Darllenwch y dudalen hon yn Gymraeg

Recently, we’ve been highlighting some of the new features of the Cadw app, at historic sites across Wales, in recent blogs. Our two most recent games, launched in the last few weeks, really are a thing of legends…

Fairies spotted at Castell Coch

Look high, look low, look through your phone! Tylwyth Teg, one of Wales’ many legends, have revealed themselves at Castell Coch through the use of augmented reality.

Augmented reality, or AR, means you can see the ‘real world’ though your phone or tablet’s camera, but images (static or moving) can be laid over the top so they look like they’re in the real world.

Of course, at Castell Coch it is more ‘magic phone’ than mobile phone.

The Fairy Trail at Castell Coch reveals ten different fairies, all with a traditional welsh name, hiding in different rooms in the fairytale castle near Cardiff. The fairy grid twinkles when a fairy is near. Click on the grid and your camera opens so you can look around the room to try to see where the fairy is hiding. Once spotted, try your best to click on the fairy (they’re fast!) and their ID card will be logged on your phone. If you find them all you receive a special prize!

Snap Dragons!

Our most recent game to launch is Little Dragons, at seven spectacular castles across Wales.

Most of you will have been closely following the story of our two dragons, Dewi and Dwynwen, and will have been delighted to hear their happy news about their baby dragons recently hatched.

As Dwynwen and two of her babies embark on their Wales-wide tour, there are more baby dragons to find at Conwy, Caernarfon, Beaumaris, Harlech, Raglan, Chepstow and Caerphilly castles over the summer months. Search, spot and snap ten little dragons at the castle of your choice, using our special dragon detector, and they will be automatically saved to your phone’s camera roll for you to share.

But be warned- it’s not easy snapping dragons! Although the baby dragons are still learning to fly and will only be found on castles’ ground level, you’ll have to look high and low and all around to try to find them flying above you, through your device’s camera.

And there’s lots more to come for both the Cadw app and for our Year of Legends. Check out the Cadw website for events throughout the year. And be sure to share your legendary experiences with us using the hashtag #LiveTheLegends on social media as we’d love to see them- so get snapping!

Post by, Erin Lloyd Jones,  Heritage Interpretation Manager, Cadw

Image credits courtesy of © Crown copyright (2017) Cadw, Welsh Government