Sunday 24 April 2011

The Pengwern – buy in to this adventure

Volunteers are hard at work cleaning, painting, fixing up The Pengwern. 22 days after taking possession they are on track to open the bar in mid May and this is how things are looking:


I’ve paid over my £100 and am a shareholder which means I’ll be able to turn up at meetings and cast a vote. I’ll also want to call in on a regular basis to check up on my investment!

If you’d like to volunteer or become a shareholder (from £100 to £20,000 = 1 vote) please send an email to pengwerncymunedol@googlemail.com

Sunday 17 April 2011

Ras y Moelwyn 2011

3rd Saturday of April, must be Ras y Moelwyn, the rugged alternative to the London Marathon. From Blaenau through Cwm Cwmorthin, up Moelwyn Mawr, over Craigysgafn, then Moelwyn Bach, Moel yr Hydd and steeply home. Ten and a half miles with 2,800 feet of altitude gain in about 80 minutes – some do take quite a lot longer. This is what it looks like in the middle section on Craigysgafn and below Moelwyn Bach. The speed of the runners blew away the mist!


Diolch Blaenau Amateurs football club and Antur Stiniog.

Wednesday 13 April 2011

Springwatch in the Vale of Ffestiniog - 2

My first swallow was on the 4th of April, pied flycatchers on the 9th, redstarts on the 10th – as for the ospreys, they are well ahead of schedule with their 1st egg on the 2nd of April. Pied wagtails have been playing kiss chase at Dduallt station. Outside the kitchen loads of black bees humming around a fragrant shrub. Fresh soil is being pushed up through the mounds above the railway with millions of busy ants below. No kid goats thus far. Our gander watched on yesterday as one of the Indian runners tried to mate with the goose as she sat on her clutch of eggs.

But for me the most amazing sight was an emperor moth – common but impressive!