NWM - November 2021

NOVEMBER 2021

!

EE FR

MAGAZINE

What’s On? Your monthly guide to local events

Lest we forget

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MAGAZINE We want to hear from you!

DEAR READER Remember, remember the fifth of November… Actually you don’t need to remember much this year because we have the details of all of the bonfire nights and firework displays taking place in North Wales – just turn to page 11 to see what’s on.

November is also when we remember

Also make sure that you follow us on

those who selflessly sacrificed their

Facebook (@northwalesmag) where we

lives during battle. Llandudno played a

have lots of other competitions taking

huge part during the Second World War,

place, as well as some great scenic shots

and you can read all about the town’s

of North Wales that we simply can’t fit

fascinating wartime history on page 25.

inside these pages…

that you enter our competition on page 35 where we are giving away a family ticket for the opening night of Aladdin at Christmassy as going to the panto!

Kate Hamilton Founding Editor

J Advertise. If you own a business in North Wales and want to get your message in front of 25,000 local readers every month then drop us a line. Prices start from just £80. sales@ northwalesmagazine.co.uk

J

In this issue:

This edition of North Wales Magazine has something for everybody!

Cato Crane Auctioneers

CELEBRATING 36 YEARS OF HELPFUL SERVICE AND SUCCESSFUL SELLING

Email: info@catocrane.co.uk & sell@lowerpercent.co.uk

J Keep in touch. Send in your contributions, letters, photos and press releases and become part of the North Wales Magazine family. editorial@ northwalesmagazine.co.uk J Subscribe. If you want to ensure that you receive each and every copy of North Wales Magazine then why not subscribe? All you pay for is the post and packaging. subscribe@ northwalesmagazine.co.uk

And, if you’re feeling lucky, make sure

Venue Cymru. After all, nothing feels as

J Are you organising or taking part in an event that should be covered in our what’s on listings? Then make sure you tell us! whatson@ northwalesmagazine.co.uk

www.catocrane.co.uk

Telephone Soon for Home Visit and Internet Appraisals

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NWM 2021 Page 5

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Contents

MAGAZINE EDITOR

Kate Hamilton

11

PUBLISHER

Grant Hamilton ART DIRECTOR

Simon Marriott OFFICE MANAGER

Sian Roberts CONTRIBUTORS

29 08 The Big Picture

The beautiful Pistyll Rhaeadr waterfall

Stephen Gregory Steve Goodier Cai Ross Pete Greensmith Siobhan Watson Bethany Birch Karen Bates Adrian Hughes Russell Grant John Waszek

11 What’s on?

The best events taking place in North Wales this November

15 You and your pet

39 Food & drink

How To Help Your Winter Wildlife

The regions wining, dining and culinary scene

17 Interview with…

Taekwondo athlete Jade Jones OBE

21 Paying our respects

Remembering Llandudno’s war effort

25 Days gone by

Reminiscing about childhood bonfire nights

29 Music to our ears

The North Wales International Music Festival returns

51 Homes & interiors

North Wales Magazine is an independent, regional monthly magazine produced by KSG Publishing. It is available to pick up from a wide range of independent outlets throughout Conwy, Denbighshire, Flintshire, Wrexham, Gwynedd and the Isle of Anglesey.

61 In Business

Disclaimer: All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part (electronically or in print) without written permission is strictly prohibited. Every attempt has been made to ensure the accuracy of published content, and any views or opinions presented are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of North Wales Magazine.

The publishers assume no responsibility for any damage, loss or injury arising from participation in, or as a result of, any offer, competition, information or advertisement contained within the magazine. North Wales Magazine does not endorse any of the advertisements featured. All words and images remain the property of their respective owners and all copyrights are observed. North Wales Magazine is not associated with any newspaper group.

Get inspired by homes that are on the market

North Wales news and advice

65 Education

Learning in North Wales

71 Exquisite weddings

Real weddings at Talhenbont Hall

31 Town in Focus

73 Motoring

Discovering Barmouth

The drive of your life

35 Competition

74 Community News

Win a family ticket to the panto!

A roundup of regional happenings

39

CONTACT US editorial@northwalesmagazine.co.uk sales@northwalesmagazine.co.uk subscribe@northwalesmagazine.co.uk whatson@northwalesmagazine.co.uk

Privacy Notice. You can read North Wales Magazine’s Privacy Notice in full at www.northwalesmagazine.com

77 Walking

The ascent of Carn Fadryn

81 Where to stay

The best places to stay in North Wales

82 Horoscopes

What does November have in store for you?

COVID-19 DISCLAIMER North Wales Magazine is produced in advance. While we take every care to ensure that our content is up to date, we cannot guarantee the accuracy of the information in regards to current COVID-19 restrictions. We absolutely do not encourage travel where local rules forbid it, so please check with both your local council, and the council of your destination, before planning any days out in order to ensure that your journey is legal and in line with current guidelines.

NWM 2021 Page 7

the

BIG MAGAZINE

picture

So beautiful is the Pistyll Rhaeadr waterfall that it is one of the seven wonders of Wales (which are all in the North of the country, in case you were wondering!) At 240 feet high it is Britain’s tallest single-drop waterfall and, while there isn’t a charge for access to the falls, donations for upkeep of the site are gratefully received. Fed by water from the Berwyn Mountains, the waterfall is formed by the Afon Disgynfa falling in three stages into the Afon Rhaeadr below. There is a car park and café at the foot of the waterfall, making it a great place to explore the surrounding hills from, with many walks available. And, if you fancy coming back in the warmer months, there is a campsite situated just a stone’s throw away from this majestic waterfall.

Page 8 NWM 2020

NWM 2020 Page 9

Tachwedd / November 2021 Swyddfa Docynnau / Box Office: www.venuecymru.co.uk 01492 872000

Facebook: @venuecymrullandudno / Twitter: @venuecymru Insta: @venuecymru_theatrcolwyn Gift Vouchers available Money For Nothing: The Dire Straits Tribute 01.11.21, 7.30pm Public Service Broadcasting: Bright Magic tour 02.11.21, 7.30pm John Bishop: Warm Up 05.11.21, 8pm Sarah Millican: Bobby Dazzler 06.11.21, 8pm Rob Brydon: A Night of Song and Laughter 09.11.21, 7.30pm The Overtones 10.11.21, 7.30pm That’ll Be The Day: Christmas Show 11.11.21, 7.30pm The Dreamboys 13.11.21, 7.30pm The Australian Pink Floyd Show 16.11.21, 7.30pm Katherine Jenkins 17.11.21, 7.30pm Ocean Film Festival 19.11.21 / 7.30pm North Wales Wildlife Trust: The Lacey Lecture 20.11.21 / 7pm The Sensational 60’s Experience 20.11.21 / 7.30pm The Welsh National Page 10 NWM 2021 Opera: Madam Butterfly 30.11.21 / 7.30pm

n o s ’ What MAGAZINE

The biggest and best events taking place in North Wales this November...

Bonfires & Fireworks 5th Rhyl

The Showfield/Brookes Field, Rhuddlan Road, Rhyl, has a bonfire and fireworks display organised by North Wales Fire and Rescue Service. Bonfire lit at 7.30pm, followed by fireworks.

5th Hawarden friendly event with a bonfire, light show, music and

1st Anathemata, Mostyn, B Llandudno

food from the fire. From 6pm until late.

Anathemata is a display that interrogates the tradition of epic

Bonfire night at Hawarden Estate Farm Shop is a dog

poetry within a tetrad of 20th Century avant-garde artists;

5th Colwyn Bay

David Jones, Antonin Artaud, Sarah Kane and Pierre Guyotat.

