Chapter II: Preface

THE Author’s object in offering to the Public the following pages is, that all who have a desire to examine the beauties of Welsh scenery may also have an opportunity of seeing the most _interesting_ portion of it in a tour which will not occupy more than a month. The route described in this volume presents a variety of pictures which can scarcely be equalled, and certainly not surpassed, in any quarter of the globe. It is true there are hills higher far than any in Snowdonia, and valleys more extensive; but, while we are astonished at a description of the enormous magnitude of the Asiatic and American mountains, and the noble rivers, and sea-like lakes of the latter, let us take into our consideration which is the most desirable country to explore; that in which nature’s prodigies are so extensive that we can neither ascend the eminences, ford the rivers, nor view the opposite shores of the extensive lakes; or _that_ where mountains may be scaled with ease, from the summits of which, a series of glorious panoramas burst upon the eye,—wherein the valleys, glens and wild ravines present an endless variety of sublimity and beauty, and the loud torrent and the waterfall pour forth their melody of never tiring sweetness, to delight the ear?

Seas must be crossed, and miles of dreary and uninteresting country traversed, in wandering from one grand object to another in the _former_; while, in the route here represented to the Public,—within the reach of all—repose and admiration charm the heart by turns, in the rich fertile valleys, lofty and wood-clad hills, or heather-mantled mountains, of North Wales. The traveller is likewise insured the comfort of a good inn, where he may rest his wearied limbs, after a day’s ramble in whatever part of the district he chooses to select for his excursion; and the healthy and active should decidedly make _use_ of their _limbs_, to bear them through this tour, in preference to the more easy and luxurious vehicle, and even to the equestrian mode of conveyance. A good horsewoman may venture into the dark defiles, or climb the craggy heights upon the ponys, which are always in readiness at the inns for that purpose; but between a man and his steed there will most assuredly be a strong feeling of sympathy created by a conviction, that the one is a most unnecessary burthen to the other.

For the etchings which illustrate this little work, the Author is indebted to his friend Mr. Alfred Clint, who accompanied him in his second tour, and whose judicious selection of subjects has given a value to the volume, which, without his aid, would have been deficient in its principal ornaments. There is no composition in any of the illustrations; they are the scenes of nature reflected in the mirror of art. Not a mountain or valley, grey ruin or waterfall, but is represented as it really _is_; and for the best reason in the world, viz. that any attempt to improve upon the subjects, would destroy their real beauty.

The peasantry are simple, honest, and obliging; and, as they trudge along, a spirit of freedom sparkles in their eyes, and seems to animate every action of their unfettered limbs. Though their fare is humble, they enjoy it with an appetite to which the bracing air of their hills, and their happy ignorance of luxuries, give an enviable zest. Drunkenness is a vice almost unknown among these primitive mountaineers: milk is their common beverage, oatmeal cakes, and potatoes, with a plentiful supply of trout from their native streams, form their chief summer food; while, in winter, dry salted beef and mutton serve to satisfy their utmost wishes.

“Though poor the peasant’s hut, his feasts tho’ small,
He sees his little lot the lot of all.

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Dear is that shed to which his soul conforms,
And dear that hill which lifts him to the storms.
And, as a child, when scaring sounds molest,
Clings close and closer to the mother’s breast,
So the loud torrent, and the whirlwind’s roar,
But bind him to his native mountains more.”

DIRECTIONS TO THOSE UNACQUAINTED WITH THE WELSH LANGUAGE.

A knowledge of the Welsh alphabet is indispensable to those who are desirous of correctly pronouncing the necessary questions and answers that transpire upon the road. The names of places must effectually puzzle any tourist, who is not acquainted with the peculiar sound of each letter, particularly where there are many consonants in a word. In order therefore to aid the traveller in Wales, I have selected the following rules.

In the Welsh alphabet there are no mutes; and all letters that are circumflex must be pronounced long, as

Bôn like the English Bone. Bin, as Been. C, as Can, but never soft as in City. Ch, is pronounced as the Greek χ. Dd, as the English Th in theme. F, as V in English. Ff, as F and double F in English. G, as G in good, but never soft as in genial. I, as I in king but never as in fire. Ll, as L aspirated. Th, as in thought. U, as I in the English words bliss, kiss &c. W, as double O in good, wood. Y, as U in burn, but in the last syllable of a word; and in all monosyllables except Y, Ydd, Ym, Yn, Yr, Ys, Fy, Dy, Myn, it is like I in Sin.

