly not on his motorbike.

0:36:38 > 0:36:40- Certainly not on his motorbike.- - No, that's true.

0:36:49 > 0:36:49- .

0:36:54 > 0:36:54- Subtitles

0:36:54 > 0:36:56- Subtitles- - Subtitles

0:36:56 > 0:37:02- Motorbikes and poetry may have been - Robin Jac's big passions...

0:37:02 > 0:37:05- ..but the two worlds - only came together once...

0:37:05 > 0:37:06- ..in English!

0:37:07 > 0:37:10- "Two score miles to scare 'em all."

0:37:10 > 0:37:15- That's how Robin Jac - described the Isle of Man TT course.

0:37:15 > 0:37:18- To practise for the event...

0:37:19 > 0:37:23- ..Robin had his very own TT course - here on home soil.

0:37:24 > 0:37:29- A group of local bikers now follow - in Y Fellten Goch's tyre tracks.

0:37:31 > 0:37:36- Robin Jac sped through Llanuwchllyn, - Frongoch, Capel Celyn...

0:37:36 > 0:37:39- ..on to Llan Ffestiniog, - over the Migneint...

0:37:39 > 0:37:43- ..Trawsfynydd, Dolgellau, - Rhydymain, over the Garneddwen...

0:37:43 > 0:37:48- ..and back to Llanuwchllyn, - trying to avoid every policeman.

0:37:49 > 0:37:53- Fortunately for me, our pace - is more leisurely than Robin Jac's.

0:37:55 > 0:38:00- We follow the same course as he did - to test his racing bike.

0:38:01 > 0:38:05- Through Bala to Llan Ffestiniog, - Traws, Dolgellau and back here.

0:38:06 > 0:38:09- It was similar to the Isle of Man.

0:38:09 > 0:38:10- So, that's why he chose it.

0:38:10 > 0:38:12- So, that's why he chose it.- - Yes, that's right.

0:38:12 > 0:38:14- How long has the rally been going?

0:38:14 > 0:38:16- For 21 years now.

0:38:16 > 0:38:18- For 21 years now.- - That's quite a while, 21 years.

0:38:19 > 0:38:23- Brian, you remember Robin Jac - and you've taken part in the rally.

0:38:24 > 0:38:27- He lived and breathed motorbikes.

0:38:27 > 0:38:30- I'd like to show you this book.

0:38:30 > 0:38:33- It's almost 80 years old.

0:38:35 > 0:38:38- The motorcyclists' bible.

0:38:39 > 0:38:40- Who's in it?

0:38:43 > 0:38:47- Robert John Edwards, Robin Jac.

0:38:50 > 0:38:54- Are these old bikes - from Robin Jac's time?

0:38:54 > 0:38:57- Yes, this is a 1949 Royal Enfield.

0:38:58 > 0:38:59- A Model G.

0:39:00 > 0:39:02- What kind of speed could this do?

0:39:03 > 0:39:05- About 70, thereabouts.

0:39:05 > 0:39:06- Seventy miles an hour?

0:39:07 > 0:39:09- What about the other one?

0:39:09 > 0:39:12- What about the other one?- - That's the same, 600cc.

0:39:12 > 0:39:14- It's a BSA M21.

0:39:15 > 0:39:18- This is Robin Jac - coming around the corner.

0:39:19 > 0:39:21- That was taken here.

0:39:21 > 0:39:25- Yes, practising for the Isle of Man.

0:39:25 > 0:39:29- He sometimes went at 100mph - with a cigarette in his mouth.

0:39:29 > 0:39:31- We don't go that fast.

0:39:31 > 0:39:32- We don't go that fast.- - Thank goodness!

0:39:33 > 0:39:34- Y Fellten Goch!

0:39:35 > 0:39:37- Quite a character.

0:39:52 > 0:39:56- Here in Bala, a linguist - by the name of John Sampson...

0:39:56 > 0:40:01- ..discovered that the Romany dialect - spoken here hadn't been corrupted.

0:40:01 > 0:40:06- With the help of local gypsies, - for the first time ever...

0:40:06 > 0:40:10- ..he made a record of their - folk tales and their grammar.

0:40:10 > 0:40:14- The two men who helped him - were Edward and Matthew Wood.

0:40:15 > 0:40:19- The Romany Abraham Wood family - hailed from England...

0:40:19 > 0:40:23- ..but had spread out across Wales. - some of them settling in Bala.

0:40:24 > 0:40:29- Edward Wood was a harpist - who knew countless folk songs.

0:40:29 > 0:40:34- It's said that he'd fall asleep - still playing his harp.

0:40:34 > 0:40:39- But all it took to wake him - was a pint of beer under his nose.

0:40:40 > 0:40:42- That works for me too.

0:40:43 > 0:40:46- Listening to Edward, - John Sampson was convinced...

0:40:47 > 0:40:49- ..that it was the same dialect...

0:40:49 > 0:40:53- ..that Welsh gypsies - would have spoken centuries earlier.

0:40:53 > 0:40:58- But if he had the gift of the gab, - Matthew was beyond compare.

0:40:58 > 0:41:02- Matthew Wood was a handsome man, - with black, curly hair...

0:41:02 > 0:41:06- ..who always wore a velvet waistcoat - and long purple socks.

0:41:11 > 0:41:16- They called him the old hedgehog - because of his love of animals...

0:41:16 > 0:41:19- ..and because he moved so quietly.

0:41:19 > 0:41:23- He sounds more like a character - from Lord Of The Rings!

0:41:23 > 0:41:27- Most important of all, - he was a remarkable storyteller.

0:41:28 > 0:41:33- He roamed the area, - enchanting hundreds with his tales.

0:41:33 > 0:41:38- Sometimes, he got overexcited - and wove himself into them.

0:41:38 > 0:41:41- This from a man - who couldn't read or write.

0:41:42 > 0:41:47- Matthew Wood stayed in this area - until his death at the age of 84.

0:41:47 > 0:41:51- But thanks to John Sampson's visit - to the Bala area...

0:41:51 > 0:41:57- ..we can treasure Matthew's stories - and local gypsy traditions forever.

0:42:00 > 0:42:04- The Rhiwlas estate is one - of the largest in North Wales.

0:42:04 > 0:42:10- We're on the trail - of a former squire, RJ Lloyd Price.

0:42:11 > 0:42:13- Where are we now, Einion?

0:42:13 > 0:42:16- We're on the way - to find the dogs' graveyard.

0:42:17 > 0:42:20- RJ Lloyd Price - used to bury his working dogs...

0:42:20 > 0:42:23- ..when they were old.

0:42:23 > 0:42:25- There's a graveyard here somewhere.

0:42:26 > 0:42:29- Let's look at the headstones.

0:42:33 > 0:42:35- Here it is.

0:42:35 > 0:42:37- I've heard about this one.

0:42:37 > 0:42:39- This is the grave of Comedy.

0:42:39 > 0:42:41- "Here lies Comedy...

0:42:42 > 0:42:48- "..the best - and dearest of retrievers...

0:42:48 > 0:42:54- "..accidentally shot by her devoted - and heartbroken master...

0:42:54 > 0:42:58- "..October 2nd 1877."

0:42:59 > 0:43:00- Wow!

0:43:00 > 0:43:03- Not much comedy for poor Comedy.

0:43:13 > 0:43:14- "Here lies Belle.

0:43:15 > 0:43:19- "Champion pointer of the world."

0:43:19 > 0:43:23- "Five hundred pounds - was refused for her...

0:43:23 > 0:43:27- "..and she died as she lived, - happily at Rhiwlas."

0:43:29 > 0:43:30- Well, well, really.

0:43:31 > 0:43:33- He truly respected his dogs.

0:43:33 > 0:43:36- He truly respected his dogs.- - We can see from these headstones.

0:43:36 > 0:43:40- They're not some bits of wood, - they're professionally carved.

0:43:40 > 0:43:41- Very interesting.

0:43:41 > 0:43:43- Very interesting.- - And you'd never been here.

0:43:43 > 0:43:44- It's all hidden away.

0:43:44 > 0:43:45- It's all hidden away.- - Yes.

0:43:48 > 0:43:51- We've got another cemetery - to look forward to now!

0:43:51 > 0:43:55- A stone's throw from Rhiwlas - is the village of Llanfor.

