Then let me near this fountain lie;
And let old Time in silence fly,
Stealing my youth away!
Far from the riot of the mean,
Oh! let me o’er this fountain lean;
Till Death has drawn the darksome skreen,
That hides eternal day.
Mr. Bingley ascended this mountain from the Blue Lion, kept by Jones,
before mentioned, who acts as guide: from this spot Mr. Bingley declares
himself capable of attaining the summit in two hours, from which he
describes the views to be more varied, if not so extensive, as from
Snowdon.
“In descending,” he says, “I took a direction eastward of that in which I
had gone up, and proceeded along that part of the mountain called Mynydd
Moel. The path in this direction is sufficiently sloping to allow a
person to ride even to the summit. A gentleman, mounted on a little
Welsh poney, had done this a few days before I was here.”
“About two miles from Dolgelly is the pretty village of Llanettyd,
and from hence, a road through the vale to Maentwrog, which vale is
seen to much advantage from the bridge. From this village likewise a
path leads to Y Vanner, or Kymmer Abbey, founded in 1198, by Meredith
and Griffith, lords of Merioneth, and sons of Cynan ap Owen Gwynedd,
prince of North Wales. The monks were of the Cistercian order, and
the abbey was dedicated to St. Mary.
“The approach to Barmouth was formerly over a prodigious mountain,
surmounted with great difficulty, and passed with apprehension of
destruction. The magistrates of the county, however, bent on
improvement, agreed with an undertaker to form a road out of the
steep rocks jutting out from the sea, and to guard it with a wall.
The labour was astonishing, the price two guineas a yard. It is now
a most charming road, exhibiting romantic boldness of scenery.
“A stone bridge of several arches conducts over Wnion, which here
flows many hundred feet wide. On the right, at a mile distant from
the town, on the bank of the river, are the ruins of Kymmer Abbey.
Two miles from Dolgelly is Nanneau Park, once the residence of Hawel
Sele, an inveterate enemy of Owen Glyndwr, the ancient seat of the
family of that name, now of Sir William Vaughan, Bart. The road is
by a steep ascent, and the house stands on very high ground. Sir
Robert Vaughan erected a new and handsome mansion. In the upper part
of the park are the remains of a British post, called Moel Orthrwn,
or the Hill of Oppression. Returning towards Barmouth, you regain
the road at Llan Ettyd, where the tide flows to a considerable
height. Brigs are built here of 200 tons burden.
“From Llan Ettyd to Barmouth is ten miles of most excellent road,
winding round the hill opposite to Dolgelly, on a shelf of rock,
through hanging woods, across a handsome stone bridge over the
Mawddach, when it joins the Wnion. The expanse of water here is
considerable at high tide, having the appearance of a large lake,
enveloped by mountains. The vivid summit of Cader now assumes the
appearance of a volcano. The road follows the inequalities of the
shore, till it occupies a narrow shelf of the perpendicular rock of
Barmouth. Here is a fine view of the river falling into the
beautiful bay of Cardigan.”—NICHOLSON.