A Week in Nant Gwrtheyrn: Kate Williams’ experience
Kate Williams is Director of Leadership at ‘Dysgu’, the new organisation supporting professional learning and leadership in schools across Wales.
Kate recently followed a residential Learn Welsh course for the Education Workforce, developed by the National Centre for Learning Welsh and held at Nant Gwrtheyrn, the iconic language centre on the Llyn Peninsula.
Kate will shortly return to Nant Gwrtheyrn for the second part of her course, which she has combined with online lessons in a virtual classroom.
Here are Kate’s reflections on her language learning…
In January, I spent a week in Nant Gwrtheyrn on a residential Welsh language course — the first of a two-week course, the next week being in March. I expected lessons, vocabulary lists, and grammar. What I didn’t fully anticipate was how inspiring and affirming the experience would be — not just as a learner, but as someone reconnecting with language, culture, and Wales.
Nant Gwrtheyrn is more than a language centre. Its outstandingly beautiful location, between mountains and the sea, is breathtaking. The journey, especially the road that descends into Nant Gwrtheyrn (if you know, you know) feels like a transition from the everyday into somewhere special.
Being on a residential course added to the experience that would have been impossible to replicate otherwise. Living, learning, and spending time together in the same place meant that Welsh was not confined to the classroom. It became part of daily life, over meals, during a visit to Caernarfon, and in conversations that continued long after lessons had finished. The immersion created by staying on site helped build confidence, connection, and a sense of community.
As a group of learners, we quickly connected through our shared purpose. Learning together; supporting one another, encouraging each other to speak, and laughing through inevitable mistakes, creating strong bonds. There was something powerful about being surrounded by likeminded people, all committed to learning Welsh and all at different stages of the same journey. By the end of the week, I came away not only with improved language skills, but with new connections and friendships, and with people I can continue to converse with in Welsh long after the course has finished.
The week was intense. Days were filled with lessons that challenged us to speak, listen, and think in Welsh. The tutors created an environment that was supportive, safe, and encouraging, while still pushing us beyond what we thought we were capable of. Mistakes weren’t something to fear; they were welcomed as an essential part of learning.
The teaching was structured and informative, giving us an understanding of the Welsh language - its patterns, its logic but it was never detached or clinical. Language was constantly linked to people, place, and history. We weren’t just learning how to form sentences; we were learning why this language matters.
The course was informative not only about the language itself, but about our country and its story. Welsh carries identity, passion and resilience. Being immersed in that, even for a single week, deepened my appreciation for what it means to live and work in Wales, and for the responsibility we all have to protect and promote our language.
I left feeling tired, challenged, and completely inspired and already looking ahead with excitement. I cannot wait to return in March to continue the journey, build on what I have learned, and reconnect with the place and the people.
My confidence has grown, not because I am suddenly fluent (as I am far from that), but because I feel braver; braver about speaking, about making mistakes, and about continuing to learn.
It’s hard to describe Nant Gwrtheyrn without sounding overly romantic, but there is something special about the place. The combination of residential learning, outstanding natural beauty, a supportive environment, and meaningful human connection creates a sense of belonging.
Diolch, Nant Gwrtheyrn — I look forward to returning in March.
For more information about the National Centre for Learning Welsh’s courses for the Education Workforce, please follow the next link: