Porth Meudwy-Abersoch Arfordir Cymru

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-The far end of the Lleyn Peninsula.

-A wonderful part of the country.

-The pace of life is different here.

-The history and names of the area

-are enchanting.

-This is the story

-of the Welsh coastline.

-We've passed the western tip

-of the peninsula...

-..and our journey

-takes us eastwards...

-..past Porth Meudwy towards

-the lively village of Abersoch.

-This is an incredible part of Wales.

-A stretch of land...

-..withstanding waves,

-and at times, the passage of time.

-Some connect Porth Meudwy...

-..with the pilgrims making

-their journey to Bardsey Island.

-Their retreating nature

-inspired the beach's name.

-The Aberdaron Sailing Club's history

-doesn't stretch back that far...

-..but they safeguard

-some historical boats.

-The first thing you notice

-about Porth Meudwy...

-..is that it's a busy harbour...

-..and modern boats sit side by side

-with significantly older boats.

-How old are the small boats

-around us?

-Some are about 100, 120 years old,

-the oldest as old as 130.

-Indeed.

-There are more recent boats

-such as this.

-The boat behind you

-was renovated last year.

-It sailed last night

-for the first time.

-The tradition continues.

-The tradition continues.

-

-Most certainly.

-It's a strong tradition.

-The sailing club is trying to

-encourage more people to sail boats.

-You organise regattas.

-Yes.

-Every Saturday,

-if the weather is favourable.

-It's been rather inclement of late.

-We're hoping

-for a good day tomorrow.

-Is it competitive?

-Is it competitive?

-

-It's very competitive.

-Once we're on the water,

-everyone wants to win.

-Where were these boats built?

-Some were built on Bardsey Island,

-the oldest boats.

-This one came from Tudweiliog.

-Most of the boats are local.

-They're known as Aberdaron boats.

-Oh, yes,

-they're unique to Aberdaron.

-I'm an experienced boatman

-but sailing is alien to me...

-..especially when the boat

-is on its side.

-I wouldn't mind coming out

-in a boat with you.

-We'll give it a go.

-What's the name of this boat?

-Its name is Glan.

-It's a wonderful sailing boat.

-It's a wonderful sailing boat.

-

-It looks great.

-It's nice having

-free sailing lessons.

-I don't know about that.

-Did they originally use these boats

-for sailing?

-No, they were fishing boats.

-They used to row them.

-After a hard day lifting cages...

-..they decided to erect

-masts and sails...

-..to ease their journey home

-since they were so tired.

-That's when they became

-sailing boats.

-It was a hard job.

-It was a hard job.

-

-All day long.

-And rowing.

-And rowing.

-

-America's Cup is the next stop!

-Yip.

-Aberdaron boats!

-In Aberdaron you'll find a church

-consecrated to St Hywyn.

-Here, near Ffynnon Saint,

-there was a large flat stone...

-..called Allor Hywyn

-(Hywyn's Altar).

-Saints would congregate here

-and hold services.

-The stone was demolished

-years ago...

-..to make way for this bridge,

-Pont Afon Saint.

-While they were at it,

-someone truly gigantic...

-..left their footprints here.

-Sampson Gawr, so it is said.

-There's a strong possibility

-that Daron was the goddess of oak.

-She gave her name to the river that

-flows to the beach in Aberdaron.

-On the eastern side of the beach

-is Carreg Meudwy.

-Although there is no proof, it is

-claimed that its is a fallen meteor.

-That's not the only strange thing

-about it.

-From some angles, it looks

-very much like Bardsey Island.

-Years ago, trade ships

-would regularly visit Aberdaron.

-They would arrive at high tide...

-..and at low tide, they could

-unload their cargo on to carts...

-..to carry it to dry land.

-When the sailboats arrived,

-their bows would point to dry land.

-When the high tide returned...

-..it was a major undertaking

-to turn the sailboat around...

-..and back towards the ocean.

-They would throw a rope

-off the side of the boat...

-..and tie it to an iron ring

-on rocks such as Carreg y Ring.

-This gave them a pivot to counter.

-Working the sails

-in a special way...

-..allowed them to counter

-the rope and the rock...

-..and turn the boats

-to face the sea.

-That trade

-has all disappeared now...

-..but places, rocks and names

-have survived along the coastline...

-..to remind us of our busy past.

-Taking to the water in a rather more

-contemporary boat than earlier...

-..I head for the two islands

-in Aberdaron bay.

-It's not hard to guess

-how these islands were named.

-Ynys Gwylan Fawr (Large Seagull)...

-..and Ynys Gwylan Fach

-(Small Seagull).

-The island have names,

-as do parts of the islands.

-This sheltered part

-is called Heuwal yr Ynys.

-All the caves on this island

-also have names.

-It's hard not to be enchanted, not

-only by the beauty of the place...

-..but also

-by the linguistic wealth around us.

-I sail on a little further

-past Maen Gwenonwy...

-..before reaching the coast's

-post-industrial landscape.

-We're heading towards a wonderful

-pebble beach called Porth Ysgo.

-You'll also find Porth Ysgo

-on Anglesey.

