tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-53098663535528476172024-03-13T00:36:38.324-07:00Vale of FfestiniogUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger97125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5309866353552847617.post-10986096479385893742013-10-20T00:04:00.000-07:002013-10-20T00:23:54.026-07:00All change at BlaenauFfestiniog is not the end of the line but where it all began, with slate heaved out of mountains onto wagons for a thirteen mile descent by gravity to ships at sea. It’s also the top of the Conwy Valley line from Llandudno. A railway mecca; relics of tracks on, down and inside the rock with slate the Victorians reason for it all.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chisels in the sun</td></tr>
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The industry is about 1% of what it used to be and the steam trains are busy with passengers not freight. Stepping off the train your eyes are drawn through twin pillars towards the rocky horizons that frame the town. Each pillar made with 9,000 stacked slates from Llechwedd quarry, a CROESO welcome and directions indicated by the motif of a slate splitter’s chisel. Steps to the street are framed by four huge chisel-shape sculptures with slates stacked at an angle; not any old angle but 30°, the typical lie of a bed of Blaenau slate. </div>
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Bands of single line poetry encircle the pillars and also dissect the town’s pavements. Some, such as <i>‘a bracelet of a town on the bone of the rock’, </i>by famous poets and others by local schoolchildren. All carved in Welsh with translations provided online and in booklets. Reading these and their explanations brings a deep insight to the community past and present. Even the bus shelters are a revelation with ‘fat ladies’ on the floors! Most sizes of slate were named after aristocratic women such as ‘duchess’, ‘marchioness’, ‘narrow lady’ and so on. Replicas with their names and dimensions are embedded in the ground. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Howard working on the river of slate</td></tr>
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Across the street is another set of twin pillars with a small quarry train pulling slate wagons down from the marshalling yard. But before you reach this, stop and admire the river of slate, a pavement mosaic with a river running down the middle. On either side are the names of over 350 quarries from across Wales each carved into a block of slate that matches the colour from that particular quarry. A rich mix of greys, reds, purples and greens set in alphabetic order. </div>
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Local artist Howard Bowcott, creator of the works, described the significance of the river: <i>‘it symbolises the formation of slate with river mud washed out to sea four or five hundred million years ago. The river was also the vital corridor for exporting slate before the Ffestiniog Railway opened in 1836.’<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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Each bank of the river has a line of poetry by Gwyn Thomas, one in Welsh and one in English. <i>‘Time flows on and water too but not the life of a rockman’</i> and <i>‘Men die. The rocks and empty darkness of these mountains endure’</i>. Worked out slate chambers are the <i>‘empty darkness’</i> and both poems reflect the perilous work conditions of the <i>‘rockmen’</i> and their transience, but a blink compared to the life of rock.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A version of the<br />
Lightning Strike by David Nash</td></tr>
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London has the Shard and the Gherkin but we’ve got our Chisels and the Lightning Strike. This sculpture by David Nash reflects the zig-zag shape of the quarryman’s path descending the slate spoil from the Oakeley quarry. It now stands on the main road midway between the quarry and the centre of town – the only Nash work of art on permanent display in Wales. </div>
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If words and symbols of Blaenau’s slate heritage are not enough, keep on walking about ten minutes out of town to Llechwedd Slate Caverns where you can literally get beneath the surface of it all. They offer a choice of two underground tours and provide exhibits that bring to life the incredible stories of rock cannons and wild cars. This is also the place for downhill biking; a bit like skiing, the riders buy a ‘lift pass’ for the day hurtling down a choice of runs ranging from the gentle blue to the double black. It makes a good spectator sport.</div>
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Everywhere is unique but Blaenau takes the biscuit! Local artist Falcon Hildred says in his recent book <i>’I believe that Blaenau Ffestiniog and its landscape are the best and most complete surviving industrial landscape in Britain’</i>. It’s not stuffed away in museums but all around you. Shops are one-offs where you buy bread from a baker, local meat from a butcher and discuss the finer points of DIY with the ironmonger. Cafés are homely and good value.</div>
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No amount of words can describe this place, it must be experienced. If you’ve been before, you won’t recognise it.<br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5309866353552847617.post-15272200426209102852013-09-29T00:56:00.003-07:002013-09-29T00:56:54.763-07:00Blaenau Pristine, Blaenau Ymlaen!<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Twenty
volunteers enjoyed a steam train ride courtesy of the Ffestiniog Railway from
Porthmadog to Blaenau where they met up with members of the Blaenau Stations
Support Group. Together they filled twenty bin bags full of rubbish which the
council whisked away for recycling and disposal. Amongst the volunteers was a
group of ten students from Glynllifon and also Gwynedd councillor Paul Thomas.</div>
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The event
was organised by <a href="http://www.snowdonia-society.org.uk/index.php" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">Cymdeithas Eryri the Snowdonia Society</span></a> and designed to
complement the work of the Council focusing on areas off the normal litter
picking routes. It also took account of suggested hotspots from the Chamber of
Commerce and Tourism. It’s amazing how much litter gets stuffed into the privet
hedge around The Square or caught up in fencing around Cae Peips. </div>
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Ours was a
once off litter pick but the Blaenau Stations Support Group does it every
Sunday meeting at 10:15 and focusing on the station area. If you would like to
lend a hand they would appreciate a few more volunteers; please contact Sally
Horn on 01766 830403. </div>
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<o:p> </o:p>Blaenau is
looking brilliant these days and lots of visitors are taking a look at the
sculptures, the poetry and the whole town with its dramatic backdrop. Things
just got even better with the reopening of the public toilets in the car park.
