Between the treetops, I can see the towers of a distant mist-shrouded castle. Is it possible I could make contact with the spirit of the great Welsh hero Owain Glyndŵr so soon, at the very start of our hike? We are not even on the actual trail of Glyndŵr’s Way. I’ve had to make a detour to find accommodation that takes dogs, as Stevie the terrier is with me. The Castle Inn at Knucklas is a mile off the route, and two miles or so from the pretty border town of Knighton – where the 135-mile (217km) Glyndŵr’s Way officially begins.
The towers slide away behind trees and a railway viaduct emerges. The medieval castle ruins, it turns out, are believed to have been plundered to build the viaduct in the 1860s, and the builders dropped in a couple of crenelated towers to honour the origins of the stone. I fear this may be an early omen: the spirit of Glyndŵr will be as elusive as the man himself was in his lifetime.
After his great rebellion of 1400 devolved into a murderous guerrilla campaign, the last Welsh prince of Wales simply disappeared. His English adversaries thought he had supernatural powers. Writing two centuries after the events, Shakespeare has Glyndŵr declare (under the anglicised name Owen Glendower) in Henry IV: Part I that “the earth did shake when I was born” and “I can call spirits from the vasty deep”. The last known sighting was in about 1819, when William Blake saw him in a vision and sketched his gaunt head. Since then, nothing. If he’s been hard to pin down for six centuries, what chance now?
Welsh rebel leader Owain Glyndŵr seen in battle in a painting by AC Michael. Photograph: Lordprice Collection/Alamy
I plan to cover the 75-mile southern section of the national trail’s great horseshoe across mid-Wales, starting with a late afternoon two-mile warm-up from Knighton station up to Knucklas. On our first full day of walking, we head south out of Knucklas and soon reconnect with the main path. The hills are bone dry, lying like dead giants across our route, defended by armies of sheep. Stevie is nonchalant. He was born near Rhayader and is good friends with a tup called Patrick. Nevertheless, I keep him on a tight leash.
The rebellion started with a land theft, an English lord helping himself to some of Glyndŵr’s hectares, a personal feud that laid bare a vast hinterland of Welsh disgruntlement. Men flooded back from England to join Glyndŵr. Edward I’s great fortress at Conwy was captured; a battle near Knighton was won. It was all going well until the teenage son of Henry IV (the future Henry V) was put in charge of the English forces. Not for the first time, British history turned on an arrow: this one burying itself six inches into the young Henry’s skull at the Battle of Shrewsbury. He survived. The rebellion faltered.
It is coming over Bailey Hill that Stevie gets the first hint of danger. A flock of sturdy old ewes spot him and form a tight huddle, a testudo formation, to slink up behind us. Stevie turns and does a comedy backwards leap of surprise. The ewes stamp their feet. Stevie hides behind a tussock. The ewes creep forward. I pull him through a gate. He has not barked or rushed at them. He has done well. Soon, we drop down into the hamlet of Llangunllo, where there is a pub. “It’s closed,” says a local woman. “Evenings and weekends, and for drinking only.” There is a dearth of facilities along Glyndŵr’s Way, widely considered the most remote of all 17 English and Welsh national trails, and I have brought a stove and teabags. This will prove a good decision. We set off up the lane and then on to the hills. It is quiet, very quiet. Nothing moves except the distant wind turbines.
The writer on remote Glyndŵr’s Way. Photograph: Kevin Rushby
Rebellion is in the air at the moment. The Uprising, a film about the 1381 Peasants’ Revolt, directed by Paul Greengrass, will be released in the UK on 9 October. And a new play by Gary Owen, Owain & Henry, opens on 5 November in Cardiff with Michael Sheen in the lead role. On a call before I set off, I ask Sheen why Glyndŵr remains such a potent hero. “His vision for a Welsh nation was based on a Welsh parliament, universities, religion and the laws of Hywel Dda,” he tells me. “It’s a vision that resonates. The play feels like a conversation between then and now.”
Sheen himself has walked parts of Glyndŵr’s Way. He says: “Owain could only do the uprising because of that landscape; it enabled a guerrilla war and you still feel that today.”
Stevie and I take a break in the Llangunllo bus shelter. There are no refreshments, but there are stacks of unwanted books. I find a copy of Francis Kilvert’s Diary, by the Victorian curate who kept a vibrant record of life in the Welsh borders. “Who died on the cross to save us all?” he asks one wild child from a remote Welsh farm. “Lord Chesterfield,” she replies. I tuck the book in my pocket.