-There, Ysgo is named

-after 'ysgawen' (elder)...

-..the plant with white flowers.

-Very pretty and I imagine

-that's the case here too.

-I can see elder growing

-in the distance, on the slopes.

-It's peaceful here today...

-..but on closer inspection, there is

-evidence of a very different past.

-90% of British manganese

-was once exported from here.

-It's a mineral used

-to strengthen steel.

-During two World Wars, manganese

-was crucial to the war effort.

-Here it is.

-A dark, heavy stone -

-some people call it the ironstone.

-Industrial remains are visible

-along the coastline...

-..to where there was once

-a landing bay.

-That's where the manganese,

-or mango, was exported.

-To find its source...

-..I'm travelling uphill to Rhiw.

-There were different mines here...

-..including Benallt,

-Tyddyn Meirion and Tynyfron.

-They were usually named after farms

-where land was mined.

-During World War II, miners were

-drafted from Cornwall and Canada...

-..to work here.

-They all learnt a smidgen of Welsh.

-Before an explosion, they'd shout,

-"Barod i danio" (ready to fire)...

-..and everyone would find shelter.

-Remains of old buildings

-are still visible...

-..on the mountainside.

-When the Canadians worked here,

-their homes were less salubrious.

-This photograph shows the tents

-they slept in.

-These are local lads at the front

-and the Canadians' tents behind.

-One of their responsibilities was

-channelling water out of the shafts.

-They drilled in to the side

-of the slopes...

-..to draw out the water.

-Their attempts were unsuccessful

-but the name stuck - Canadian hole.

-Unfortunately,

-no-one knows where it is!

-As I head back out towards the sea,

-and exchange Rhiw for Graig...

-..I'm no longer searching

-for a quarry shaft.

-I'm searching

-for a rather different retreat.

-I'm looking for Twll Dihangfa

-Sion Twnti (Sion Twnti's Cave).

-These remains are Twnti,

-a cottage beyond the mountain.

-The only things Sion Twnti had

-to sustain his family...

-..were these two small fields.

-In dire straits,

-he took to stealing sheep.

-On one occasion, the police heard of

-his exploits and searched for him.

-He escaped and hid somewhere

-on this mountainside to my left.

-But the local who told me the story

-admits he doesn't always know...

-..the exact location

-of Sion Twnti's cave.

-I'll have to dig deeper.

-Sion Twnti knew his locality

-like the back of his hand.

-It took two hours of searching

-before I found his cave...

-..in a perilous place

-between land and sea.

-The perfect place

-to hide from the world.

-There's just enough room...

-..for someone of average size...

-..to slide in here.

-Arms last.

-Crouched down here...

-..this is where Sion Twnti hid...

-..with his wife bringing him food

-from their cottage.

-She would also bring a stone

-to block the entrance.

-Sion was nowhere to be seen.

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-We're on a journey along the

-coastline of the Lleyn Peninsula.

-Leaving the post-industrial

-landscape of Rhiw behind...

-..we head towards

-the sandy beaches of Porth Neigwl.

-The prevailing south-westerly wind

-blows straight into the bay...

-..we're heading towards now.

-It drives huge waves

-towards the land.

-It is little wonder that

-the English name for this place...

-..is Hell's Mouth.

-It's hard to explain accurately

-the meaning of Porth Neigwl.

-Neigwl might be a word

-originating from Irish or Norse.

-One things is certain - people

-come here for around the world...

-..to surf and windsurf

-on the white waves.

-The name Hell's Mouth

-was first noted over 200 years ago.

-Some feel, as this beach

-becomes more and more popular...

-..that the English name

-has supplanted the Welsh name.

-Some Welsh people translate

-the name Hell's Mouth...

-..and refer to this beach as Y Geg.

-At the eastern end of the beach...

-..a discovery was recently made -

-a Bronze Age brewing trough.

-One of the directors of Cwrw Llyn

-is Myrddin ap Dafydd.

-An opportunity to see how people

-brewed thousands of years ago.

-This is the trough.

-This is the trough.

-

-An exact copy...

-..in terms of size

-to the one discovered here.

-You can see a layer of clay...

-..and the remains of a bonfire.

-That darker area?

-Yes, the dark area.

-This would stick out,

-a piece of bark here...

-..carrying water from the stream.

-This is the barley

-which has been prepared for brewing.

-During the process of brewing

-the barley dries.

-Then it's moistened.

-As it's moistened, it believes it

-will regrow and it releases sugar.

-That's the sugar required

-for brewing.

-From that sugar, beer is produced.

-Let's throw it in.

-The barley's going in.

-The next step is boiling the water,

-this mixture of barley and water.

-It's a wooden trough so we can't

-create a fire underneath it.

-How are we going to heat it?

-Those stones are being heated.

-In go the baskets.

-The tools are in the water.

-This is security Bronze Age style!

-Take the spade

-and I'll take the fork.

-They use these in a pizza oven!

-It's OK to use the ones

-that are split.

-Place it in one of the baskets.

-We'll approach it

-from this end first.

-There we go.

-That's already boiling.

-This is gorse.

