soc.culture.welsh COF/FAQ



3. Wales

3.1 The Internet

3.1.1 Where can i find a list of Welsh web sites?

Ateb gan/answer from Dafydd Tomos:

Here are some pointers:

Walesnet - very comprehensive.

Network Wales

Welsh Tourist Board

North Wales Internet. Many useful pointers.

Cymrunet


3.1.2 Are there any Welsh IRC Channels?

answer from Dafydd Tomos:

Two of the more 'established' channels are #Wales and #Cymru. It is likely that someone or other will be on one of these channels at any time, although you will find more people on from 6pm-12pm GMT. The channels are also livelier at weekends. The usual 'etiquette' is that #Cymru is reserved for Welsh language discussions. For more information, and a chance to look at some of the regular users, take a look at the channel's web pages.


3.2 Politics

3.2.1 The Governance of Wales

Lyn David Thomas has further information about the governance of Wales on his web pages.

3.2.2 What is devolution?

answer from Lyn David Thomas:

Devolution is when a government or an authority lends it powers to another. In the example of Wales this would be when the Central government permits a Welsh Assembly to carry out some functions previously reserved to its self. An example of devolution in the UK is the Church of England's General Synod, which has powers to pass laws for the Church of England. Parliament still has to approve them, but can not amend them. In a devolved system the powers that have been devolved can be taken back by the Central Government at any time.

What is the current state of devolution?

answer from Lyn David Thomas (Hydref/October 1996):

The polls suggest that 52% want an assembly with legislative and tax varying powers (if Scotland is getting one) and that about a similar proportion will vote yes on any devolution proposals put forward by a future Labour government. Less than a third of people seem to be positively anti and the rest don't know. Labour are currently offering an executive assembly with no primary legislative powers or tax varying powers.


3.2.3 What has happened to the counties of Wales since 1974?

answer from Lyn David Thomas:

In 1974 the old structure of local government was swept away and a new structure erected.

Prior to 1974 Wales was divided into 13 counties and Four County boroughs for local government purposes. The county boroughs were large towns (Cardiff, Newport, Swansea and Merthyr Tydfil) who were part of the historic 13 counties, but administered themselves separately from them. There were no administrative divisions of county boroughs - they provided all services in their areas. Counties were divided into urban and rural districts. Urban districts could apply to be called Municipal Boroughs, though this did not increase their power it did change the name of the council Chairman to Mayor. Rural districts were further divided into civil parishes.

Thus in rural areas you had a three tier local government structure: Parish > Rural District > County Council. In urban areas you had two tiers: Urban District (or Municipal Borough) > County Council. In four towns you had just one tier: County Borough Councils.

After 1974 the structure was simplified. The hundreds of districts and 13 counties were replaced by 8 Counties and 37 districts. The districts could either be called Districts and were chaired by a Chairman or be called Boroughs and be chaired by a Mayor.

The rural Civil Parishes were renamed Community Councils and most small Urban District Councils became Community Councils - who could petition to be called Town Councils with the dignity of having a Mayor as it Chair.

Later all of the remaining former Urban Districts, Municipal Boroughs and County Boroughs were divided into Communities, though initially without Community Councils. The electorate in those Communities without councils could by local meetings create councils for these communities.

The reorganisation created eight Counties and swept away the post Act of Union historic counties.

In turn these eight counties were divided into 37 districts. They were:

Gwynedd
Ynys Môn
Arfon
Dwyfor
Meirionnydd
Aberconwy (which contained Conwy town).
Clwyd
Wrexham
Alyn & Deeside
Delyn
Glyndw+r
Rhuddlan
Colwyn
Powys
Montgomery
Radnor
Brecon
Dyfed
Ceredigion
Preseli
South Pembroke
Llanelli
Carmarthen
Dinefwr
West Glamorgan
Swansea
Lliw Valley
Neath
Port Talbot
Mid Glamorgan
Ogwr
Rhondda
Cynon Valley
Rhymney Valley
Merthyr Tydfil
Taff-Ely
South Glamorgan
Cardiff
Vale of Glamorgan
Gwent
Newport
Islwyn
Torfaen
Blaenau Gwent
Monmouth

The districts varied in size from under 20,000 for Radnor to over 270,000 for Cardiff.

A new local Government structure took over on 1st April 1996.

The Counties and Districts were replaced by 22 Unitary Authorities, called variously County, County Borough and City and County Borough councils.

The Community Councils and Communities remain - except that it is now very difficult to create a council for communities without a council or to abolish a Community council for a Community.

