WALES

WALES – THE CELTIC LAND OF SONGS

…. „There are no borders in the mountains, it is to look for freedom there” …

K.WIELICKI

We postponed the trip to Wales several times in time, for one reason only – we don’t have a car … Because, let’s agree – Wales requires more than a pair of legs … , When the opportunity arose, or rather the „victim” appeared, with four wheels 🙊😉 … we did not wait long with booking accommodation 😀

We chose Llwyngwril, a small coastal town in South West Wales as our whereabouts. I am kindly asking you, not to ask me to explain how to pronounce the name of this town 🙈. As well as the names of other places … 🙈 To this day I have sincere remorse towards our nice hostess, from whom we rented a house. She was so kind, that she tried to teach us at least the basic phrases in Welsh Cymru …. Unfortunately … 🙈🤷‍♀️🤷‍♀️🤷‍♀️

The complex of the cottages made of stone is called Plas Y Nant, located just a few minutes walk from Sun Beach. The picturesque view of the literal „end of the world” really captivates at first sight.

Not without reason, Wales is also called the Celtic historical land. For anyone who comes there from a busy world full of blocks, buses, shops on every corner, Wales is a whole different place. The appearance itself is a legend. Beautiful, huge spaces, mountains, meadows full of sheep, ruins of old castles … All far away from each other, but this is probably why you can feel a special feeling of freedom in the air so much. Such a real, spacious, endless freedom…

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Snowdonia National Park was one of our main destinations on the Wales map. The area covers over 2,000 square meters, and its name comes from it’s highest mountain. The Welsh name – Eryri, is believed to come from the word eagle. Traveling for kilometers of roads in Snowdon, you can not only see the rivers, lakes, and landscapes of „Lord of the Rings”, you can also observe the flights of other „eagles” from time to time. This area is often used by pilots, e.g. F15. The view is impressive, because these planes fly there quite low, although, without warning, it can almost cause a heart attack … 😂🙈

But Wales is not only about mountain climates. Sea lovers can also find interesting surroundings here. Borth and Barmouth certainly deserve attention, even though it blows mercilessly there 😂🙈. Most of the beaches are paved with pebbles, but Barmouth has a beautiful sandy beach full of charming dunes.

And when you get bored with the mountain-coastal landscapes, you can also try to feel some historical atmosphere. In addition to the aforementioned castle ruins, Wales also has relics of a slightly closer history. A visit to Llanberis is definitely worth planning. The local railway line, the Llanberis Lake Railway, Snowdon Moutain Railway, and the local shale mining muse, created on the site of the former mine, are full of atmospheric views and knowledge, that is skilfully cultivated by the inhabitants.

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If, however, you are a fan of animals and unusual Zoos, I recommend going to Borth Wild Animal Kingdom, where I, personally, had the opportunity to touch a charming snake skin for the first time in my life 😀

Wales is not only full of beautiful landscapes, the Celtic atmosphere, but also native, colorful traditions. Most of them are scrupulously cared for, allowing them to maintain a special identity and distinctiveness. One of them – the traditional Eisteddfod, a festival of Welsh culture and music, known all over the world, has consolidated the image of Wales as „the country of songs”.

Archaeological traces in Wales prove that it has been inhabited for at least 29 thousand years! This is probably why, when traveling through its territory, you have the feeling of being in an unreal world. The world, that for us living in big cities, has gone forever, and we let it go. The people of Cymru, however, prove that it is possible to live in harmony with the present civilization. It is difficult, and probably it will be an increasing challenge, but that is why we should not only follow the example of Welsh people, but support them in their love of cultivating their individuality, culture, and language ….. Does it sound too separable? No … The power of humanity lies in originality, in the fact that each of us is different. Unhealthy unification of reality, risks losing the beauty, that Wales still boasts today.

When planning a trip to Wales, I was mainly guided by my sentiment for Celtic stories and legends. The aura and climate prevailing there is definitely not my cup of tea. The constant wind, bitterly cold winters, much less sun compared to my favorite tropical places, after all, does not make Wales a place I would never return to or recommend. On the contrary, I hope that one day I will be able to visit a few places that I haven’t been able to see in the country of Cymru so far 🙂