Where the Folk: A Welsh Folklore Road Trip

by Russ Williams

Russ Williams was raised on Wales’s stories, like the one about a mountain that would send you mad or turn you into a gifted poet if you camped out on it, the one about the lost civilisation drowned by the sea and the one about the bottomless lake leading down to the Welsh Otherworld. Stories of witches and giants and heroic kings, dragons and mad doctors, ghostly women, giant beaver monsters, vampire furniture and pirate-fighting monks.


As entertaining as it is informative, Where the Folk follows Russ Williams as he travels in Griff, his creaky red Fiesta, in search of places associated with Wales’s legends, folklore and urban myths. In this joyful travelogue, not only does Russ recount some of Wales’s most interesting stories; he also explores the origins behind the myths, talking to experts and storytellers to find out how and why they might have come about, and what they tell us about Wales past and present.

Genres: Folklore

279 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 19, 2024

Reviews

[ceridwen ⭐️ · Rating 2 out of 5]

2⭐️
I expected a lot more from this book given that it cost a whopping £18.99 for just 200 pages. Some parts of it were interesting or somewhat amusing and it’s always fun to see my name in a book. However, it was incredibly difficult to follow. Just when something was getting interesting, the author would trail off on some unrelated tangent. Also, at one point, the author mentions that his brother is autistic which is completely irrelevant to everything else going on and his brother barely even features in the following story, which just felt rather random. I had really high hopes for this book because I love Welsh folklore (I literally have a tattoo of a Welsh goddess on my leg), but this was just really disappointing unfortunately.

[Lily · Rating 2 out of 5]

Very surface level. I was not a fan of the writing style/voice used in this.

[Calvin Parry · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is filled with nuance and heaps of character, and combined with having had the pleasure of attending one of Russ’s promotional events, it is clear that what is written is a genuine representation of his personality, which is quite hilarious at times, but also incredibly knowledgeable and passionate about Welsh lore and history.

Where the Folk is a joyous cavort through the Welsh landscape spliced with tales and humour, told with an authentic human voice that is hard not to warm to.

I loved reading this book and highly recommend it to anyone looking for an out-of-the-norm traverse through the beautiful country of Wales. And who knows? Hopefully, you will be inspired to visit some of the locations.

[Laura Latham · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a delight to read! Williams takes us on a tour of Wales to explore folklore, and I was expecting this to be quite a dry book if I'm honest, but it's filled with wit and a voice full of warmth and character. So much research has been dedicated to this book and it's been great to hear more about the history of the traditional Welsh folk stories - and some less traditional ones too. I think it does a great job of examining what folk stories are in modern culture as well & what the future of these stories might become.

[Claire · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reading Where the Folk is like having a chat with a friend who just got back from a trip somewhere fascinating and can't wait to tell you about it. I sat down in one afternoon and read the whole thing. As an immigrant to Wales, the stories, traditions, rumours and folktales in Where the Folk have made me feel closer to the history and culture of the places I've been, and the places I can't wait to go. Highly recommend to anyone with an interest in folklore, history, or charming and witty anecdotes about Wales told by a native Welsh person.

[Katherine Rushton · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was so excited to buy this book at the 2025 Eisteddfod! I'm a folklore and mythology geek, especially Welsh.

Some of it was interesting and informative. However in the main, I'm very disappointed. Here's why:

I did not like the informal, chatty, sometimes dismissive (even arrogant) style of writing.

When discussing the use of the number three, the fact that it is sacred to our British ancestors was not even mentioned.

I feel the many references to Covid and lockdown were unnecessary. and referring to his political beliefs on the subject of the vaccination, and ridiculing people who did not have the vaccine, is a big no no for me.

The North barely got a look in, and the Northeast was mentioned not at all.

[Lynne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Highly engaging and well written travel account of the locations linked with a wide range of Welsh myths and legends, particularly those associated with the Mabinogion. Most are familiar from childhood but one or two were new to this reader. Some myths are busted, including the eternally sad tale of Gelert, the doomed hound of Llywelyn, murdered in the saving of his master's heir - a tale which habitually causes tears, was in fact, created for tourism purposes only. Beddgelert (the grave of Gelert) is apparently named after a saint, not a faithful hunting dog after all, which, perhaps, might be a good thing.

[Chloe Taylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was simply a delight to read. I love to travel around Wales, and reading about places I'd been gave those places some extra magic for me. Plus, it's highlighted a few places I hadn't thought to visit!

With the conversational narration style, and with each chapter being a standalone piece, I found it very easy reading. It was refreshing to read about legends and snippets of history written in a comedic way, and I felt like I learned stuff whilst also being entertained. I would definitely recommend!

[Tash L]

Absolutely loved it! It was really funny and how I would describe “warm”. It makes me proud to be Welsh! I must plan a road trip to include these exact spots. I do not usually read nonfiction - I would like more from the writer!
I like the personal experiences he brings and how family and friends have helped him along the way.
If anyone wants a guide to Wales that is a bit different, I definitely recommend this.

[Kez McDonnell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely loved this from start to finish. Russ’ incredibly witty personality shines through and it’s so difficult not to get sucked right in. The conversations between Russ and the storytellers across Wales are fascinating and I’ve learnt so much about Welsh Folklore which, after reading this, I think we can all agree is rich, sometimes dark and occasionally outrageous. Extremely informative and stories that just blow your mind, lovely stuff!

[Langborne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Picked it up as a light intro to my folklore research and made extensive use of the bibliography for further reading. This book is way better than a reference book, though, Russ has a great voice and covers a variety of folktales from various angles. Clever guy, funny writer, and this book is an easy, interesting read.

[Chris Carlton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fascinating delve into Welsh Folklore accompanied by a warm and inquisitive narrator. Part Bill Bryson roadtrip part storytelling Russ leads us through Welsh history and folklore with charm and intrigue. Never heavy but always interesting and informative throughout this is a great read

[Paul · Rating 2 out of 5]

A chatty, colloquial travelogue of Welsh folklore. For some unexplained reason the north east of Wales is completely ignored. I was looking forward to reading this but sadly it's not for me, I am sure others will love it.

[Reader · Rating 5 out of 5]

A charming approach to wales and its historic mythology. The author has a beautiful sense of humour, I found the book thoroughly entertaining from start to finish!