On the trail of Teggie in Wales for Rough Guides

This year marks the Year of Legends in Wales.

That’s why my first assignment of the new year took me to Bala Lake — that’s Llyn Tegid in Welsh.

The lake is allegedly home to Teggie, Wales’ answer to the Loch Ness Monster. And I took to a canoe on a cold January morning [pictured above] to go in search of the camera-shy beastie.

The feature is for Rough Guides and will be published March 1st — St David’s Day in Wales.

Life lessons

Here’s a preview of what to expect:

They regale me with kind of folk tales familiar to all Welsh schoolchildren. The cast of characters would put Game of Thrones to shame — evil kings, brave knights and mischievous elves. These stories, I learn, are passed down through the generations and integral to preserving the Welsh language and culture.

“Every place name has an old story attached to it. hese legends ground us,” explains Llinos Jones-Williams. “Based around universal themes of love, life and death, they can still teach us something about the way we live today.”

I’m interested in other ideas around Welsh folklore and have a possible assignment around the summer solstice. Watch this space for more.

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