Approaching the hamlet of Llangunllo. Photograph: Simon Whaley Landscapes/Alamy
Soon we are climbing over hills where the heather and gorse is in glorious bloom and there are no roads except droving tracks. These green lanes were once used to send cattle and sheep across the border, a tough, brawling existence hinted at in Kilvert’s Diary. By then, however, the railways had arrived and the old droving life was doomed.
At our first encounter with cattle, Stevie is happy to be carried. Different breeds, we soon learn, represent different threats: big cows can’t be bothered, small feisty ones are to be avoided. We take some long detours.
Our second night is at Brandy House farm, a welcoming place with various types of accommodation. We choose the vintage caravan. Nearby Felindre has a simple pub, the Wharf Inn, serving one of my favourite beers, Wye Valley Brewery’s Butty Bach.
Now the walk really begins to deliver. Majestic upland stages pass epic locations such as the Castell y Blaidd, the castle of the wolf, before arriving at Abbeycwmhir, the abbey that Glyndŵr reputedly sacked. I’m staying in a cabin at Wales in the Woods, a couple of miles up the hill in a deep, silent pine plantation, perfect for Glyndŵr reflections.
The ‘lovely, eccentric’ town of Llanidloes. Photograph: Joe Dunckley/Alamy
Next day, rain threatens, but we dodge all the showers, passing Saint Harmon, where Kilvert was briefly vicar, enjoying a stop at the superb Welsh Mountain Cider, then dropping down to Llanidloes. After three days on the trail, this lovely, slightly eccentric town seems like the big city, with so many pubs to choose from. We stay at the Unicorn. The following morning, we pass the Clywedog dam and climb to Y Star Inn, one of the highest pubs in Wales, which has three smart new pods to stay in. From here, the path rises again on what, for me, is the greatest stage of all. Leaving the trail, Stevie and I climb the 564-metre hill of Foel Fadian, opening up great panoramas of Cadair Idris, Yr Wyddfa (Snowdon) and the Irish Sea. We follow the trail down and reach our destination, Machynlleth, a town that has the same eccentric edge as Llanidloes, with lots of interesting independent shops, pubs and cafes.
It was in Mach (as the locals often call it) that Glyndŵr briefly set up his parliament, and the building, albeit partially reconstructed in 1460, survives. It is an atmospheric spot and there, on the wall, charging into battle, is the great hero himself. Now I get the ghostly shivers. But it turns out the Victorian artist used the face of his patron, David Davies, the indefatigable railway builder of the 1850s and 60s. After five days of walking, Owain has eluded me yet again.
The Graham Norton Show returns tonight and Hollywood actor Tom Cruise addresses Prince William and Kate Middleton attending the premiere of his new movie, Digger
The Prince and Princess of Wales attended the world premiere of Tom Cruise’s movie Differ earlier this week(Image: Getty Images for Warner Bros.)
Tom Cruise has opened up about being joined by the Prince and Princess of Wales on the red carpet at his movie premiere.
Prince William and Kate Middleton attended Tuesday’s (September 22) premiere of Digger, which stars the 64-year-old Hollywood actor. The trio were snapped at the star-studded event with Tom pictured holding Kate’s hand as her husband William wove to fans in the crowd.
Tom is one of the guests of The Graham Norton Show which returned tonight (Friday, September 25) for a new series alongside Oscar-nominated actor Florence Pugh, comedian and actor Lolly Adefope, top comic John Bishop and singer-songwriter Emeli Sandé.
When asked by host Graham about the Royal couple attending the premiere, Tom gushed: “They are amazing – very charismatic. I had such a good time.”
The Mission Impossible star also explained the extensive transformation he had to undergo using prosthetics for Digger, saying: “The makeup was taking so long that I decided to get it down from six hours to one – it was like a ballet getting everything in place. It was just like Formula 1.” Adding jokingly: “I had someone else hold the stopwatch!”
Tom stars opposite Riz Ahmed, Sandra Huller and Jesse Plemons in the film, in which he plays an oil tycoon whose company sets off an ecological disaster before being tasked with a mission to save humanity from his own mess.
He told Graham: “My character is outrageous and unpredictable. He says things that others may be thinking and never say. It’s a timeless story about power, greed, and ego framed in a very timely manner by Alejandro G Inarritu – one of the greatest filmmakers of all time.
“I’ve never read a script like it, and I have never seen a character like Digger.” He also shared his childhood dream to have an “adventurous life”.
Tom explained: “I am always doing something, learning something new which I can add to characters. I want to push every artform. I love the challenge of doing one thing while working on another. To create is life.”
Elsewhere on the show, Don’t Worry Darling actress Florence chatted about starring in the new adaptation of the Steinbeck classic East of Eden, saying, “It is a sweeping epic, and my character is also epic in every way. It has been the most amazing journey working with Zoe (director Zoe Kazan).
