Eggscitement as dragons eggspecting happy event
Two giant eggs have appeared in a nest at Caerphilly Castle – and they don’t look Easter-related.
The dragon eggs join dragons Dewi and Dwynwen at the castle.
Dewi first appeared on St David’s Day last year, which proved one of the most popular stories of 2016 for our website WalesOnline, and he was joined by Dwynwen a year later.
The eggs are part of the next stage of Cadw’s Live the Legends campaign, which aims to bring Wales’ dramatic history and tales to life during Visit Wales’ 2017 Year of Legends.
Like the dragons, the eggs were created by Cardiff-based prop design specialists, Wild Creations, and the dragons, which collectively weigh two tonnes, were sculpted and moulded before being built out of fibreglass.
Found near mum-to-be Dwynwen, the nest has appeared just in time for the castle’s busy Easter period, which last year saw more than 90,000 visitors during March.
Ken Skates, Cabinet Secretary for Economy and Infrastructure, said: “The reception the dragon eggs received at Caerphilly Castle has been overwhelming – it really demonstrates how innovative ideas can help to spark a renewed interest in Welsh heritage. We hope that the ever-progressing story of the Cadw Dragons will continue to enthral locals and tourists alike over the Easter bank holiday weekend.
“Our original dragon attracted a record-breaking 120,000 visitors during his tour of eight Welsh castles last year and we hope to build on this success this year.
“Wales is known for its epic stories, from the myths of the Mabinogion to the fables of the Welsh Dragon, and Cadw’s Live the Legends campaign is designed to bring them to life during the 2017 Year of Legends.
“We’re confident that the presence of the dragons, alongside a thrilling programme of events and immersive experiences at Cadw sites, will help to spur a newfound interest in Welsh heritage and encourage local people and visitors alike to explore the monuments this summer.”
Matt Wild, owner of Cardiff-based Wild Creations, which also created the Ball in the Wall that appeared in Cardiff Castle’s wall during the 2015 Rugby World Cup, has said the dragon idea was also a bid to get visitors taking pictures.
He said last March after Dewi was unveiled: “One of the concepts was for people being able to stand in the claws and have your photo taken, but what we always wanted to do was to build a really amazing dragon that people will like and have their pictures taken with anyway.
“The reception to that has been phenomenal. That’s what captures part of why it did so well and it’s nice doing something on your doorstep.”
He added: “I have got a fantastic team. The team that work with me are brilliant and up to eight of us are fulltime.
“I always struggle with what to call us or departmentalise what we do. Our strapline is ‘The weird and wonderful released’, which is what we try to do. We pride ourselves on taking on things that are a bit different.”
Over the bank holiday weekend there will be an egg hunt, as well as a Medieval Easter Weekend (Sunday and Monday) which will offer visitors the chance to learn about the castle’s medieval past.
Visitors to Caerphilly Castle will have the chance to see Dewi, Dwynwen and the eggs by normal site admission through April and May.
According to Cadw the incubation period for dragon eggs is unknown, so visitors to the castle are asked to remain alert and to inform custodians of any egg movements and/or baby dragon sightings.
Cadw is encouraging visitors to use the hashtag #LivetheLegends on social media to share their experiences. To discover the story behind the dragons and their eggs, visit Cadw’s website.