AN INAUGURAL literary festival launched in Machynlleth, “bringing together some of the UK’s most knowledgeable and acclaimed travel and literature experts”.

Amdani, Fachynlleth! Literary & Travel Festival was held in the town from Friday, 26 to Sunday, 28 November 2021.

Even with Storm Arwen to contend with, attendees enjoyed the inaugural festival, which paid homage to internationally acclaimed Welsh historian, traveller, and author Jan Morris.

Artist and painter Dan Llywelyn Hall unveiled a new portrait of Jan, which is now on display in MOMA until the New Year along with some of Jan’s own sketches from her notebooks.

The portrait ‘The Sole Explorer’, which was created video footage and photographs, was started the day after the author’s passing on 20 November 2020.

Dan said: “I never met Jan in person but corresponded with her over a few years. A sense of her demeanour and physical presence alluded me, but I did feel somehow close after trawling through footage, photos and audio recordings.”

The portrait will travel to Trieste next year in a ceremony to honour the writer’s contribution to the city; a place held close to Jan and the subject of a book ‘Trieste - the Meaning of Nowhere’ - what she regarded her greatest work.

Twm Morys, Jan’s son, writer, musician and poet officially opened and closed the festival. There were speakers from across the travel and writing world, from talks about Machynlleth, drinking through European countries, to adventures of walking from Ukraine to Wales.

Owner of the Wynnstay Hotel Charles Dark said they are already working on the next festival, which will hopefully take place in April 2022: “As well as the incredible tales and anecdotes shared during the official speaking engagements, the stories that were shared outside of the scheduled programme among attendees and speakers were what this festival was all about in my eyes.”