These four artists are presented alongside contemporary

Eirias Park, Colwyn Bay, hosts a bonfire and fireworks

artists Martin Bladh, Paul-Alexandre Islas, James Richards

organised by North Wales Fire and Rescue Service,

and Karolina Urbaniak through a display of manuscripts,

bonfire from 7.15pm and fireworks at 7.30pm.

drawings and videos. Exhibition now open.

Mostyn.org

7th Llandudno Set alongside Llandudno Pier on the North Shore, the event starts at 6.20pm with entertainment on the promenade followed by fireworks. (Back up date 8th November, 5pm, if there is adverse weather on 7th)

4th to 6th Elf the Musical, Theatr Colwyn, Colwyn Bay Getting back to live theatre after lockdown, Llandudno Musical Productions is proud to present the festive favourite that is ‘Elf the Musical’! This

7th Wrexham

is the perfect family show to start getting ready for the festive period. Tickets from venuecymru.co.uk

Bryn y Gog Farm, Marchwiel has a bonfire, fireworks and fairground rides from 4pm. Bonfire lit at 7pm with fireworks to follow.

1st Money for Nothing, Venue Cymru, Llandudno

5th John Bishop, Venue Cymru, Llandudno Comedy superstar John Bishop is coming to Venue Cymru to warm up his brand-new show.

Money for Nothing was formed

John is very much looking

in 2000 as a tribute to one

forward to this new adventure,

of the world’s premier rock

this will be his eighth stand

bands – Dire Straits. The abundant energy and the

up show and it’s shaping up to

excellence and musicality of their performance makes Money

be his best yet! John can’t wait

For Nothing a “must see” for any rock enthusiast or Dire

to be back on the road again.

Straits fan. Tickets from venuecymru.co.uk

Tickets from venuecymru.co.uk

NWM 2021 Page 11

6th RGC v Merthyr Rugby, Colwyn Bay RGC is home at Parc Eirias against Merthyr. Kick off 2.30pm.

North Wales premier barn dance and ceilidh bands will be there to get your feet tappin’, as well as a local hog roast and of course plenty of Snowdon Craft beers! Tickets available online. www.barndanceinabrewery.eventbrite.co.uk

Free entry for Under 16’s. Tickets available on the day or in advance from Colwyn Bay Leisure Centre.

6th Kia Llandudno EV6 Launch Event Book your place at the exciting EV6 Launch! It has an impressive electric range that can get you from Llandudno to London (with charge left for sight-seeing). The team on Argyll Road Llandudno can’t wait to show customers the capability of Kia’s latest fully electric car. Book your place

B

now at llandudnokia.co.uk

6th & 7th Artist Gill Benjamin, Afonwen Craft & Antiques Centre Local artist Gill is at Afonwen this weekend.

17th Katherine Jenkins, Venue Cymru, Llandudno The biggest selling classical artist of the century, Katherine

B

Jenkins OBE, will return to Venue Cymru this November as

Gill paints various subjects, with lovely sea and

part of her UK tour. Katherine’s 2021 tour will feature songs

landscapes, as well as places of interest. Gill is

from her 14th studio album ‘Cinema Paradiso’.

happy to take commissions also.

Tickets from venuecymru.co.uk

Afonwen.co.uk

9th Rob Brydon – A Night of Song and Laughter, Venue Cymru, Llandudno

18th – 21st Llandudno Christmas Extravaganza The first Llandudno Christmas Extravaganza will take place from 18th-

Featuring a sensational live band, ‘A NIGHT OF

21st November. This free to enter family event will feature

SONGS AND LAUGHTER’ tells Rob’s personal

food & drink stalls, craft & gift stalls, fairground rides and

musical journey from South Wales to the West

lots of entertainment. Further details can be found on their

End and beyond. With a hugely entertaining and brilliantly unexpected selection of songs, Rob will regale audiences with hilarious tales from his distant and recent past. Tickets from venuecymru.co.uk

10th Sunny Side Crafts with Linda & Sandra, Afonwen Craft & Antiques Centre Visit Afonwen today to see beautiful crochet work, stitch work, handmade flowers and painted stools.

Afonwen.co.uk

11th & 12th Eco Silver Jewellery by Sandra Roberts, Afonwen Craft & Antiques Centre Meet visiting artist Sandra at Afonwen. Sandra uses reclaimed silver from the jewellery industry to make her lovely pieces, where much of her inspiration comes from nature. Afonwen.co.uk

13th Barn Dance in a Brewery, Colwyn Bay

Facebook page.

19th Nightingale House Hospice Christmas Fair, Wrexham Bringing a delightful shopping experience with a unique collection of boutique owners, designers, and artisan makers, all under one roof for a fabulous day out of shopping. From 12pm-8pm at Rossett Hall, Wrexham.

20th Colwyn Bay Artisan Market Bringing you the best makers, bakers and creators plus a variety of entertainments and kids activities, you won’t want to miss the Colwyn Bay Artisan Market, 10am-4pm on Station Road.

20th Possible, Pontio, Bangor Shôn Dale-Jones’ new show Possible is a playful, honest and heartfelt piece of storytelling that blurs reality with a kaleidoscopic dreamscape of animation and film (by Bear Thompson), underscored with original music performed live

Snowdon Craft Beer invites

by John Biddle. It’s a show about love, creativity and finding

you to grab your partner by the hand and bring them to the

the courage to explore the past, in order to shape the future.

brilliant ‘Barn Dance in a Brewery’. Twmpathology, one of

Ticket information from pontio.co.uk

Page 12 NWM 2021

23rd The Crafty Sisters, Afonwen

27th Ballet Cymru: Giselle, Pontio, Bangor Critics’ Circle Award winning company, Ballet

Visit Afonwen today where you will find the Crafty Sisters!

Cymru, present an extraordinary new ballet

The ladies have some lovely handmade jewellery, plus various

based on the eternal story of Giselle, the young

stitchwork items and greetings cards.

girl who falls in love with the wrong

Afonwen.co.uk

person and pays a terrible price.

25th November Comedy Club, Pontio, Bangor

Ballet Cymru have put their own unique stamp on this tale of love and loss, bringing relevance,

A brilliant night of comedy in the Studio Theatre, with three

poignancy and grittiness to this

brilliant comedians. Tickets from pontio.co.uk

most romantic of ballets.

27th & 28th Beaumaris Artisan Christmas Market

Tickets from pontio.co.uk

and makers. They pride themselves

30th Welsh National Opera: Madam Butterfly, Venue Cymru, Llandudno

on the variety of produce and crafts

Madam Butterfly is a

Visit the annual 2-day Christmas market to find those unique and one of a kind gifts from local producers

on offer. 10am-4pm, David Hughes Community Centre.

27th Ruthin Artisan Market

powerful story of unrequited love, human pain and suffering which is magnificently intensified by Puccini’s glorious music, promising a night of drama and emotion. Inspired by Puccini’s fantasy landscape

Support local businesses and the local community at the

of exotic pleasures, Lindy Hume’s new production interprets

Artisan Market with crafts, food and drinks on offer at Ruthin

Butterfly’s famous story through a dystopian prism.

Gaol, 10am-4pm.

Tickets from venuecymru.co.uk

27th RGC v Pontypridd Rugby, Colwyn Bay

30th Cwmwl Tystion/Riot! Pontio, Bangor

Support RGC at Parc Eirias in a home game against Merthyr.

Kick off 2.30pm. Free entry for Under 16’s. Tickets available on the day or in advance from Colwyn Bay Leisure Centre.