“It has been so special and it’s like releasing our baby. I am very protective of it, and really excited.” When asked about playing a character over seven episodes, Florence said, “Because I play a character that goes across several decades the thrill for me was figuring her out as she aged.
“It really was amazing and I had a brilliant time. Creating the series was a dream and I will be talking about this role for the rest of my career.”
The Graham Norton Show continues Friday, October 2 at 10.40pm on BBC One and BBC iPlayer
LONDON — Prince Harry and his wife, Meghan, have moved their two children to a new school over security concerns, a spokesperson said Tuesday, just weeks after the family returned to the U.K. to make a fresh start.
“The decision for the children to move school was taken following a discussion with the family’s security team about the practicalities of their current arrangements,” the spokesperson said in a statement.
Prince Archie, 7, and Princess Lilibet, 5, had only just started the new school year in England after the family relocated from California in late August.
British media reported that the distance of the school run and the heavy traffic on the route were among the concerns raised by the couple and their security team. The family is living at a private, non-royal residence outside of London.
“This decision should in no way be interpreted as a reflection on the school or the exceptional care the children have received there,” the statement added.
The news followed reports that Harry and Meghan were awaiting a new risk assessment from the government committee that reviews protection of VIPs, including a decision on whether the family should be entitled to publicly funded security now that they live in the U.K.
Harry and Meghan gave up their royal duties and moved to California more than six years ago, saying they wanted to earn their own living. They later signed lucrative contracts with Netflix and Spotify.
Although relations with the rest of the royal family have soured since then, Harry has recently expressed an interest in reconciliation so he could spend more time with his father, King Charles III.
Harry has fought a long-running battle with Britain’s government for the restoration of publicly funded police protection, which was canceled when the couple gave up their royal roles.
He had previously said he couldn’t “see a world in which I would be bringing my wife and children back to the U.K.” without a security guarantee.
Earlier this month, the king reiterated that Harry and Meghan remain non-working members of the royal family and would continue to refrain from using formal royal titles, such as his royal highness and her royal highness, as they have done since 2020. The couple said they were surprised by the way the monarch issued that statement because they were given little time to review it.
CAIRO: Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi will meet Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman on Tuesday in Cairo to discuss a range of issues of mutual interest, Al Arabiya News Channel reported, citing the Egyptian presidency.
The two leaders will exchange views on regional developments amid the latest tensions and changes in the region, while also discussing ways to strengthen Egyptian-Saudi relations and expand bilateral cooperation.
LONDON: Jordan’s Crown Prince Hussein bin Abdullah Al-Hashimi on Monday visited the baptismal site of Jesus, also known as Bethany Beyond the Jordan, to review preparations for the 2,000th anniversary of the historical event, which will take place in 2030.
He issued directives to enhance the site for the Christian pilgrims and other visitors who will visit the UNESCO World Heritage site to mark the bimillennial celebrations, the Jordan News Agency reported.
He said the upcoming occasion reaffirmed Jordan’s status as a premier destination for Christian pilgrimage. He emphasized the importance of efforts to promote the site of Jesus’ baptism, in coordination with the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities and the Jordan Tourism Board.
During the visit, the crown prince met Prince Ghazi bin Mohammed, chairperson of the board of trustees for the Baptism Site Commission, and his wife, Princess Miriam.
Jordanian Ministry of Tourism officials recently met Palestinian counterparts to discuss collaboration in the field of religious tourism ahead of the 2030 bimillennial celebrations.
Both Jordan and Palestine are home to important Christian holy sites, including Mount Nebo in Jordan’s Madaba governorate, where the Bible says Moses saw the Promised Land before he died, and, in the West Bank, the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem, and the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in East Jerusalem, which includes the traditional sites of Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection tomb.
The crown prince was also joined on his tour of the baptismal site by the minister of tourism and antiquities, Imad Hijazin, the director of the Office of the Crown Prince, Zaid Baqain, and the director general of the Baptism Site Commission, Abdullah Bawareed.
RIYADH: A total of 114 racing camels worth an estimated SR270 million to SR492 million ($72 million to $131 million) entered to compete in the four final rounds of the Crown Prince Camel Festival in Taif, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
The festival’s closing program featured four championship races, with 35 camels entered in the first round, 13 in the second, 46 in the third, and 20 in the fourth.
The event, organized by the Saudi Camel Federation under the patronage of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, offered SR50 million in prize money and attracted leading owners and competitors from across Saudi Arabia and the Gulf.
