Happy New Year to all our lovely blog readers! We hope you had a wonderful festive time.

To celebrate the beginning of 2017, which is the Year of Legends in our lovely little country, today we’ll explore one of the most wonderful legends in Wales – the tale of Cantre’r Gwaelod (which literally translates as Lower City), a once legendary city that spanned the length of Cardigan Bay – from the tip of Bardsey Island in the north, to the tip of Ramsey Island in the south.  This is the ancient lost land of Wales…..

Legend has it that many many centuries ago, a ruler called Gwyddno Garanhir ruled over these incredibly fertile lands. The entire kingdom was on the edge of the Irish Sea, and the safety of all who lived in the kingdom depended on the sea gates being closed every time the tide came in. On fateful night, not only was there a huge storm on it’s way in to Wales from the South, but the king also threw an enormous party at his castle. The gate keeper, Seithennin, who was known to enjoy a drink or two, thoroughly made the most of the king’s party and forgot to close the gates. The sea rushed in to flood the land of the Cantref, drowning over 16 villages. The King and some of his court managed to escape by running to safety but Gwyddno Garahir and his followers were forced to leave the lowlands and make a poorer living in the hills and valleys of Wales.

It is said that if you listen closely you can hear the bells of the lost city ringing out from under the sea, especially on quiet Sunday mornings, and particularly if you’re in Aberdyfi, which is famous in Welsh folk legend as being the nearest place on dry land to Cantre’r Gwaelod.

And if the tide is out you might catch a glimpse of the famous submerged forest, a haunting sight of sea-worn tree stumps from a time when the forested land stretched much further out to sea, and the home of the legendary Cantre’r Gwaelod.

Pop back to the blog later in the week when we’ll feature a walk to discover more about this wonderful legend of Cardigan Bay.

The submerged forest at Ynyslas in Cardigan Bay – said to be the remains of Cantre’r Gwaelod. Image from wikicommons (Richerman)