Wel, dwi wedi gwneud e !

Wel, dwi wedi gwneud e ! Rwy'n ôl gartre nawr ar ôl cwblhau'r trec a threulio amser bendigedig yn Y Wladfa Gymreig. 'Roedd y daith trwy'r Andes yn galed iawn - gwynt, cesair, eira, glaw ac yn achlysurol heulwen hyd yn oed - gweler y lluniau ! Ond, diolch i chwi gyfeillion annwyl, dwi wedi codi £7,840 dros Mencap Cymru ac mae'r gronfa dal ar agor tan ddiwedd y flwyddyn os hoffech chi ychwanegu ato.

Rhobert

Here is the album of images that can also be viewed as a slideshow. Enjoy!

Patagonia

Well, I did it ! I'm back home now after completing the trek and spending a wonderful time in Y Wladfa Gymreig. The journey through the Andes was very tough - wind, hail, snow, rain and occasionally sunshine even - see the photos ! But, thanks to you dear friends, I have raised £7,840 for Mencap Cymru and the fund is open until the end of the year if you would like to add to it.
Rhobert

Cader Idris 20/9/2008

Heddiw dringais i Gader Idris gyda Marilyn (fy ngwraig) a Sioned (fy merch). Dw'i ddim yn bwriadu gwneud llawer mwy o ymarfer cyn gadael i Batagonia ar Hydref 16eg. Rwy'n eitha’ ffit nawr ac yn barod am yr her. Hoffwn i ddweud diolch i bawb sy wedi bod mor gefnogol dros y flwyddyn ddiwethaf: fy ffrindiau, teulu, cymdogion, banciau, busnesau a mudiadau.
Ar ôl fy noson codi arian olaf ar Dydd Glyndŵr (Medi 16eg) , er engraifft, derbyniais i £260 oddi wrth Merched y Wawr, cangen Llangadog.
Diolch o galon iddyn nhw a phawb arall sy wedi cyfannu at achos teilwng hwn; cofiwch mai dal amser i helpu Mencap naill ai ar lein neu trwy anfon siec ataf i.

Dymuniadau gorau. Rhob.

I climbed Cader Idris with Marilyn (my wife) and Sioned (my daughter) today. I don't intend to do much more training before I leave for Patagonia on October 16th. I'm fairly fit now and ready for the challenge. I'd like to say thanks to everyone who has been so supportive over the last year: my friends, family, neighbours, banks. businesses and organisations.
After my last fund raising night on Glyndwr's Day (Sept.15th), for example, I received £260 from the Llangadog branch of Merched y Wawr.
Heartfelt thanks to them and everyone else who has contributed to this worthy cause; remember there is still time to help Mencap either on line or by sending a cheque to me.

Best wishes. Rhob.

Awst 8fed/August 8th

Eisteddfod 08

Hay Bluff

Fe fues i'r Eisteddfod Genedlaethol Caerdydd lle cwrddais i nifer o bobl Y Wladfa ac es i ddarlith am hanes Y Parch. Abraham Matthews a oedd yna yn y 19eg canrif; diddorol dros ben. Yn 1865 roedd yn un o'r fintai a hwyliodd i Batagonia ar y Mimosa. Roedd y fintai hefyd yn cynnwys ei wraig Gwenllian a'u merch un oed, Annie, ac eraill o ardal Aberdâr. Bu Matthews yn gweithio fel gweinidog a ffermwr yn Y Wladfa am weddill ei oes, heblaw am ymweliadau a Chymru a'r U.D.A.

Mae'r arian dal yn dod mewn - gweler www.justgiving.com/rhobert am fanylion. Diolch i bawb sy wedi bod mor hael.

