This month Big G strides up the steep hillside above Craig Ddu to discover the Llech Llwynog Shield, a rock facet of such bewildering pulchritude he is rendered (almost) speechless.

”Dear NWB readers,
the first forays into this charmed place probably date back to the very earliest recorded times; those of the Mabinogion.
(er...1985...Pass guide-page 46)

It is said that the ‘Silv’ (for it was he); having completed his famous climb, headed uphill to the higher rocks (GR618 575). There he performed further rituals, surely one of which would have involved this just off-vertical south-facing piece of wonder.
The rock here can be described; pockets, edges, crystals, rounded arêtes and so forth- but the quality cannot. It is the simply the stuff of... legend.
The landings are good despite appearances to the contrary.

Clearly the view is belting. Not only can one admire the whole of the Snowdon massif and the murmuring chug of the tourist train, but also the activities of the ‘old schoolers’ shuffling among the lesser outcrops below.
The shy ring ouzel will watch you from some high pinnacle.
The sun will shrivel you.

Blessed are those not in flip-flops.

Love Big G”



Further reading:

The ‘Mabinogion’-
A series of 'ancient texts' (oddly; these were created hundreds of years before the advent of the mobile phone)

‘The Mabinigion Sheep Problem’
A mathematical/logic issue to do with the colour of sheep (racist undertones), that intelligent farmers have, at times, come to blows over. It is inspired by a bizarre situation thus described:-

“And he came towards a valley, through which ran a river; and the borders of the valley were wooded, and on each side of the river were level meadows. And on one side of the river he saw a flock of white sheep, and on the other a flock of black sheep. And whenever one of the white sheep bleated, one of the black sheep would cross over and become white; and when one of the black sheep bleated, one of the white sheep would cross over and become black” - Peredur the son of Evrawk, from the Mabinogion.

Noggin the Nog
An unrelated children’s book/tv series with a strong Norse influence based around the same historic period.

Relevant links: