Dydd Gwyl Dewi Hapus!

[Anita Bensoussane]

It is interesting to compare Cornish and Welsh, Courtenay.

I too like most of the places you've listed in North Wales, Rob - though Rhyl has got a nice beach but I don't find the town inspiring at all. I'd recommend Llandudno and Conwy (Conway) over Rhyl. Llandudno is a beautiful Victorian seaside town with two beaches and the breathtaking Great Orme, while Conwy (Conway) has a castle dating from the 1200s, lots of quaint shops and a lovely estuary - and you can walk on top of the town walls, which is quite an experience. You get gorgeous views of hills and mountains from both Llandudno and Conwy (Conway).

[Moonraker]

According to Wikipedia...

The long form of the name is the longest place name in the United Kingdom and one of the longest in the world at 58 characters (51 "letters" since "ch" and "ll" are digraphs, and are treated as single letters in the Welsh language).

The name means: Parish [church] of [St.] Mary (Llanfair) [in] Hollow (pwll) of the White Hazel [township] (gwyn gyll) near (go ger) the rapid whirlpool (y chwyrn drobwll) [and] the parish [church] of [St.] Tysilio (Llantysilio) with a red cave ([a]g ogo[f] goch).

This village was originally known as Llanfair Pwllgwyngyll and is sometimes still referred to as Llanfairpwllgwyngyll and was given its long name in the 19th century in an attempt to develop it as a commercial and tourist centre. The village is still signposted Llanfairpwllgwyngyll, marked on Ordnance Survey maps as Llanfair Pwllgwyngyll and known to locals as Llanfairpwll or Llanfair. The railway station, despite having signs displaying the long name, is officially named Llanfairpwll.

The name is also shortened to Llanfair PG, which is sufficient to distinguish it from the many other Welsh villages with Llanfair in their names.

[Courtenay]

I knew all that already, Nigel, but the extended version of the name is more fun.

[Wayne Pyer]

Here's something fun from the BBC earlier: 10 Welsh words that will warm up your St David's Day Some of them I'd heard before, some I hadn't. I particularly like "cwtch" (we all need more of those).

Cwtch is indeed a lovely word, which I use everyday.

Well, I will definitely have to have a proper holiday in Wales some day! (I've only been just over the border a couple of times, very briefly.)

Make sure you go to the REAL Wales - I mean - North Wales!!! That will always be Real Wales to me - Snowdon and Denbigh and Rhyl and Llangollen etc. Colwyn Bay too of course! And Angelsey.

Rob. How dare you sir! The Rhondda Valleys in the South is gods country! Not to mention the beautiful Porthcawl, on the coast.

[Julie2owlsdene]

I have every intention of going to North Wales, don't worry. Including Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch.

Have your picture taken under the sign if you do.

[Courtenay]

Of course.

[Rob Houghton]

It is interesting to compare Cornish and Welsh, Courtenay.

I too like most of the places you've listed in North Wales, Rob - though Rhyl has got a nice beach but I don't find the town inspiring at all. I'd recommend Llandudno and Conwy (Conway) over Rhyl. Llandudno is a beautiful Victorian seaside town with two beaches and the breathtaking Great Orme, while Conwy (Conway) has a castle dating from the 1200s, lots of quaint shops and a lovely estuary - and you can walk on top of the town walls, which is quite an experience. You get gorgeous views of hills and mountains from both Llandudno and Conwy (Conway).

I agree. Rhyl isn't really a place we went much except to visit briefly! I completely forgot to mention Llandudno - which is one of my favourite of the larger Welsh resorts - and also Conwy. Harlech is another place we often visited, as well as Criccieth and also Barmouth - which was near Taly Bont where my Aunt had a caravan.

Of course, there are so many great castles to visit in North Wales too! Rhuddlan Castle is one of my favourites, as well as Harlech.

[Moonraker]

I knew all that already, Nigel, but the extended version of the name is more fun.

Yes, I rather thought you would.

[Courtenay]

I was going to point out that I already knew it before the previous time you explained the same thing to me (on the "Learning Welsh" thread), but decided that would just be rude.

[Rob Houghton]

I'm glad I'm not the only one who repeats myself on this forum.

Repeats myself on this forum.

[IceMaiden]

Here's something fun from the BBC earlier: 10 Welsh words that will warm up your St David's Day Some of them I'd heard before, some I hadn't. I particularly like "cwtch" (we all need more of those).

Yep, heard those, use them lots . A twmffat is also the welsh word for a funnel, but I can't believe they left out 'twpsyn' (idiot), 'igam ogam'(not straight), 'pili pala' (butterfly), sbwng (sponge), 'bochdew' (hamster), 'spigoglys' (spinach), 'pysgodyn wibli wobli' (slang term for a jellyfish), 'cario clecs' (telling stories), 'malu awyr' (wasting time) and everyone's favourite, 'popty-ping' (microwave)!

[IceMaiden]

Well, I will definitely have to have a proper holiday in Wales some day! (I've only been just over the border a couple of times, very briefly.)

Make sure you go to the REAL Wales - I mean - North Wales!!! That will always be Real Wales to me - Snowdon and Denbigh and Rhyl and Llangollen etc. Colwyn Bay too of course! And Angelsey.

I wholeheartedly agree Rob, not that I'm biased or anything . North Wales is quite different to South Wales, much more hilly and mountainous. There's a drama on BBC1 at the moment called 'Requiem' that's got wonderful shots of around here, as although it's based in south wales the company who made it prefer the scenery of up here. As my dad says, you can recognise north wales instantly in something as it's got a very distinctive appearance .

[Courtenay]

A twmffat is also the welsh word for a funnel, but I can't believe they left out 'twpsyn' (idiot), 'igam ogam'(not straight), 'pili pala' (butterfly), sbwng (sponge), 'bochdew' (hamster), 'spigoglys' (spinach), 'pysgodyn wibli wobli' (slang term for a jellyfish), 'cario clecs' (telling stories), 'malu awyr' (wasting time) and everyone's favourite, 'popty-ping' (microwave)!

Love them! I will definitely learn Cymraeg some day too (the only reason I'm not into it already is that I don't want to confuse it with my Kernewek — Cornish — while I'm still learning).

[Daisy]

I love the 'wibbly wobbly' jellyfish!

[Stephen]

I visit Neath several times a year, but haven't been to North Wales for ages. I went to Barmouth when I was about one but was obviously too young to remember it. My first memory of Wales was a family holiday to Criccieth when I was eight. I remember that week visiting Pwhelli on the train, Caernarvon and Harlech (and I seem to remember a road that was about 1 in 3 steep!) I also remember seeing Snowdon from a distance, but never actually got to the top until I was about 17.

Going to Borth for a few days in May, so that might involve a visit up to Snowdonia.