TREFRIW WALKING FESTIVAL 2017
LEGEND AMBASSADOR TRAINING
P> This presentation will be made available to you as a .pdf file to download yourself.
Remember – your ultimate source of information is www.trefriwwalkingfestival.co.uk
P> By the end of this session you will understand more about:
• The background to the Walking Festival • The link to the Year of Legends • The importance of legends • Our LEADER funding • The Walking Festival programme • The new Legends Trail • The new Legends book • The role of the ‘ambassador’
P8. G Background to the Walking Festival
• Trefriw’s first Walking Festival was in 2013. • The first two years were run as events under the auspices of Cerdded Conwy Walks. • From 2015 we have been independent. • 2017 will be our 5 th year.
• It is organised by a team of volunteers who do everything in-house. • During the Festival itself the committee are assisted by a huge team of other helpers.
• Trefriw Walking Festival is now Snowdonia’s most popular walking festival.
G1> Where does all this happen?
• The base for the Walking Festival is Trefriw Village Hall (LL27 0JH) . • All participants meet at the Village Hall to register and make a donation. • The main parking area is the large free car park opposite the Woollen Mill. (Please park considerately as it will be busy.) • Tea and coffee will be available in the hall. • The hall has toilets and Wifi. • Pre-loved outdoor-related books and gear will be on sale. • Grand Draw tickets will be on sale. • Local amenities (e.g. cafes and shops) are listed on the website.
G> Walkers are Welcome
In Autumn 2014 Trefriw was awarded Walkers are Welcome accreditation – an accolade given to towns and villages “with something special to offer walkers”. (Trefriw is the only village in the Snowdonia National Park to have such status.)
The aims of Walkers are Welcome venues include: • to be an attractive destination for walkers, with top quality information on local walks • to offer local people and visitors excellent walking opportunities within their areas • to ensure that footpaths and facilities for walkers are maintained, improved and well signposted
G1> Funding and securing the future
• Occasional grants towards running the event • Sponsorship towards the costs of some walks • Sponsorship in kind • LEADER (see later)
Our own fundraising: • The Grand Draw • The Cake Fest • Donations
G1. P Background to the Year of Legends
“The Year of Adventure 2016 was the first in a series of thematic years, and proved to provide a focus for product development and the promotion of Wales – which resulted in an epic year - with north Wales being named as one of the top 10 places on the planet to visit this year.” http://gov.wales – January 2017
2016 - The Year of Adventure 2017 - The Year of Legends 2018 - The Year of the Sea P> Was the Year of Adventure a success?
In 2016 there were 98.5 million tourism day visits to Wales, with an associated spend of £3.8 billion.
This number increased by 33.1% compared to the previous 12 months, with the amount spent rising by 44.1%. (This increase was just 13% at GB level as a whole.)
There was a growth of 15% in international tourism visits during the first 6 months of 2016.
P> Will the Year of Legends continue this trend?
“Clearly our marketing work, the commitment from our industry, and the innovative products which we’ve developed is having an impact. 2016 was our Year of Adventure and these figures indicate that the campaign provided a focus for product development and the promotion of Wales and gave people compelling reasons to visit Wales. As we launch the Year of Legends for 2017 in our key markets we will work to sustain these figures.”
Ken Skates, Cabinet Secretary for Economy & Infrastructure
P> Aims of the Year of Legends
“The aim is to create new Welsh legends, immerse visitors in our epic story, and make new legendary experiences:
• bringing the past to life like never before • culture and heritage at the centre of Wales marketing • building a truly distinctive identity for Wales on the world stage • funding available for innovative projects.”
http://gov.wales – January 2017
P> What is LEADER?
LEADER is a French acronym, standing for ‘Liaison Entre Actions de Développement de l'Économie Rurale’ , meaning ‘Links between the rural economy and development actions’. It is an EU-funded rural grant programme designed to support local businesses.
Activities under LEADER must be consistent with at least one of the five LEADER themes for Wales. In our case, the theme is: • ‘adding value to local identity and natural cultural resources’
P> LEADER funding
• Why are we linking the Year of Legends to the Walking Festival?
