As a fellow Mancunian and Welsh language learner I feel a connection to the subject of this week’s First Person.

My love of Wales started with family holidays, and Jean Brandwood’s was kindled by regular visits to the Llŷn Peninsula with husband Jim (my husband is also called Jim?!) Anyway, I digress... Those visits with Jim (her Jim, not mine) have inspired Jean to write about north Wales.

A Welsh Learner’s Ramble along the Llŷn Coastal Path, A Journey of Memories and Discoveries is described by publishers Gwasg Carreg Gwalch as “a memoir-cum-travelogue-cum-guidebook”.

The book is a rich and detailed exploration of the Llŷn Peninsula and its many beautiful and interesting locations, as well as being a record of the people and culture of the area.

Jean is an enthusiastic narrator who is evidently an admirer of Wales, the Welsh language and the culture she has experienced from many years of visiting the Llŷn with Jim.

Describing her book, Jean said: “This is my story of a walk along the Llŷn Peninsula Coastal Path in North West Wales, with my husband Jim.

“It’s a simple tale, with no acts of heroism and daring, unless being bitten by horse flies or scrambling down the steep bits on my bum counts for anything.

“We didn’t beat any records with this walk either. Some of the guide books suggest it can be done in ‘ten easy walks’ and perhaps over the course of a week or two. We weren’t in any hurry though and it took us just over three years and 42 walks to complete the journey! That did also include a long break halfway through due to being rudely interrupted by a global pandemic!

“This is a ramble in both senses of the word; a ramble along the coastal path between Porthmadog and Caernarfon, and plenty of rambling on about the people, places, flora and fauna that we discovered along our journey as well as some personal memories evoked from the many years that we’ve been visiting this very special area.

“Before you join me on the walk, I’d like to ramble on a little about how and why I came to love this very special part of Wales and then also about my passion for the language, Cymraeg (Welsh)...”

To find out more about Jean’s love of the language, you’ll have to read her book, which, as publisher Gwasg Carreg Gwalch explain, is no hard task.

“The chatty style of the writing is engaging and easy to read,” a Gwasg Carreg Gwalch spokesperson said.

“There is a variety of interesting facts interwoven with the pacy descriptions of the walks themselves, and it is difficult not to be swept up by Jean’s obvious love for the landscapes and her warmth for the people she describes.

“The perspective of the text is interesting: it is written from the point of view of an author who is a little older, and who is quite open about having some limitations on her physical activity. This is very unusual in this genre, where most texts are by young ‘yompers’ who complete trails in long segments.

“In contrast, this book breaks the walk down into more, shorter walks suitable for day trips, and considers stopping points in more detail. It will speak directly to a large audience who interact with the Llŷn in this way but who I feel are very under-represented in this area of publishing.”

As well as this, there is the angle of the Welsh language learner, and the inclusion of cultural themes, such as introducing Welsh language musicians and poets with clear personal love of the subject.

A Welsh Learner’s Ramble Along the Llŷn Coastal Path is available in bookshops, at www.carreg.gwalch.cymru and through the Books Council of Wales (www.gwales.com).

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