Things you didn't know about... Gwynedd

In north-west Wales, Gwynedd was one of the kingdoms of Wales in the Middle Ages. It stretched between the rivers Dyfi and Dee and included Snowdonia and the Isle of Anglesey. Its hardy terrain proved a sound defence against the English.

The Maesgwyn Temperance Hotel in Gwynedd played host to the six founder members of Plaid Cymru in 1925, when they formed the new national Welsh party. Supporters of Plaid Cymru have made Gwynedd the centre for Welsh nationalism and many in the region are Welsh-speaking.

Sir Clough Williams-Ellis dismantled Victorian Italianate buildings from around Britain and Europe and rebuilt them into the unique Gwynedd village and seaside resort that is Portmeirion. Painted in pastel colours, they formed the set of the cult 1960s television series The Prisoner.

Aided by south-westerly gales, Porth Neigwl in Gwynedd has claimed over 30 vessels over the years, earning the nickname Hell's Mouth. Nowadays, its south-west facing four-mile beach attracts surfers from all over Britain.

In the late 19th century, chairman of McDougall's Flour Company Arthur McDougall planned and developed the Gwynedd town of Fairbourne as a family holiday resort, including recreation grounds, public buildings and a railway for horse-drawn trams.

The 19th century saw its share of gold rushes with prospectors panning the rivers and hills of Gwynedd. Traditionally, the Royal Family receive gold wedding bands from Gwynedd's Dolgellau. And if you're wondering—yes, gold is still there, but not enough to make it economic to mine (although licence holders are still looking).

Teggie, thought to be a plesiosaur, is Wales' answer to the Loch Ness monster and enjoys a similar mystique. Teggie is said to inhabit Gwynedd's Bala Lake, the length of which can be taken in on a trip on its narrow gauge railway.

At 3,560 ft, Mount Snowdon is the highest mountain in England and Wales. Although there are plenty of peaks for the mountaineers and hill-climbers, The Snowdon Mountain Railway takes visitors from Llanberis to the summit. The Snowdonia National Park was formed in 1951.

Fiddler's Dram got to number four in the singles charts in 1979 with their hit Day Trip to Bangor, recounting a visit to the Gwynedd seaside resort.

It was Rev. Wilbert Awdry's time working on Gwynedd's Talyllyn Railway that inspired him to write Thomas the Tank Engine. The narrow-gauge line still operates its own original locomotives along the coast into Snowdonia National Park.