This grade II listed building, that was once the Diffwys Railway Station, has
taken on a new lease of life with great artwork linking the slate with Blaenau
and its journey by train to the sea.</div>
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Blaenau Ymlaen!</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5309866353552847617.post-1782282485080859082013-04-10T12:07:00.000-07:002013-08-13T21:51:04.842-07:00From the Rock ... of Blaenau Ffestiniog<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="color: #222222;">The streets of </span><span style="color: #222222;">Blaenau</span><span style="color: #222222;"> are paved
with slate, at least slate bands of poetry. There’s the River of Slate, a
pavement mosaic with a river running through and on either bank the names of
the 350 slate mines of Wales, each engraved on a block of slate the colour of
that quarry.</span><b><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"> </span></b><span style="color: #222222;">And then there are the
massiv</span><span style="color: #222222;">e
slate sculptures, the 7.5 met</span><span style="color: #222222;">r</span><span style="color: #222222;">e</span><span style="color: #222222;"> tall chisels, each made
up of 15,000 stacked slates. </span><span style="color: #222222;">They’re at a 30° angle, the lie of the Blaenau seams of slate. There is
more to this town than meets the eye and recent developments cause people to
stop in their tracks and wonder why?</span><br />
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<span style="color: #222222; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">The town is home to many relics of its industrial past and Falcon Hildred’s
recent illustrated book is a great way of seeing what’s on offer. Another great
way of discovery is to join the Snowdonia Society’s guided walk on Saturday 4<sup>th</sup>
May led by Kevin Hall. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #222222; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">The morning walk begins at 10:30 and is described as easy, about 1.5
miles mostly on pavements, </span><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">to see the architecture
and culture </span><span style="color: #222222; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">of the town, including the new <i>O</i></span><i><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">’r
Graig</span></i><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> ('From the Rock') structures and
inscriptions. There will be a break for lunch, either a picnic or at a café or
pub in town. In the afternoon at about 13:00 there will be a moderately
strenuous walk to Pant yr Ynn, the mill where Falcon Hildred will show us his
fascinating building with his collection of paintings and artefacts. If enough
water is flowing the millwheel will be turning.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Later that afternoon
there will be a walk of about 4 miles on more difficult terrain with some steep
ground and rough terrain returning to the centre of town (by about 16:30) along
footpaths via Cwm Bowydd.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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The walk is open to anyone with a suggested minimum donation of £3 for members
of the Snowdonia Society and £5 for non-members. Please bring a drink, a
raincoat and wear appropriate clothing & sturdy footwear. All children
should be accompanied by an adult.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">If you would like to book
onto the event please contact </span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 6.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"> </span><span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><a href="mailto:info@snowdonia-society.co.uk">info@snowdonia-society.co.uk</a><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><a href="mailto:info@snowdonia-society.co.uk"><br /></a></span>
<span style="color: #222222; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">For those who can't make a 10:30 start there will be <b>an alternative shorter walk led by Huw Jenkins starting at 1pm</b>. The meeting point is underneath the canopy next to the 4 giant chisel-shaped sculptures. No need to book and donations to the Snowdonia Society will be welcome. There will be lots going on in Blaenau this weekend which is the celebration of <span style="color: blue;"><a href="http://www.festrail.co.uk/content/publish/specialevents/Steam_150_A_Narrow_Gauge_Odyssey.shtml" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">150 years of steam</span></a>.</span></span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5309866353552847617.post-74517291429184081602013-01-13T13:03:00.000-08:002013-01-13T13:05:39.555-08:00Souvenirs of Blaenau Ffestiniog<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-of-ba5GENEs/UPMgntdGadI/AAAAAAAACrw/7yNWUzE6Q2g/s1600/Falcon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-of-ba5GENEs/UPMgntdGadI/AAAAAAAACrw/7yNWUzE6Q2g/s200/Falcon.jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="180" /></a>Tens of
thousands of people will visit Blaenau this year and I’m confident that they
will be amazed at what they see. Slate
sculptures and poetry reconnecting the town centre with its industrial heritage;
dramatic and stylish. But there’s even more beyond to be discovered. Apart from
hiring a local guide you may like to consider two classic books. </div>
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The first is
titled <b>‘Worktown: The Drawings of Falcon Hildred’</b> and provides a designer’s
perspective on the various buildings around the town. Falcon states <i>‘I believe that Blaenau Ffestiniog and its
landscape are the best and most complete surviving industrial landscape in
Britain’</i>.</div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-J3W26PXKdDA/UPMgx3OGXjI/AAAAAAAACr4/WOCMKuJ_yT0/s1600/Blaenau.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="166" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-J3W26PXKdDA/UPMgx3OGXjI/AAAAAAAACr4/WOCMKuJ_yT0/s200/Blaenau.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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Another book
I would recommend is simply titled <b>‘Blaenau Ffestiniog’</b>. Fantastic photos by
landscape photographer Jeremy Moore and words by Gwyn Thomas, the one time
national poet of Wales, whose poetry is in the sculptures, on the pavement and either
side of the slate river. </div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">You could probably buy both books and get free
supersaver delivery from an online retailer but, for the authentic experience,
why not go to Siop Yr Hen Bost. The bookshop is about a 3 minute walk from the station (south) along the main street and you’ll
find lots of other treasure inside. </span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5309866353552847617.post-1807099454504630222012-12-20T23:37:00.000-08:002013-10-20T00:26:08.201-07:00Worktown – The Drawings of Falcon HildredI’m biased:
I like Falcon, I’ve had the pleasure of meeting him in his home, of witnessing
his uncluttered way of life and hearing him describe his hopes and
disappointments. I also live next to Blaenau Ffestiniog, so any comments about
his book (written by Peter Wakelin) are not wholly objective.<br />
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The book
contains 200 of Falcon’s drawings, now in the hands of public bodies for
posterity, and the bulk of them record the industrial heritage of Blaenau
Ffestiniog, Falcon’s home for over forty years.
