Wales

The richness of the dragon’s body… — Iron and tin and copper and gold — ripped from the dragon’s ribs its belly its heart Its veins are coal that fuels the fire to make the steel and shape the metals Ferrous cartilage is brought into shining light from the dark of the pits Somehow, the richness of the…

The Welsh tourist attraction that has been ‘going green’ for fifty years — “Some 80 million homes could be built from the straw that is wasted every year all around the world,” says Peter, our guide. Immediately, I think of the three little pigs’ nursery story and the big, bad wolf huffing and puffing to blow them all down. But straw houses are…

Stories abound of how the giant cattle of the fairy folk were sometimes our saviours — “There was once a bright-white milch-cow which travelled round the world, giving milk enough for all comers. Whoever drank of her milk immediately became wise, and was healed of whatsoever disease he had. …

He subdued the Welsh princes then turned his attention to Scotland — He was born on 17th June 1239, being the eldest son of King Henry III (reigned 1216–72) and Eleanor of Provence. He grew to be particularly tall for his time, and thus acquired the nickname “Longshanks”. He was attracted to all things martial, such as jousting and swordplay, and in…

Croeso I Cymru! (Welcome to Wales in Welsh) Wales. My home. With a population of just over 3 million people, and almost 10 million sheep (I’m not joking), Wales isn’t exactly ‘on the map’, but there are a million reasons why it should be. Home to more castles per square…

Are you ready for Janis Pugh’s “Chuck Chuck Baby”? — Chuck Chuck Baby, written and directed by Janis Pugh, stars Louise Brealey and Annabel Scholey. Brealey and Scholey respectively play Helen and Joanne. Pugh’s Chuck Chuck Baby revolves around Welsh working class women. The feature film is a musical drama set in and around a north Wales based chicken factory…