Wild Wales
George Borrow
Play
Length 22 h 55 min
Chapters 109
First published 1906
Wild Wales: Its People, Language and Scenery is a travel book by the English Victorian gentleman writer George Borrow (1803–1881), first published in 1862 and now a classic travel text on Wales and the Welsh. The book recounts Borrow's experiences, insights and personal encounters whilst touring Wales alone on foot after a family holiday in Llangollen in 1854. Although contemporary critics dismissed its whimsical tone, it quickly became popular with readers as a travel book and more importantly as a very lively account of the literary, social and geographical history of Wales. Borrow’s engaging character comes across especially in his meetings with various itinerants – mostly native and peasant – along the muddy Welsh path. Borrow’s keen ear for dialogue may remind us of a Dickens or Trollope, and like the latter his wit and wisdom are rarely absent. Indeed the author has been described as an "eccentric, larger-than-life, jovial man whose laughter rings all through the book". Borrow makes much of his self-taught Welsh and how surprised the natives are by his linguistic abilities – and also by his idiosyncratic pronunciation of their language. He loves to air his knowledge of Welsh culture, especially the Bardic tradition. And like his contemporary, William Wordsworth, he has a habit of quoting verses to the heavens as he walks. As the author finally reaches South Wales towards the end of his account, we meet for the first time evidences of modern industrialism, introduced to the reader in the form of a Dante’s Inferno of coal mines and iron foundries. Today, most will remember and value the book for these and other vivid nineteenth-century landscapes – along with Borrow’s gallery of fascinating, human characters. (SUMMARY BY STEVE GOUGH BASED ON WIKIPEDIA)
Chapters
1
Introductory Read by Steve Gough 13:49
2
Chapter 2: The Start, Peterborough, Birmingham Read by Steve Gough 10:27
3
Chapter 3: Chester Read by Steve Gough 10:25
4
Chapter 4: Chester, Camp-meeting Read by Steve Gough 12:12
5
Chapter 5: Chester, Book-Stall, Wrexham Read by Steve Gough 14:10
6
Chapter 6: Llangollen, the Dee Read by Steve Gough 9:40
7
Chapter 7: Llangollen, Lodgings Read by Steve Gough 7:00
8
Chapter 8: The Robber’s Leap Read by Steve Gough 13:40
9
Chapter 9: Llangollen, Pengwern Read by Steve Gough 12:38
10
Chapter 10: The Berwyn Read by Steve Gough 4:28
11
Chapter 11: Pont Fadog Read by Steve Gough 16:29
12
Chapter 12: Pont y Cysswllt Read by Steve Gough 11:55
13
Chapter 13: Llangollen, the Abbey of the Vale of the Cross Read by Steve Gough 12:27
14
Chapter 14: Expedition to Ruthyn, the Column Read by Steve Gough 10:07
15
Chapter 15: The Turf Tavern, Ruthyn Read by Steve Gough 14:21
16
Chapter 16: Return from Ruthyn, Agricola’s Hill Read by Steve Gough 7:10
17
Chapter 17: Llangollen, Plas Newydd, Llyn Ceiriog Read by Steve Gough 17:32
18
Chapter 18: Llangollen, the Parish Clerk Read by Steve Gough 17:15
19
Chapter 19: Llangollen, the Vicar, the Pool of Catherine Lingo, Robber’s Leap Read by Steve Gough 16:13
20
Chapter 20: The Valley of Ceiriog, Huw Morris’s Chair, Pont y Meibion Read by Steve Gough 19:38
21
Chapter 21: Pandy Teirw Read by Steve Gough 15:41
22
Chapter 22: Llangollen Fair Read by Steve Gough 3:54
23
Chapter 23: Pont y Pandy, Glendower’s Mount, Corwen Read by Steve Gough 17:27
24
Chapter 24: The Rock of Heroes, the Italian at the Inn Read by Steve Gough 16:50
25
Chapter 25: On the way to Bangor, the Irishman Read by Steve Gough 13:28
26
Chapter 26: Pentre Voelas, the Conway, Swallow Falls, Capel Curig Read by Steve Gough 20:06
27
Chapter 27: Bangor Read by Steve Gough 12:09
28
Chapter 28: Menai bridges Read by Steve Gough 16:14
29
Chapter 29: Snowdon, the Wyddfa Read by Steve Gough 15:24
30
Chapter 30: Gronwy Owen Read by Steve Gough 5:49
31
Chapter 31: Anglesea, Pentraeth Coch Read by Steve Gough 11:18
32
Chapter 32: Llanfair Mathafarn Eithaf, the Birthplace of Gronwy Owen Read by Steve Gough 27:41
33
Chapter 33: The Inn at Pentraeth Coch Read by Steve Gough 9:52
34
Chapter 34: Conversation at the Inn Read by Steve Gough 7:22
35
Chapter 35: A Brilliant Morning Read by Steve Gough 7:19
36
Chapter 36: Leaving Pentraeth Coch, Penmynnydd, Tomb of Owen Tudor Read by Steve Gough 8:47
37
Chapter 37: Dyffryn Gaint Read by Steve Gough 25:34
38
Chapter 38: The Inn at L-- Read by Steve Gough 12:54
39
Chapter 39: Bound for Holy Head Read by Steve Gough 14:42
40
Chapter 40: Caer Gybi Read by Steve Gough 6:39
41