Twmpa

Yn ddiweddar dwi wedi dringo sawl mynydd yn cynnwys Hay Bluff a Twmpa ar ffin Lloegr - gweler y lluniau. Pen y Fan eto ar Awst 9fed gydag un o deithwyr eraill, Gafin Quinn o Forgannwg. Wedyn rwy'n mynd i ynys Gozo yn y Môr Ganol gyda fy ngwraig i ymlacio (a cherdded ychydig). Bydd teithwyr Patagonia yn cwrdd ar Awst 30ain i gael ymarfer gyda'n gilydd am y tro olaf cyn gadael ar Hydref 16eg.

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I was at the Cardiff National Eisteddfod where I met a number of people from Y Wladfa and I went to a lecture about the history of the Rev.Abraham who was there in the C19th; very interesting indeed. In 1865 he was one of the party who sailed to Patagonia on the Mimosa. The party also included his wife Gwenllian, his one year old daughter, Annie, and others from the Aberdare area. Matthews worked as a preacher and farmer in Y Wladfa for the rest of his life, apart from visits to Wales and the U.S.A.

Money is still coming in - see www.justgiving.com/rhobert for details. Thanks to everyone who has been so generous.

Lately I have climbed several mountains including Hay Bluff and Twmpa on the English border - see the photos. Pen y Fan again on Aug 9th with one of the other trekkers, Gafin Quinn from Glamorgan. Afterwards I'm going to the island of Gozo in the Mediterranean with my wife to relax (and walk a little). The Patagonia trekkers will meet on Aug 30th to train together for the last time before leaving on October 16th.

Mai/May 2008

Herio'r brigau - Challenging the peaks:

Yr Ysgyryd Fawr, Abergafenni (uchod/above)

& Bannau Caerfyrddin, Llanddeusant (isod/below)

Ebrill 12fed./April 12th.

Fy chwaer, Gillian, wedi trefni fore coffi, raffl ac arwerthiant yn Y Gelli Gandryll a chododd dros £1,200; fel canlyniad dwi'n bell dros y targed erbyn nawr.

Diolch o galon i bawb sy wedi rhoi cymorth ar y diwrnod, i Fanc Barclays am gyfraniad o £750, ac i Arglwydd Livsey o Dalgarth am agor yr achlysur.

My sister, Gillian, organised a coffee morning, raffle and sale in Hay on Wye which raised over £1,200; as a result I'm well over my target by now.

Heartfelt thanks to all those who helped on the day, to Barclays Bank who contributed £750, and to Lord Livsey of Talgarth for opening the event.

Ebrill 5ed./April 5th.

Fe ddaeth 25 o deithwyr Patagonia at ei gilydd i ddringo Corn Du a Phen y Fan yng nghanol y Bannau Brycheiniog. Braf i gwrdd â chymaint am y tro gyntaf a chael sgwrs yng Nghymraeg a Saesneg i rannu gwybodaeth ac i drafod y daith o flaen ni.

Arweiniwyd y tro gan Iolo a chawson ni bwyd ar y copa cyn ddychweled. Ges i drafferth anadlu ar y ffordd lan a chyhyrau gwan ar y ffordd lawr - rhaid cael llawer mwy o hyfforddiant!

25 of the Patagonian trekkers met to climb Corn Du and Pen y Fan in the middle of the Brecon Beacons. It was great to meet so many for the first time and to exchange information and discuss our future trek in Welsh and English.

Iolo led the walk and we had food on the summit before returning. I had difficulty breathing on the way up and weak muscles on the way down - must do a lot more training!

FROM THE PRESS / O'R WASG

WALES’ BIGGEST BOOK HEADS FOR PATAGONIA WITH A SPECIAL MESSAGE

A message from First Minister Rhodri Morgan is to be included in a copy of Wales’ biggest ever book, which is to be given to the people of Patagonia.

During a special ceremony held at the Senedd in Cardiff Bay, the First Minister and Rural Affairs Minister, Elin Jones signed a copy of the Gwyddoniadur, the new Welsh language encyclopaedia which was published earlier this year, and which will be taken to Patagonia and displayed at the Welsh Library in Gaiman in the province of Chubut.

