Dee Valley Guide

Bala

Sat, 11 Jun 2011 20:43:30 +0100

...the lake of the five parishes is over four miles long and a mile wide at its widest. It is remarkable that, besides many other species of fish, it contains the gwyniad. It was probably entrapped during the Ice Age and is a very rare fish related to the whiting sea fish. Special arrangements have been made to ensure its survival should there be a catastrophe in Llyn Tegid.

The lake’s name comes from Tegid Foel, one of the characters in the “Mabinogi”, Welsh stories and legends from around the 6th Century in King Arthur’s time. Indeed, his relatives feature as main characters in the stories. Bala has two fairs a year which block the length of the main street but there were two relief roads built into the plan centuries ago which enables traffic to by-pass the once frequent street markets. Tomen y Bala, nearby, is a very ancient structure and was once part of a motte and bailey castle.

Clothing manufacturing is one of the largest employees now but long ago it was as knitters and their knitters market that Bala became well known further afield. Nearly everyone knitted socks and gained their income by selling them in the popular market. In front of Capel Tegid, just off the main street, down Heol Tegid is a statue of Thomas Charles of Bala, 1755-1814. In 1804 Mary Jones walked bare foot, over 50 miles there and back, from Llanfihangel-y-Pennant, to collect a Bible. Thomas Charles had none left and took pity on Mary and gave her his own. He helped to start the British and Foreign Bible Society and his grandson, David Charles, founded Coleg Y Bala in 1837.

In 1865 Michael D Jones, whose house and home was across the road to Coleg Y Bala sent out groups of Welsh people to Patagonia in South America and they eventually settled the area and it still retains its Welsh connections, language and way of life to this day. Lakeside walks in such wonderful scenery are very popular, there is parking and all facilities by the lake.

The Leisure centre, next door to the lakeside car park, has a swimming pool, cafe and training equipment and nearer into town there is a cinema with film programmes each week. Many of the pubs and hotels have live music nights. Learn a little of the language before you leave, you’re bound to hear it spoken or sung, most of the towns people are Welsh Speaking. Hwyl!

Llandrillo

Sat, 11 Jun 2011 20:47:17 +0100

Llanfor

Sat, 11 Jun 2011 20:47:39 +0100

Llywarch Hen, the 7th Century Welsh Bard, is supposed to be interred at Llanfor near the site of an ancient circle of stones, where he could have had his home. He was one of King Arthur’s generals and also a member of his council. He is said to have lost 24 of his sons in battle and he spent the rest of his time all alone afterwards until he was 150 years old reminiscing with his harp about his life full of misfortune.

Llanycil

Sat, 11 Jun 2011 20:49:33 +0100

Llandderfel

Sat, 11 Jun 2011 20:46:58 +0100

In the pretty village, below and on the same side as the Post Office on the main street, are a couple of narrow lanes. Down these is a quiet square with a stream. Find a seat and an ice cream from the shop and enjoy the peace or take the children to the play area on the edge of the village.

Llanuwchllyn

Sat, 11 Jun 2011 20:49:12 +0100

Bwlch y Groes pass, up the valley of the River Twrch and down the valley of the River Dovey goes from Llanuwchllyn to Dinas Mawddwy and is not for faint hearted drivers especially in snow or frost.

Bala Lake Railway has its station, workshops and cafe in Llanuwchllyn with lovely views of the lake from the carriages as the engine steams its way down to the other end of the lake at Bala, 4 miles away. There is a very famous mixed choir here, one of the best in the world, called Côr Godre’r Aran. There’s also a keen amateur football team and one of the Westminster Members of Parliament lives here - he represents the Party of Wales - Plaid Cymru.

There are many Eisteddfodwyr here, the Eisteddfod is a keenly fought annual competitive literary and musical festival, a unique feature of the Welsh culture and tradition.

A mile or so down the main road to Bala, unmarked, is Caer Gai, once the site of a Roman Camp. Tradition has it that it was the home of Sir Hector from the King Arthur legends and the name commemorates his son Cai Hir (Long Kay) – that’s the Sir Kay of the legends.