The new Unitary Authorities are:
AUTHORITY FORMED FROM
Anglesey Ynys Môn district (may change its name officially to Ynys Môn)
Blaenau Gwent Blaenau Gwent District
Bridgend Ogwr District
Caerphilly Rhymney Valley and Islwyn districts
Cardiff Cardiff and a tiny bit of Taff-Ely district
Carmarthenshire Llanelli, Dinefwr and Carmarthen districts
Ceredigion Ceredigion district
Conwy Aberconwy and Colwyn districts
Denbighshire Most of Glyndwr and part of Rhuddlan districts
Flintshire Alyn and Deeside, Delyn and part of Rhuddlan
Gwynedd Dwyfor, Arfon and Meirionnydd districts
Merthyr Tydfil Merthyr Tydfil district
Monmouthshire Monmouth district
Neath & Port Talbot Neath, Port Talbot and part of Lliw Valley.
Newport Newport district
Pembrokeshire Preseli and South Pembroke districts
Powys The County of Powys and a small part of Glyndwr
Rhondda-Cynon-Taf Rhondda, Cynon Valley and most of Taff-Ely
Swansea Swansea and part of Lliw Valley district
Torfaen district
Vale of Glamorgan The Vale of Glamorgan district
Wrexham The Wrexham and a small part of Glyndwr district


Can anyone help me with some information on the boundaries? / Have any postal addresses changed?

answer from Arwel Parry:

People seem largely to still be using the old addresses, but for about the last year the Post Office hasn't been insisting on having counties in the address as long as the postcode is included (theoretically, all you need to get something delivered is the postcode and the number of the house in the street - everything else is just cosmetic).


3.2.4 Welsh Political and Government Sites

Plaid Cymru (e-mail - press.info@plaid-cymru.cymru.net)

Cymdeithas yr Iaith Gymraeg

Eluned Morgan MEP

The Welsh Office


3.3 Travel

3.3.1 We would appreciate any suggestions regarding places, package tours, guides, etc. based on your own experiences and pleasures.

answer from Neil Shadrach:

CADW is the government organization responsible for ancient monuments and historic buildings in Wales. They publish a lot of user-friendly stuff for visitors. A particularly useful starting point would be their "Map Of Wales" which shows all the major sites with short reviews of many. If you are thinking of visiting more than half a dozen it would be worth joining.

CADW: Welsh Historic Monuments
Brunel House
2 Fitzalan Road
CARDIFF
CF2 1UY

There are a lot of decent leaflets available once you get here on other attractions such as Walks (Ystradfellte if you like waterfalls), Museums (St Fagans if you want to see how the Welsh used to live) and so on. I tend to pick a few castles to visit then fit other things around that.

Personal favourites are:


Talking of castles: If you want to find out anything about Welsh castles, or are interested in any particular castle in Wales, a visit to Jeff Thomas' multi-award-winning encyclopedic pages is essential. There you will find a quality picture and description of each castle, together with its history, and links to more detailed articles about people and events connected with it. A detailed tour of Dolwyddelan Castle is included, which describes many of the features which are common to other castles.

One caveat: There's a lot of data there. If your time on-line costs you money, try to visit the site when Internet traffic is at its lightest (e.g. Sunday morning in the UK). I can't suggest that you download text only, because you would miss too much.

DPJ


answer from John M. Hughes:

May I suggest that you look at the pages of the West Wales Web which has several hundred pages of useful information about West Wales, including on-line booking for hotels, caravan sites, B&B, cottages etc., and a photo-album section with lots of pictures of the area. There's also Welsh news and other things you may find interesting.

The Welsh Language and Culture section has links to one Welsh-language course on the Web, so you can follow that through too!


3.3.2 Visas

Useful information regarding visas for travel and emigration to Britain, for non-British citizens living in the USA ia available on this site.


3.3.3 Were are good places to walk in Wales?

answer from John M. Hughes

There are lots of wonderful walks in Wales, and almost anywhere you stay you will find plenty of beautiful places to walk in.

To get some idea of walks before you come, check out the South Pembrokeshire Web pages which is an introduction to several wonderful walks in Pembrokeshire, with maps and pictures; you can make arrangements for a complete package deal there, including having your bags carried on from one place to the next while you enjoy the walk.


answer from Peter Roberts:

Where you go will depend on your own preferences. If you like coastal walking then the coast around the Gower and Pembrokeshire are fairly rugged and contrary to some belief the latter is no longer covered in oil.

As to the mountains then it again is to suit your preferences. For long upland moors of heather where you can walk all day without seeing someone then the high ground above the Elan Valley in Powys walking across from Rhayader to Tregaron is a good two/three day crossing over wild moorland and days out on the Berwyns near Bala are also a good bet.

