In Welsh mythology, Cadair Idris is also said to be one of the hunting grounds of Gwyn ap Nudd and his Cwn Annwn. The howling of these huge dogs foretold death to anyone who heard them, the pack sweeping up that person’s soul and herding it into the underworld.
He who sleeps on its slopes will supposedly awaken either a mad man or a poet. …
Inspiration comes in some odd ways especially for me so please bear with me! Way back in 96, I was watching a television program called A Picture Of Britain on the BBC, narrated by the present current affairs narrator & broadcaster David Dimbleby, now for me I can listen to David Dimbleby all day long, he captures the audience, he keeps things simple & he has the voice that keeps you wide eared (well that’s me anyway!) Basically if you didn’t see the program David or his researchers did, tried to explain why artist painted Landscape the way they did & I don’t mean Banksy! I mean renowned sixteen & seventeenth century artist, Turner,Wilson, Gainsborough etc etc, anyway this one particular program Dimbleby was in Wales explaining Welsh Mythology & It captivated me especially on the piece on Cadair Idris, yes its “myths” or just that or so to speak, yet this mountain is surrounded by myths of Giant Bardic Bards, the amphitheatre that creates the natural bowl is thought to be King Arthurs Seat in English traditional terms, I was so engrossed by this Mountain I even went out & bought the DVD when the BBC finally released it, just for this one piece on Cadair Idris.
I can honestly say I’ve been troubled of late, I got made redundant on the 28th April, 6 days before my 36th Birthday, my company’s assets had just run dry yet we were a profitable company so buyers came in & bought the place on the 14th May,but the company Id worked for since being a lad of 17 had gone, those fifteen days were the worse days of my life, we did Ben Nevis in between & I’ve been notching up my Wainwrights in south Lakeland too, I just needed something to take me out of the doldrums I found myself in, & fourteens years on the first mountain that ever inspired me hit me between the eyes with just the sucker punch that I needed. |