Rhodri Morgan said: “The Encyclopaedia of Wales is an excellent source of knowledge for everyone who has an interest in Wales and the Welsh. It has been described as ‘the first and last great book of Wales, no home should be without one’ so it is appropriate that a copy should be given to the people of Patagonia, where a great interest in our culture and heritage is still enjoyed thousands of miles away in South America.”

Elin Jones said: “I really hope the people of Patagonia will enjoy learning about Wales from the Encyclopaedia. It's important we share our cultural heritage and this book brings together so much fascinating information in one place.”

The encyclopaedia will be delivered to Patagonia by Rhobert ap Steffan from Llangadog who will be going to Argentina later this year to raise money for Mencap Cymru on a Trans-Andean trek and to conduct studies into the relationship between the Welsh pioneers in Patagonia and the indigenous Tehuelche Indians.

To support Mencap Cymru please visit: www.justgiving.com/rhobert

Photo: Elin Jones, Rhobert ap Steffan, Ashley Drake, (Director, University of Wales Press), Rhodri Morgan.

LLYFR MWYAF CYMRU AR EI FFORDD I BATAGONIA GYDA NEGES ARBENNIG

Mae neges gan Rhodri Morgan, Prif Weinidog Cymru, i’w chynnwys yng nghopi o lyfr mwyaf Cymru, fydd yn cael ei gyflwyno i bobl Patagonia.

Mewn seremoni arbennig a gynhaliwyd ym Mae Caerdydd, bu’r Prif Weinidog a’r Gweinidog dros Faterion Gwledig, Elin Jones, yn llofnodi copi o’r Gwyddoniadur Cymraeg. Bydd y cyfeirlyfr newydd hwn, a gafodd ei gyhoeddi’n gynharach eleni, yn cael ei gludo i Batagonia a’i roi yn y Llyfrgell Gymraeg yn Gaiman yn nhalaith Chubut.

Meddai Rhodri Morgan: “Mae Gwyddoniadur Cymru yn ffynhonnell ardderchog o wybodaeth i bawb sydd â diddordeb yng Nghymru ac ym mhobl Cymru. Mae wedi’i ddisgrifio fel y llyfr mawr cyntaf a’r olaf am Gymru ac ni ddylai unrhyw gartref fod hebddo. Felly, mae’n briodol ein bod ni’n rhoi copi i bobl Patagonia lle maen nhw’n dal i ymddiddori’n fawr yn ein diwylliant a’n treftadaeth filoedd o filltiroedd i ffwrdd yn Ne America".

Meddai Elin Jones: “Rydw i’n gobeithio’n fawr y bydd pobl Patagonia yn mwynhau dysgu am Gymru o’r Gwyddoniadur. Mae’n bwysig ein bod ni’n rhannu ein hetifeddaieth ddiwylliannol ac mae’r llyfr hwn yn dod â gymaint o wybodaeth hynod ddiddorol at ei gilydd mewn un man.”

Bydd y gwyddoniadur yn cael ei danfon i Batagonia yn ddiweddarach eleni gan Rhobert ap Steffan o Langadog, ac yn ystod ei daith i’r Ariannin bydd yn ymgymryd â thaith gerdded ym mynyddoedd yr Andes er budd Mencap Cymru yn ogystal ag ymchwilio i’r arloeswyr Cymreig ym Mhatagonia a’u perthynas â’r bobl frodorol, yr Indiaid Tehuelche.

I gefnogi Mencap ymweld: www.justgiving.com/rhobert

Ffoniwch Rhobert am ragor o wybodaeth ar 01550 777816.

Yn y lluniau: Elin Jones, Rhobert ap Steffan, Ashley Drake (Cyfawyddwr, Gwasg Prifysgol Cymru), Rhodri Morgan.