If you are looking for moderate grassy slopes then The Brecon Beacons and Black Mountains in the south and northern Carneddau in Snowdonia offer you potential and if it rocky scrambles that takes you fancy then the Glyders, southern Carneddau, Snowdon itself and the Nantlle Ridge are all good bets although in summer weekends an early 7am start is advised to beat the crowds on Crib Goch.

If you have a week in Wales the following would give you a taste of all options with the emphasis leaning towards rocky walks
Day Overnight Stop Walking Area
1 Swansea Area Gower
2 Brecon Brecon Beacons/Black Mountains
3 Rhayader Elan Valley Dams/Drygarn Fawr
4 Aberystwyth Cader Idris from Minfordd
5 Dolgellau Nantlle Ridge
6 Beddgelert Snowdon Horseshoe
7 Capel Curig or Bethesda North Ridge/Tryfan Bristley Ridge Glyders


answer from L.K.Mirrer:

I have a book called "Walks Around Betws-y-coed," by Hilary Kendell and Hilary Quoroll, copyright 1986, printed by Gwasg Carreg Gwalch, Capel Garmon, Llanrwst, Gwynedd (telephone Betws-y-coed 261).


answer from Lyndon Thomas:

Great Walks of North Wales. Author - Frank Duerden. Publisher - Ward Lock Limited, 8 Clifford Street, Mayfair, London W1X 1RB.

As the title suggests, this covers quite a large area of North Wales. It includes a variety of walks from 2 - 3 miles and 100 ft of ascent to 30 miles and 13,000ft, so you can take your pick. Many of the classic walks of the area are included - Snowdon Horseshoe, (8 miles 3,200 ft), the Nantlle Ridge and many others. It also has a number of colour photographs to help bring back memories when you return home.


3.3.4 Advice re car rental

by Bill Church

If money is of consequence, first check with your travel agent as to who is providing the best deal linked to your flight; some airlines will even give you a weeks free rental on a small car.

Pay in advance all charges, don't wait until you get to Britain. Decide whether you will be comfortable with a manual gear shift, bearing in mind you that you will have to use your left hand to change gear. If you need an automatic, you may not get the free weeks rental, and the rental may be more expensive.

Use your credit card, and upgrade it if you need to, to cover the insurance. Make sure you get the car back on time, otherwise you will charged an extra day. Make sure there are no surprise delivery charges.

Check the car very carefully for even very minor scratches, and insist that they be recorded. Make sure that all items are present in the tool kit. Many British cars now have a supposed thief proof wheel nut, and without the key you can't get the wheel off.

Ask the company to take the spare tire out for you, so that you are sure the holding nut hasn't rusted into immovability! Enquire as to where the jack fits under the car - some times it isn't obvious.

Make sure you have the phone number of the local Automobile Association or RAC, and find out from the rental company whether their agreement with the AA/RAC includes towing rights. If you have to park your car outside overnight, park it in a well lit location in as busy as possible location.

Make sure the rental company explains to you how you turn off the security system when you don't need it, or when it is giving you trouble by turning on for no particular reason!

Make sure you always drive on the left side of the road!!!!!! and watch out for sheep. Get your passenger, if you have one, to keep muttering, "left, left, left....". At roundabouts, the person to your right on the roundabout has priority.

This advice is based on rental experience with Kenning, Hertz, and Tilden, and may be useful to others contemplating car rental.


3.3.5 The web-site of the Welsh Tourist Board


3.3.6 I've heard about a village in Wales, which has one of the longest names in the world. What is its name, and what does it mean?

answer from Leslie Sitek:

Llan-fair-pwll-gwyn-gyll-go-ger-y-chwyrn-drobwll-llan-tysiliog-ogo-goch = The church of St. Mary, in the valley of the white hazel, near the rapid whirlpool, nearby the red cave of the church of St. Tysilio

Changes of the initial letters occur in all Celtic languages (like Cornish and Breton): "initial mutations"; this has a grammatical function.


3.3.7 Maps and atlases

A map of Wales in Welsh is available from the publisher below.
Cyhoeddiadau Stad,
41 Ystad Ddiwydiannol,
Mochdre,
Y Drenewydd.
Sir Drefaldwyn.
SY16 4LE.

Ffôn/Phone: +44 (0)1686 622 489.

Ordnance Survey maps are available, to various scales - e.g. 1:625000, 1:250000, 1:50000 and 1:25000. They are excellent for driving and walking. The Ordnance Survey also publishes atlases for drivers.