27th Jason Manford, Rhyl Pavilion He’s back! It’s been a busy few years for Jason since his last smash-hit stand up show but fans of his Absolute Radio show will know this nationally acclaimed comedian hasn’t changed a bit. ‘Like Me’ is Jason’s latest comic offering set to hit the road.

Tickets from rhylpavilion.co.uk

Tomos Williams returns to Pontio with the second iteration of his Cwmwl Tystion project. Internationally renowned

28th St David’s Hospice Tree of Lights, Rhos on Sea Remember your loved ones this

musicians Soweto Kinch and Orphy Robinson join young Welsh vocalist Eady Crawford and the top-class rhythm section of Aidan Thorne and Mark O’Connor, alongside live visuals from Simon Proffitt for an immersive live performance.

Tickets from pontio.co.uk

Christmas by dedicating a light on the St David’s Hospice, Rotary Tree

Please Note

of Lights. Tree lighting ceremony

All events listed are correct at the time of going to press. All

will be held at 4.30pm at the Cayley

events will be subject to current COVID safety measures, so

Promenade, Rhos on Sea. If you

please check that you are fully compliant before attending

would like to dedicate a light, full details can be found at

any event. We recommend that you check the event is still

stdavidshospice.org.uk

running before travelling.

NWM 2021 Page 13

You & Your

Pet

HOW TO HELP YOUR WINTER WILDLIFE As the golden leaves of autumn fall, it’s time to start thinking

is essential to having happy healthy birds.

about our wonderful winter wildlife. For many of us, our gardens have become a haven over the past few months, but

Creating A Safe Space

as we close our doors to the cold, let’s not forget about our little

The upkeep of a garden during the winter can send shivers

wildlife friends.

down your spine, the good news is, leaving it a little unkempt works for some of these small animals such as hedgehogs

What can we do to help the small inhabitants of our

and frogs, many have been spotted taking shelter under uncut

gardens get through the tough cold months?

foliage and herbaceous plants. Hedgehog houses are another

As winter approaches there are many simple and easy

great solution to prevent them taking shelter in areas of

things you can do to prepare and support life in the garden.

potential risk, creating a safe space.

These small actions could make a huge difference to these vulnerable creatures.

By creating a safe space in your garden, this will encourage these visitors to venture back year after year, knowing there

Help Wild Birds Thrive This Winter

is a place with food and shelter. It doesn’t take much and the

When the temperature drops, open water often freezes over,

results are extremely rewarding.

making it difficult for animals to find a fresh water source.

Birds in particular need water to bathe daily and of course

For November our loyalty members can enjoy 15% off our Wild

drink. There are several ways to make water accessible to

Bird department in-store. Be sure to pop in and stock up on

wildlife, a simple solution if you don’t have a pond or bird bath

some essentials for the coming winter season and, as always,

is to fill a bin lid or a pot with water. A brilliant tip to stop the

if you have any questions regarding ‘Winter Wildlife’, don’t

water from freezing over is to add a small ball or an object that

hesitate to get in touch with a member of our team, you can

floats to keep the water moving e.g. a ping-pong ball.

pop into the store or get in touch via any of our social channels or website. And also check out our new podcast, search

As well as water, making sure there is a supply of food is

‘petplace’ on Apple or Spotify to listen to the full discussion

really important. High energy foods are the most valuable to

about “Winter Wildlife”.n

wild birds, particularly during winter. Peanut cakes, peanut butter and fat balls are ideal choices; they are economical, convenient to feed and an excellent source of energy at a time when natural bird food can be very hard to find.

Sunflower hearts are another great option for feeding birds and universally loved by many species. They are easily fed from a hanging seed feeder and even if you don’t have a garden, window feeders are a great solution and mean you can watch wildlife from the comfort of the sofa! Good hygiene

Karen Bates is the category manager for the Wild Bird department. Karen has developed a wealth of knowledge within the wild bird and wildlife category from working at petplace and from having a keen interest in all things garden related. If you have any queries regarding your winter wildlife do get in touch with their resident oracle.

is also extremely important, keeping your bird feeders clean

NWM 2021 Page 15

You Shall Go To The Ball!

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Bethany Birch joins Olympic Taekwondo athlete Jade Jones OBE as she takes a trip down memory lane at Ysgol Gwynedd…

FIGHTING TALK am going to get the gold at London’,” – and that’s exactly what she did!

Two time Olympic gold medalist, 2015 European Games

Both 2012 and 2016 were significant years for Jade, winning

champion and winner of the inaugural Youth Olympic Games

gold at London and then again at Rio were unforgettable

in 2010 are just some of the many achievements that North

experiences for her, both personally and professionally. The

Walian Olympic Taekwondo athlete Jade Jones OBE has

feeling of winning her first gold at the London Olympics was

humbly yet fiercely acquired in her 28 years.

simply unbeatable. “Nothing can ever compare,” says Jade. “It just gives you the best feeling ever, especially being at home…

Her passion for the martial arts sport was set alight at just

That’s every athlete’s dream – it was just magical.”

eight years old when her grandad took her under his wing.

“I was a bit naughty and cheeky when I was younger, and my

Despite her recent loss at the 2020 (July 2021) Tokyo Summer

grandad basically took me down to the local sports centre as

Olympic Games, Jade has an inextinguishable fire inside to train

a kid and I just fell in love with Taekwondo,” recalls Jade.

her hardest and win gold at Paris in just three years time.

Back then the sports centre was known as the Flint Leisure

“I’ve got more passion than ever before to win gold at the next

Centre, but it was renamed the Jade Jones Leisure Centre in

Olympics,’’ she continues. “That loss in Tokyo… I don’t want to go

2012 to honour the fact that it was where the local Olympian

out like that. I’ve got a couple of years now to qualify and to get

trained throughout her teenage years. “I think growing up in

in better shape than ever before – both mentally and physically

North Wales definitely helped with my Taekwondo, as I was

– so I will try and win that and then that will probably be my

always active,” says Jade, with an obvious appreciation for

last Olympics.”

her hometown and local surroundings.

Reflecting on her heartbreaking defeat against Kimia Alizadeh, Questioning Jade on the topic of schooling and education,

she says: “I think I got too caught up in the media to win that

she believes it would only be a good thing if Taekwondo was

[third Olympic Gold], rather than wanting to win it because I

introduced as part of the standard curriculum.

love the sport.” With her head in the game now more than ever, she looks for the good in the loss “It’ll almost feel even better if

“Any sport is good, but Taekwondo is great for both respect and discipline,” says Jade, who champions the sport and the skills that it teaches. “Just being able to defend yourself, as a younger kid, and especially as a young woman is amazing.”

Switching to a different style of Taekwondo at the age of 14 was a huge turning point for Jade, as the style she was training in beforehand wasn’t offered at the Olympics.

“Three years later, I won gold at the Youth Olympics,” Jade continues. “I remember standing on the podium thinking ‘I

QUESTIONING JADE ON THE TOPIC OF SCHOOLING AND EDUCATION, SHE BELIEVES IT WOULD ONLY BE A GOOD THING IF TAEKWONDO WAS INTRODUCED AS PART OF THE STANDARD CURRICULUM. NWM 2021 Page 17

MAGAZINE

THE LACK OF COMPETITIONS IN THE DIARY WAS DIFFICULT FOR JADE AND HER TRAINING DISCIPLINE, BUT SHE IS ALWAYS ONE TO SEE THE SILVER LININGS

I get the gold in Paris – if you’re always winning then you can

When motivation wavers Jade always remembers her ‘why’.

get a bit complacent.”