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In the
course of the book I learnt a lot about his life: how he got the impressive name of Falcon; how he came to move from
Grimsby to Coventry, to London and eventually to Blaenau Ffestiniog; his bold
decision to give up job security to follow his calling. I loved the drawing he
sent to his mother depicting the layout of his bedsit in Putney during the
times when he designed, amongst other things, first class bars and cabins for
cruise liners.</div>
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Within the
book there are many favourite drawings for me including the series depicting Tŷ
Uncorn, the one chimney house with four tiny cottages sharing a central
chimney. Was this a pioneering attempt at central heating? I like knowing what
it looks like inside as I walk past it near the police station.</div>
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The final
chapter is written by Falcon and titled ‘My Working Process’. On the last page he
talks about the drawings made in other industrial towns in which the buildings
have long since been demolished or renovated. ....<i>’After half a century of recording, I believe that Blaenau Ffestiniog
and its landscape are the best and most complete surviving industrial landscape
in Britain’ .... ‘I feel we should save one example of a nineteenth-century
industrial town as a complete cultural and historic entity. So my final message
is: if you like my pictures, then please take care of the subject that inspired
them.’ <o:p></o:p></i></div>
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And so we
should. As for the book, not only do I recommend it, I suggest you get three
copies. One for cutting out and framing images on left hand pages, another for
the right hand pages and the third for a good read.</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5309866353552847617.post-77037598029051536412012-11-19T11:31:00.000-08:002012-11-19T11:31:59.513-08:00Ffestiniog on the tube map<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-W6xVEdkI4xo/UKqId74ptKI/AAAAAAAACdo/kct2eZbE90Q/s1600/metjubilee2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="148" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-W6xVEdkI4xo/UKqId74ptKI/AAAAAAAACdo/kct2eZbE90Q/s200/metjubilee2.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Before</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
An old London
underground railway carriage, built in 1892, was in use as a garden shed until
recently renovated at the Ffestiniog & Welsh Highland Railway’s workshops
in Porthmadog. Spick and span after 15 months TLC, and twelve coats of varnish,
the carriage will undergo trials at Loughborough before returning to London. In
January 2013 it / she will be pulled by Metropolitan Railway steam locomotive No.
1 on a journey through the old Metropolitan Line tunnels of Paddington, Euston,
King's Cross and Farringdon to Moorgate to commemorate the 150th anniversary of
the world's first underground railway.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">After</td></tr>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5309866353552847617.post-16230491555260762272012-11-11T01:17:00.001-08:002013-10-20T00:25:17.000-07:00Princess dragged out of Porthmadog pubDon’t worry, it’s not Kate Middleton on a night out with the lads, but the world’s oldest, narrow gauge steam engine. She was delivered to the Ffestiniog Railway in 1863 and was retired from service in 1946 as the last working loco when the railway ran out of steam. For some years she sat on a plinth at Blaeanu Ffestiniog, a symbol of the epic reconstruction of the line. In the last 31 years she has been in the museum and latterly the expanded bar at harbour station.<br />
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On 10<sup>th</sup> November she was dragged out of her corner, having first been jacked up and then jacked across on a pair of metal sheets lubricated with Fairy Liquid. Shifting ten tonnes of loco within the confines of a pub is no easy task – the first ten metres took about three hours. With the help of a tractor with forklift she was eventually dumped onto the railway track and towed across The Cob for a bit of restoration.</div>
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Next year she will travel by road to Paddington where she will be on display for the six weeks beginning St David’s Day (1<sup>st</sup> March). Thereafter she has several other ambassadorial appearances to make including a beer festival at Olympia in conjunction with <a href="http://www.purplemoose.co.uk/" target="_blank">The Purple Moose Brewery</a>. </div>
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This is how she was dragged out and her corner in the pub taken by a steam (horse drawn) fire engine.<br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5309866353552847617.post-19695593193669598672012-10-31T15:05:00.002-07:002012-10-31T15:07:19.874-07:00River of Slate<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-tfKxwt0v4bQ/UJGgd7q1svI/AAAAAAAACY8/3bhr7mOMBZk/s1600/P1110689small.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-tfKxwt0v4bQ/UJGgd7q1svI/AAAAAAAACY8/3bhr7mOMBZk/s320/P1110689small.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Howard
Bowcott invited me to his workshop to see the final touches to the giant jigsaw, the River of Slate. <i>River</i> - because that’s how all the sediment gets washed
down to create the mudstone which morphs into slate. <i>River</i> - because the Dwyryd was where the slate used to be boated
out to the waiting ships.</div>
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This
stunning work will soon be in the centre of town for people to walk on. What sacrilege!