• How did we get the LEADER funding?
• What do we have to do to claim the funding? • Develop the Legends Trail • Link the Walking Festival to local legends • Identify ‘match’ in £ and hours • Write and deliver the Ambassador Training
P> Our role as ambassadors
Our intention is that everyone involved in the running of the Walking Festival will have a basic understanding of the Festival and how it’s linked to local legends.
As an ambassador we will: • be the welcoming face of the festival • know what’s going on, where and when • be able to share general information and knowledge • take responsibility for our own particular role • be aware of the value of interpersonal skills (i.e. the ability to communicate or interact well with other people.)
“Interpersonal skills are the life skills we use every day when we communicate and interact with other people, both individually and in groups.” P5. G We are nothing without our audience - flyers
G> We are nothing without our audience - posters
G> Our interface with the public - www.trefriwwalkingfestival.co.uk
G> www.trefriwwalkingfestival.co.uk
G> Who is our target audience? ? The Years of Adventure, Legends and the Sea are aimed at every age group and ability.
G. T When we say legends, we’re also including ....
fables, folklore, myths, & tales .....
T> What’s the difference?
Legend : a very old story or set of stories from ancient times, not always true, that people tell about a famous event or person ; a traditional story sometimes popularly regarded as historical but not authenticated. Fable : a succinct fictional story that often features animals, legendary creatures, plants, inanimate objects, or forces of nature that are given human qualities (such as the ability to speak) and that illustrates a particular moral lesson. Folklore : the traditional beliefs, customs, and stories of a community, passed through the generations by word of mouth. Myth : an idea or story that is believed by many people, but that is not true; also a story that was told in an ancient culture to explain a practice, belief, or natural occurrence. Tale : a fictitious or true narrative or story, especially one that is imaginatively recounted. T5> Is the difference important?
legends, fables, folklore, myths, tales .....
No! The differences are subtle, and in reality many stories are a mixture of these!
T1> The oldest tale
The stories in the Mabinogion were compiled in Welsh in the 12th–13th centuries from earlier oral traditions.
Culhwch and Olwen is possibly the earliest Arthurian tale in existence.
In the story Culhwch is obliged to perform some difficult labours, as set by the giant Ysbaddaden in order to win the hand of his daughter Olwen in marriage. Culhwch recruits King Arthur, his first cousin. One of the tasks is to find the lost Mabon, son of Modron, and a number of mythical beasts are consulted, one of whom is the wise Owl of Cwm Cowlyd. T> Fact and Fiction
One of Trefriw’s greatest claims to fame is that it was the part-time residence of Llywelyn Fawr (‘Llywelyn the Great’). Real name Llywelyn ap Iorwerth (c. 1172 – 1240), he was a Prince of Gwynedd, ultimately becoming de facto ruler over most of Wales – the first to do so.
This much is history, though he has his share of fables associated with him. T> Fables from the well known ....
King Arthur Llywelyn & Gelert
Prince Madog Idwal T> ... to the less well known
The Afanc The Water Horse The Water Bull
Fairies Dafydd ap Siencyn Taliesin T> Why were legends & fables told? • To strengthen a community and provide a common understanding. Stories often reflect the beliefs of the people who tell them. • To instil approval of values. Things that people found good or bad all found their way into the stories and they were passed on, because people wanted to be assured that other people around them were thinking along the same lines. • To confirm ideas about the world around. As a way of providing moral guidance - myths and legends, like any good stories, often include a moral. Within the myth, the hurt or embarrassment experienced by people is often due to their own stupidity, greed, dishonesty or negligence. • To explain how the world works, for example why the seasons change, and to explain strange happenings or phenomena such as eclipses - the reasons for which were unknown in early times. T4> So why are legends important today?
Myths and legends are important to us today for a number of reasons:
• They have value as literature, offering timeless and universal themes. • They give us insight into other times and places. • They give us insight into our own understanding of self and others. • They help us to see how much humankind had, and still has, in common.