Update on fund raising

Fundraising is going really well at the moment. During February I gave a talk to the Cydweli Rotary Club and was awarded a £500 sponsorhip by David Gravell of Cydweli Renault. His family has had long connections with Patagonia and his father had been there 13 times! Also I received £500 from HSBC who match-funded a pig roast held on my behalf in Cilycwm. Here's me pictured with Llandeilo's branch manager Ceridwen Lewis. I received a generous £100 from Llandovery Tyres and have been pledged a further £500 by local contractors Tir na nOg.

I propose to start serious mountain training during April when the 40 of us going on the trek will have our first get together.

Mae ariannu yn mynd yn dda iawn ar y foment. Yn ystod Chwefror rhois i ddarlith i Glwb Rotari Cydweli a ches i rodd £500 oddi wrth David Gravell, rheolwr Renault Cydweli. Mae'i deulu wedi cael cysylltiadau hir a Patagonia a fuodd ei dad yna 13 gwaith! Hefyd ces i £500 oddi wrth HSBC a gyd-ariannwyd rhost mochyn cynhaliwyd ar fy rhan yng Nghilycwm. Dyma fi gyda Ceridwen Lewis, rheolwr cangen Llandeilo. Derbyniais i £100 oddi wrth Tires Llanymddyfri ac addewid £500 ychwanegol oddi wrth gontractwyr lleol Tir na nOg.

Rwy'n bwriadu hyfforddi mynyddig o ddifri yn ystod Ebrill pan fydd y 40 sy'n mynd ar y daith yn cael ein cyfarfod gyntaf.

Gweithio gyda Mencap - Working with Mencap

Walking in Andalucia - Cerdded yn Andalucia

2008 wedi cyrraedd a dim ond deg mis i fynd cyn awn ni i Batagonia!

Cerddais i fy 20km cyntaf yn Andalucia ar ddechrau mis Ionawr. 'Roedd hwn dros dir gwastad felly'r cam nesaf bydd dros dir garw ac anesmwyth.

Mae'r ymdrech i godi arian yn mynd yn iawn ac rwy'n bell dros 50% o’r ffordd i'r targed erbyn hyn, diolch i fy manc, cwmnïau hael lleol ac wrth gwrs sawl ffrind a chefnogwr da.

2008 has arrived and only ten months before we set out for Patagonia!

I did my first 20km walk at the beginning of January in Andalucia. This was over flat ground so the next step will be over rough, uneven terrain.

Fund raising is going to plan and I'm now well over 50% of my target, thanks to my bank, generous local companies and of course my many good friends and supporters.

Journey to Patagonia

FROM THE PRESS

A Llangadog man will be travelling to Patagonia in 2008 to revisit the area where he learnt Welsh 37 years ago. This will be part of Rhobert ap Steffan’s venture to raise money for Mencap Cymru in memory of his hero, the late Gwynfor Evans.

Rhobert intends to join a walking trek led by the famous naturalist Iolo Williams through the southern Andes in October 2008. It will mean walking around 12 miles a day for a week over very difficult terrain in the Los Glaciers national park in southern Argentina. Rhobert’s aim is to raise at least £3,500 for Mencap Cymru, a charity that helps make a difference to the lives of adults and children with learning difficulties.

Afterwards, Rhobert intends staying on in “Y Wladfa” (the Welsh-speaking area of Patagonia) to conduct research into the history of the Tehuelche tribe, the indigenous Indians of Chubut province.

“I will be there as a kind of unofficial Welsh ambassador and will try to help strengthen the ties between Y Wladfa and the ‘Old Country’” he said. “I spent a year in Y Wladfa in order to learn Welsh. I worked in a saw mill near Trelew and on a big “estancia” (ranch) near Trefelin at the foot of the Andes in Cwm Hyfryd. I spoke Welsh within a few months – I had no choice as almost no one spoke English!”

“I’m doing this for Mencap who give wonderful support to people with learning difficulties but who need more financial resources. I’m also making the effort in memory of Gwynfor Evans – the man who had the greatest influence on my life as a Welshman and, in my opinion, on contemporary Welsh politics and the future of our language”.