I hope they take off their shoes.</div>
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Here’s
Howard busy with the slate:</div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5309866353552847617.post-55788426567169517942012-10-29T23:44:00.000-07:002012-10-29T23:44:16.602-07:00Princess dragged out of Porthmadog pub <br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-RiX9eUxU27U/UI93DpXkDeI/AAAAAAAACYQ/nXxn8RliNGw/s1600/The+Princess,+Boston+Lodge+1887small.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="113" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-RiX9eUxU27U/UI93DpXkDeI/AAAAAAAACYQ/nXxn8RliNGw/s200/The+Princess,+Boston+Lodge+1887small.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>
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The world’s first
narrow gauge steam engine Princess is to be pulled out of the pub at Porthmadog’s
harbour station and taken to the workshops for a 150 year service. In the new
year she will travel to Paddington where she will be on display for 6 weeks
from St David’s Day. The back wall of the pub will be removed on Saturday 10<sup>th</sup>
November but customers have been reassured it will be back to normal by 1pm
with a replacement to look at while they drink their beer – a steam powered,
horse drawn fire engine from Anglesey.</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5309866353552847617.post-70645262926623631522012-10-29T00:11:00.001-07:002012-10-29T00:11:55.727-07:00Pengwern Food, Casque Mark and Events<br />
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Lots of changes
at Y Pengwern. The kitchens are now open serving great food at the weekends. Details
of <a href="http://www.pengwern.org.uk/food_drink.php" target="_blank">opening times and menus</a> can be found on the Pengwern website. Bookings are
now being taken for <a href="http://www.pengwern.org.uk/Christmas_Menu_2012[1].pdf" target="_blank">Christmas lunches</a>. Groups and societies have been booking
the ‘committee room’ for small meetings with refreshments. The Function Room is
open for larger events and between this and the Dining Room the kitchen can
cater for up to 80 people.</div>
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I always
thought the bar was good but there’s now an independent hallmark of goodness –
the Casque Mark was recently awarded by one of the 45 assessors who called in
unannounced and sampled the various cask beers for temperature, aroma,
appearance and taste. It’s one thing getting good beer from the brewery but the
final step of getting it to the customers’ lips is equally important and this is what the Casque Mark recognises. Da
iawn! </div>
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There has
been a steady stream of events organised by Y Pengwern since it re-opened and
one of those was last weekend’s nature walk led by Twm Elias from the pub to
the Plas (Tan y Bwlch). Next events are Halloween and Fireworks. Publicising a
programme of events can be a challenge but to make things easier we have
installed an events listing page on the pub’s website. Organisers of events are
going to be trained to use this system and pretty soon there will be a long
list of things to choose from and put into your diary. <a href="http://www.pengwern.org.uk/events.php" target="_blank">Here is the events page</a>.</div>
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Onwards and
upwards. </div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5309866353552847617.post-10654126074518444672012-10-10T10:56:00.000-07:002012-10-10T10:56:38.877-07:00Worktown: The Drawings of Falcon Hildred <span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">This exhibition of
Falcon’s work, who lives in Blaenau Ffestiniog, </span></span><span style="background: white; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">opened at the
Coalbrookdale Gallery, Ironbridge Gorge Museum, on 5 October 2012 and will run
until 30 April 2013. It is free to enter and will be open 10am-5pm,
Monday-Friday. For further details, please call 01952 433424 or visit<span class="apple-converted-space"> the <a href="http://www.ironbridge.org.uk/plan_your_visit/events_calendar/event.asp?id=508" target="_blank">Ironbridge website</a>.</span></span><div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5309866353552847617.post-53930517090453576312012-09-30T02:09:00.000-07:002012-09-30T02:09:01.754-07:00Searching for the Oldest Houses in Wales<br />
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With over 306,000 hits on the website in the last twelve months and more than a hundred members signing up since Easter the DATING OLD WELSH HOUSES GROUP is already making an impact in communities across north west Wales. “<i>Our programme of events is very popular, with waiting lists for our guided visits to old houses and our Study Tour to St Fagans and Cosmeston Medieval village</i>” says Margaret Dunn, Group Secretary. She has recently been made a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries of London for her work running the successful Dating Old Welsh Houses Project and will shortly be giving a lecture on the Project to that Society in <st1:city w:st="on">London</st1:city>.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM1TgLBFbmt9y1QRI465zSLnykp_Z_m99Saiccew0pD-rOGzHWt6Px8TG4WgVV04G8BHjHXLG5hW78BJ33nrWNITFY4fAN8fAjir3AZ3MfWsHGSvyaYTb7usG5ppo3vF6sz1kJiXAhrm8/s1600/Margaret+Dunn+Blog+small.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM1TgLBFbmt9y1QRI465zSLnykp_Z_m99Saiccew0pD-rOGzHWt6Px8TG4WgVV04G8BHjHXLG5hW78BJ33nrWNITFY4fAN8fAjir3AZ3MfWsHGSvyaYTb7usG5ppo3vF6sz1kJiXAhrm8/s200/Margaret+Dunn+Blog+small.jpg" width="136" /></a></div>
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Margaret added “<i>we are excited to announce that with our partners, the Royal Commission on Ancient & Historic Monuments of Wales, we will be publishing a book titled <b>Discovering Historic Homes in North-West Wales</b>.</i>”</div>
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The Project spent over £250,000, including the time given by around 200 volunteers, to date, record and research around eighty Tudor houses across the region. This was only possible with grant aid from around twenty five organisations led by the HLF. Over a hundred people attended the Annual Public Lecture held this year in Conwy.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJoNVTRy4aocSM6YhuXHNaCJVvw5ZSsZ1mrfLSAuJI0mrZEcQMss0rehEJZZc7E7Q9gZT31FkhA3zDlPLzM761UAzVeCZaSmxVDGCGwyPtos0O6y_dd_owOeelrovqZWhNgOd4kJzGB7U/s1600/BTudorRose24+small.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJoNVTRy4aocSM6YhuXHNaCJVvw5ZSsZ1mrfLSAuJI0mrZEcQMss0rehEJZZc7E7Q9gZT31FkhA3zDlPLzM761UAzVeCZaSmxVDGCGwyPtos0O6y_dd_owOeelrovqZWhNgOd4kJzGB7U/s320/BTudorRose24+small.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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“<i>Searching for the Oldest Houses in Wales</i>” has been selected as the topic for the Annual Lectures of both the Caernarfonshire and Merioneth county history societies.</div>