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By attending to these rules, the stranger will easily make himself understood by the peasantry, and on his tours, in enquiring for any place to which he may be journeying.

GLOSSARY.

Ap, or Ab, is prefixed to proper names, and signifies, the son of. Aber, the fall of one water into another, a confluence. Am, about, around. Ar, upon, or bordering upon. Avon, or Afon, a river. Ban, high, lofty, tall. Bach, little, small. Bedd, a grave, a sepulchre. Bettws, a station between hill and vale. Blaen, a point or end. Bôd, a residence. Braich, a branch. Bron, the breast or slope of a hill. Bryn, a hill, a mount. Bychan, little. Bylch, a gap or pass. Cader, a chair. Caer, a city. Capel, a chapel. Carn, a heap. Carnedd, a heap of stones. Careg, a stone. Castell, a castle, fortress. Cil, (pronounced keel) a retreat, a recess. Clawdd, a hedge, a dyke. Clogwyn, a precipice. Coed, a wood. Cors, a bog, a fen. Craig, a rock or craig. Croes, a cross. Cym, a valley or glen. Dinas, a fort, a city, or a fortified place. Dol, a meadow or dale in the bend of the river. Drws, a doorway, a pass. Dû, black. Dwfr or Dwr, water. Dyffryn, a valley. Eglwys, a church. Ffordd, away, a road a passage. Ffynnon, a well, a spring. Garth, a hill bending round. Glàn, a brink or shore. Glâs, bluish or greyish green. Glyn, a glen or valley through which a river runs. Gwern, a watery meadow. Gwydd, a wood. Gwyn, white, fair. Llan, a church, a smooth area, an inclosure. Llwyn, a grove. Maen, a stone. Mawr, great. Moel, a smooth conical hill. Mynydd, a mountain. Nant, a ravine, a brook. Newydd, new, fresh. Pant, a hollow or valley. Pistyll, a spout, a cataract. Plas, a hall or palace. Plwyf, a parish. Pont, a bridge. Porth, a ferry, a port, a gateway. Pwll, a pit or pool. Rhaiadr, a cataract. Rhiw, an ascent. Ryhd, a ford. Sarn, a causeway, a pavement. Tal, the front or head, also tall. Traeth, a sand or shore. Tre or Tref, a home, a town. Twr, a tower. Ty, a house. Y, the, of. Yn, in, at, into. Ynys, an island. Ystrad, a vale, a dale. Yspytty, a hospital, an almshouse.

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By referring to this short Glossary, the tourist will find no difficulty in understanding the meanings of the different names given to the different places through which he will have to pass.

INTERJECTIONS.

As there are many interjectional adverbs made use of in the following pages, a glossary of them might prove useful.

Aro! stop! Dacw! yonder! Dyna, dyna! there, there. Dyt, dyt! hold, hold! Fwrz! away! Gwae, woe. Hai how! heigho! Hwnt! avaunt! O dyn! oh dear! Oia! oh pray! Oio! hear me! Truan bac! poor little thing! Truan hyny! poor thing, that it was! Twt! pshaw! Wela, wela! well, well! Ysywaeth! the more the pity!

GUIDE FOR THE PEDESTRIAN.

