"Craig y Mor oder Erinnerungen an eine Reise nach Süd-Wales"

Name of traveller

Bettina Hürlimann (1909-1983) and Martin Hürlimann (1897-1984)

Reason for travel

  • holidaying; leisurely travel

Date of travel

1959

In diesem Teil von Südwales, wo es weder Industrie noch Kohlenbergwerke gibt, ist neben der Schiffahrt und der Fischerei ein viehzuchttreibendes Bauerntum zuhause, das in dieser von Durchgangsverkehr und Touristik freien Gegend im schönsten Einklang mit der Umgebung steht. (74)

Content

  • agriculture: identifies livestock farming and fishing as main sources of income in Pembrokeshire
  • architecture:
    • typical cottages in Pembrokeshire show whitewashed walls; sometimes their stone roofs are whitewashed as well
    • intrigued by the location of St David's Cathedral and the Bishop's Palace in a ditch and the quality of the stones and the masonry of both buildings
  • art:
    • is fascinated by a Celtic cross in St David's Cathedral and sees links with ornaments found in Breton and Irish illuminated manuscripts
    • describes two stone figures in the cathedral as most lifelike
    • sketches some locations in Laugharne
  • customs:
    • reference to the importance of music and poetry competitions in the annual eisteddfodau
    • only one pub in St. David's due to strong Nonconformist influence; describes the pub as a predominantly male domain
    • discovers that the chapels and the cathedral are not connected with each other; some remarks on the importance of the Bible in everyday life
    • attends a Sunday service in the cathedral which puts her off repeating the experience in a chapel
    • finds that Nonconformism has little influence in Laugharne with its many pubs
  • diet: praises the quality of locally sourced lamb
  • history: some notes on St David, his birth nearby, noble ancestry and association with King Arthur
  • industry:
    • Cardiff is home to one of the largest harbours for the coal trade
    • decline of coal mining in south Wales and environmental impact
    • some notes on the history of industrial development in south Wales, child labour and hard working conditions; points out that work exploitation, poverty, pollution and Nonconformist work ethic are historically connected
  • literature:
    • points out that Laugharne and its people inspired Under Milk Wood
    • addresses the difficulty of transforming the observed landscapes into her own writing
  • people: visits Laugharne in the footsteps of Dylan Thomas (1914-1953) and comments on his life and writing
  • recreation:
    • spends holidays in a rented cottage near St David's; some highly romanticised descriptions of living without electricity in this cottage
    • has been warned against the dangers of sea bathing and to watch out especially for attacks by sharks and dolphins
    • reference to the Youth Hostel in St. David's
  • terrain:
    • romanticised descriptions of thinly populated coastal area around St David's
    • compares small islands just off the coast to the back of whales; fields around the cottage look like a pale yellow and green chessboard
    • identifies St David's as the smallest city in the UK
    • praises the painterly qualities of Laugharne

Nationality of traveller

German, Swiss

Language of publication

German

Gender of traveller

Male, Female

Type of publication

travelogue

Citation

Hürlimann, Bettina. "Craig y Mor oder Erinnerungen an eine Reise nach Süd-Wales." Zwischenfall in Lerida und andere Texte. Zürich und Freiburg im Breisgau: Atlantis Verlag, 1979. 67-84. Print.

Entry created: 6 January 2016
Entry last updated: 23 September 2016