In a hidden corner of West Wales lies a quiet and unassuming landscape. Steeped in history, mythology and folklore, the coastal land stretching from St Davids up Cardigan Bay to Aberystwyth has, for a long time, gripped my interest. I spent a lot of my childhood exploring Llechryd, the Teifi River and the Cardigan coast. My own ancestral heritage traces a path from Swansea to Barry and then back west to Llechyrd. In my grandfather’s cottage which sits on the Teifi, there sat a book on the shelf titled “Carningli: Land and People” by Brian John. The book told of a mountain in the Preseli Hills near the coast which had a unique and deep historical fingerprint and believed by some to hold magical properties.
In January 2024, I set off to finally visit the mountain which had captured the imagination of both myself and countless before me. Combined with new found intrigue in film making, I set out to try and capture the short adventure up the mountain. It was a perfect blue-skied January day with frosty ground and crisp air. The mountain was certainly special and the panoramic view over the Preseli’s , down into Newport Pembrokeshire and out across the bay towards Ireland will stay in with me for a long time.
Through my research of the mountain, I stumbled upon this poem by Dafydd Emrys. ( Carningli a’r lleuad llawn)I have spent the last few years trying to explore my Welsh identity and to rediscover and improve on my basic grasp of the Welsh language. Dafydd’s poem immediately struck me as a powerful soundscape. Although the lyrics describe the mountain at night, the pairing of his audio and my visual image of the mountain seemed to me to fit together perfectly. I reached out to Dayfdd and asked if I could combine the two mediums to create a short film. It is obvious that Dafydds poem carries this film, taking it from basic mountain footage shot by a novice, to something far more interesting. Luckily for me, Dafydd agreed to let me use his poem. I hope this film helps bring Dafydds poem to more people, kindle the imagination of those more visually minded and ultimately brings the magic of Carningli to a new audience.