My day out to Holywell!

I was attending a meeting in Flintshire and felt I should make the most of my time up there and find somewhere to visit.  I was advised that Holywell was a good place to see, somewhere I yet again knew very little about!

St Winefride’s Well has been a place of pilgrimage since the seventh century and is the oldest continually visited pilgrimage site in Great Britain, so I thought I should take a look. After visiting St Mary’s well near Aberdaron (if you would like to learn more then please, read the blog post about it!) I was intrigued by ‘Pilgrimage’ and eager to study it further.  In comparison to St Mary’s Well, The Well Chapel of St Winefride has a far more serene and traditional setting, both incredibly beautiful but so very different.  Unlike St Mary’s Well which is set among craggy rocks on a cliff’s edge, St Winefride’s Well lies in highly maintained grounds within a beautiful chapel and is slightly easier to access- there was no need to check tide times during this trip!

St. Winefride’s Well is said to be the most famous healing well in Great Britain and the waters  are reported to cause miraculous cures, I was feeling fine and healthy that day so unfortunately I could not test this theory. The legend behind the well is quite entertaining and stems from the failed seduction attempt of a Chieftan named Caradoc upon a Winefride, Gwenfrewi in Welsh, the daughter of a local prince named Tewyth. Unfortunately Caradoc did not seem to take rejection very well and as she ran away toward a church built by her uncle St. Beuno he cut off cut off her head. Where her head fell a spring of water sprouted and it is that place where the well can now be found. Luckily for Winefride her uncle prayed (profusely I imagine) and placed her head back on her body and she came back to life! The ending of the story was not so happy for Caradoc as he sunk to the ground and was never seen again.  It is said that this tale was not written down until 500 years after her death and therefore may have been embellished slightly, but I shall leave it to you to make up more mind, I personally quite like to believe it!

Statue of St Winefride

I hope that this blog entertains you and will hopefully encourage you to visit the places that I have if you like the sound of them, I do not therefore wish to report the entire history and details of where I go. However I must explain that the architecture of the Gothic perpendicular chapel that surrounds the Well is rather stunning and frames it perfectly.  I am no expert in architecture or religious building but I couldn’t help but be impressed by this one.

The incredible architecture surrounding the Well

It seems that I among some rather remarkable people to have visited the well, including royalty such as Richard I, Henry V and Princess Victoria. Rumor also had it that certain key figures visited the shrine to discuss the Gunpowder plot in 1605. It is clear that the Well is considered an important pilgrimage site and, if like me you have now been converted to research the subject I would definitely recommend a visit here.

I still had time before my meeting and therefore drove five minutes down the road to Basignwerk Abbey, a place which has strong links with St. Winefride’s Well. The Abbey itself is set in the beautiful Greenfield Valley Heritage Park and is in slight ruins, which I felt only adds to its character. I was the only person there for a while and it was such a tranquil place to wander around.  The monks at Basingwerk were confirmed the possession of the Well and Chapel in 1240 by David ap Llywelyn and cared for it for almost 300 years until 1537 when the monastery was dissolved.There really is an fascinating background to St Winefried’s Well and and Basignwerk monastery and if anything I have mentioned has interested you then I would certainly encourage you take a visit.

Me at Basingwerk Abbey



Pantaspah Franciscan Friary Retreat Centre and St David's Church

My time there however was over and I was advised by a kind couple who run the gift shop and ticket office at the Well to visit Pantaspah Franciscan Friary Retreat Centre. I had just enough time to take a quick peak and it was definitely worth it. The Frairy is beautifully maintained and although I was not a guest staying at the retreat I found it easy to appreciate the quietness and serenity.  Pantasaph’s St David’s Church is quite spectacular and is a place I’m eager to see again. If you are religious the centre run’s all sorts of programmes for those wishing for some quiet to time to reflect and pray and  they also have a seeker’s programmes for others who wish to learn more about Catholic Spirituality. If you are in fact one of those people I would say ‘go fo it!’ as it’s a fantastic spot! For more information see http://www.pantasaph.org.uk.

I was then on my way to my meeting and the surrounding countryside of Holywell is amazing. I travelled back home through the Denbighshire Moors which were covered by snow and I must say I think that the drive home was arguably the highlight of trip. The stunning surroundings made my journey one that I did not want to end and despite seeing some incredible buildings that day, I realised that the Welsh countryside is difficult to compete with!

www.walkingnorthwales.co.uk

Mynydd Mawr!

