A passion for walking, culture and learning Welsh led Jean Brandwood to travel to the Gwynedd from Manchester.

Jean fell in love with the Llŷn, its culture and people, and she made regular visits.

She recalled many of those visits in her 2022 publication, ‘A Welsh Learner’s Ramble on the Llyn Coastal Path’. Now Gwasg Carreg Gwalch has released the sequel, in which Jean and her husband climb (most) of the hills of the peninsula, interspersed with accounts of the preparations for the Llŷn and Eifionydd Eisteddfod of 2023, climaxing with Eisteddfod week itself.

Two of Llŷn’s outstanding natural features are its coast and hills, and having completed her first book, Jean’s passion for walking and culture combined with an itch to write a second. It didn’t take long for her to head for the hills again.

Jean and her husband Jim both had cancer and, as part of their therapy, they decided to take regular, leisurely rambles in their favourite part of the world.

The cancer was treated successfully and, at the same time, learning Welsh enhanced Jean’s appreciation of Llŷn and opened many unexpected doors to her as a regular visitor.

At the time of their hill walking in 2023, there was much anticipated excitement for the people of the peninsula as preparations were finally underway for them to host the National Eisteddfod in 2023.

It had been postponed from 2021 due to the pandemic so, in this book, as well as regularly rambling off the hills to share her memories and discoveries related to their walks, Jean also describes any Eisteddfod related experiences or revelations that she made.

She said: “Apologies in advance for the number of times I wander away from the hill or eisteddfod paths to ramble about my favourite topics – music, literature, art... oh yes and cafés. But there are so many amazing examples of all of these in Llŷn!”

‘A Welsh Learner’s Ramble Along the Llŷn Coastal Path’ is available in bookshops and through www.carreg-gwalch.cymru and www.gwales.com