Bijou but beautiful - Wales may be small but that just makes it all the easier to get to know and love. All within easy reach; accessible and inspiring, enchanting and evocative. And if you need more encouragement to get out and about, the inimitable John Davies, one of Wales most admired historians, invites you to wander with him to his definitive list of Wales 100 most memorable, historic places in his latest book Cymru: Y 100 lle iw gweld cyn marw (Wales: the 100 places to see before you die) .

Known for his talent for bringing history to life, for recounting tales of old, of stories past and present, Davies links up with renowned photographer Marian Delyth to encapture Wales in word and picture. Let your senses travel the four corners of the country, starting on Mynydd Parys on Anglesey and wandering across and down, and round and over, to Pennant Melangell and Pont Cysyllte Aqueduct, Strata Florida and Whitland and Abergavenny, to name but a few, before finishing your journey at Chepstow and the Second Severn Crossing.

The list contains firm favorites, Harlech, Beaumaris, Portmeirion, Conwy, The Mumbles and Tenby. But it also gives deserved attention to Waless industrial heritage, with stop-offs at Blaenau Ffestiniog, Dowlais, Neath, Rhondda Heritage Park, Blaenafon, Brynmawr and Tredegar. There are more remote locations, a visit to Old Beaupr Castle near Cowbridge, Llanddewi Nant Hodni in Gwent and Barclodiad y Gawres and Bryn Celli Ddu on Anglesey. But there are surprises too, no boat trip to magical Enlli or a beach walk to remote Ynys Llanddwyn and Snowdon mentioned only in passing.

John Davies explains, The places discussed are all evidence of the fruit of the labours of human beings. Places like Llanddwyn and Enlli could well be included in a volume concerned with the hundred places in Wales famed for their natural beauty; indeed such a volume would be a suitable companion to this one.

Do-able over the course of a lifetime by people who love exploring and who appreciate a sense of place, but for Marian Delyth it was a journey of epic proportions. For she, along with her trusty camera, was tasked with representing Davies wanderings in photo. It took her months to complete the project but the results are stunning. Her colour photographs capture the spirit of Wales early morning light in the Tanat Valley and then the sun setting over the sea at Aberystwyth; snow on the slopes of Yr Eifl in March and heather on Foel Drygarn in September.

Delyth comments, This comission was quite a marathon. Photographing a hundred places takes a fair amount of commitment, patience and perseverance. That said, by the end of the journey, my co-author John Davies had led me, in his own inimitable way, to a few gems places that Id known very little about, let alone had visited. Places that Im certain Ill go back to as I didnt have enough time to linger this time around. I learnt a lot too, especially about our post-industrial regions, where I often had to look hard for that perfect shot to showcase the remains of our heritage.

A limited edition hard back, numbered and signed by the authors, John Davies and Marian Delyth, retailing at 29.95, is now available to pre-order from publishers Y Lolfa. A paper back version, in coffee table style (220mm x 220mm), priced at 19.95 ISBN 9781847711687, is also being published.

Lefi Gruffudd, general manager, for publishing house Y Lolfa added, Cymru: Y 100 lle iw gweld cyn mawr (Wales: the 100 places to see before you die) is a must have for the Christmas stocking list, perfect for anyone and everyone who loves Wales and getting out and about. A signed hard back copy is extra special. So, why not take up John Davies challenge and do Wales in your lifetime!

( This is not an official press release but rather the personal observations of a Cymuned supporter )

Cardiff, the Assembly and YouGov

Firstly, a word of cheer: Quiet campaigning by individuals works! The story comes from Cardiff, where Coop have been working to freshen the image of their Llandaf shop. This involved, amongst other things, getting rid of the old bilingual signs and replacing them with "easier to read" English-only versions. But, in the words of the shop manager, she received a "strong reaction" from shop customers that convinced her to return to bilingual signage. Yes, it is awful that we still have to "campaign" in the 21st century for something as basic as recognition for the language, but this story shows that it is possible to change some things by quiet words in the right ears!

Which brings me neatly to an appeal for contributions! The Assembly's Heritage Department are starting the process of creating a new language strategy to replace "Iaith pawb" - the current blueprint for a bilingual Wales. They would like to hear the ideas and views of the public and relevant organisations to help them in their work. You may very well have your own ideas about the way forward to securing the Welsh's place as a vibrant community language, so now is the time for you to make them known in a way that can make a real difference.

Perhaps you remember an earlier email telling of a language Board conference where one recommendation was to encourage public bodies in the 'Fro' to use Welsh as their internal language - This shows that the ideas of CyngorNi are already being considered. Its time for us to push our message to the Assembly in the most powerful way available- through the submissions of the electorate and others that love the country. Please contribute, so that we can develop a strategy that will turn the vision in Iaith Pawb of: "a truly bilingual Wales ...a country where people can choose to live their lives through the medium of either or both Welsh or English..." into reality.

The consultation closes on the 29th January. Contributions by post to:

The Welsh Language Unit, Welsh Assembly Government Cathays Park Cardiff CF10 3NQ

Online at cymru.gov.uk/topics/welshlanguage

Or by e-mail to cymraeg@cymru.gsi.gov.uk .

It was interesting to see the YouGov opinion poll during the month, giving details of voting intentions in a general election and Assembly referendum. At the tail-end of the poll there was a question regarding the usage of Welsh showing that 42% of the population of Wales have some amount of Welsh (18% were fluent).

