Im Strom unserer Zeit. Aus Briefen eines Ingenieurs

Name of traveller

Max Eyth (1836-1906) and Gutekunst

Reason for travel

• holidaying

Date of travel

various brief excursions in 1861, 1870 and 1871

Es war ein frischer, windiger Nachmittag, als mein Freund Gutekunst und ich an den Bergen hinter Holyhead hinaufstiegen, um uns den Kohlenstaub von Manchester aus den Lungen fegen zu lassen. Vom Gipfel der kahlen Höhe überblickten wir ein Stück der großen Insel. (Eyth, vol. 1 62-3)

Content

• architecture:
  • short reference to South Stack Lighthouse near Holyhead
  • inspection of the Britannia Bridge
• art: contains a detailed sketch of the Britannia Bridge by Eyth
• language: sketches the meaning of Cader Idris
• people: journey undertaken together with a friend, Gutekunst
• recreation:
  • north Wales and Anglesey perceived as ideal holiday destination
  • description of a rock-climbing tour presumably to the summit of Holyhead Mountain
  • climbing excursion to Cader Idris from Dolgellau
• terrain:
  • north Wales described as complete opposite in character from industrial north England
  • conflation of Wales and England
  • brief reference to properties of the cliffs near Holyhead
  • description of a panoramic view from the mountains near Holyhead with references to the weather and sea gulls
  • landscape described as "ossianic"
  • Welsh mountain landscape as a location for relaxation
  • Mawddach valley similar to Alpine lake region extending towards Italy
• compare with a fictionalisation of this journey in a later published short story collection
  
• click here to read the full account: volume 1, volume 2

Nationality of traveller

German

Language of publication

German

Gender of traveller

Male

Type of publication

letter

Citation

Eyth, Max. Im Strom unserer Zeit. Aus Briefen eines Ingenieurs. Heidelberg: Carl Winter’s Universitätsbuchhandlung, 1903. I: 62-3; II: 52-3, 63-5. Print.