To Porthmadog

This is the view South (ish) from Cwm Ystrad Llyn across to Porthmadog and beyond.

200 years ago William Madocks created the port of Porthmadog (hence the name) and reclaimed the salt marshes of the Glaslyn estuary behind by building the Cob - the long stone embankment you can see (if you squint!) stretching across this photo. His efforts turned this quiet corner of Wales into a major port for the export of the local slate quarried at Ffestiniog during the late 1800s.

At around the same time my great grandfather Pierce Williams lived here in Porthmadog. He was a ship's captain but he sailed out of Liverpool not here, on 7 year voyages to South America to bring back cargos of guano. Yes guano - presumably used as fertiliser. It seems an awful long way to go for some compost, but anyway the length of his voyages could be measured by the age gaps of his three children, born 7 years apart.


I'm in a reception black hole here so I'm outside in the dark and cold posting this. As I've got a stinking cold I'm not going to stay out long enough to look at your journals but I do hope you're all splendidly well. Soz lovelies x