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Richard Suggett, of the RCAHMW, will be the speaker giving an emphasis on local buildings on each occasion. The Merioneth Historical & Record Society <st1:stockticker w:st="on">AGM</st1:stockticker> & Lecture will be held on 6<sup>th</sup> October at <st1:time hour="14" minute="0" w:st="on">2.00 p.m.</st1:time> in Llanelltyd Village Hall, and that for the Carnarfonshire Historical Society will be held on 20<sup>th</sup> October at <st1:time hour="14" minute="30" w:st="on">2.30 p.m.</st1:time> in the Council Chambers, Caernarfon. All are welcome. </div>
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Margaret commented “<i>Another development is the newly revised bilingual website: <a href="http://www.datingoldwelshhouses.co.uk/">www.datingoldwelshhouses.co.uk</a> which contains an increasing amount of information about the project and the Group”</i>. Anyone interested can join the Group via the website or contact Margaret on 01766 890550.</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5309866353552847617.post-27194524700034024372012-09-21T23:30:00.001-07:002012-09-21T23:34:42.079-07:00Festival No. 6Bleary eyed
festival goers were in good spirit on the morning of the third day. Down in The
Village, the re-enactment of Checkmate, by The Six of One (Prisoner
appreciation society), brought back distant memories for those of us who’d
watched 1960s TV. Words like ‘groovy’ come to mind?<br />
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<br />
This was
followed by Osadia, a colourful duo from Barcelona performing elaborate hair
transformations to willing volunteers. </div>
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Everyone
seemed to be having a good time; posh people were staying at the hotels, others
in camper vans but the majority were in tents. The mix of acts, which ranged
from big name groups to folk singers, poets, artists and stand up comics,
worked well – an eclectic cocktail that worked in a surreal setting. </div>
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For many
people this was their first visit not only to Portmeirion but to Wales. They
knew they were in Wales that Sunday evening when the Brythoniaid took to the
stage and gave them a male voice choir rendition of a New Order number. This is
what it sounded like in rehearsal:</div>
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<iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="216" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/wa4JWzEPJe8?feature=player_embedded" width="384"></iframe>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5309866353552847617.post-28700907432133682972012-08-24T01:10:00.001-07:002012-08-24T01:10:57.206-07:00Quarry Power The weekend beginning 14th September will be a celebration of old quarry engines. Full details are on the <a href="http://www.festrail.co.uk/quarrypower/" target="_blank">event website</a> including guided walks. Engines on display will include the trio of Hunslets which can be seen here pulling up a gravity train on The Ffestiniog earlier this year. <br />
<br />
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<object width="320" height="266" class="BLOGGER-youtube-video" classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0" data-thumbnail-src="http://0.gvt0.com/vi/ntrG_NQrb9A/0.jpg"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/ntrG_NQrb9A&fs=1&source=uds" /><param name="bgcolor" value="#FFFFFF" /><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><embed width="320" height="266" src="http://www.youtube.com/v/ntrG_NQrb9A&fs=1&source=uds" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true"></embed></object></div>
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5309866353552847617.post-8058946702495391392012-08-23T00:49:00.000-07:002012-08-26T12:29:54.582-07:00It's an elm!<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-rSEhaC6xitM/UDXgF_nY7MI/AAAAAAAACPc/42a91WfZYqM/s1600/P1110254small.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="250" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-rSEhaC6xitM/UDXgF_nY7MI/AAAAAAAACPc/42a91WfZYqM/s320/P1110254small.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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20 to 25
million elms died of Dutch elm disease in the UK but don’t blame the Dutch, it
was their scientist who identified it. Today it’s a rare sight to see an elm
but you can find one on the drive down from <a href="http://www.eryri-npa.gov.uk/study-centre" target="_blank">Plas Tan y Bwlch</a> towards The
Oakeley Arms, on the right hand side, just after the turning to The Lodge. </div>
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The gardens
are open to the public from 10am until 4pm and contain all sorts of trees. Oaks
of course, giant limes, also the handkerchief tree and the tree of heaven. But
for me the elm is the star – I wonder how it survived.<br />
<br />
I'm told there are quite a few elms across the valley in Ceunant Llenerch.</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5309866353552847617.post-12579383134572993212012-08-22T13:43:00.001-07:002012-10-15T01:19:49.327-07:00Power of The Plas<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-I6KyPvLHV-k/UDVEU72WdzI/AAAAAAAACPM/TgjHk-FFzPY/s1600/P1110247small.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-I6KyPvLHV-k/UDVEU72WdzI/AAAAAAAACPM/TgjHk-FFzPY/s200/P1110247small.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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It was one
of the first houses in Wales to have electricity with a Gilkes turbine
installed in 1905. This was used until 1928; presumably made redundant by the opening
of the much larger Maentwrog hydro scheme which was big enough to power all of
north Wales. Since then nuclear has been and (almost) gone and in a few months
The Plas will be back to having its own hydro power generated by yet another Gilkes
turbine. </div>
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Construction
is fraught with conservation complication. Work on the turbine end, alongside
the main road, can only be done in the summer months so as not to disturb bats.
