Beddgelert is a popular tourist honeypot. It is a pleasant small village of stone built houses surrounded by the mountains of Snowdonia. On of it’s main attractions is the story of Gelert, the faithful hound of Llewelyn, Prince of Gwynedd. He had spent the day hunting and returned to find his baby son’s cot empty and Gelert smeared with blood. Thinking that Gelert had killed his son, Llewelyn plunged his sword into the dog’s side. He then discovered his baby son lying unharmed by the body of a wolf which the faithful Gelert had killed. The prince was filled with remorse, buried the dog with great ceremony and is said never to have smiled again. The site of Gelert’s grave is marked by a stone and there is a very good and easy walk along the valley, following a wheelchair and pushchair friendly path to it.
Actually the story is a myth, made up by an 18thC landlord of the Goat Hotel to encourage tourism. He certainly succeeded. The village probably took its name from an early Celtic saint named Celert.