T4> The importance of Legends today (continued)
Every culture has its own mythology and legends; these reflect the geography, history and values of that culture.
The themes of myths and legends are the same as those present in all great literature, e.g. good against evil; humans versus nature, the gods and other beings; quest, conflict and coming of age. Most myths and legends include at least one of these great themes, and often several.
Myths and legends are part of our heritage, and should be part of our reading. They should never to be discarded as primitive, outdated, or unimportant.
T3> Welsh names and place names
There has been a recent campaign, spearheaded by a group called Mynyddoedd Pawb (‘Everyone’s Mountains’), to try and get people to use the Welsh names of mountains and other places, where they exist.
As people who know the geography and history of this area well, the onus is on us to pronounce both place names and people’s names correctly, so that others will follow our example.
If in doubt, ask how a name is correctly pronounced!
T> The Commonest mistakes in pronunciation:
dd pronounced as English soft ‘th’ (this, that) NOT hard ‘th’ (thick) Beddgelert, Carneddau
f pronounced as English ‘v’ NOT ‘ff’ Trefriw, Cefn Cyfarwydd, Llywelyn Fawr
T1> The Commonest mistakes in pronunciation: y As a general rule, in earlier syllables it will be ‘uh’. In the final syllable it will be ‘ee’ or ‘i’.
ysgol, ysbyty mynydd, Cefn Cyfarwydd, Llanrhychwyn
The single word ‘y’ is always ‘uh’.
Betws y coed, Tal y bont Bwlch y Ddeufaen, Yr Afanc
T1> Welsh names (the stress is usually on the penultimate syllable)
Trefriw Llanrhychwyn Beddgelert Capel Curig Betws y coed Dolgarrog
Carneddau Pen Llithrig y Wrach
Cefn Cyfarwydd Bwlch y Ddeufaen Cadair Ifan Goch Tryfan
Llywelyn Fawr Dafydd ap Siencyn Twm Siôn Cati Rhita Gawr
Y Coblynau Gwiber Penmachno
Ceffyl Dŵr Yr Afanc T3. P The Walking Festival Programme 2017
“We mustn’t let these legends get in the way of a good walk.”
“But that said, every single walk provides an opportunity to mention something in the way of legend, fable or folklore.”
P1> The programme – links with legends
FRIDAY 19 th May SATURDAY 20 th May SUNDAY 21 st May Early Bird Walk Old Tramways in the High Walk in the Carneddau The Sleeping Lady Carneddau Foothills From Betws-y-coed to Trefriw Ten Lakes Navigation Skills The Legends Trail Photography Walk Natural History of Snowdonia The Owl of Cwm Cowlyd Three Rivers Family Nature Walk Landscapes of the Past in the Carneddau Geirionydd Gambol - the The Princess’ Trail to Storytelling performance at Taliesin Legend Llanrhychwyn Cake Fest Legend Rap (adults) Legend Rap (family) Legend Rap recording at Cake Fest Yoga/Mindfulness Walk Trefriw’s Two Classic Lakes Two Cake Walks Spring Flowers in Legends and Cake Fest and Grand Draw Folklore at Tŷ Hyll Potluck option Potluck option or Potluck option or or Trefriw Trail Trefriw Trail or Legends Trail Trefriw Trail or Legends Trail
plus Legends Quiz each day P> The Programme – points to note
• The Yoga/Mindfulness walk, led by a qualified yoga teacher • Produce a Legend Rap (Friday for adults, Saturday for families), led by a professional poet/musician spoken word artist. This is NOT A WALK! • Storytelling walk (Friday for adults, Saturday for families), led by a professional storyteller. • Pot-luck walks for those who turn up on spec (using the Trefriw Trail cards and the new Legends Trail) • CakeFest – the Sunday afternoon finale, starting at 4pm, including the Grand Draw • Grand Draw (prizes poster can be downloaded from the Admin page)
P. G The new Legends Trail
a 9-mile round, taking in 6 locations
(also available in Welsh)
G> The new Legends Trail
G> The Legends Trail
During the Walking Festival – • Launched on the Friday • Available as a ‘pot luck option’ on Saturday and Sunday