Trench work at the top end has to wait until the ecologist confirms ground
nesting birds have fledged. The section through the orchard to the road has to
avoid anthills. And then there are trenches beneath highly prized trees, such
as the huge limes and the ‘Tree of Heaven’, which have to be hand dug to
preserve the roots.</div>
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The scheme
costs £420K and at current electricity prices is expected to have a ten year
payback. Generating 100,000 Kw a year that’s enough for about fourteen normal
households. </div>
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<object class="BLOGGER-youtube-video" classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0" data-thumbnail-src="http://i.ytimg.com/vi/kv_6sG8LNDA/0.jpg" height="266" width="320"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/kv_6sG8LNDA?version=3&f=user_uploads&c=google-webdrive-0&app=youtube_gdata" /><param name="bgcolor" value="#FFFFFF" /><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><embed width="320" height="266" src="http://www.youtube.com/v/kv_6sG8LNDA?version=3&f=user_uploads&c=google-webdrive-0&app=youtube_gdata" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true"></embed></object></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5309866353552847617.post-58358758969032629802012-08-22T03:37:00.003-07:002012-08-22T12:01:03.678-07:00Stori Traws<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Stori Traws is a weekend conference, 16</span><sup style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">th</sup><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> to
18</span><sup style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">th</sup><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> November, celebrating the heritage of Trawsfynydd power station
& electricity production in Eryri.</span><br />
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">It's about the social as well as the
technological impact of one of the largest industrial developments seen in
North Wales during the last 50 years. It is an impressive story of innovation
and engineering on a grand scale encompassing the three main phases of
Trawsfynydd Power Station’s lifetime: construction, power production and
decommissioning.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><br /></span>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-plNIRb_sdmk/UDUsSH1sCdI/AAAAAAAACO8/VEUHDqz3Gfg/s1600/8.2+Alt.+Bridge,+reactors+and+hydro+small.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-plNIRb_sdmk/UDUsSH1sCdI/AAAAAAAACO8/VEUHDqz3Gfg/s320/8.2+Alt.+Bridge,+reactors+and+hydro+small.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Footbridge, reactors and Stwlan</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Now, as work on site is approaching its final stages, an
imaginative programme is underway as part of the Trawsfynydd Heritage Strategy
to safeguard this unique aspect of our industrial and social history by preserving
documents, photographs, and the taped memories of former workers etc. for the
future.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Nuclear power production though is only one part of the
story of electricity generation in the area. Our conference timeline starts
with the production and use of electric power in local quarries in the
Victorian period, early hydro-electric schemes, establishing local supply
networks, the National Grid, the advent of nuclear power, pump storage schemes
and the recent revival in interest in micro-generation and concludes with a
look to what the future might hold.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Interwoven with this story of technological revolution is
the social and economic impact of such a large development as Trawsfynydd power
station and the domestic transformation which followed the coming of power to
people’s homes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">The conference begins at 7pm Friday 16th November with an open evening for the
public; an exhibition of photos and a chance for former / present workers &
their families to share memories. Followed by a presentation of ‘Stori Traws’
by Joanna Wright & Naomi Jones.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">The weekend course costs £160 to £180 on a residential basis
or £8 per session non-residential. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">For further details contact Twm Elias at 01766 772600 or </span><b><i><span style="color: blue; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><a href="mailto:twm.elias@eryri-npa.gov.uk">twm.elias@eryri-npa.gov.uk</a></span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5309866353552847617.post-20255633090375074482012-08-17T23:54:00.000-07:002012-08-17T23:54:08.626-07:00Dragon's Back Race<br />
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200 miles
and 45,000 feet of altitude starting at Conwy Castle on Monday 3<sup>rd</sup>
September and finishing five days later at Carreg Cennen Castle near Llandeilo. </div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-buNI-MU5ecQ/UC87nN_jZTI/AAAAAAAACNU/wA3fW57WUBI/s1600/DBR+map.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-buNI-MU5ecQ/UC87nN_jZTI/AAAAAAAACNU/wA3fW57WUBI/s200/DBR+map.jpg" width="181" /></a></div>
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<o:p> </o:p>A hundred
competitors from fourteen countries are expected to take part in the ultimate
endurance race which was last run in 1992. Day two of the race will start with
an ascent of Cnicht then Moelwyn Mawr, Moelwyn Bach, through the Vale of
Ffestiniog and across the Rhinogydd. Faster runners are expected to complete
each day in about eight hours whilst slower competitors will be out for over
sixteen before making it to the overnight tents. The mind boggles and the price
for all this ‘fun’ is a mere £500 per person.</div>
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Full details
