Wild Wales - Its People, Language and Scenery [Paperback]

A much loved and frequently reissued classic, Wild Wales first appeared in 1862. It is George Borrow’s account of a family holiday spent in Llangollen, North Wales, to which are attached two strenuous walking tours in search of the homes and haunts and last resting places of the bards whom he loved. The first tour encompasses much of Snowdonia and Anglesey, and the second takes him the length of the country from Llangollen to Swansea and thence through South Wales to Chepstow. Traveller, linguist and author of The Bible in Spain, Lavengro, and Romany Rye, Borrow explores the often dramatic scenery of Wales, delving into its literary past, its history, myths and legends, and meeting its people along the way, conveying as he does so his enthusiasm for all things Celtic. Wild Wales is much more than a straightforward travel account. It is a book rich with characters, complete with princes, heroes, villains and rogues. In its pages we meet the delightful John Jones and the comical Tom Jenkins, we are introduced to Owain Glyndwr and his struggles against the English Crown. Great poets like Dafydd ap Gwilym share space with robbers like the Plant de Bat and the Robin Hood like Twm Shone Catti. Forbidding monsters, in imagination at least, inhabit the lakes, and the church cat slumbers peacefully in a cottage by the River Dee. Frequently biased and argumentative, Borrow is at all times energetic and readable and remains among the liveliest writers on Wales. His book is still one of the best introductions to the country. Frequently biased and argumentative, Borrow is at all times energetic and readable and remains among the liveliest writers on Wales. His book is still one of the best introductions to the country.