I have decided that I should embark on the experience of exploring North Wales as gently as possible and not only take part on the rather overwhelming activities that lie ahead, but try and enjoy some calmer aspects of the area too. Mynydd Mawr, nr Aberdaron or ‘The Land’s End of Wales’ as it is often called, is not somewhere that I had ever thought to visit, however I was told that I must go! This spot is part of the Llyn Coastal Path and I knew to expect an impressive view.......but gosh what a spectacular view it was! The vantage point at Mynydd Mawr boasts a sensational outlook toward Bardsey Island (or Ynys Enlli in Welsh) which is also known as ‘the legendary island of 20,000 saints’; the island is not only beautiful but has important archaeological, spiritual, cultural and wildlife significance. I even managed to make out the (very vague) outline of the Irish Coast from the viewpoint, after it was pointed out to me of course!

But the view is not the only attraction at Mynydd Mawr. The amazing wildlife including the gorse and heather which flower together and the chance of catching sight of a rare chough make this spot a treat for wildlife lovers and bird watchers.  Honestly, I am not strongly interested in either plant life or birds, however I couldn’t help but be amazed by my surroundings and the impressively distinct call of this unusual creature (after a long search I found an audio clip of the chough bird call, so please humour me and take a listen: http://www.rspb.org.uk/wildlife/birdguide/name/c/chough/index.aspx!)  The coast guard outlook station that can be visited there even has examples of local fauna and flora, it is clear this part of Llyn Peninsula really does cater to those who love nature.

Despite being offered such a wealth of wildlife to enjoy, my real interest focuses on the historical and spiritual aspects of this part of North Wales. I of course knew that the Llyn Peninsula has an ancient Pilgrim trail but I had never studied it any further, let alone thought about visiting a part of it. I have recently been given a comparison of ‘pilgrimage’ to that of a credit card, something which I can relate to! You build up points on your card or in this analogy ‘sins’, and these debts/sins can be gradually paid off, in the case of the sins you do so by visiting sites of pilgrimage. If one was to visit Bardsey Island however, where the Medieval Monastery of St. Mary’s Abby used to be, then all of your credit card history/ previous sins were cleared from your debt...not bad, if only it was so easy to pay off the real credit card bill! If you were unfortunate enough to die on the way to Bardsey, fear not as this was a short cut to wiping your ‘sin slate’ clean and you were to be sent straight to heaven!

The last church visited by the pilgrims on the way to Bardsey Island was St Mary’s Church, the raised foundations of which I got to see on my visit. It really is quite incredible as one can witness exactly where the Church stood, the surroundings also indicate a strong agricultural past as the remains and marks of shallow ridge and furrow crops are clear around the site. 

          In case you can't see them, I'm pointing out where the foundations of the church are!

When I began writing this blog I wanted so find the ‘hidden gems’ of North Wales and I believe that what I saw next truly is one....St Mary’s Well was the last sight to be visited on the way to Bardsey and was seen as a miraculous pool by the Pilgrims , it’s easy to see why. The ‘well’ is concealed in a cove on the very edge of the coast and believe me, is quite awkward to get as I had to scramble across the craggy rock to reach the pool of water. For me, as a person of a slightly clumsy nature I found this quite complicated, and even knowing that if I fell and died I would go straight to heaven was not particularly reassuring!  The well is usually covered by the tide, so it is imperative to check tide times if you wish to take a visit  otherwise the only experience you will have is that of disappointment! The fact that the tide usually covers the well (which is essentially a pool of water in the rock) is the exact reason as to why it is so incredible.  Despite being covered by salt water for the majority of the time, the well is filled with fresh water (I tasted it just to check!). This is due either to a natural spring in the rock or that the well was blessed by St. Mary herself, it does not matter which explanation you choose to believe, either way it’s quite impressive!

Can you spot me by the well?!

The crashing tide against the rock on which I was balancing really did create a spectacular scene and I couldn’t help but be utterly astounded by the effort the Pilgrims made to visit sights such as these. Although Bardsey Island looks fairly near to St Mary’s well, the boat ride which the Pilgrims would take from there must have been treacherous unless the right tides were caught, and even then, I doubt a swift journey in the rowing boat was guaranteed. I really found my visit to Mynydd Mawr worthwhile, but I think I’ll wait for the summer and take an organized ferry trip to Bardsey!

For further details on the area discussed in this blog please find 'Edge of Wales Walk' and 'Walking North Wales' on Twitter and Facebook or follow these links:

http://www.edgeofwaleswalk.co.uk/

http://www.walkingnorthwales.co.uk/