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The Long Unwinding Road

A Journey Through the Heart of Wales

The history and cultures of Wales via stops along the A470.

To see the whole of Wales, from cosmopolitan Cardiff in the south to the historic Victorian resorts of the north, there’s one road that will take you all the way: the A470. This route, which traverses the country from end to end, winds its way through post-industrial valleys, agricultural landscapes, and stunning mountains, offers a chance to see Wales for what it is in the twenty-first century, in all its diversity.
 
In the company of Gwendoline, his trusty but ancient scooter, travel writer Marc P. Jones follows the long unwinding road of the A470 on a quest to discover what makes his homeland tick. Taking in the splendor, beauty, and rich history of the communities he visits, Jones explores what unites and divides the different regions and wonders how they can learn to understand each other better. One question, above all others, remains to be answered: will Gwendoline make it to the end of the road in one piece?

240 pages | 5.31 x 8.5 | © 2024

History: British and Irish History

Travel and Tourism: Tourism and History


View all books from University of Wales Press

Reviews

"Marc P. Jones takes us on a journey through an ancient country in a very modern way. His love for his native Wales is deep, but not uncritical. And from the valleys in the south to the mountains of the north, he always allows local voices to come to the fore. Thoroughly enjoyable. What’s the Welsh for 'Bravo'"?

Steve Silk, BBC journalist and author of The Great North Road

Table of Contents

PART ONE: THE SOUTH
The Road to Somewhere
A World City?
Ancient Waters
Work and Play
How Green is the Valley?
Rebels and Martyrs
PART TWO: THE GREEN MIDDLE
Through the Wardrobe
Soldiers, Scouts and Saxophonists
Cow Town
The Devil and the Kite
Recipes, Roads and Rebecca
Hippies, Gangsters and Textile Millionaires
Wales at Last?
PART THREE: THE NORTH
A Land of Kings and a Town of Disappointment
The Great Outdoors
Llanrwst, Language and Llywelyn
The Castle and the Fab Four
Tiddly-Om-Pom-Prom
Suggested Reading
Acknowledgements
About the Author

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