British Food and Travel

Llanddwyn Island looking across to Snowdonia.

2017 has been announced as the Year of Legends in Wales, making this the perfect time to explore and discover the many legends that this ancient nation has given rise to. And with a new King Arthur film coming out soon, you might want to visit some of the filming locations before they become too crowded.

We may already be in March, but it’s still not too late to celebrate the Welsh love story that is honoured on January 25. St. Dwynwen’s Day marks the Welsh patron saint of lovers. According to legend, the beautiful Dwynwen, daughter of King Brychan Brycheiniog, fell deeply in love with Maelon Dafodrill. But her father had promised her to someone else. Devastated that she could not be with the man she loved, and rather than marry one she did not, Dwynwen set up a convent on Llanddwyn, a small island of the coast of Anglesey. She spent the rest of her days there and the site (shown above) became a destination for lovers.

The mountains of Snowdonia, also seen above, feature in this spring’s release of King Arthur: Legend of the Sword. Mount Snowdon marks the spot where Arthur reputedly killed Rhitta the giant. Parts of the film were shot in various spots in Wales, including Tryfan Mountain.

The summer’s focus on legends will be those of the sporting variety as Cardiff hosts the UEFA Champions League final for the first time. There will be plenty of time to enjoy the summer weather and Wales’ many festivals, before settling into autumn and winter. And what better way to enjoy fall than to take in some of the nation’s wonderful foods? Of course if you can’t wait until then, here’s a recipe for Bara Brith to start you off.

Here are a few more suggestions of legendary Welsh destinations you might want to visit this year:

Llandudno

The coastal town of Llandudno was the holiday destination for Alice Liddell, Lewis Carroll’s inspiration for Alice in Wonderland. Many statues throughout the area pay tribute to Carroll’s tale and Alice herself.

Conwy Castle

Recognised by UNESCO as one of “the finest examples of late 13th century and early 14th century military architecture in Europe”, Conwy Castle was built by Edward 1 in the 13th century. It is still considered by many to be the finest of his castles.

More ideas to get you started in exploring the legends of Wales can be found at Visit Wales.