This is excellent news until you read the following question. Even in the North, and the "West and Central" regions, less than 30% of the Welsh speakers used their Welsh "all or most of the time" in their own homes. Now, predictions of disaster cannot be made as a result of one poll, especially when the question was just for sorting statistics rather than an important element of the poll, but I think that supporters of the Welsh language are justified in worrying about this statistic. However important a new Welsh Language Act may be, I'm not sure that people who don't use Welsh in their own homes are going to be all that enthusiastic about a right to use Welsh in a bank or with a mobile phone company. Then again, promoting Welsh as the language of work amongst public bodies in the 'Fro Gymraeg' would certainly ease the pressures on people to use English on every occasion.

Until next month!

Iestyn

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Dewi Sant told us to "Do the little things."

To see what he had in mind, have a quick look at:

www.cymuned.net/ymlaen/dewisant

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Are you a dreamer or a doer?

Cymuned can't survive without YOUR help.

Have a look at:

www.cymuned.net/ymlaen/ourfuture

to hear how to make things change

To everyone celebrating Thanksgiving tomorrow, we wish you a wonderful day, hopefully with family and friends!

Award winning Brewer Evan-Evans was voted the top Welsh drink at the True Taste of Wales Awards at Abergavenny last night (Nov 19). The award is the second major prize for the companys brands in the last 12 months.The company was voted the third best brewer in the UK in the Best Bitter Category at the Great British Beer Festival, the UKs leading consumer Beer Festival. Chief executive Simon Buckley said:

This year my family celebrate 240 years of family brewing in Wales. We have had a record year for winning awards. Cwrw has been voted the best beer in Wales for draught beer, and now for the bottled version. I am extremely proud to win this award in this very special year for us as a family. I am also very proud to be carrying on the tradition of brewing great beers. We hope that Cwrw will now become the National Ale of Wales. This award is a huge credit to our brewing team in Llandeilo, and they are now unquestionably the best brewing team in the specialist market in Wales. We are now brewing for some of the biggest national and regional brewers in the UK, and hope to launch a series of new cask ale brands in the early spring. There is little question that the market is difficult and likely to get worse, but there is no doubt that winning these awards will keep us at the very top of Welsh brewing. The brewery is based in Llandeilo West Wales.

Some Facts About Cwrw

• Cwrw is Welsh for beer.
• Evan-Evans is owned by Simon Buckley, 51, whose family have brewed in Wales since 1767, Evan-Evans has a reputation for brewing the highest quality cask-conditioned beers.
• Evan-Evans is Waless largest specialist brewer of cask ale. The company started brewing in 2004 to produce specialist cask ales for the Welsh and national guest ale market.

A few words about the Buckley brewing tradition

• The brewing heritage of the Buckley family stretches back to the early 19th century after the Rev James Buckley married the eldest daughter of Henry Child who had founded Childs Brewery in Llanelli. It was set up to slake the thirst of the towns tinworkers, who were rapidly increasing in numbers.
• The clergymans 18-year-old namesake James Buckley is today part of the seventh generation and each one before him has been directly involved in the industry. His father, Simon, was the last Buckley to brew at Llanelli before moving to London in 1984.
• Buckleys Brewery had the distinction of being the only Welsh brewer to hold a royal warrant. In 1991 it became Crown Buckley when it was taken over by a subsidiary of Guinness. It was sold to Brains in 1997 and the Llanelli Brewery closed a year later.
• Evan-Evans was actually founded in Llandeilo in 2003 and began brewing in 2004. It is named after William Evan-Evans who married into the family four generations ago.
• This summer Mr Buckley acquired the remains of Archers of Swindon for an undisclosed sum. Archers, which until March this year brewed in Swindon, went into administration following a period of difficult trading. The brewery has been acquired by the Buckley family to extend its Welsh brewing operation, and to give it access to new markets in the South West along the M4 corridor into London.
• In July, Mr Buckley opened a new traditional pub in Cardiff - the first traditional pub to be built in the city for 25 years. The 1million development in the former RAFA club in Cathedral Road represented a significant investment in the capital city for West Wales-based Welsh Estates Ltd and the Evan-Evans Brewery. Mr Buckley was responsible for the development of the Cayo Arms in Cardiff in 2000. The pub was voted one of the top 50 pubs in the UK after its launch. The new pub in Cathedral Road is called Y Cadno (The Fox).

Only nine months after its publication, Tongue Tied , a novel by Peter Griffiths, has been reprintedonce again! This is remarkable for an author with no name recognition. The achievement attests to Tongue Tieds power to please at several levels; it speaks to the novels literary attributes, its strong story line, and, as Mary Seamans review in the Celtic Connection puts it, its masterful conclusion. another reviewer, Lise Hull in Ninnau, underlines Tongue Tieds appeal with, This tale of what it means to be Welsh should be on everyones reading list, whether they have been to Wales or not, whether they are Welsh or not. In support of this notion of universality, consider the reaction to Tongue Tied of two ladies whose lives are worlds apart. Marti Stewart is the book club coordinator for the Tattered Cover, Denvers leading bookstore. she said, While I read Tongue Tied, I felt as if I was on a two week vacation in Wales. the other lady actually lives in Wales and speaks Welsh with the best of them. She said, Tongue Tied is an authentic novel...a great read." this is praise indeed from Enid Gruffudd, the distinguished wife of y Lolfa's proprietor!

From Carol Moore ( Briceville, Tenesseee )

We would love for more Welsh folks to learn about Coal Creek, Tennessee in hopes they may have more information about the history. Such as, why did the Welsh build two steeples on Briceville Church in 1888? Is that a Welsh design? http://www.coalcreekaml.com/BricevilleChurch.htm

You are always welcome to anything on our web page at www.coalcreekaml.com .

Thanks!

Carol "