Snowdonia — don’t look it up!

Real or unreal?

Am I the only person who had never heard of it before?  Doesn’t it sound like a magical land straight out of C.S. Lewis or something?

So I was in my usual unfettered way traipsing along the most random paths on the internet yesterday, and I came across some photos that blew. me. away.

As in I spent the next several hours, deep into the night, researching a vacation to Wales.

I want to walk these woods…….

Coed Aber Arto from Wildwoods Post

The above is from May 2010 from a blog–which has some great Norwegian/Finnish poetry in it, too. The below is the same woods with bluebells, May 2009.

Coed Aber Artro is one of the UK’s ancient woods.  The one best known to us, perhaps, is Sherwood Forest, legendary thanks to the medieval stories of Robin Hood which live on even in our era.

Gorgeous…. Nearest airport: Manchester.  🙂

* 1st picture’s blog
* 2nd picture’s site

About sputnitsa

I'm a first-gen American--grew up in Africa and the West Indies, served in Peace Corps, and work in international development, social justice, refugee aid and youth empowerment. I'm back from climbing minarets and mountains, and here in NYC enjoy exploring theaters, museums, forests and parks. I write, produce short films, and direct plays.
This entry was posted in Coed Aber Artro, Snowdonia, travel, Wales, whatnot and tagged , . Bookmark the permalink.

16 Responses to Snowdonia — don’t look it up!

  1. Rafael says:

    One day I’ll visit and perhaps get that London flat on the East End I always wanted.

  2. Jbro says:

    These are beautiful woods! While you are saving $ for the transatlantic trip, you can also visit woods like these all over the northeast (upstate NY, Pennsylvania, New Hampshire, Maine, Connecticut…) So when are we going? 🙂

  3. sputnitsa says:

    Woods like these? Ancient woods? Not just everywhere, babe! 🙂

    Not that we don’t have lovely forests here…but I’ve NEVER seen photos here like that…

  4. Beth says:

    I love Wales. The area I visited (Tintern was the village I stayed in) had this weird, eerie vibe to it. The place just felt old.
    I loved it, and am planning my return trip!

  5. Kasia says:

    Oi. Our house in Wales has a view of the entire Snowdonia mountain range and we live half an hour’s drive away. So. There is an invitation there. Plus…where is my postcard??????????

    • sputnitsa says:

      My mom told me right after I posted. And after my heart palpitations and faint, I fainted again immediately. How can you not MENTION a thing like this???? Have you gone to that wood? Have you done the ancient wood walk thing?

      Oh, and, thank you and I’m coming! 🙂 And I SWEAR, I’m trying to find a cooler postcard than the rubbish I keep finding!!! I promise. I mean, we said atypical postcards, right? 🙂

      🙂 It is coming, I promise. Sooner than the messiah. 🙂

      • Kasia says:

        I thought you knew about where we live. ;p

        I have tramped around Snowdonia, but I am not sure if I have visited that part – Snowdonia is large! Plus, the ancient wood walk – not sure. I have walked along the river Ogwen which flows near my friend Nicola’s house and it is beautiful. Many times I felt I was going to come across a hobbit… 😉

        As for the postcard… Well. It does not have to represent New York or even be atypical. It can just be something that has caught your eye.

        As for the Messiah, just had tea with him this morning – we agreed religion is overrated…

        • sputnitsa says:

          Hee hee. So the Messiah is British. I had expected as much. 🙂

          I have decided on the postcard in that case. Prepare to be bombarded a la Harry Potter, Book 1. Except, um, you know, without the owls. 🙂

          Would love to amble ancient woods with you sometime soon!! 🙂 I invited the Messiah over for coffee. Mostly because it gave me the excuse to brew some for myself. I think he sensed my ulterior motive… 🙂

  6. Kasia says:

    And yes. You are the only person who has never heard of Snowdonia before. :p

    • sputnitsa says:

      hee hee hee–come on, before you moved there, you KNEW about it??? It’s like, tres gorgeous. 🙂 Seriously. 🙂

      • Kasia says:

        I did know about it thanks to my father. 🙂 We were on holiday in Wales and he drove my mother and I (5 years old) through Sychnant Pass and we stayed in a hotel there. It was my first time seeing snow (a kid born in Africa!) and he stopped the car and made me a snowball. I thought this was amazing and proceded to lick the icy snowball lying in my woollen mittens. My father then brought me back down to earth with a jolt saying ‘Kasia, don’t lick it. Probably some sheep have been to the toilet in that snow.’ Cheers for that Dad.
        It was snowing heavily by the time we reached the hotel by the pass and once in the room I looked out the window to see a farmer herding his sheep through the snow drifts.
        It was a most magical and wonderful sight and lives long in my memory. 🙂 So yes. I knew about this amazing place before we moved there. 🙂

        • sputnitsa says:

          Oh my god, sounds so magical and amazing! What an awesome first moment 🙂

          Well, I shall try to have a magical moment myself, although I must admit I’m thinking NOT in the winter. Sheep pee rather than winter, methinks. Just because that way I’m not looking at any missed flights.

          But it sounds MA-GI-CAL. 🙂 🙂 🙂

          Btw, any chance you’d be visiting New York any time soon?

  7. octoplusnone says:

    Ah, absolutely gorgeous. I have now also heard of Snowdownia, and I thank you. ^_^

    Wales has long been on my “Places to go and stare in wonder” list; I hope you do get to walk in those woods, eventually.

Leave a comment