can be found at <a href="http://www.dragonsbackrace.com/" target="_blank">Dragon’s Back Race</a>. </div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5309866353552847617.post-16348772922977985022012-08-15T00:30:00.003-07:002012-10-31T13:18:28.214-07:00Fat Ladies in Blaenau bus shelter <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ebtLj4rHKR0/UCtO6Tc5f0I/AAAAAAAACKg/mxYHpu7z_Ng/s1600/P1110149small.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ebtLj4rHKR0/UCtO6Tc5f0I/AAAAAAAACKg/mxYHpu7z_Ng/s200/P1110149small.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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Scaffolding
down and the sculptures are looking great with the steps ready to go in. Completion date only about a month away. Here’s
Howard Bowcott talking about the project and some of the fine detail regarding ‘fat
ladies’ in the bus shelter:</div>
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<object class="BLOGGER-youtube-video" classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0" data-thumbnail-src="http://i.ytimg.com/vi/cjWhOT_0cc8/0.jpg" height="266" width="320"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/cjWhOT_0cc8?version=3&f=user_uploads&c=google-webdrive-0&app=youtube_gdata" /><param name="bgcolor" value="#FFFFFF" /><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><embed width="320" height="266" src="http://www.youtube.com/v/cjWhOT_0cc8?version=3&f=user_uploads&c=google-webdrive-0&app=youtube_gdata" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true"></embed></object></div>
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Previous
films about the progress of the sculptures can be seen through these links:</div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fajKgvDPJpY" target="_blank">BlaenauSculptures 1</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L7J2OtbuMuo" target="_blank">BlaenauSculptures 2</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sux1Ps3b_-Q" target="_blank">BlaenauSculptures 3</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BUjlnryvwZ4" target="_blank">BlaenauSculptures 4</a></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5309866353552847617.post-665229363080209302012-08-13T00:20:00.001-07:002012-08-13T00:22:49.538-07:00Art on the line<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7bEfIhjUkn8/UCiqWY5rVQI/AAAAAAAACKA/LI4nIBlg_9E/s1600/P1110117cropsmall.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="236" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7bEfIhjUkn8/UCiqWY5rVQI/AAAAAAAACKA/LI4nIBlg_9E/s320/P1110117cropsmall.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.howardbowcott.co.uk/" target="_blank">Howard Bowcott</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #222222; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">It’s
not unusual when friends come to stay to take a walk to the pub. But with it
being so hot, and someone’s ankle playing up, we chose the easy option; a down
train to Tan y Bwlch then an open carriage to Blaenau. Newspapers bought we
admired the new sculptures. Howard, the artist, was experimenting with finishes
to bring out the colour and texture of the slate. The Queen’s Hotel, newly
painted and renamed Ty Orsaf, is looking smart and recruiting staff. Someone said the downhill biking above Llechwedd was sold out for the second weekend in a
row. The times they are a changing. Back on the train, coasting down to
<a href="http://www.campbellscottage.co.uk/" target="_blank">Campbell’s Platform</a>, with a bottle of Purple Moose ... so much more than a walk
to the pub.</span></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5309866353552847617.post-26269769954296081452012-08-11T00:24:00.004-07:002012-08-11T01:40:28.181-07:00Onion rings in FfestiniogWith sun
shine and blue skies I raced through the shopping to be ready for friends
staying the weekend. I called by the <a href="http://www.purplemoose.co.uk/" style="background-color: white;" target="_blank"><span style="color: magenta;">Purple Moose Brewery</span></a> to find the shop had
moved a door down the street - the old shop being turned into more brewing capacity. I bought some new to me bottles of Ysgawen, a summer beer
made with elderflowers. Then to the butcher for Sunday’s salt marsh lamb and
that evening’s steaks of black beef. At
the supermarket some meringues and whipping cream to go with freshly picked bilberries.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I blame the Ysgawen </td></tr>
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The scene
was set. Friends arrived. News was exchanged over a cup of tea as peas were
shelled from their pods. Lots more chatting over a couple of beers as I lit the
logs in the Rayburn and prepared the steak supper. Inside the oven some skinny
chips, big mushrooms and tomatoes with garlic and pepper. As an afterthought,
and a quick rummage in the deep freeze, I threw in a few onion rings. Searing
hot griddle pan et voilá, a local feast was on the table. </div>
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There were compliments
to the chef who modestly said it’s all down to the ingredients but apologised for
the onion rings which hadn’t quite worked out. Then someone solved the mystery –
these onion rings were made of squid. I blame the Ysgawen. </div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5309866353552847617.post-58153142851289286232012-07-16T01:52:00.002-07:002012-07-16T01:54:26.191-07:00Our silver studded blues<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Jy4vKaFyFMw/UAPVR-jVg3I/AAAAAAAACGg/skxXzhIS9Ks/s1600/P1100777small.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="276" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Jy4vKaFyFMw/UAPVR-jVg3I/AAAAAAAACGg/skxXzhIS9Ks/s400/P1100777small.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-hY7Z4sAKpUU/UAPWBJrsexI/AAAAAAAACGw/4ZAdOFD1EIU/s1600/P1100781small.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="141" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-hY7Z4sAKpUU/UAPWBJrsexI/AAAAAAAACGw/4ZAdOFD1EIU/s200/P1100781small.jpg" width="200" /></a><br />
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There’s only one
