Cob 200 – grand finale birds

Throughout the year there have been many events to celebrate the 200^th anniversary of William Madocks building The Cob. There has even been an excellentarticle in Natur Cymru, many thanks to Twm Elias.

view from the hide

This weekend, on 17^th and 18^th December, there will be a bird watching event organised by The Friends of Borth y Gest and The North Wales Wildlife Trust. The Glaslyn estuary is world famous for its winter wading bird visitors.  The Wild Life Trust will provide the experts, binoculars and telescopes.  No expertise necessary - if you would like to come along to learn about our local birds, just turn up between 11am and 3pm. Tea & Coffee available.

The hide is just by the Toll House opposite Boston Lodge with a wonderful view of birds in the water and snowy mountains beyond.

Pedal Power

All sorts of transport have been used in the Vale of Ffestiniog including funicular inclines, gravity trains, ‘Car Gwyllt’ and steam trains. But these days it’s the turn of pedal power, not just the downhill biking, but velorail too.

Boys and their toys

Ceri from Communities First has taken delivery of a velorail vehicle from the south of France which is currently parked in his office. The design will be modified to suit local conditions (maybe a waterproof canopy?) and production will be local involving schools / colleges and no doubt the Ffestiniog Railway.

The velorail will run, initially from Blaenau to Llan Ffestiniog and eventually to Trawsfynydd, on the currently disused track that once ran all the way to Bala. With no freight to and from the old nuclear power station (closed in 1991 and being decommissioned) the line has become a bit overgrown so volunteers have been busy cutting back the buddleia. All being the well the service will be operational sometime in 2012. 

But surely Blaenau can come up with a better name than ‘velorail’?

Bryn Cader Faner

No walk of the Vale of Ffestiniog would be complete without passing by Bryn Cader Faner or the ‘Crown of Thorns’. On the bronze-age trackway, rising up from the coast south of Harlech, this is the route that pagans would take from Ireland to Stonehenge. Pagans? Maybe the thieves that robbed the burial kist? Or maybe the soldiers that used it as target practice? Either way, perched on the edge of the Rhinog mountains, with sunset views over Cardigan Bay, this has to be the most atmospheric solstice spot in Snowdonia.  

Illuminating the wolf

Gate gone, gaping hole in stone wall, wheel tracks in mud .... surely not off-roaders in Coed y Bleiddiau? Half way down the path to Bronturnor 3 men inched and winched a huge pole, dangling from a rope strung through the trees.

Electricity supply to Tŷ Hovendon, the railway inspector’s house, was cut by a falling tree a couple of years ago. Empty since Bob and Babs Johnson left, people have been wondering what will happen to this beautiful retreat. Does this mean it’s up for sale or renovation?

The old poles could not be used mainly because they were too short with high voltage less than 11 feet above the path at one point.  

Vintage Steam & Gravity

All the toys were out this weekend for the Ffestiniog Railway’s vintage festival. Much of Wales was mourning the World Cup loss to France but brightly coloured steam trains can be good therapy. Here are some of my favourite bits:

October in Costa del Stiniog

Winter might be round the corner but the strawberries have been conned into a second crop. Nasturtiums sprouting everywhere and bees legs are jam-packed with pollen. A bottle of San Miguel and a passing steam train on Campbell’s Platform – what more could one ask for?

Trolls Houses in the Celtic Rainforest

As the equinox approaches summer rains drift into autumn rains ... those springtime fires in the tinder dry undergrowth seem years ago. But it does get very atmospheric in the misty Celtic Rainforest especially when the sun warms the sodden ground. If the showers get too much you can always shelter in a Troll’s House.