To sponsor the venture go to: www.justgiving.com/rhobert

Or phone Rhobert on (01550) 777816.


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TAITH I BATAGONIA

O'R WASG

Bydd gwr o Langadog yn teithio i Batagonia yn 2008 gan ail ymweld â’r ardal ble dysgodd Gymraeg 37 o flynyddoedd yn ôl. Bydd yr antur yn rhan o daith Rhobert ap Steffan i godi arian at Mencap Cymru ac er cof ei arwr, y diweddar Gwynfor Evans.

Mae Rhobert yn bwriadu ymuno a thaith gerdded y naturiaethwr enwog Iolo Williams trwy fynyddoedd yr Andes deheuol ym mis Hydref 2008. Bydd yn golygu cerdded tua 12 milltir y dydd am wythnos trwy dir garw iawn ym mharc cenedlaethol Los Glaciers yn ne Ariannin. Nod Rhobert fydd codi o leiaf £3,500 tuag at Mencap Cymru, elusen sy’n helpu gwneud gwahaniaeth i fywydau oedolion a phlant ag anableddau dysgu.

Wedyn, mae Rhobert yn bwriadu aros yn Y Wladfa Gymreig ym Mhatagonia i ymchwilio hanes llwyth y Teheuelche, yr Indiaid brodorol talaith Chubut.

“Yno mi fydda i’n rhyw fath o lysgennad answyddogol i Gymru ac yn ceisio helpu i gryfhau’r cysylltiad rhwng Y Wladfa a’r Hen Wlad” meddai. “Mi dreuliais flwyddyn yn Y Wladfa er mwyn dysgu Cymraeg. Bûm yn gweithio mewn melin goed ger Trelew ac ar ‘estancia’ (fferm) fawr ger Trefelin ar droed yr Andes yng Nghwm Hyfryd. Roeddwn i’n siarad Cymraeg ymhen ychydig fisoedd - doedd dim dewis gyda fi gan nad oedd fawr neb yn siarad Saesneg!”

“Rwy’n gwneud yr ymdrech yma er mwyn cefnogi Mencap, sy’n rhoi cefnogaeth aruthrol i bobl gydag anawsterau meddyliol ond sy’n wirioneddol angen mwy o adnoddau ariannol. Ac rwyf hefyd yn gwneud y daith er cof am Gwynfor Evans - dyn a gafodd y dylanwad mwyaf ar fy mywyd i fel Cymro ac, yn fy marn i, ar wleidyddiaeth gyfoes Cymru a dyfodol ein hiaith”.

I noddi’r ymgyrch ewch at: www.justgiving.com/rhobert

Neu ffoniwch Rhobert ar (01550) 777816.


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Gyda Iolo - With Iolo

Myself with our trek leader, Iolo Williams, after a little training excercise!






Dyma fi gyda Iolo Williams, ein harweinydd, ar ol ychydig o ymarfer cerdded!

Welcome to my blog and travel journal

Annwyl Gyfaill - Yn ystod mis Hydref 2008 byddaf yn mynd am daith trwy'r Andes yn Ne Patagonia i godi arian ar gyfer Mencap Cymru - elusen sy'n helpu gwneud gwahaniaeth i fywydau oedolion a phlant ag anableddau dysgu. Bydd rhaid i mi gerdded tua 12 milltir y dydd am ryw wythnos dros diroedd anwastad. A fyddech chi mor garedig a'm cynorthwyo i baratoi am y gamp ac i godi cronfeydd at achos da wrth fy noddi i wneud hynny yn llwyddiannus?
Llawer o ddiolch.

Dear Friend - During October 2008 I shall be going on a trek through the Andes in Southern Patagonia to raise money for Mencap Cymru - a charity that helps to make a difference to the lives of adults and children with learning disabilities. I will have to trek around 12 miles a day for almost a week over difficult terrain. Would you be so kind as to prepare me for the task by helping me successfully raise funds for this good cause through sponsorship?
Many thanks.