colony of silver studded blues in Snowdonia and that’s at Hafod Garegog
National Nature Reserve, between Porthmadog and Beddgelert. It’s one of only
six sites in Wales and the only site in the UK on wet peatland, but this summer
of wet weather could wipe it out.</div>
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They need the help of
black ants. The females lay their eggs singly on stalks of heather where they
detect suitable ant pheromones. Next spring the resultant larvae are either
picked up by the ants or crawl into the nearest ants’ nest, where they enjoy a
warm and humid environment, safely protected from predators, with the ants
collecting protection money in the form of a sugary secretion. Larvae crawl out
of the nest to feed on tender shoots of heather before pupating, sprouting blue
wings (or brown if they are females) and flying off to mate. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-rFvyG9QI1YY/UAPVj8SSy6I/AAAAAAAACGo/e1K47n9ENpI/s1600/P1100761small.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="259" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-rFvyG9QI1YY/UAPVj8SSy6I/AAAAAAAACGo/e1K47n9ENpI/s320/P1100761small.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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At Hafod Garegog they can
usually be seen in July and the first half of August with individuals living for
just a few days. Without warmth and sunshine they won’t mate and that would be
a disaster from which they can’t recover. These butterflies are weak fliers so
there is no chance of new blood flying in from another colony, such as the
Great Orme. <o:p></o:p></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5309866353552847617.post-44052380971555221772012-07-15T00:38:00.001-07:002012-07-15T00:38:12.565-07:00Bodnant Welsh Food - food from the Vale of Ffestiniog<br />
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Business was
brisk at Furnace Farm Shop, part of <a href="http://www.bodnant-welshfood.co.uk/en/" target="_blank">Bodnant Welsh Food</a>, on its first Saturday. From
the car park we followed the smell of baking bread. At the fruit and veg
display I filled a brown paper bag with broad beans and placed them in a large
wicker basket; much more pleasing than a plastic bag into a trolley.</div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EfcKmXv3Xck/UAJyY08T91I/AAAAAAAACGY/fAkCqdV6nvA/s1600/P1100755small.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EfcKmXv3Xck/UAJyY08T91I/AAAAAAAACGY/fAkCqdV6nvA/s320/P1100755small.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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The deli
counter was temptation, full of new tastes to explore including cheeses from
the on-site dairy. A few slices of air cured ham from Trealy Mon at £45 per
kilo. Sausage rolls were more to our taste - watching a film
later that night the last roll was sliced into wafer thin rondels and shared
round.</div>
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Good to see
Purple Moose beers on display and Cynan’s shiitake mushrooms (fresh and dried)
from Nantmor. </div>
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Top marks to
master butcher Ian Miles for the meat counter, his salt marsh lamb sourced from
the Vale of Ffestiniog. Black beef even more local with just a fourteen mile round
trip to the abattoir and back. We chose minted lamb henry for our supper with
the broad beans and our own freshly dug new potatoes.</div>
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The setting
is good. Across the farmyard, now courtyard, an ice cream parlour and a long
thin cattle shed converted into a tea room. In a corner the National Bee
Keeping Centre for Wales. Plenty to see and do. Upstairs is a posh restaurant
and on the top floor a cookery school. </div>
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This is what
it looked like just before the official opening:</div>
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/qx7wA0K19qk?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
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<br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5309866353552847617.post-4866220654830103432012-07-11T22:50:00.001-07:002012-07-11T22:52:05.989-07:00Our Angel of the North?<br />
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11<sup>th</sup>
July 2012 and the crane was hoisting the final components on top of the sail
shape, slate sculptures. Will this be our ‘Angel of the North’? </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Howard checks the alignment</td></tr>
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The project is
generating a lot of interest – while I was filming I got talking to a couple on
their first visit in thirty years. They could not believe how much things had changed
and said they would be back next year to see the sculptures unveiled from their
scaffold.</div>
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/BUjlnryvwZ4?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
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<br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5309866353552847617.post-85383493106024140372012-06-26T09:08:00.000-07:002012-06-27T23:27:34.712-07:00Changing face of Blaenau Ffestiniog<br />
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The big
crane was in the station car park today hoisting massive chunks of slate
sculpture into position. Using block tackles the first piece was tilted to just
the right angle then lowered through the scaffolding, around the concrete reinforcing
rods and onto its plinth. Precision work. Larger pieces followed and the work is rising out of the ground. I'll be back in late July to see the final pieces go on top. Below is a film clip of this stage. Earlier stages of the project can be seen in <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fajKgvDPJpY" target="_blank">The Workshop</a> and at the <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L7J2OtbuMuo" target="_blank">Station Entrance</a>.<br />
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