DOLGELI.E TO MACHVNLLETH. 5 1 



far from which is the celebrated bridge called Pont 

 ar Monach, l^he Bridge over the Monaco^ and by 

 the Englifh, The Devil's Bridge; and from this 

 place I fhould have returned into North Wales near 

 Llanydloes. — The excurfion altogether would not 

 have been more than fifty miles, and the twenty 

 miles of unpleafant road bet^vixt Machynlleth and 

 Llanydloes I fhould by this m.eans have avoided. 



The Devil's Bridge. 



As, however, it miay be ufefui to feme future 

 traveller in this country, I fhall tranfcribe the fhort 

 defcription of the DeviFs Bridge, and the deep glen' 

 over which it is built, from an interefling journey 

 through North Wales by Mr. Aikin. It is the only 

 account on whofe accuracy I could rely *. 



" After a long, and rather tedious v/alk (from 

 Aberyflwyth), v/e came fuddenly to a moft fmgu- 

 larly ftriking fpot. The valley of the Rhydol con- 

 tracts into a deep glen, the rocky banks of which 

 are clothed with plantations, and at the bottom runs 

 a rapid torrent. This leads foon to the fpot that 

 we were in fearch of, which is full of horrid fiib- 

 limity. It is formed by a deep chafm, or cleft, 

 between two rocks, which jufl receives light enough 

 to difcover at the bottom, through the tangled 

 thickets, an impetuous torrent, which is foon ioit 



* Journal of a 'Tour through North "Wales, and part of 

 Shropfliire. Crown 8vo. Lond. 1797. 



E 2 undsr 



