THE water the Blue Lagoon water park is blushing with romance to celebrate Dydd Santes Dwynwen.
Some of the guests at the Blue Lagoon Water Park were flushed pink when the water was turned bright pink to mark Dydd Santed Dwynwen, Wales’ very own version of St Valentines.
Staff and guests at Bluestone National Park Resort were all given a Santes Dwynwen card and a selection of handmade chocolates to celebrate the day, held each year on January 25.
The celebrations at Bluestone coincide with the resort’s Winter Lights Festival. The beautiful seasonal event sees the resort brightening up the long, dark evenings with its magical, interactive Winter Lights in the resort’s Village and on part of the Nature Trail between January 8 – March 22.
“Many of our guests are from across Wales and know about Santes Dwynwen, but for others this extra romantic day has come as a lovely surprise,” said Sales and Marketing manager Glenn Hewer.
“At Bluestone we want all of our guests to experience a true taste of Wales when they stay with us, and experience Bluestone in all its quirkiness. That’s why we decided to turn the pool pink.”
So, who was St Dwynwen?
A 4th-century Welsh princess who lived in what is now the Brecon Beacons National Park. Dwynwen was unlucky in love, so she became a nun and prayed that true lovers have better luck than she did. We celebrate St Dwynwen’s Day – 25 January – in much the same way as people mark St Valentine’s Day on 14 February.
How did she become the Welsh patron saint of lovers?
Dwynwen was the prettiest of King Brychan Brycheiniog’s 24 daughters. She fell in love with a local lad called Maelon Dafodrill, but King Brychan had already arranged for her to marry another prince. Maelon took the news badly, so the distraught Dwynwen fled to the woods to weep, and begged God to help her. She was visited by an angel who gave her a sweet potion to help her forget Maelon, and turned him into a block of ice.
God then granted Dwynwen three wishes. Her first wish was that Maelon be thawed; second, that God help all true lovers; and third, that she should never marry. In gratitude, Dwynwen became a nun, setting up a convent on Llanddwyn Island, a beautiful little spot on Anglesey. Her name means, ‘she who leads a blessed life’.
Incidentally, as well as being the Welsh patron saint of lovers, she’s also the patron saint of sick animals. So if your budgie’s unwell, try praying to St Dwynwen before calling the vet.
What happens on St Dwynwen’s Day?
Quite simply, it’s the most romantic day of the year in Wales. We exchange cards and gifts, gaze lovingly into each other’s eyes over candlelit dinners, take long walks on deserted beaches, run through meadows in slow-motion while holding hands, carve lovespoons, cwtch up in front of roaring log fires.
