Dolgellau, North Wales
Created | Updated Jan 28, 2002
Dolgellau is a quaint little picture postcard Welsh town, situated under the shadow of Cader Idris, on the southern most tip of the Snowdonia National Park. Cader Idris is the 3rd highest moubtain in Wales and was allegedly formed when the giant Idris was tired and wanted somewhere to sit down. He therefore scooped out the inside of the mountain to make a rudimentary chair and had a rest. Of course its shape also could have been formed by glaciation during the Ice Age but who really knows!
Dolgellau has a population of about 4,000 people and is twinned with a lovely French town called Guerande in Normandy.
It's main industry is tourism and if you fancy a really great day out then go along for the Sessiwn Fawr (Big Session) which takes place every year in July. This is when folk singers and bands come from all over the UK to take part in a big festival of music. The town centre is blocked off and a large stage is erected with bands playing throughout the day. What really makes the Sessiwn Fawr special is the fact that most of the pubs in the town (there are quite a few pubs considering the small size of the town)have live music in them as well, with performances ranging from old folk ballads to up and coming young Welsh rock bands. Needless to say it's a great excuse for a p**sup and the locals can be very, very friendly after some beer has been consumed (as long as it's not Wrexham Lager which is worse than the stuff you get in London)
The locals have their own dialect which is a tasteful cross between English and Welsh,
For Example; Rydw I'n mynd down the pub. i.e. I'm going down the pub, with the emphasis put on "down the pub".
When locals have a conversation they will often be happily speaking in normal Welsh when they come across a difficult word, which they then translate to English with "io" at the end of it.
For Example; Paid a exasperate-io vi. i.e. Don't exasperate me.
As long as you are are aware of this you should have no difficulty communicating and will definately enjoy yourself in beautiful Dolgellau. Other things to do include walking, horse-riding, fishing, mountain biking, etc, but please bear in mind that it's definately not Ibeza so don't expect scantily clad young party goers getting high on drugs and being sick on the streets at 3.00am.....that's for Barmouth!
Dolgellau has a population of about 4,000 people and is twinned with a lovely French town called Guerande in Normandy.
It's main industry is tourism and if you fancy a really great day out then go along for the Sessiwn Fawr (Big Session) which takes place every year in July. This is when folk singers and bands come from all over the UK to take part in a big festival of music. The town centre is blocked off and a large stage is erected with bands playing throughout the day. What really makes the Sessiwn Fawr special is the fact that most of the pubs in the town (there are quite a few pubs considering the small size of the town)have live music in them as well, with performances ranging from old folk ballads to up and coming young Welsh rock bands. Needless to say it's a great excuse for a p**sup and the locals can be very, very friendly after some beer has been consumed (as long as it's not Wrexham Lager which is worse than the stuff you get in London)
The locals have their own dialect which is a tasteful cross between English and Welsh,
For Example; Rydw I'n mynd down the pub. i.e. I'm going down the pub, with the emphasis put on "down the pub".
When locals have a conversation they will often be happily speaking in normal Welsh when they come across a difficult word, which they then translate to English with "io" at the end of it.
For Example; Paid a exasperate-io vi. i.e. Don't exasperate me.
As long as you are are aware of this you should have no difficulty communicating and will definately enjoy yourself in beautiful Dolgellau. Other things to do include walking, horse-riding, fishing, mountain biking, etc, but please bear in mind that it's definately not Ibeza so don't expect scantily clad young party goers getting high on drugs and being sick on the streets at 3.00am.....that's for Barmouth!