Chapter 41: The Pier Read by Steve Gough 9:08
42
Chapter 42: Town of Holy Head, Pen Caer Gybi Read by Steve Gough 16:02
43
Chapter 43: Bangor, Port Dyn Norwig, Caernarvon Read by Steve Gough 9:38
44
Chapter 44: Pont Bettws, Llyn Cwellyn Read by Steve Gough 21:14
45
Chapter 45: Inn at Bethgelert Read by Steve Gough 4:03
46
Chapter 46: The Valley of Gelert Read by Steve Gough 14:43
47
Chapter 47: Tan y Bwlch, Festiniog Read by Steve Gough 14:22
48
Chapter 48: Mynydd Mawr and Mynydd Bach, Tref y Talcot Read by Steve Gough 20:33
49
Chapter 49: Bala Read by Steve Gough 19:44
50
Chapter 50: The Tomen Bala Read by Steve Gough 5:59
51
Chapter 51: Back at Llangollen Read by Steve Gough 8:10
52
Chapter 52: Llangollen, Attempted Murder Read by Steve Gough 8:57
53
Chapter 53: Pen y Coed Read by Steve Gough 6:10
54
Chapter 54: Chirk Read by Steve Gough 22:15
55
Chapter 55: Llangollen, Some of the Inhabitants Read by Steve Gough 9:41
56
Chapter 56: Llangollen, News of the Fall of Sebastopol Read by Steve Gough 10:41
57
Chapter 57: Pentré y Dwr Read by Steve Gough 11:38
58
Chapter 58: Sunday at Llangollen Read by Steve Gough 9:32
59
Chapter 59: Llangollen, History of Twm O’r Nant Read by Steve Gough 25:11
60
Chapter 60: Twm O’r Nant, his Interludes Read by Steve Gough 15:05
61
Chapter 61: Walk to Wrexham, Methodistical Volume Read by Steve Gough 13:24
62
Chapter 62: Rhiwabon Road Read by Steve Gough 8:43
63
Chapter 63: Last Night at Llangollen Read by Steve Gough 8:28
64
Chapter 64: Departure for South Wales Read by Steve Gough 13:23
65
Chapter 65: Inn at Llan Rhyadr Read by Steve Gough 9:06
66
Chapter 66: Sycharth Read by Steve Gough 14:48
67
Chapter 67: Llan Silin Read by Steve Gough 8:54
68
Chapter 68: Llan Silin Church, Tomb of Huw Morris Read by Steve Gough 10:46
69
Chapter 69: Church of Llan Rhyadr Read by Steve Gough 5:17
70
Chapter 70: Rhyadr, Mountain Scenery Read by Steve Gough 7:50
71
Chapter 71: Wild Moors, Arrival at Bala Read by Steve Gough 10:33
72
Chapter 72: Bala, The White Lion Read by Steve Gough 12:37
73
Chapter 73: Llyn Tegid Read by Steve Gough 11:30
74
Chapter 74: Bala to Dinas Mawddwy Read by Steve Gough 19:09
75
Chapter 75: Inn at Mallwydd Read by Steve Gough 3:33
76
Chapter 76: Mallwydd and its Church, Cemmaes Read by Steve Gough 9:55
77
Chapter 77: The Vale of Dyfi Read by Steve Gough 8:11
78
Chapter 78: Machynlleth Read by Steve Gough 11:47
79
Chapter 79: Machynlleth, Historic Events Read by Steve Gough 9:13
80
Chapter 80: Machynlleth to Esgyrn Hirion Read by Steve Gough 18:14
81
Chapter 81: The Mining Compting Room Read by Steve Gough 13:48
82
Chapter 82: Inn at Pont Erwyd Read by Steve Gough 18:54
83
Chapter 83: Conversation at the inn and on the way to the Devil’s Bridge Read by Steve Gough 17:24
84
Chapter 84: The Devil’s Bridge Read by Steve Gough 7:38
85
Chapter 85: Dinner at the Hospice Read by Steve Gough 9:42
86
Chapter 86: Dafydd Ab Gwilym Read by Steve Gough 17:02
87
Chapter 87: Start for Plynlimmon Read by Steve Gough 4:58
88
Chapter 88: Plynlimmon, and back to the Devil’s Bridge Read by Steve Gough 17:42
89
Chapter 89: Hafod Read by Steve Gough 9:51
90
Chapter 90: Spytty Ystwyth Read by Steve Gough 7:26
91
Chapter 91: Strata Florida, burial-place of Dafydd Ab Gwilym Read by Steve Gough 11:11
92
Chapter 92: Rhyd Fendigaid to Tregaron Read by Steve Gough 24:14
93
Chapter 93: Tregaron Church Read by Steve Gough 8:55
94
Chapter 94: Llan Ddewi Brefi Read by Steve Gough 11:17
95
Chapter 95: Lampeter to the Bridge of Twrch Read by Steve Gough 14:28
96
Chapter 96: Llandovery Read by Steve Gough 10:47
97
Chapter 97: Llandovery Church Read by Steve Gough 18:55
98
Chapter 98: Llandovery to Gutter Vawr Read by Steve Gough 18:27
99
Chapter 99: Inn at Gutter Vawr Read by Steve Gough 15:39
100
Chapter 100: Gutter Vawr to Swansea Read by Steve Gough 22:03
101
Chapter 101: Swansea Read by Steve Gough 4:40
102
Chapter 102: Swansea to Neath Read by Steve Gough 6:24
103
Chapter 103: Town of Neath, the Glowing Mountain Read by Steve Gough 6:56
104
Chapter 104: Merthyr Tydvil Read by Steve Gough 6:25
105
Chapter 105: Start for Caerfili Read by Steve Gough 21:58
106
Chapter 106: Pen y Glas to Caerfili Read by Steve Gough 7:28
107
Chapter 107: Caerfili Read by Steve Gough 7:48
108
Chapter 108: Town of Newport Read by Steve Gough 19:57
109
Chapter 109: Arrival at Chepstow Read by Steve Gough 3:28
From LibriVox, read by volunteers and in the public domain. LibriVox page (opens librivox.org) , the text (opens gutenberg.org) , all files on the Internet Archive (opens archive.org) .
