Let the Quest Begin!

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February 21st 2008

Published: February 22nd 2008

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emak

Merlin's Hill

On the way!

This past weekend I journeyed back to Wales to begin my Quest for King Arthur. Since I am a huge King Arthur fan, I feel that I must see as many King Arthur sights as is possible while seeing other parts of the UK at the same time. My Quest started in Carmarthen - possibly the oldest town in Wales and, legend has it, where Merlin was born. After arriving, I made my way to the Tourist Information center and figured out how to get to Merlin's Hill, a good three miles away. I took a bus part of the way and then hoofed it through the town of Abergwili and up a long - about 1 mile - hill to get up to the Merlin's Hill Center. The Hill, although protected by the government, is on private property which happens to belong to farmers, so along with the Hill, you also get to see the animals - it was almost like home! Merlin's Hill is also the sight of an Iron Age hillfort, of which mostly only the embankments are left since the rest would have been constructed out of wood. The view it commands is amazing and I was

View from the top

From the top of Merlin's Hill

able to see just how far I had walked. Legend has it that Merlin was entombed in the hill and remains there until Britain needs him again. I didn't see any sign of the old enchanter, however. After leaving Merlin's Hill, I made my way back to Carmarthen and then out to my hostel for the night. The owner and his wife had two cute and very energetic little girls who I played with before they and I both headed off to bed.
Saturday was spent almost entirely on trains, getting from Carmarthen in South Wales to Caernarfon in North Wales. The scenery I saw was beautiful and when it was getting on towards evening, we passed a castle that was surrounded by mist. In the red light of the sunset, it dominated the landscape much as it must have done hundreds of years ago. For a few moments it was as if I had stepped back in time. When I reached Caernarfon, the sun had almost totally set, but there was still enough light to snap a few pictures and walk along the promenade that followed the shore. On Sunday morning I had planned to go out to Dinas

View from the top

The town below and in the far distance, Carmarthen.

Emrys, where, legend says, Vortigern had tried to build his tower, where Merlin saw the vision of the red and white dragons, and where Vortigern finally met his downfall. Caernarfon and the surrounding area, Gwynedd, is also supposedly the area where Guinevere was from. Alas, I was thwarted by public transportation. According to my online research and the bus schedule at the station, a bus was supposed to be running out there, but it never came. Instead I went to see Caernarfon Castle, which had been my plan for Monday morning. The castle was built along the same lines as Conwy but much bigger and it was much better preserved. It was here that, supposedly, Edward II the first Prince of Wales was born and the tradition of titling the heir to the throne 'Prince of Wales' began. In 1969, a ceremony was held at Caernarfon Castle to invest Charles as Prince of Wales. The slate dais still remains there today. I spent at least two hours roaming through the castle towers, up and down the tight, spiral staircases, and up, all the way up, to the top of the Eagle Tower which faces west. I did not stay up

Dragon!

Welsh dragon keeping watch near Merlin's Hill.

there very long because it was rather high. After I left the castle, I found a nature trail and took a walk following the Welsh Northern Railroad. It was very pretty and peaceful. I had a very relaxing night, and left about mid morning the next day to start my train trek back to Nottingham.

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