On the recommendation of fellow forum member Glovepuppet, i got hold of a now difficult to obtain copy of Tom Prevett's "Roads and Trackways of North Wales.
He said it was a good book, but that is putting it mildly.
There is one passage in particular, describing one of my favourite walks in the Conwy valley, from Roewen village, walking past the Youth Hostel up towards Bwlch Y Ddufaen.
I know ive walked this route, at least a dozen times, possibly more, over the years, in all weather's. yet was totally unaware of what lay beneath my feet, and to the left and right of my chosen route.
There is so much history, Stone Age, Bronze Age, Roman, and Medieval, all within a two mile section of the walk, that if one knows where to look, one could spend hours exploring a very small geographical area.
Even the Gwynedd Archaeological Trust, consider it to be one of the most significant locations in the whole of NW Wales, for remains, and the story it can tell us over five millennia.
Those of you have walked the quiet rugged lane above Roewen Youth Hostel, are walking next to the finest section of preserved Roman road in the whole of North Wales.
There are Bronze age burial cairns a plenty, with grid references as well, and if one knows where to look, one can follow the route the Romans took from Kainovium near Tal Y Cafn, all the way to Aber on the coast.
I am sure most of us who will have passed this way, will remember the two large neolithic stones, both on opposite sides of the ancient trackway leading to Aber, well if one knows where to look, there are a lot more of the dotted around.
Had it not been bucketing down this afternoon, with the added Carneddau mist, i would have been up there, book in hand, exploring the landscape i thought i knew so well.
Whether history on your doorstep, is your thing or not, i cannot wait to return to an area i thought i knew so well.
A big cheers to Glovepuppet, for bringing the book to my attention, its increased my awareness of favourite parts of Gwynedd and Conwy.