0:43:55 > 0:44:00- Here is the large church, Llan Fawr, - that gives the village its name.

0:44:00 > 0:44:03- It's said that Llywarch Hen...

0:44:03 > 0:44:06- ..the sixth century prince - and poet, is buried here...

0:44:07 > 0:44:10- ..but the exact location - of his grave is now unknown.

0:44:10 > 0:44:14- But the Price family tomb - isn't in danger of going missing.

0:44:15 > 0:44:18- If you thought the dogs' graveyard - was remarkable...

0:44:18 > 0:44:22- ..look what he built as a tomb - for himself and his wife.

0:44:22 > 0:44:26- He put money - on a horse called Bendigo...

0:44:27 > 0:44:32- ..in the Kempton Jubilee Stakes, - and the old horse won.

0:44:32 > 0:44:33- He won a tidy sum.

0:44:33 > 0:44:38- Some say he'd bet the entire - estate, which is very dubious.

0:44:38 > 0:44:41- But it was probably - a good sum of money.

0:44:41 > 0:44:45- He decided to build this - as a tomb for himself.

0:44:45 > 0:44:48- As you can see, - there's a poem above the door.

0:44:49 > 0:44:53- As children, we learnt it - as we would a verse from the Bible.

0:44:53 > 0:44:56- Not at school, but we knew about it!

0:44:57 > 0:44:59- "As to my latter end I go, - to seek my Jubilee

0:45:00 > 0:45:04- "I bless the good horse Bendigo, - who built this tomb for me."

0:45:04 > 0:45:06- RJ Lloyd Price, 1887.

0:45:06 > 0:45:11- After building it, he got the Bishop - of St Asaph to consecrate it.

0:45:12 > 0:45:15- Given the reference to betting...

0:45:15 > 0:45:18- ..the Bishop decided - not to come near the place.

0:45:19 > 0:45:23- They removed the stone arch - and replaced it with timber.

0:45:23 > 0:45:27- The Bishop came, - consecrated the building and left.

0:45:28 > 0:45:32- Then they removed the timber - and replaced the stone arch.

0:45:33 > 0:45:34- He was all there, wasn't he?

0:45:34 > 0:45:35- He was all there, wasn't he?- - He most certainly was.

0:45:35 > 0:45:37- He knew what he was doing.

0:45:44 > 0:45:48- RJ Lloyd Price was an innovator - in the world of sheepdogs.

0:45:48 > 0:45:52- The estate's relationship - with dogs continues.

0:45:52 > 0:45:56- The current squire, - RJ's great-great-grandson...

0:45:56 > 0:46:00- ..has been president of the - Welsh National Sheepdog Trials.

0:46:01 > 0:46:04- The annual sheepdog sale - on the estate's land...

0:46:04 > 0:46:07- ..is also a highlight of the year.

0:46:09 > 0:46:13- There are people here from all parts - of Wales, and all over Britain.

0:46:14 > 0:46:15- Most don't come to buy...

0:46:16 > 0:46:19- ..just to have a chat and a cuppa...

0:46:20 > 0:46:23- ..and to see friends - they've not seen for a year, maybe.

0:46:23 > 0:46:27- Looking back, - what's the record price paid?

0:46:27 > 0:46:31- I think that the record price - at this sale is 7,300.

0:46:32 > 0:46:34- That was a year or two ago.

0:46:34 > 0:46:39- A lot of people can't fathom - why the prices are so high.

0:46:40 > 0:46:43- But a dog works every day.

0:46:43 > 0:46:48- People don't think twice about - buying a new tractor or motorbike.

0:46:48 > 0:46:51- If you put an hour meter on a dog...

0:46:52 > 0:46:58- ..I'm sure the dog would work - more hours than a bike or a tractor.

0:47:11 > 0:47:15- It's easy to come somewhere - and merely scratch the surface.

0:47:15 > 0:47:18- But this area - has so much to offer...

0:47:18 > 0:47:22- ..be that its history, - its stories and its people...

0:47:22 > 0:47:25- ..and their contribution - to this community.

0:47:25 > 0:47:30- Who knows, today's stories - might be tomorrow's legends.

0:47:45 > 0:47:47- S4C Subtitles by Testun Cyf.

0:47:47 > 0:47:47- .