Dept. IC,
Ordnance Survey,
Romsey Road,
Maybush,
Sothampton.
SO9 4DH.

Ffôn/Phone: +44 (0)1703 792 763.

3.4 What does the flag of Wales look like?

Graphic of Welsh Flag

Wayne Putterill told us of a nice graphic of an embossed metal effect Welsh Dragon on this site.

Theo Bruton added - there an interesting page with some family history of S4C's dragons on their site:

answer from Patrick Howell:

A tentative list of the major variations is as follows:

Of the two dragons we know are at large on the net, both are spikenose harpoontongue curlytails, but the one on the FAQ (above) is a scaly redeye, while the one at the WTB's site, seems to be a smooth glittereye.

I have grouped 6(a) and 6(b) as subsets of the same variable, as all the spinytails I have seen wear them squirrel fashion, no doubt because such a tail in looped mode would be physically impossible or prohibitively uncomfortable for the wearer. This grouping would need to be revised if any non-prickly scalytails were to turn up.


3.5 Food

3.5.1 Does anyone have any recipes for leeks?

answer by Sally Sinclair

Well, there's cawl, but you don't need a recipe, just chop up some potato, carrots, leeks, swede, parnips, onion, or whatever you have, a bit of scrag end or a mutton-bone, stew until cooked and eat with hunk of bread and cheese.


answer from Kevin Hodgkinson

Recipe via Meal-Master (tm) v8.00

     Title: Bacon Soup - Cawl Cig Moch
Categories: Soup, Welsh

    150 g  Bacon, lean rashers
      1 md Potato
      2    Leeks
      1    Celery, stack
      1    Egg
    600 ml Water
    600 ml Milk
      2 ts Parsley, chopped
           Salt & pepper

Remove the rind from the bacon. Dice the bacon. Peel and cut up the potato and leeks. Slice the celery. Place the bacon and vegetables in the water in the saucepan. Season. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes. Separate the egg yolk from the white and mix the yolk with the milk. Remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in the egg yolk and milk. Reheat for 2-3 minutes but do not boil. Serve sprinkled with parsley.

From: Country Cooking - Recipes from Wales by Sian Llewellyn.


answer from Norman Harris

Leek and Soured Cream Flan

Pastry:

  • 75g (3oz) Self-raising Wholemeal Flour
  • 75g (3oz) Plain White Flour
  • 3/4tsp Mustard Powder
  • Pinch of Salt
  • 40g (1 1/2oz) White Fat
  • 40g (1 1/2oz) Margarine
  • 50g (2oz) Welsh Cheddar Cheese (grated)
  • Filling:

  • 1 1/2 Kilos (3lbs) Leeks (Trimmed, washed, thinly sliced)
  • 1 Clove of Garlic
  • 50g (2oz) Butter
  • 1 Large Egg (beaten)
  • 150ml (5 fl.oz) Soured Cream
  • 2 tblsp Double Cream
  • 50g (2oz) Welsh Cheddar Cheese (grated)
  • Salt and Pepper
  • Method

    Sieve the flours, salt and mustard into a bowl then rub the fats until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Stir in the cheese and add enough cold water to make a dough, chill if possible for half an hour. Preheat the oven to Gas No.4 / 180C Roll out the pastry and line the flan tin. Prick the base and sides with a fork, then bake the flan case in the centre of the oven for 15 mins. Remove from the oven and brush all over with a little beaten egg (from the filling). Return to the oven for a further 5 mins. Turn up the heat to Gas No. 5 / 190C. Melt the butter in a large pan, add the leeks and garlic and some seasoning. Cover and cook gently without browning for 10-15 minutes until well reduced. Drain in a colander and return to the pan. Combine the creams with the beaten egg and stir in to the leek mixture, seasoning to taste. Spread the mixture over the pastry case, sprinkle with the cheese and bake in the centre of the oven for 40 minutes, until brown and crispy.

    (Reproduced by permission of Maggie Dix, from her "Flavours of Wales" video)


    answers from Meg Wittenmeyer

    Potato, Leek and Celery Root Soup
  • 6 cups light veg. stock
  • 1 med. celery root bulb (about 1 lb.)
  • 2 lbs. red or yellow finn potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced salt & pepper
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
  • 1 T. light olive oil
  • 1 T. unsalted butter
  • 2 medium sized leeks, cut in half lengthwise, thinly sliced and washed (about 3 cups)
  • 1/4 cup dry white wine
  • 2 T. cream
  • Make the stock and keep it warm over low heat. Peel, quarter and thinly slice celery root, discarding inner core if it's soft and spongy. Place potatoes and celery root in soup pot with 1 quart stock, 1 teaspoon salt, and a few pinches of white pepper, bay leaf and garlic. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover pot and simmer 30 minutes until potatoes and celery root are soft. Remove bay leaf and run through a food mill or quickly mash with a potato masher. Return potatoes and celery root mixture to pot, cover and cook on low heat.

