Discovering the LGBTQ Heritage within the sweeping hills of Storybook Wales, a feature story by Christopher Ludgate found in Fodor’s
“It seemed that any road would lead me through vast scenic parklands, networked so I could find myself in a diverse sundry of beautiful places. Cruising between swaths of sandy beaches, hidden Druid ruins, lush mountains, and countless castles near storybook towns, the treats of Celtic culture and its beautiful otherness welcomed me. The winding roads ahead revealed all kinds of historical wonders, including glimpses into the storied lives of kindred spirits who found sanctuary here in Wales, forging its LGBTQ+ Heritage.
“It was a tailor-made journey through the country’s green fairy tale landscapes, North and South. About a fourth of the Welsh population live within the three national parks and five regions the locals call “Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.”
“Entering upon its compact rural roads, about an hour out of Manchester, far from any highway or skyscraper, I saw it on the horizon: Croeso i Gymru and Welcome to Wales. Bilingual with Welsh first, its unique orthography was a blur as I whooshed by. In that instant, that buzzing sense of escapism awoke excited for what awaited ahead…”