“Remembering back to when you were a kid and just loving Taekwondo, loving the kicks and the buzz of competing,” is

The past year and a half have been hard for all of us,

what she focuses on. It’s her pure love for the sport that keeps

and Jade is no exception, with the pandemic presenting

pushing her forward. “As you get older you realise it is the

particular challenges surrounding her training. “The

journey that’s important,” she adds.

pandemic was tough, I had to train in my garage… To just be training at home kicking a pad is obviously a lot different to

Growing up in Bodelwyddan, Denbighshire, Jade has always

actually fighting,” she explains. “That’s what makes you good

had a natural affiliation with nature and time spent outdoors.

– competing all the time.”

Surrounded by the mountains and the Welsh countryside is still where she considers ‘home’. While she now resides in

The lack of competitions in the diary was difficult for Jade

the hustle and bustle of Manchester, alongside her faithful

and her training discipline, but she is always one to see the

Taekwondo community, she’s the first to triumph the beauty

silver linings.

of her hometown and the importance of trading the fastpaced nature of the city for the slow-living lifestyle that she’s

“I think the pandemic has made me appreciate family and

greeted with on her frequents visit back to Denbighshire to

friends and life more,” she continues. “We’re so used to the

visit family.

perfect preparation, and the pandemic stripped athletes of this privilege –both mentally and physically. When you get

“My family have been amazing, they’re so supportive, it helps

to the top of your game, it’s all about mindset. If I’ve lost then

knowing that I’ve got them there,” adds Jade. “I love North

it’s generally my mind that’s let me down. Everyone’s fast and

Wales. I used to go cockling with my dad, going on the quad to

strong – it’s all about your mind.”

the beach and raking cockles in Bangor.’’

As a Dreams Ambassador she spent the morning of our

Like all of the best role models, Jade encompasses a sense

interview at Ysgol Gwynedd educating the pupils on the

of confidence and pride while still remaining wonderfully

importance of sleep, as well as hosting a ‘Q&A session’ about

humble and down to earth. She’s ruthlessly competitive,

her Taekwondo journey. Being back in the school that she

fiercely driven, infectiously passionate and refreshingly

attended as a child, before progressing to Flint High School,

modest. She’s your typical ‘girl next door’, with a list of

stirred up a cocktail of positive emotions for Jade – including

accreditations and achievements under her black belt –

nostalgia, joy, sentimentality, warmth and pride. Returning to

and a bunch of intimidatingly impressive moves up her

the place where she proudly presented medals from childhood

sleeve too. n

Taekwondo competitions during assemblies was also a clear reminder of just how far she’d come.

There’s no denying that sleep plays an incredibly important role in her preparation as an athlete to ensure that she’s able to perform her best; hence why being nominated a Dreams Ambassador is so well aligned to her values and lifestyle. “I do have to make some compromises, although they don’t really feel like compromises as I love it, but I have to be strict with my diet to get down to the 57kg weight category and be strict with my sleep,” she explains.

Page 18 NWM 2021

Bethany Birch is a freelance writer based in Pwllheli on the Llŷn Peninsula. After graduating from her Journalism degree at Nottingham Trent University last summer, she has since pursued her dream of writing beside the sea.

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SOMETHING TO REMEMBER Opposite: Civil servants printed an in-house periodical, The Ormescliffe Gazette.

Left: Soldiers at the Coast Artillery School on the Great Orme loading a naval gun.

As the nations’ thoughts turn to Remembrance Day and the sacrifices made, Adrian Hughes of the Home Front Museum reflects on Llandudno’s involvement during the Second World War.

Llandudno played host

and Welfare Officer, James Callaghan, who would become

to many thousands of

Labour prime minister in the 1970s.

evacuees during the Second World War

To many landladies the civil servants were known simply

and unlike in many

as ‘guinea pigs’ on account of the one Guinea a week they

other Welsh towns the

paid for board and lodgings. By autumn 1940 over 4,000

displaced were not

civil servants were calling Llandudno home and many

children, but adults.

brought their families with them. The Ormescliffe and

Plans were drawn

Crescent Hotels were converted into recreation centres with

up to move vital government

numerous facilities for the civil servants. Membership cost

departments out of London to the provinces if war came and

tuppence a week and was an ideal place for staff, a long

seaside resorts on the North Wales coast, with an excess of

way from home, to socialise and make new friends. Clubs

vacant accommodation, were obvious choices.

and societies were formed, sports tournaments arranged and theatrical groups established.

The Inland Revenue was sent to Llandudno. Seafront hotels were requisitioned for office accommodation days after

In September 1939 all places of amusement were closed,

war was declared, forcing hoteliers to put all the furniture

ordered to by a government fearing mass casualties if a

and chattels into storage. The Imperial Hotel became the headquarters of the exiled Inland Revenue, where senior officials including Sir William Diggines, the Chief Inspector of Taxes, had their offices. The first 500 staff from Somerset House arrived in February 1940 on specially chartered trains that brought not only personnel, but the hundreds of tons of files and paperwork necessary for a fully functioning government department. The man tasked with arranging living accommodation for the civil servants was the Billeting

TO MANY LANDLADIES THE CIVIL SERVANTS WERE KNOWN SIMPLY AS ‘GUINEA PIGS’ ON ACCOUNT OF THE ONE GUINEA A WEEK THEY PAID FOR BOARD AND LODGINGS. NWM 2021 Page 21

MAGAZINE

Tommy Handley, star of ITMA – ‘It’s That Man Again’

Civil servants printed an in-house periodical, The Ormescliffe Gazette.

POPULAR SHOWS BROADCAST FROM THIS VENUE INCLUDED ITMA – IT’S THAT MAN AGAIN – STARRING TOMMY HANDLEY AND TED KAVANAGH

theatre, cinema or sports stadium was struck by an enemy

of invasion from Germany. It became apparent that it would

bomb. Within two weeks this decision was reversed and

be impossible to continue to train personnel at the Royal

entertainment venues reopened – albeit without the gaily

Artillery’s Coast Artillery School at Shoeburyness on the

coloured external lighting that remained blacked out until

Thames Estuary due to a lack of space and increasing

November 1944. The only Llandudno venue closed for the

enemy activity. The school was forced to relocate, and Llys

duration of the war was the Pierhead Pavilion, which was

Helyg Drive on the Great Orme was the preferred location of

inaccessible anyway from May 1940 after timbers on the pier

Brigadier Bernard Court-Treatt, its commandant. The school

were removed for fear of the structure being used during a

became operational in September 1940 and offered courses

German invasion.

in gunnery, searchlight operation, wireless and radar. It is estimated that 20,000 cadets passed through the training

In line with moving principal institutions out of London, the

facility in the five years it was in Llandudno. Soldiers fired

BBC Variety Department relocated to Bristol in 1939 but when

at both static and moving seaborne targets. The permanent

the West Country city attracted the attention of Goering’s

target was moored off Ynys Seiriol (Puffin Island) and was an

bombers a new home was demanded, and with some urgency.

ex-workhorse of the merchant fleet.

