Afallach - Mynydd Helygain

Afallach, in English Avalon, is the island in a sea of mist to which Arthur was carried after his last battle. This is a strange and liminal place, battered by mining and quarrying for two thousand years. This has not, of course, affected the fastness of Caerfallwch, the castle of Afallach. This can only be seen at times when the veil between worlds is thin, and photography has never been successful (although we encourage you to try).

The Romans, aware of the sacredness of the site, deliberately despoiled it by mining lead and zinc from the mountain and spreading the waste on the land. In response a bard (thought to be Gwydion) spread snow over the bare mountain, and when it melted there were two new species, one a white flower to shine in the spring and one a grass that would thrive in the sand and poisonous zinc and lead waste.