Carving of Garrog beast, Dolgarrog
Near the water pipelines in Dolgarrog you can see a tall carving of the Garrog, a mythical beast which was said to have terrorised the area.
There are various versions of the myth, some stating that the Garrog was a dragon-like creature which swooped through the air to prey on small children as well as livestock. One version, recorded in 1698, says the Garrog, similar to a wild boar, was killed by local hero Bach ap Carwyd, who injured his foot when he gave the corpse a triumphal kick. The foot wound eventually killed him.
Alternative versions end with the death of a different man, again as a result of kicking the dead beast. The corpse is said to be buried under a grassy mound at Eglwysbach.
The carving in Dolgarrog uses the trunk of a beech tree. In 2022 RWE, which owns the pipeline and the nearby hydro-electric power station, decided that the tree would have to be felled for safety reasons. See below for a photo of the tree shortly before it was felled.
The tree trunk, in sound condition, was retained and RWE commissioned wood carver Edward Parkes to turn it into a sculpture of the Garrog. The photos of the beast were taken from the top of the scaffolding while the carving was in progress.
Postcode: LL32 8JU View Location Map
Website of Edward Parkes (Facebook)