-We use hops now but centuries ago,

-they used local herbs.

-Gorse was perfect - it added

-to the flavour and it purified it.

-There's a lot of wild yeast in gorse

-and you need yeast to brew beer.

-We're adding the gorse

-while it's simmering.

-Do people still use

-these ingredients in brewing?

-We made a special batch of beer

-to celebrate this discovery...

-..and we made beer

-using Porth Neigwl gorse.

-It's a very popular beer.

-And the beer is called Porth Neigwl.

-It's delicious.

-There's something in gorse

-that enhances its flavour.

-There are different names

-to the beer the brewery produces.

-Is that important to you?

-I believe it is.

-It's a local brewery and we

-wanted to adopt local place names.

-We can see Bardsey Island

-in the distance.

-Bardsey was popular

-with lighthouse workers.

-They enjoyed visiting Bardsey

-because they could have homebrew.

-It was strong homebrew -

-it would explode on the shelves!

-Seithenyn is the name

-of another beer.

-This is the land

-of Cantre'r Gwaelod under the sea.

-The bottoms of the oak tree trunks

-from centuries ago can be seen here.

-It's proof that there is

-some truth to the old tale.

-The story about the drunken keeper

-of the sluice gates...

-..that's always a firm favourite.

-One of the three immortal drunkards

-of the British Isles.

-So few people actually know

-about these tales.

-There's a tale behind every name.

-There's a talking point

-behind each one.

-It would be rude of us

-not to partake of a drink.

-You've worked for it.

-We deserve this.

-Along the coastline we go...

-..and the remains of quarries

-can be found in Bwlchtocyn.

-There were lead mines in Penrhyn Du.

-As was the case in Rhiw, miners

-from Cornwall were drafted in.

-This Cornish engine house

-still stands...

-..and Cornish names

-have survived here.

-Cornish Row was once a row

-of terraced houses...

-..and its name is testament

-to the origin of its inhabitants.

-The house has wonderful views

-of Abersoch Bay...

-..and the boats nestling

-in St Tudwal's Roads.

-Simply put, Roads is

-a path or anchorage for boats.

-There are many

-around the British Isles.

-If the wind blows in

-from the north or west...

-..St Tudwal's Roads

-is among the best places...

-..to drop anchor in Cardigan Bay.

-If the wind turns strongly

-in the other direction...

-..you could find yourself

-in trouble.

-The winds were strong

-on the 22nd of October, 1858.

-The most famous ship

-grounded here was the Ann Pugh...

-..which is more commonly known

-as Fflat Huw Puw.

-It's hard to know how much damage

-was done during the storm.

-The Roads remains a bustling bay...

-..proof that people

-still consider it a safe anchorage.

-Traeth Castellmarch is

-a more expansive beach in Abersoch.

-The name is linked not only to local

-history but national history too.

-The present owners of Castellmarch

-house are Wyn and Helen Jones.

-Well, Helen and Wyn, you live

-in a house steeped in history.

-It's a wonderful place.

-This family tree stretches back

-for many centuries.

-The family tree of William Jones.

-It traces his family

-back to Meirion Goch...

-..who lived on Lleyn in 1080.

-He was famous for betraying

-Gruffudd ap Cynan to the English.

-The house was passed on

-eventually to William Jones.

-He built the house as it is now.

-He was a notable man.

-He was Beaumaris' MP.

-He'd worked

-as a justice of the peace.

-He was educated in London.

-He was born in Castellmarch

-in 1566...

-..and he built

-the present building in 1628.

-There's a wonderful,

-if not incredible tale...

-..linked to this place.

-The tale of March ab Meirchion.

-He had the ears of a horse.

-No-one knew his secret

-apart from his barber.

-The barber became very ill.

-He couldn't cope

-with knowing this great secret.

-March ab Meirchion

-had told him he would be killed...

-..if he revealed the secret.

-The barber was ill with worry

-and visited his doctor.

-He told him he had something

-weighing heavily on his mind.

-His doctor told him to tell

-his secret to the wet ground.

-What a great doctor!

-Not long after,

-there was a feast in Castellmarch.

-Pipers were invited to play music

-in the house.

-They made a pipe from reeds

-they found on the wet ground.

-They played their pipes.

-What was heard were the words...

-.."March ab Meirchion

-has horse's ears."

-Everyone was shocked.

-That's what the pipes played.

-March removed his crown

-and showed everyone his ears.

-He never hid them again.

-He was happy with his life

-after that - everyone was happy.

-That's a true story.

-Every word is true.

-Every word.

-Making my way back towards Abersoch,

-I launch the boat into Afon Soch...

-..which winds its way through

-the village on its way to the sea.

-Soch, the name of the river, has

-its origins in the Irish language.

-It belongs to a group

-of river names...

-..such as Afon Hwch in Llanberis and

-Afon Twrch in the Black Mountains.

-They take their names from creatures

-which burrow through the ground.

-A very apt and simple name.

-Be it a shaft in a quarry,

-a rock or a river...

-..everything, more often than not,

-is in the name.

-S4C Subtitles by Adnod Cyf.

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