ROUTE. COUNTIES. MILES. PRINCIPAL INNS. OBJECTS OF ANGLING
INTEREST. STATIONS.
From LONDON to Salop 154 The The House of The Severn.
SHREWSBURY, Talbot—Raven— Industry—
Lion, and the Military
Fox. Depôt—Lord
Hill’s
Column—Quarry
Walk—and the
Castle.
thence to WITTINGTON Do. 16 The Castle, and The Severn.
the Church.
CHIRK Denbighshire 6 The Hand. The Castle—The The Ceiriog.
Aqueduct and
Vale.
LLANGOLLEN Do. 7 The Hand—King’s Bran—Church—Plas The Dee—to
Head, and Royal Newydd—Pont Corwen or
Oak. Cysylltan. Overton.
CORWEN Merionethshire 10 The Owen The Between Corwen
Glyndwr. Church—Cross— and Llan St.
Glyndwys Ffraid bridge.
Seat—Vale of
Edeyrnion.
BALA Do. 12 White Lion & The Lake—Aran Bala lake and
Bull’s Head. Fowddwy—Arrenig pool, halfway up
Vawr—Arrenig the Arrenig
Vach. Vach—R. Dee.
DOLGELLEY Do. 18 Golden Nannau Lanvachreth 3½
Lion—Angel, & Park—Kymmer miles—Dol-y-
Ship. Abbey—County gammed, on the
gaol—Parliament Avon, 4
House of Owen miles—Llyn
Glyndwr—The Cregnan, S.W. 4
Falls of Rhaiadr miles—Llyn
Mawddach—Rhaiadr Gader, 1½ m—Llyn
Du, and Griew, 5
Pistyll-y-Cain. m—Tal-y-llyn, on
Cader Idris, 6
m.
BARMOUTH Do. 10 Commercial Inn, Old Town—Sarn Llyn Raithlyn,
and Cors-y-gedol Badric—Cors-y- near
Arms. gedol. Trawsfynydd—
Arthog Chapel, 3
m. distant—Llyn
Bodlyn, 4 M.
from
Barmouth—Llyn
Teddin and Llyn
Gierw, near the
town.
HARLECH Do. 10 The Blue Lion. The Castle—Cwm Llanvihangel, on
Bychan—The Dwyryd, 5
Cromlech, 2 m—Llanbedr on
miles S. in a the Bychan, 3
farm called m—Llyn-y-Vedw,
Gwern Einion—A Llyn Eiddaw,
Druidical circle Llyn
between the Farm Glyn—Llyn-y-cwm
and Harlech. Bychan—Llyn
Trewyn.
MAENTWROG Do. 10 Maentwrog Inn, Tan-y-Bwlch— Llyn Llanyrch,
and Oakley Arms. Slate Quarries, 3½ m (good
5 m—Rhaiadr Du trout)—
and Raven fall, Cwmmorthin Lake
2 m—Festiniog, 3 (in the pass of
m—Falls of Cwmmorthin) 4½
Cynfall—Roman m—Llyn Mannot, 6
encampment m (large
(Toman Mur) 3 m trout)—Llyn
from Festiniog. Murionion, 6
m—Llyn Tackwyn.
3 m.
TREMADOC Caernarvonshire. 10½ Madoc Arms. The Breakwater Angling from
at Port Tremadoc.
Madoc—The
Church.
BEDDGELERT Do. 10½ The Goat. Gelert’s Nant
grave—The chair Gwynnant—Llyn
of Rhys Gocho’r’ Dinas—Cwm
Ryri—Pont Aber Llan—Llyn
Glas Llyn. Gwynnant—Llyn
Llydan.
LLANBERIS Do. 14 The Victoria, Dolbadarn Upper and lower
and Snowdonia. Castle—The lakes (bad
Church—The Tomb sport)—Llyn Cwm
of little John Dwythog, 2
Closs—Well of m—Llyn Llydan
St. (on Snowdon), 5
Peris—Lakes— m—Glaslyn, on
Pass. the W. of
Snowdon.
CAPEL CURIG Do. 10 Capel Curig Inn. Rhaiadr-y-Wennol
waterfall—Moel-Siabod—
Dolwyddelan
Castle, 5 m.
BETTWS-Y-COED Do. 5 Pont-y-pair— Lake Ogwen—Nant
Shenkin’s Francon—Llyn
Cave—Church— Idwal—R. Llugwy.
Monument to
Davyd Goch.
LLANRWST Denbighshire. 5 The Eagles. The
Bridge—Gwydir
Castle—The
Church—Gwydir
Chapel.
CONWAY Caernarvonshire. 12 The Castle, and The Bettws-y-Coed, 3
the Newborough Castle—Church— m—Trevriw, 2 ½
Arms. Curious m—Dol-garrog, 4
monuments—Plas m—Llanbedr, 5
Mawr—Ormes-head. m—Dolwyddelan, 8
m—Tal-y-Llyn,
and Llyn
Crafnant, near
Llanrwst.
ABER-GWYNGREGYN Do. 9 The Bulkley The Waterfall Llyn Ogwen—Llyn
Arms. and Glen—Penmaen Idwal, and Ogwen
Mawr. river.
BANGOR Do. 5½ The Penrhyn Penrhyn The fishing
Arms—The Castle—Slate stations as
Castle—the quarries— above.
Liverpool Arms, Caenarvon—Menai
and Albion. Bridge—Beaumaris
and
Castle—Penmon
Monastery—Plas
Newydd—Baron
Hill—Puffin
Island, and the
Cathedral.