Residents of the Gwaun Valley made the effort to celebrate Hen Galan yesterday (Wednesday) despite huge snowdrifts making many roads impassable to cars.

Cousins Rhydian and Owain Howells, Llyr, Gethin and Cerys Davies (pictured) continued the ancient tradition of calennig, battling through drifts twice their height to wish their neighbours Happy New Year.

"The drifts in some places were from hedge to hedge and 12 foot high but the children marched on," said local resident Enfys Howells.

"They struggled through the snow to ensure the age old tradition is kept alive."

The Bridgend Inn celebrated the old New Year with music and food despite the fact that DJ they booked could not get to them.

"It went fairly well," said barman George. "We had mist of the young farmers here with their girlfriends. About 20 people made it up, most of them were local from the valley but we did have some people who came in all the way from Whitland.

"We had a good night and a good laugh."

Gelli Fawr Hotel also had around 20 guests who made it through the drifts to enjoy a bowl of cawl and a singsong to celebrate the new year.

"A lot of them came across the fields in tractors," said Gelli Fawr's Fred Freeman. We have got ten foot drifts to one side and 13 foot drifts to the other, we are completely snowed in.

"We didn't expect so many people. It was a very very nice night which continued into the early hours. A real local celebration."

Further into the valley at the Dyffryn Arms (also known as Bessies) the celebrations were more subdued.

"We didn't have a big celebration," said Bessie. "We were about half a dozen people.

"People couldn't come in, the roads are closed. Just a few people from the valley called in."

Hen Galan is the old new year as marked by the Julian calendar.

When the rest of Britain adopted the Gregorian calendar in 1752 the remote valley retained the Julian way of measuring time. Ever since residents have celebrated New Year's Day on January 13th.