What's in a name? A name's a lot more than just a label, it's a story or a legend.

The Crimea

One of my favourite local names is The Crimea. Doesn't sound very local, not for this the Welshest part of Wales, but it's immortalised in winter traffic reports when snow closes it or a lorry jack knifes and blocks it. No one calls it Bwlch y Gorddinan.

It's the steep and bendy bit of the A470 that goes out of Blaenau towards Betws y Coed. At it's highest point it's 362m above sea level and the first victim of severe weather.

It takes its name from the Crimean War (1854 - 56) which was being fought when the road was built. The nearby stone walls were supposedly built by Russian prisoners of war captured at the Battle of Balaclava. There used to be an inn at the top of the pass called "the Crimea", but it's just a layby today.

Balaclava was famous for being the scene of the charge of the light brigade in which 110 cavalrymen were killed in a hopeless attack on Russian artillery. There was some confusion in the orders given. "Theirs not to reason why, Theirs but to do and die" are the famous words from Lord Tennyson.

The charge was led by the Earl of Cardigan, after whom the item of clothing was named. The Balaclava, as in warm woolly headgear and terrorists, also comes from this era being knitted for the British troops to help them survive the bitter winter conditions in the Crimea near the town of Balaklava. Very helpful if you're stranded in the snow on your way to Betws y Coed!

Sarn Helen

There are many reminders of the Romans in Wales including their roads. Not as straight as they might be elsewhere; some leeway for the terrain was a necessity. The Roman Road that runs up and down Wales connecting the various forts is called Sarn Helen and a particularly good stretch runs above Blaenau, past Manod quarry (where the contents of the National gallery were stored in World War II) towards the fort at Trawsfynydd. There are several views as to the source of this name.

The improbable romantic view is that the road was named after Helen who fell in love with the General Emperor Magnus Maximus.

Another interpretation says it is derived from the Celtic Gwyddelensarn meaning the way of the Irish or Gaul.

For me the most plausible story is that Helen was derived from Yr Lleng the old Celtic / Welsh word for the legions. Either way it makes a great walk.

Coed y Bleiddiau

This translates to Wood of the Wolves and is a remote cottage beside the Ffestiniog Railway with the nearest road access about half a mile away. It is famously known as the place where William Joyce was resident at the outbreak of World War II before departing for Germany and becoming Lord Haw-Haw, the propaganda broadcaster. Joyce had been the guest of Philby, father of Kim Philby the infamous spy.

They say it's called Coed y Bleiddiau because this is where the last wolf in Wales was shot. Just to add to the wolf story there's a 6 foot tall woven willow wolf sculpture that has been erected outside the cottage. But I believe there are many places that compete for that claim to fame.

When the house was first built (along with the railway in the 1830s) it was called Ty Hovington after the name of the first tenant and inspector of the railway track. It's still owned by the railway.

Blaenau Ffestiniog

Ffestiniog is the really ancient settlement that is better known as Llan Ffestiniog. Blaenau's the modern bit a couple of miles up the road.

The name Ffestiniog is thought to derive from a Welsh word meaning stronghold. A less probable idea is that it means Territory of Ffestyn.

As for Blaenau, it was probably little more than a few farms until the slate quarrying began in the late 18th century. The word blaen means source of river or stream whilst blaenau translates to highlands. This would seem to make sense. Ffestiniog is relatively flat and low-lying compared to the highlands in which Blaenau is situated.