In February 1941, they headed north on a special train from Bristol laden with comics, crooners, musicians, actors and

Meanwhile, high-speed motor torpedo boats (MTBs) and

technicians and took over the County Theatre in Bangor and

launches, towing targets mounted on floats, sped around

the Grand Theatre in Llandudno. One of the first broadcasts

Conwy Bay for gunners to shoot at. Made of canvas and wood,

from Llandudno featured Canadian-born organist Sandy

some of these screens were constructed by local builder

Macpherson, who devoted the entire programme to the

Frank Tyldesley at his Craig-y-don works. For realistic anti-

people of the town. Other popular shows broadcast from this

aircraft training, remote-controlled planes, known as ‘Queen

venue included ITMA – It’s That Man Again – starring Tommy

Bees’, took off from Tŷ Croes Artillery Camp on Anglesey and

Handley and Ted Kavanagh.

flew across Conwy Bay for the gunners to aim at. n

Shortly after the collapse of France in June 1940 and the evacuation of the British Expeditionary Force from Dunkirk, there was considerable expansion of coast artillery and new batteries were raised to counter the increased threat

A new book, Llandudno’s Military Heritage, published by Amberley and co-written by Adrian Hughes is available from all good bookshops now.

Page 22 NWM 2021

ad n h c r a m

Nadolig Fict aidd dydd iau 9 rhagfyr 12 hanner dydd - 8pm Dros 100 o stondinau’n gwerthu dewis o ddanteithion ac anrhegion y Nadolig; ochr yn ochr â diddanwyr stryd Fictoraidd a charwsél traddodiadol. o sgwÂr y frenhines i eglwys san silyn I gael rhagor o wybodaeth

events@wrexham.gov.uk

ian r o t vic

Christmas Market thursday 9 december 12 noon - 8pm

Over 100 stalls selling a selection of festive treats and gifts; alongside Victorian street entertainers and a traditional carousel from queens square to st giles’ church, wrexham For more information

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Burning question

Stephen Gregory reminisces about childhood bonfire nights, while considering if they still have a place in this modern world…

Light the blue touch paper and stand well back! Good advice, when you’re handling fireworks, but I’m pretty sure they weren’t so concerned with health and safety many centuries ago when the Chinese were first developing their expertise with rockets and sparklers and spinning wheels and candles which flared and fizzed and exploded into spectacular flames!

We all still love fireworks, don’t we? Even in these modern days when we’re preoccupied with the safety of our children and our environment. The exhilarating whoosh of those rockets, their explosion into multi coloured sparks so high into the night sky, the crackle and bang and the smell!

For me, as a small boy it was the smell of the sparklers which captured the thrill of it all, being outside in the chilly darkness of an autumnal night, when normally you would have been

YES, BONFIRE NIGHT IS BAD NEWS FOR OUR WILDLIFE, NOT AT ALL A CAUSE FOR CELEBRATION, AND FOR OUR PETS AS WELL

indoors in front of the television or upstairs in your dormitory at school… The perfume of the sparklers, which signified it was Bonfire Night and the world was bright and hot with

their precious piles from other children from other districts.

flames and loud with startling staccato fireworks!

They collected all manner of debris from derelict sites, palettes from the mills, and wooden spools and bobbins. Children,

Nowadays we’re a little more restrained, we’re concerned

even quite small ones, were outside late into the night to guard

about the effect of our fires and fireworks on our

the precious bonfires and keep them safe and growing each

environment. People share a communal bonfire, and the

evening. As weary adults would collect bright-eyed littluns,

adults follow the guidelines and advice to make sure

older ones were allowed their vigils on the nights before

everyone stays safe.

lighting the celebratory pyres.

All good… In the olden days, in the years after the war when

Me, I was at boarding school, a long way from home, ever

the world had endured far more terrible fires and explosions,

since I was eight years old and until I was 18. So, throughout

children were allowed to revel in their enjoyment of Bonfire

all those childhood years I never had a Bonfire Night at

Night. In the industrial towns and villages they would stay

home with my parents in the garden of our sweet suburban

outside all night, in the week before November 5th, guarding

house. Incidentally, never a birthday either, which fell in

NWM 2021 Page 25

MAGAZINE

sigh and we were ushered indoors and up to our dormitories, we were woken in the small hours by the clanging of bells.

The whole building rang with the fire alarms, and we were all suddenly and urgently ordered out of our beds by the teachers who burst into the rooms. From the window, high above the dark and wintry world, I could see the flashing of blue and orange lights, and there was a fire engine in the school driveway. All of my friends were hurried downstairs – all except me, who was told to wait, alone at the top the stairs.

Until a great burly man, in black overalls and an enormous yellow helmet, clambered up and up towards me and hoicked me across his shoulders – and he carried me downstairs and into the open air where all the other boys and the teachers burst into applause at the fireman’s heroism and my bravery.

It was only a drill. I’d been chosen to be rescued, because I was the smallest boy in the school and it was easy for the fireman to enact his feat of strength and courage.

March, during another school term… but that’s another story. So I remember a few times

Bonfires and fireworks, we still love them. My wife and I,

when our teachers organised us boys into

we’ve enjoyed them in different parts of the word… in south-

collecting branches and fallen timber from

east Asia, where wealthy families put on the most spectacular

the woodland behind the school and we built a modest bonfire on the edge of the football pitch. They provided a few fireworks as well, just enough to whet our appetites for more and more,

displays to mark Chinese New Year and to impress their neighbours, and in France for the celebration of Bastille Day on 14th July. Literally hours of fireworks, continuously and relentlessly, consuming vast amounts of money and

some sputtering sparklers and a flurry of rockets,

filling the air with a pall of smoke which lasts long into the

and Catherine wheels nailed onto the goal posts. I

following day, not to mention the misery it inflicts onto hapless

remember clearly and painfully, even then, long before

creatures for miles and miles around.

we were all so fervently protective of our wildlife, how it upset me to see a hedgehog emerging from the flames of the fire, how it scurried from the place it had sought

The perfume of an autumnal bonfire… consuming the leaves of last summer and its sweet memories. A few years ago I

for safety and shelter and then realised it was burning and

was earning some pocket money as a gardener, clearing the

scorching and collapsing around its ears. The hedgehog

steep, precipitous rockeries behind the Prince Llewelyn Hotel.

escaped, singed and spluttering but glad to be alive, hurrying

I was in my own quiet private world, high above the village

into the sanctuary of a nettle bed.

of Beddgelert. And I loved it. The work warmed me into a satisfying sweat, and through August and September and

And I remember, high in the smoke and the whirling flames,

October I saw the woodlands and streams below me change

there were moths which spun in the air like the sparks,

slowly as the seasons turned.

until they were consumed in the heat. Bats as well, which zigzagged around the fire and then flickered away into

On the afternoon of 5th November, just as the sky was

the surrounding darkness. A brown owl wafted close, close

getting darker and colder, I lit my bonfire. I sat with it,

enough to feel the heat on his face and his wondering eyes,

feeding the flames with leaves and brushwood, as dusk

and then he vanished into the woodland.

became twilight and then night. I watched as the first of the village fireworks rose into the sky and burst into

Yes, Bonfire Night is bad news for our wildlife, not at all a

brilliant rosettes of colour. A curious celebration, nowadays

cause for celebration, and for our pets as well. All of us who

controversial… but its sights and sounds and smells still

have cats or dogs will know how fearfully they react to the

evoke the lingering memories of childhood. n

scream and bang of fireworks. Our lovely boy Poppy, the softest and most loving of dogs, rescued in faraway Borneo and brought back here to North Wales, would tremble so much he could hardly stand, and so he would crawl onto the bed and lie there in abject bewilderment.

Going back to my schooldays, I remember one year that our headmaster had a grand idea to make our Bonfire Night even more memorable. Long after the fire had collapsed with a

Page 26 NWM 2021

Stephen Gregory’s first novel, The Cormorant, which he wrote in Snowdonia 35 years ago, has been published several times in both the UK and the USA, and translated into German, Polish and Italian.

The new edition, which is available from Parthian Books, is its tenth publication.

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BBC NOW wind ©BBCNOW

Catrin & Seckou ©John Liston

y a l p c i s u m e Let th

This year’s North Wales International Music Festival is being staged as a hybrid event for the first time, after being held solely online last year because of the pandemic. The theme as NWIMF approaches its 50th anniversary in 2022 is ‘The Golden Journey’.

Osprey chicks hatched in a nest in

Six concerts took place in the festival’s traditional home, St Asaph Cathedral,

the Dyfi Valley in Mid Wales, the

in early October while others have

first time this had happened since

been recorded in Bangor, Caernarfon,

1604. The re-emergence of Ospreys

Cardiff and London. Highlights from

in Wales inspired the first track of

the St Asaph Cathedral concerts

Catrin and Seckou’s 2018 album, SOAR,

include the London Tango Quintet,

celebrating the remarkable affinities

resident orchestra NEW Sinfonia from

between the Welsh harp and the West

Wrexham with American pianist John

African kora, which resembles a cross

Frederick Hudson, chamber music

between a harp and a lute.

group Ensemble Cymru, Family Affair The London Tango Quintet, featuring

with renowned Welsh composer Brian Hughes and tenor Dafydd Jones, and harp virtuosa Catrin Finch performing

London Tango Quinte t

guitarist Craig Ogden, opened this year’s festival and the second opportunity to tune in from home to

with kora player Seckou Keita.

their truly magical performance will allow for more than Concert goers were enthralled by the Welsh premiere of a

foot-tapping and dancing shoulders! Acclaimed pianist Iwan

brand-new piano concerto by royal composer Paul Mealor,

Llewelyn Jones recorded a concert at Bangor University’s

which had been jointly commissioned by the festival.

Neuadd Powis. They have a new Steinway piano which makes for a beautiful sound in a wonderful setting. Professor

Professor Mealor also wrote the music for the ‘Wonders of

William Mathias, founder of NWIMF in 1972, was Head of

the Celtic Deep’ series currently showing on BBC One Wales.

Music at Bangor University from 1970 until 1988.

The music for the series is performed by the BBC National Orchestra of Wales, who have also recorded a concert

One of Wales’ leading exponents of traditional folk singing,

especially for NWIMF’s virtual festival from the Hoddinott

Gwenan Gibbard, will feature in a special concert recorded

Hall at the Wales Millennium Centre.

in the Sain Studios near Caernarfon. Gwenan has gathered together a collection of rarely-heard folk songs for the

The critically acclaimed duo of Catrin Finch and Seckou

concert.

Keita wowed the audience with a joyous fusion of Welsh and African music. Their performance at the Royal Albert Hall in

Choral concerts will feature the St Asaph Cathedral Choir

August was one of the highlights of this year’s Proms.

and the UK Gospel Choir. n

Catrin & Seckou met in 2012, a year after another connection

The North Wales International Music Festival is offering

between Wales and Senegal re-established itself. In 2011,

free online concerts from 15th November – 15th December

NWM 2021 Page 29

The Indigo Group Premiership Fixtures

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th u o m r Ba Exploring

Steve Goodier takes a trip to Barmouth – southern Snowdonia’s most popular seaside resort boasting breathtaking views of Cardigan Bay.

Pretty Barmouth is a timeless resort that was much loved

I have fond memories of Barmouth from my childhood. It was

by The Victorians (who knew a thing or two about seaside

my parent’s preferred Welsh destination for a seaside day out

destinations), but it still has a place in the itinerary of the

or longer caravanning or camping weekend when my sister

modern day holidaymaker and traveller.

and I were young. It was an idyllic place for kids to be taken to with a superb beach, a small fair, some arcades, donkeys, swing

The town’s location has much to do with its popularity – it is

boats and lots of shops selling souvenirs and beach products.

situated on the West Coast of North Wales, and just falls within the boundaries of the south west corner of the Snowdonia

To be honest little has changed down the years since those days,

National Park. Barmouth lies between Cardigan Bay and the

and I still enjoy a day out in the area or just calling in for fish and

foothills of the awesome Rhinog Mountains, which are the

chips after a hike in the aforementioned Rhinog Mountains.

roughest and oldest range of summits in Wales. Walking in these hills demands stamina and good navigation skills if

With an ‘off-season’ population of less than 3,000, Barmouth’s

you venture into the main areas around Rhinog Fawr and

bars, restaurants and cafés soon get packed in summer when

Rhinog Fach (a little north of Barmouth and near Harlech) but

this number grows substantially, and cars and coach trips

rambling around the smaller hills that rise above the town

disgorge visitor’s intent on exploring not just the beach, but

itself can be great fun and you get some stunning views of

the old town too with its steep steps and slate roofed cottages

town, estuary and sea from them.

clinging to the hillsides. The harbour takes some beating as well – the town is sited at the mouth of The Afon Mawddach and a great evening stroll enjoyed by many is to walk across the spectacular Barmouth Bridge that spans the river and links it with The Fairbourne side. The bridge celebrated its 150th birthday in 2017 and there is an honesty toll for pedestrians and cyclists. Once on the Fairbourne side a path leads into Fairbourne itself.

In my opinion you also get the best view of Barmouth (and its sheltered location) from the beaches of Fairbourne, and if you plan to be there as the sun goes down you get a truly spectacular sight. Inland from the estuary and the town, and rising above nearby Dolgellau, is one of Snowdonia’s most famous mountains, Cadair Idris. At 2,930ft/ 893 metres it was reputed that the giant Idris Gawr sat on its summit (the name means ‘Chair of Idris) watching for enemies and charting the stars. It’s a tough climb to the top but The Pony Track and Minffordd Paths are well walked and relatively easy to follow for experienced walkers. However, be warned, if you leave it late in the day and decide to stay overnight in the small hut

NWM 2021 Page 31

MAGAZINE

TO BE HONEST LITTLE HAS CHANGED DOWN THE YEARS SINCE THOSE DAYS, AND I STILL ENJOY A DAY OUT IN THE AREA OR JUST CALLING IN FOR FISH AND CHIPS AFTER A HIKE IN THE AFOREMENTIONED RHINOG MOUNTAINS near the summit legend has it that you will wake up either

and caravanning sites are well used (and often crowded) and

mad or a poet! It’s something I have done twice and I haven’t

when the weather settles and we get some days of ‘traditional’

become a poet – as for the other…

summer with blue skies and little wind, there can be few better destinations to be in.

But let’s return to Barmouth itself. You can’t look at the town without making mention of the glorious beach which seems

Barmouth boasts one or two famous people with Major Harold

to stretch north forever towards Dyffryn Ardudwy and

William ‘Bill’ Tilman CBE, DSO, MC and Bar (1898 – 1977)

Harlech. It’s ‘classic seaside territory’ with miles of golden

having lived in the town for many years. He was a prolific

sands perfect for beach games and sunbathing. For kids it is

mountaineer and exploratory sailor who wrote numerous

a Paradise of donkey rides, ice creams, old fashioned beach

books and was one of the earlier explorers of The Himalayan

attractions (such as swing boats and trampolines) and as

Mountains. He disappeared while sailing to The Falkland

much space to dig and build sand castles as you could ever

Islands in his eightieth year.

wish for!

