The Vale's coastline, woods and farmland, are teeming with myths and legends from long ago.
There is a great storytelling tradition in the Vale. The coastline, woods and farmland, are teeming with myths and legends from long ago. Among these are tales of weather witches who could magic up fair winds or foul, shape shifting witches who could transform themselves into animals or birds; and the Cyhyraeth, the sorrowful witch, whose haunting cries could be heard on dark and stormy nights. There are also stories of saints, such as Cadoc and Baruc, and the landscape gives us clues about Roman settlers and Bronze Age tribes.
Walking is a popular activity in the Vale, both with residents and visitors alike. Whether you are part of a group, a solitary walker, or walking the dog, we have a selection of recorded stories intended to enrich your walk. Listen to the stories as you walk along the coast path, in Porthkerry woods, or through some of Barry’s older parts such as Cadoxton, and connect with ancient landscapes and intriguing characters who may have walked along the same path a long time ago.
Using your smartphone and headphones choose from these stories:
Bill O’Breaksea and Modryb Sina
Cyhyraeth at The Leys
Grey Goose at Trwyn y Rhws
The Fox People of Porthkerry Woods
The Witch Hare of Cadoxton
The Swan Girls of Barry Island / Alarch-forynion Ynys y Barri
The Man Who Gave His Name To Barry
Specially commissioned for this project is also a new story, The Whole World / Y Byd i Gyd, inspired by artefacts from the Barry War Museum, which is a love story between two people and between those people and Barry.
If all these stories have got your creative juices flowing, we also have three recorded walks to guide you on your own creative journey at the Coast, Town, and Docks.
This project is part of Barry Making Waves, a Great Place Scheme project funded by the National Lottery Heritage fund.
The recorded stories are here
To access the Welsh stories are here