    Heat olive oil and butter in saute pan and add leeks, 1/2 teaspoon salt and a few pinches of pepper. Saute over medium heat until leeks begin to soften (3-4 minutes), then cover pan and lightly steam for 10 minutes. Add wine and simmer, uncovered, until pan is almost dry.

    Add leeks to potatoes and celery root, along with 1-2 cups stock to reach desired consistency. Cover and cook over low heat about 20-30 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Stir in cream just before serving.


    Potato, Fennel and Leek Gratin
  • 1 T. extra virgin olive oil
  • 3 large leeks, white parts only, halved lengthwise, thinly sliced and washed (about 4 1/2 cups)
  • 1 teaspoon ground fennel seeds salt and pepper
  • 2 large fennel bulbs, quartered lengthwise, cored and thinly sliced (about 4 cups)
  • 5 garlic cloves, finely chopped
  • 2 T. chopped fresh herbs; parsley, thyme and marjoram
  • 1 cup cream
  • 1 cup milk
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1/2 teaspoon peppercorns
  • 1/2 teaspoon whole fennel seeds
  • 3 fresh thyme sprigs
  • 3 fresh parsley sprigs
  • 3/4 cup grated provolone cheese
  • 2/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
  • 1 1/2 lbs. large yellow finn potatoes
  • 12 nicoise or gaeta olives, pitted and coarsely chopped
  • Heat olive oil in large skillet, add leeks, ground fennel, 1/2 teaspoon salt and a few pinches of pepper. Saute over medium heat until leeks are heated through, then cover pan and steam until wilted, about 5 minutes. Add sliced fennel, garlic and 1/2 teaspoon salt; saute until the fennel is tender, about 5 minutes. Transfer vegetables to a bowl and toss with half the chopped herbs.

    While leeks and fennel are sauting, pour cream and milk into a small saucepan; add bay leaf, peppercorns and whole fennel seeds, and herb sprigs. Steep the cream over low heat for 20 minutes. Pour thru a strainer and season with 1/4 teaspoon salt.

    Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. and lightly oil a 9x13 baking dish. Mix the cheeses. Thinly slice potatoes and layer one-third of them in the bottom of the dish, overlapping sides and rows. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper, followed by olives and half the leeks and fennel, and 1/3 of the cheese. Make another layer of the potatoes, salt, pepper, rest of the leeks and fennel and one-third of cheese. Top with rest of potatoes, pour cream over. Cover and bake 40 minutes. Sprinkle w/remaining cheese and bake uncovered until potatoes are very tender and turn golden and a little crisp (about 15 minutes). Sprinkle with remaining chopped herbs just before serving.


    answer from Ward Broughton

  • some leeks,
  • some cream,
  • some salt and pepper,
  • some lamb
  • Boil the leeks until they are soft. Pour away the water, liquidise the leeks. Heat a pan, grill the lamb, pour the liquidised leeks into the pan with the cream (add salt and pepper). Heat the cream and leeks until hot and pour over the (Welsh) lamb. Serve immediately.


    answer from Lyn David Thomas

    Anglesey Eggs

    All ingredients are variable according to taste:

  • A quantity of mashed potatoes
  • Between the same quantity and half the quantity of leeks (according to taste) finely chopped and sweated slowly in butter until cooked.
  • Boiled eggs (allow two per person)
  • A rich cheese sauce (lots of good sharp cheese and if you want it really rich add a beaten egg - careful, don't let this curdle) with added fresh (or dried) finely chopped mixed herbs.
  • Season well with salt and pepper.
  • Mix the mash with the leeks. Line a large or individual oven proof dishes with the mixture. Halve the boiled eggs and press into mash mix. Pour on the cheese sauce. Place in to a medium oven until it starts to brown and it hot all the way through. Serve.


    3.5.2 Is laverbread (Bara Lawr) available anywhere?

    Drangway laverbread is available from Wales Direct's web site


    3.6 Schools and Colleges on the Web

    contributed by: Darren Rees, Rhys James Jones, DPJ:

    RM Eduweb gives a searchable index of UK schools. BT CampusWorld contains an alphabetical list of schools' publishing areas. Also, try Schoolsnet UK, which is a database of UK schools, including links to them.

    The following schools in Wales are known to have links:

    University of Wales

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