Mabinogion: Magic Medieval Welsh Myths

1 departure

14 June 2022

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5 days

From $2,590

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Summary

Enchantments, shapeshifters, revenge, justice, wizards and the Celtic Otherworld

This tour will guide us through the breath-taking mountains of north Wales visiting sites of Medieval and Dark-Age legends, from cragtop castles, Roman fortresses to lakes, hillforts and mystical ancient stones. Explore the origins of Arthurian legends and listen to the tales, read where they occurred. We will be considering all aspects of these tales from their origins and authorship, to their literary qualities and relationship with the landscape. Visits will include many imposing archaeological and medieval sites in order to better understand and appreciate native medieval Welsh prose. We will experience the atmosphere of these fascinating stories and engage with the actual sites which figure so prominently in the tales. Discovering a range of tales from a fairly recent example to tales with their roots in ancient pre-Celtic Christian religion, our voyages will take us to Celtic fortresses, Roman forts, Early Medieval strongholds and Welsh castles. We will consider the authors and meet their characters, the giant Brân, his mistreated sister Branwen and the vicious Efnysien. Along with a Welsh king who mistakenly kills his loyal dog, shapeshifting wizards and Otherworld visitors. All this will occur in the stupendous scenery of the mountains and rugged coasts of north Wales. At the end we will have journeyed through much of north-west Wales and will have encountered stories, people and ideas spanning a thousand years, gaining new insights into how such stories function and evolve. Journeys will be accompanied by readings of the tales themselves, and rich commentary on their contents.

Tour highlights:

Explore imposing Harlech Castle, the opening scene of Branwen daughter of Llŷr and the Stone of Gronw
Visit Dinas Emrys stronghold (King Arthur, Merlin and the Welsh Dragon) and Dolwyddelan castle
See the Segontium Roman fortress and nearby Celtic fortresses of Dinas Dinlle and Caer Aranrhod

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Today's Price
$2,590

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Deposit: $500 Single supplement: $630

Back-to-back tours

Add-on tours are available for this booking.

After this tour:

Druids to Saints - Wales & its Gods:
20-27 June 2022

Booking by phone only.
Call us on 888-331-3476

Keeping you safe on your next tour

FREE 'Travel Safe' kits for every traveller
Self-drive options
Enhanced Health and Safety audits
Distanced seating on coaches
'Get me home' service and private airport transfers
COVID protocols at our hotels, and aboard our cruise ships
Packed lunches and flexible dining options
Flexible balance payment date and COVID-friendly refund conditions
COVID-testing and training for tour staff
Constant monitoring and post-tour tracing

Meet your Experts

Guto Rhys

Andante Guide Lecturer

A specialist in 'The Pictish Language', Guto is the author of the Ulpan Gaelic language course and works with historical linguistics.

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Your itinerary

Day 1 - Chester – Portmeirion

We journey through the rolling foothills of Snowdonia to Bala, where we have the opportunity to browse a specialist Welsh-language bookshop. We stop to view the magnificent lake of Llyn Tegid, reputedly named after Tegid Foel of Chwedl Taliesin, and then we carry on to our hotel in Portmeirion.

Hotel: Portmeirion

Meals included	Dinner

Day 2 - Tomen-y-mur & Harlech Castle

Our morning will be spent exploring the Fourth Branch of the Mabinogi, that of Math son of Mathonwy. We will pass the site where Pryderi son of Pwyll was killed by the archers of Gwynedd, on his return journey after his defeat at the hands of the magician Gwydion. On to Tomen-y-mur, the ruins of a Roman fort and the court of Gronw Befr, the lover of troubled Blodeuedd. We will explore the sites of their first meeting, the site where Lleu was murdered under magical circumstances and where he took his revenge at the pierced stone slab through which he threw his spear to kill Gronw. After lunch we journey to the imposing Harlech Castle perched on a crag above the Irish Sea. This is where Brân, and his brothers and retinue, first viewed the ships of Matholwch, King of Ireland approaching by sea to seek the hand of his sister in marriage. We will explore the role of women in the Four Branches, discuss the various strong personalities portrayed, and visit the magnificent 13^th century castle here. On our return to Portmeirion where there will be time to explore and enjoy this unique architectural jewel, where The Prisoner was filmed in the late 1960s.

Hotel: Portmeirion

Meals included	All meals included

Day 3 - Beddgelert – Dolwyddelan - Deganwy

We first visit Beddgelert, where the tale relates that prince Llywelyn Fawr killed his favourite hound and a brief stroll to the supposed grave. After a discussion about international folk-tale motifs we walk to the craggy summit of scenic Dinas Emrys for striking views of Snowdonia. Here we explore the origin of Arthurian legends, Merlin, and the Welsh Red Dragon. We spend time in Dolwyddelan, in the keep of a 13^th century Welsh castle, contemporary with our tales. Afterwards visit the lake at Cwm Cowlyd (Culhwch ac Olwen) and finish at the site of Maelgwn Gwynedd’s court at Deganwy (Chwedl Taliesin). Our return journey takes us through breath-taking mountains.

Hotel: Portmeirion

Meals included	All meals included

Day 4 - Gwynedd & Anglesey

Today we visit sites mentioned in the Fourth Branch, such as Dinas Dinlle, Caer Aranrhod and Maen Dylan. Sites where Lleu achieved his name, arms and wife, Blodeuedd, conjured from flowers. We journey on to the Roman fort of Segontium, where Brân received his sister’s starling, and then proceed to Aberffraw, court of the Welsh kings and princes, where Efnysien mutilated the horses of Matholwch. Our final visit is at Bedd Branwen, where Branwen reputedly broke her heart and died.

Hotel: Portmeirion