More recently Eastenders actress Charlie (Charlene) Brooks Back from the beach there is a maze of streets with small

hails from the town. There are literary connections here too.

shops to go browsing in and plenty of pubs, cafés, restaurants

J.R.R. Tolkien visited in the early 20th Century and was so

and fish and chip shops to satisfy the hungry and thirsty. But

smitten by what he saw he used the Old Town as a model for

away from shops, beaches and arcades there is still much to

the town of Hobbiton in ‘The Lord of The Rings’.

see with The RNLI Lifeboat Station and The Ty Gwyn House and Museum being worth a look.

An even earlier visitor to Barmouth was the prolific poet and traveller William Wordsworth who wrote the following about

The town is serviced by The Cambrian Railway line and

it: ‘with a fine sea view in front, the mountains behind, the

has its own station, and the Barmouth Ferry sails from the

glorious estuary running eight miles inland and Cadair Idris

harbour to Penrhyn Point where you can link up with the

within compass of a day’s walk, Barmouth can hold its own

historic Fairbourne Narrow Gauge Railway and enjoy a trip

against any rival’.

behind a miniature steam train.

Another interesting historical fact about the town is that on The A496 links the town with Harlech to the north and

the 29th March 1895 the 4.5-acre rock and heather hillock

Dolgellau to the east, and undoubtedly the best approach is

of Dinas Oleu above Barmouth became the first property

westwards through Bontddu and Caerdeon where the final

acquired by the newly formed National Trust. It was donated

drive runs on an elevated section of the road past the bridge

to them by Mrs Fanny Talbot and is open to walk on to this

and the harbour – if the sun is shining on sparking blue

day with superb views of the town and coast. It is also a great

waters the area looks positively Mediterranean.

place to watch the sun set over the sea.

Barmouth grew around the ship building industry but today

Barmouth is timeless, and worth a visit at any time of the year,

relies heavily on tourists. However, its links with the sea remain

but particularly in the spring to autumn period – so it’s well

as the town has been the starting point for ‘The Barmouth to Fort

worth planning a 2022 visit now! n

William Three Peaks Race’ since 1977. The race involves sailing from Wales to Scotland via England and climbing the highest peaks in each country as you do so – Snowdon, Scafell Pike and Ben Nevis – this involves, as well as the sailing, 72 miles of running and 11,000ft of ascent and is not for the fainthearted!

The next race takes place on July 9th 2022.

In ‘season’ (from March to October) Barmouth’s many camping

Page 32 NWM 2021

Steve Goodier is an outdoor writer and photographer who specialises in North Wales. He has walked and explored all over the world and is the author of 11 walking books with a further two on Snowdonia due to be published shortly.

What to do Go for a walk There are some great walks in and around Barmouth, from the gentle promenade to the dizzying precipice walk. Those that are prepared to climb the steep surrounding hills will be rewarded with some of the most amazing views that North Wales has to offer.

Visit the beach Barmouth beach is, quite simply, what makes the town.

Abermaw, as it is known, is west facing with a mixture of sand and some fine shingle and is a great place for a family day out.

There is disabled access onto the vast stretch of sand, and the water is suitable for both swimming and watersports.

Go for a mooch The centre of Barmouth is a lovely place to have a mooch around, thanks to it’s picturesque location nestled between the sea and the mountains. There are over 60 shops in Barmouth, many of them independent and selling things you won’t find anywhere else, as well as galleries selling original art and prints by local artists. There is also a huge choice of cafés, pubs and restaurants for when you need that well deserved rest.

Go for a bike ride Barmouth is a great place to go for a pedal. The traffic-free trail from Barmouth to Dolgellau along the Mawddach Estuary is one of the most spectacular rides in Wales thanks to the amazing views. In addition Barmouth is situated on route 8 of the National Cycle Network ‘Lon Las Cymru’ which offers a 240mile cycling adventure through Wales.

Travel the Fairbourne Railway The Fairbourne Railway has been running from Fairbourne village to the mouth of the Mawddach Estuary, connecting with the ferry to Barmouth for over 100 years. It started as a two foot gauge horse-drawn tramway which was then converted to a 15 inch gauge railway in 1916. The line in 1986 was completely re built to a 12.25 inch gauge. You are able to start your journey at both Fairbourne and Barmouth Ferry stations during the summer months, but during the off peak season you can’t join the train at Barmouth ferry.

NWM 2021 Page 33

Win

COMPETITION North Wales Magazine has teamed up with Venue Cymru to offer this great prize for one lucky family! Read on for entry details, and remember to follow our Facebook page (@ northwalesmag) to ensure that you don’t miss out on any extra competitions taking place throughout the month. Good luck!

A family ticket to watch Aladdin The Venue Cymru panto is back, and we have got a family ticket for the opening night of Aladdin up for grabs!

Poor Aladdin is in love with a Princess, but as a reluctant helper in the laundry run by his mother Widow Twankey his prospects are not looking good –that is until a mysterious magician arrives promising riches beyond his wildest dreams!

Will Aladdin be able to thwart the wicked Abanazar and win the heart of the Princess? With tons of traditional panto slapstick and some fabulous musical numbers you will be singing for days afterwards, we promise a fun packed show suitable for everyone aged three to 103!

To Enter To be in with a chance of winning this fabulous prize, simply visit www.northwalesmagazine.com/win and enter your contact details on the form provided. Closing date Friday 26th November 2021.

T’s & c’s • Value - £75 • Family ticket covers two adults and two children • Ticket valid for opening night – Saturday 11th December at 7pm • Performance, date and time cannot be changed, nor the prize applied retrospectively • Tickets will be sent from the theatre via e-ticket no later than 24 hours before the performance

General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) Notice We collect your information when you enter our competitions, and store this information on our systems. We will use this information to contact you if you are the competition winner, and to contact you occasionally with details of relevant offers and items which may be of interest to you. If you win the competition, your name and the town where you live may be printed in a future edition of North Wales Magazine. We will also share your information with the competition provider, and they may contact you with details of relevant offers. Please see www. northwalesmagazine.com for our full Privacy Notice.

NWM 2021 Page 35

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The MINI 3-Door hatch embodies our love for fun-filled, joyful driving. It keeps that well-loved go-kart handling and lowcentre-of-gravity with a sleeker design. Meaning, the MINI Hatch is looking better than ever.

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Halliwell Jones North Wales MINI Tremarl Industrial Estate, Ffordd Maelgwyn LLandudno Junction LL31 9PL Tel: 01492 562 444 www.halliwelljones.co.uk

Range figures and CO2 results for the new MINI 3-Door Hatch. KWH (I/100km): Combined 46.3-47.9. CO2 emissions: 138-133g/km.

Figures are for comparison purposes and may not reflect real-life driving results, which depend on a number of factors including the accessories fitted (post-registration), variations in weather, driving styles and vehicle load.

All figures were determined according to a new test (WLTP). The CO2 figures were translated back to the outgoing test (NEDC) and will be used to calculate vehicle tax on first registration. Only compare fuel consumption and CO2 figures with other cars tested to the same technical procedure.

Distilled and bottled at the Clwydian Range Distillery, nestled in the heart of the North Wales Countryside.

Marmalade and Bay Leaf Gin The sweet tart taste of this wonderful fruit paired with the fragrant aroma and complex flavour of the dried bay leaf is like nothing else Lemon and Lime Gin A well balanced smooth citrus gin with light herbal characteristics.

Predominantly Juniper in flavour with a zesty hint of Lemon and Lime Blackcurrant Gin Bold and Tangy Blackcurrant Gin with a hint of spice.

Plum Crumble Gin Comforting, ripened Plums with a hint of soothing Vanilla.

