I recently rediscovered a fantastic piece of history—a 35mm slide from my collection, likely dating back to the 1960s. After digitizing it, I just had to share this glimpse into a timeless piece of Welsh heritage: the Coracle boat.
This photograph captures a beautifully rustic coracle resting on a shingle bank beside a river, its single, broad-bladed paddle lying across the wooden seat. It's a snapshot that transports you straight to the quiet waterways of Wales over half a century ago.
The Tiny Boat with a Huge History
If you're not familiar with it, a coracle (cwrwgl in Welsh) is a small, light, round or oval-shaped boat, designed for one person. It’s essentially a frame, historically made of woven willow or ash laths, covered with a waterproof material—in ancient times, animal hide, but by the mid-20th century, typically canvas or calico coated with tar or bitumen paint.
What makes them so fascinating is their incredible history. Coracles date back to pre-Roman times! They are one of the oldest forms of water transport in the world, with Julius Caesar even noting their use by the ancient Britons.
A River-Wise Design
The coracle's design is perfectly suited to its environment:
Keel-less and Flat-Bottomed: This allows the boat to float in just a few inches of water, making it ideal for navigating shallow streams and fast-flowing rivers like the Teifi and Tywi in West Wales.
Lightweight: Crucially, a coracle is light enough to be carried on the fisherman's back, often using a strap attached to the seat. This meant they could easily be transported between different stretches of water or carried home along with the day’s catch. This portability is key to the craft's endurance.
Unique Propulsion: They are propelled by a single paddle, used in a figure-of-eight 'sculling' motion. This allows the fisherman to steer and move while keeping the other hand free for fishing—often for salmon or sea trout using a long, fine net, a traditional method still practised under license in parts of Wales today.
A Glimpse into the 1960s
The boat in the slide looks like a traditional working craft—its dark, tarred covering and simple wooden seat speak to utility and tradition. While the 1960s were a time of rapid change, this image reminds us that some ancient crafts were still very much a part of everyday life along Wales's rivers.
It's a wonderful memory to unearth from an old box of slides. Clicking the image should open a link in another window to my Colin Green Photography store on Zazzle.
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