After the Walking Festival – • Available free with the Trefriw Trails packs
G1. T The new Trefriw Legends Book
292 pages £7.50
T> The Legends Book
Chapters are arranged geographically: • Trefriw • Cwm Cowlyd • Llyn Geirionydd • The Crafnant Valley • Llanrhychwyn • Gwydir Forest • Gwydir Castle • Llanrwst • The foothills of the Carneddau • Around the Conwy Valley T> The Legends Book
Fables woven around historical truth:
• Llywelyn – Llywelyn and the Fool • Gwydir – A Wedding in the Dark • Taliesin – Gwion and the Witch • Rhychwyn – The Flooding of Llys Helig • Betws-y-coed – The Blacksmith and the Sword • Betws-y-coed – The Witches of Betws-y-coed • Pencraig – The Harpist and the Key • Saint Ffraid and the Fish
T> The Legends Book
Mythical creatures:
• The Water Horse • The Water Bull • Y Garrog • Yr Afanc • The Gwiber
• Fairies • Y Coblynau • Giants
T> The Legends Book
During the Walking Festival – • Launched on the first day • Available for purchase at discount price (£6.50)
After the Walking Festival – • Available from Trefriw Post Office (£7.50) • Online from www.lulu.com
T1. G The Legends Quiz!
• The quiz will be available on an A4 sheet throughout the Walking Festival. • Completed sheets should be handed in at the reception desk. • The winner will be announced at the Cake Fest on Sunday. The prize is a copy of the Legends Book.
(All the answers can be found in the Legends Book, and most are also in the Legends Trail booklet.)
G> On-line resources from the TWF website (www.trefriwwalkingfestival.co.uk)
G1> Contacts
• Any aspect of LEADER funding Pam: • The role of ambassador
• Anything related to Walking Festival organisation Gill: • Staffing
• The Legends Book, Legends Trail & Legends Quiz Tony: • The website
G> Contacts
Pam: • email: [email protected]
• email: [email protected] Gill: • phone during the Festival: 07901 628367
• email: Tony: [email protected]
G. P Questions & Answers Where can I find out what walks are on? The website - www.trefriwwalkingfestival.co.uk
Do the flyers carry details of the walks? No, they simply advertise the website.
Do I need to book to go on a walk? Yes, but there may be last-minute vacancies. (The Cake Walks and the Pot Luck Walks don’t need booking.)
Are all the walks concerned with legends? Some have a very obvious legends connection. Others have a passing connection. Every walk actually has something connected with it.
P4> Q & A
What legends and fables are there locally? There are loads - they can all be found in the Legends Book.
Where can I get the book? The book is being launched at the Walking Festival. It’ll be on sale during the Walking Festival (£6.50) Afterwards it’ll be available from the village Post Office (£7.50) and on the internet (www.lulu.com - search for ‘Trefriw Legends’)
A .pdf version can also be downloaded (BY ORGANISERS ONLY) from the Admin page on the Walking Festival website.
P2> Q & A
Do I need to remember all the legends? No way! There’s far too much to remember, but if your walk covers a particular area, have a look at those legends and fables.
Where can I get a Legends Trail card or a Trefriw Trails pack? The Trail will be launched at the Walking Festival. Afterwards it will be available with Trefriw Trail packs from local outlets such as the Woollen Mill and the Post Office Both can also be downloaded from www.trefriwoutdoors.co.uk
How much does the Legends Trail card cost? It’s free!
P3> Q & A
How do I contact someone for help? Any of the contacts above will be able to help you. Contact details are also available under the ‘Contact us’ tab on the website.
Is feedback invited from people who attend? We’re always happy to get feedback. Under the ‘Contact us’ tab on the website people are invited to get in touch with both queries and feedback.
P2. // The Conwy Valley – A Land of Legends