The festival’s most prestigious trophies, Al-Saif (Sword) and Al-Bunduq (Rifle), are awarded in the elite Hiyl (female camel) and Zumoul (male camel) championship races. Winning either title significantly enhances a camel’s prestige, breeding value, and market price.
Camel owner and racing specialist Abdullah Al-Sharif said the market value of a single camel competing in the Hiyl category typically ranges from SR3 million to SR6 million.
In the Zumoul category, camels are valued at between SR1.5 million and SR2 million.
Some elite camels command prices ranging from SR7 million to SR8 million, depending on their racing record, results, and bloodlines.
Qualifying for the closing championship trophy rounds can significantly increase a camel’s value, with previous achievements, breeding potential, lineage, prize money, and the level of competition all influencing market prices, Al-Sharif added.
Saudi Camel Sports spokesperson Murdhi Al-Khamaali said the festival has helped promote authentic Arab culture globally by bringing together traditions from Saudi Arabia, the Gulf, and the wider Arab world.
He said the event has grown beyond a sporting competition to become an economic, social, and cultural movement, while also helping revive Taif’s historical and cultural heritage.
Al-Khamaali added that bearing the name of the crown prince has transformed the festival into a cultural and economic destination for camel owners from across the Kingdom and the Gulf.
He said the festival’s rapid growth reflects its expanding importance as a platform for preserving heritage and supporting economic activity. Since its launch in 2018, the event has attracted more than 100,000 camels and earned multiple Guinness World Records titles.
The seventh edition in 2025 marked a major milestone, with participation surpassing 100,000 camels, building on the nearly 99,000 camels recorded across earlier editions.
The festival was recognized by Guinness World Records in 2024 for hosting the world’s largest camel race, with 21,637 camels participating. Held during the Kingdom’s “Year of the Camel,” the event highlighted the animal’s enduring cultural significance across the Arabian Peninsula.
The festival has also received several major accolades, including four Guinness World Records titles and the Makkah Economic Excellence Award in 2023, recognizing its contribution to cultural preservation, economic development, and the promotion of Saudi heritage.
In a separate update issued ahead of the finale, festival results showed Saudi-owned camels leading the standings with victories in 131 heats during the eighth edition.
Saudi-owned camels recorded 47 wins in the Al-Haqayiq category, 21 in Al-Laqaya, 15 in Al-Jadha’a, and nine in Al-Thnaya, for a combined total of 92 victories. They also secured 35 wins in the Intaj Al-Saudiyya races and four in the Sibaq Al-Hajjanah category, bringing their overall tally to 131 wins.
Emirati-owned camels ranked second with 35 victories, followed by Qatar with 27. Kuwaiti and Omani owners recorded three wins each, while Bahrain registered one victory.
RIYADH: Qatar on Wednesday condemned Houthi attacks on civilian and economic sites in southern Saudi Arabia during a phone call between the two countries’ foreign ministers.
Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani expressed his country’s condemnation of the attacks during a call with Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
The two officials also discussed the latest regional developments and diplomatic efforts by Saudi Arabia and Qatar to de-escalate tensions and preserve regional security and stability, SPA said.
The call came as the Iran-backed Houthis targeted civilian and economic sites in the southern cities of Abha, Khamis Mushait, Jazan and Najran, injuring 73 civilians, including women and children.
Operations at some energy facilities were temporarily halted.
The Saudi-led coalition described the attacks as a “dangerous escalation” and said it would take measures to protect the Kingdom’s sovereignty, civilians and national assets.
Qatar’s Foreign Ministry separately condemned the attacks on Tuesday as a “dangerous escalation” and a violation of Saudi sovereignty and international law.
Doha reaffirmed its “full solidarity” with the Kingdom and its support for measures taken to protect its sovereignty, security and territorial integrity, adding that Saudi security was an integral part of the collective security of Gulf Cooperation Council states.
It also called on the international community to take a firm position against the attacks and ensure the implementation of relevant UN Security Council resolutions concerning Yemen and the security of navigation in the Red Sea.
Fighting between the Houthis and forces aligned with Yemen’s internationally recognized government has intensified in recent weeks, raising fears of a return to wider conflict after a UN-brokered truce in 2022 largely halted years of fighting between the Houthis and the Saudi-led coalition.
The Houthis, who control Sanaa and much of northern Yemen, declared a naval blockade against Saudi Arabia in July and have since stepped up attacks on the Kingdom and vessels in the Red Sea. Saudi-backed Yemeni government forces have meanwhile launched an offensive on several fronts against Houthi-held areas.
JEDDAH: His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, received princes, scholars, senior officials, and a group of citizens who came to greet him at Al-Salam Palace in Jeddah on Tuesday.
