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Snowdon Accommodation
Snowdon - the inspiration for many poems
Uplifting Snowdon landscapes
Mount Snowdon PoemsMount Snowdon Poems, Myths and Legends
The Romantic poets have often been associated with Snowdonia with the views from the summit of Snowdon inspiring many poems. 18th century Wales seems to have been particularly inspirational and was the start of many "tours" of Snowdonia that broadened knowledge of the area beyond those who farmed its hills.
There is a long history of man's occupation of Mount Snowdon and there are ruins and remains of mines that give clues to past lives on and around Mount Snowdon.
Snowdon Poems
Wordsworth's 'Prelude' culminates with the poet gazing down at moonlit clouds from the peak of Snowdon:-
"Thus might we wear a midnight hour away, Ascending at loose distance each from each, And I, as chanced, the foremost of the band; When at my feet the ground appeared to brighten, And with a step or two seemed brighter still; Nor was time given to ask or learn the cause, For instantly a light upon the turf Fell like a flash, and lo! as I looked up, The Moon hung naked in a firmament Of azure without cloud, and at my feet Rested a silent sea of hoary mist."
David Thomas, (Dafydd Ddu Eryri, l759-l822): Black David of Snowdon , was a famous poet who established literary societies, teaching the traditional meters. He wrote many books and a famous song called Titrwm Tatrwm.
Plas Tan-yr-Allt, a Regency villa in North Wales, was once home to the poet Percy Bysshe Shelley. It looks out over the Glaslyn Estuary on the edge of the Snowdonia National Park.
Hedd Wyn (Ellis Humphrey) was born in the Snowdonian village of Trawsfyndd in 1887. His poetry combines the oral tradition of the Welsh mountains with the rebellious romanticism of the early left-wing English poet Percy Bysshe Shelley. At the National Eisteddfod, which has been recorded as being a cultural event since 1176, Ellis Humphrey won awards for his poetry in 1907, 1913, and 1915. His pen name Hedd Wyn (ray of light) was given to him at a poets' gathering in 1910. The farm cottage in which he was born Yr Ysgwrn , is now kept in its original condition and still contains the elaborately carved bardic chair he won at the 1917 Eisteddfod for his poem Yr Arwyr (The Hero). There s also a statue as a tribute to him in Trawsfyndd. Sir Thomas Herbert Parry-Williams, born at Rhyd-ddu, twice won the chair and crown at the National Eisteddfod, in 1912 and 1915 and is often described as the first Welsh-language modernist.
Snowdon Myths and Legends
A number of legends are associated with the mountain:- The famous prince and warrior, Rhita Gawr, is said to be buried at the summit.
King Arthur is reputed to have last been seen disappearing into the mist on Llyn Llydaw, having been wounded by an arrow shot from Bwlch y Saethau (The Pass of the Arrows). His knights are said to be sleeping in a cave on Lliwedd, awaiting his return.
Industrial Heritage Snowdon
As you clamber up Snowdon you may spot the ruins of old summer dwellings "hafod" on the slopes. These provide evidence of the tradition of local farmers tending flocks on the mountain all summer.
There are also long ribbons of dry stone walls, these were mostly constructed during the Enclosure period in the 19th century.
Remains of 17th and 18th century copper mines can still be seen, although mining for this ore dates back much further than this - to Roman and even to prehistoric times.
Today just outside Beddgelert is the Sygun Copper Mine tourist attraction that serves as a reminder of the 19th century methods of ore extraction and processing. You can explore the old workings with the aid of an audio-visual tour. There are winding tunnels and large chambers where you can see how stalactites and stalagmites form. See if you can spot the copper ore veins which contain traces of gold, silver and other precious metals. You can even try your hand at gold panning.
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