Way back in the mists of time, a tree lined avenue was forged through the heart of Eifionydd. Such a wide, grand and pleasant lane had never before been encountered – nearly two centuries on, and the enchanted seeds of inspiration continue to rain down on local bards from the boughs above their heads along the Lôn Goed.
Countless poets and bards have conveyed their passions for the Lôn Goed through written verse, none more famous than R. Williams Parry in his work called ‘Eifionydd’. Stretching for nearly six miles from the coast at Afonwen to the boulder strewn heart of Eifionydd, nothing clears the mind more effectively than a walk along this pleasant path.
Gwynedd Council and its partners were awarded grants from the Countryside Council for Wales and The Heritage Lottery Fund in order to implement small scale projects to secure the future of this historic lane. Works to date have included tree safety works, research, guided walks, and work with the schools at Chwilog and Llanystumdwy, which included a study of the path and site visits, along with building hand made oak gates.
The project is now drawing to a close, but not before the last jobs are carried out which include installing bespoke oak benches, and new iron gates based on the original designs, which were built by a local blacksmith. Tree planting will also take place to replace original ones which either died or were blown over by strong winds. The Llangybi branch of the Young Farmers Club accompanied by the Chwilog branch of Merched y Wawr will be on hand to help plant new oak trees on Saturday, 17 April.
Marilyn Adams from the Chwilog branch of the Women’s Institute said:
“It truly is an honour for our branch members to get the chance to work with young people from our local community to create ‘new’ history on the Lôn Goed. The timing couldn’t be better either as we celebrate the 90th anniversary of the Gwynedd Federation of the Women’s Institute this year, which means we can plant these trees as part of out celebratory activities.”
Haydn Hughes, Countryside Warden from Gwynedd Council added:
“It’s such a heart warming feeling to see local residents continue to use, appreciate and care for this path as they have done so over the years. Involving the local schools was a good investment in the Lôn Goed’s future. Of course, it’s not possible to please everyone, but I do hope that the project has brought something different to the Lôn Goed, giving the residents of 2010 the chance to create a new chapter in the history of this much loved lane.”
The local residents, project partners and Gwynedd Council would like to acknowledge and thank the Countryside Council for Wales and The Heritage Lottery fund for their contributions.