WILDHORSEBREWING.CO.UK

www.mynyddsleddogadventures.com

FOOD & DRINK INSIDE: wine recipes cocktail of the month

NWM 2020 Page 39

Award Winning Soft Cheese I’m Jackie Whittaker and I make a range of Award-Winning soft Artisan Cheeses all traditionally made in my own micro dairy in North Wales.

I make my Artisan Cheeses the traditional way, by warming the pasteurised milk, cutting and hanging the curds over three days, then adding fresh flavours. Using creamy Jersey-Cross milk from our good friends down the road at Mostyn Dairies, I’m sure you will enjoy finding out which one is your favourite.

favourite flavour?

Jackie

Jackie@castellgwyn.com | 07368 998140

@castellgwyn

Try our de li c i

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Which is your

Spread your favourite luxury cheese on crackers, artisan bread, use as a dip, on cheeseboards, picnics, blini’s or stir into pasta!

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W W W. C A S T E L L G W Y N . C O M

s ca nline at www.

Say

! e s e e h C Ever wondered how local artisan cheese is made? Jackie Whittaker from micro dairy Castell Gwyn explains…

The plan was always to build my own micro dairy in North Wales, by converting my garage in the back garden to make award-winning cheeses. The hard work really started before the conversion of my garage, as it had to be emptied. We had a lot of stuff – and I mean a lot. Once emptied, the work began and of course I wanted to make sure that the business was as environmentally friendly as possible. Therefore, it made sense to insulate the dairy with Welsh sheep wool to

from local Jersey-Cross cows make

become more sustainable.

delicious creamy cheese and adds real depth of favour. When making

The dairy required a small entrance room, where people could

the cheese you can really tell by the

get changed and wash their hands – now christened ‘the

creamy colour of the milk as well as

Wellie Room’ thanks to my builder. After incorporating drains,

the fat content, which gives it such

a new concrete floor in ‘dairy blue’, the ceiling with lights

a luxury taste and mouth feel. The milk is not homogenised,

came next, which made a huge difference, finally followed by

which means that it hasn’t been shaken, so naturally the

the white washable walls. It was finally complete.

cream rises to the top and for those old enough to remember on past freezing winter mornings, when the milkman

All the equipment from my cheese vat, draining table, sink,

delivered your morning milk, the blue tits would get to it first

stainless steel tables and all the other paraphernalia that

(robins never did) and peck the silver foil tops of milk bottles.

comes with cheese making has been bought second-hand,

The cream had a little lactose in it and was full of energy,

saving a small fortune. Having cleaned and scrubbed them all,

so this is what the little clever birds were after. This has

they look like new.

now become part of folklore with the introduction of semiskimmed and skimmed milk and the reduction of doorstop

Castell Gwyn’s fresh milk comes from our good friend’s

deliveries, which I miss.

Jersey-Cross cows just down the road at Mostyn Dairies in Holywell North Wales, which has been gently pasturised.

Depending on what cows eat and the time of year this helps

I also use local honey too, made a few miles away by Busy

to create the subtle flavour profiles in every fresh milk and

Bees in Dyserth. My soft cheeses have won Gold and Silver

cheese batch. The whole milk from Mostyn Dairy is nutritious,

at the International Cheese Awards (ICA), with flavours such

fresh from the farm and the reason it makes our cheese

as Cracked Black Pepper, Welsh Honey, Fresh Chives and

fabulous, with the whey given to some grateful local pigs,

Penderyn Whisky.

so zero waste! Cheese, like wine regions, has true terroir.

And, talking of wines, our cheeses are ideal with a chilled

Buying local, collaborating with other businesses, and

Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay or a light red wine such as a

reducing transport miles is important to me. Using milk

Pinot Noir. Cheers! n

NWM 2021 Page 41

A collection of beautiful home accessories & gifts.

Colwyn Bay, Conwy, Wales, United Kingdom admin@stanleyandlottie.com You can also find us on Facebook: facebook.com/Stanley & Lottie Instagram: @stanley_and_lottie

www.stanleyandlottie.com

Whether it's some family fun, a festive treat, a special gift or a scenic steam-hauled train ride - there's something for everyone here at the F&WHR...

Santa Trains from Caernarfon

Enjoy a festive train ride with Santa and his elves from Caernarfon to Rhyd Ddu.

Santa's Grotto in Porthmadog

Bring the family to see Santa in his Christmas Grotto in Harbour Station.

Christmas Gifts

Our online shop stocks a wide range of souvenirs, railway items, books & DVDs. Station shops are open when trains run.

Seasonal Snowdonia Specials

Shrug off any Post-Christmas Blues with a scenic trip into Snowdonia - trains run daily 29th December to 1st January...

For more information, visit www.festrail.co.uk/christmas

FFESTINIOG & WELSH HIGHLAND RAILWAYS Harbour Station, Porthmadog, LL49 9NF • St Helen's Road, Caernarfon, LL55 2PF facebook.com/festrail

www.festrail.co.uk

01766 516024

Food for thought

Keeping warm in November is a necessity. With any luck, by the time this magazine is printed the energy crisis will have improved, so it won’t be quite as expensive a necessity. Here are two seasonal ways to fill your tummy with some much-needed central heating...

RECIPES CHICKEN, LEEK & TARRAGON PIE

BLACKBERRY & APPLE CRUMBLE Serves 4

One of the great free treats of the season, ideal for crowbarring your kids away from their screens and getting them into nature, is to head into the North Wales countryside, strolling past hedgerows and go blackberry picking. I’m sure there are dozens of innovative, terribly clever things one can

Serves 4

do with a basket of fresh blackberries, but I can never get

Who doesn’t love a pie? It doesn’t matter how desperate

past this evergreen staple. Why mess with perfection?

the situation is, or how low one’s mood might be, rare is the problem that can’t be improved by the sudden arrival of a hot

J 120g plain flour

pie, fresh from the oven. This one is insultingly easy to make,

J 100g golden caster sugar

but that won’t diminish the joy factor when it is placed in the

J 100g soft butter

middle of the dinner table amid wafts of warm bonhomie.

J 3 apples, peeled and cored J 120g (approx) blackberries, fresh

J 1 slurp of olive oil

J 1 onion, finely chopped

J 2 sticks celery, chopped

from the hedge J 1 tsp ground cinnamon

J 1 leek, top-and-tailed and roughly chopped J 1 garlic clove, finely chopped

Preheat oven to 180˚C FAN. Mix

J 4 chicken breasts

J 200ml chicken stock

the flour and with two thirds of the

J 100ml double cream

J 50g butter

sugar in a large bowl and with your

J 2 tbsp dried tarragon

fingertips, rub in 70g of the butter into

J Puff pastry (buy a pre-rolled sheet for extra ease)

the mix until it is all incorporated and

J 1 beaten egg

everything looks like sawdust. Line a baking tray with baking paper, pour the crumble mix onto it evenly,

Preheat the oven to 180˚C FAN. Heat the oil in a pan and cook

then pop the tray in the oven for 15 minutes.

the chopped onion, celery and leek until golden. Add the garlic and cook for another minute. Stir in the chicken pieces

Melt the rest of the butter in a pan and stir in the rest of

and brown in the pan for a couple of minutes, then pour in

the sugar. Once it’s all blended, chop the peeled apples into

the chicken stock. Boil, then drop the heat and leave for 10

chunks and stir them into the pan. Drop the heat and leave

minutes. Add the cream and the tarragon, then repeat the

to cook for three minutes. Then stir in the blackberries along

process, bringing to a boil then lowering the heat and leaving

with the cinnamon and leave to cook for about five minutes.

for 10 minutes. When the sauce has thickened, add salt, pepper and leave to cool.

Pour the fruit mix into a shallow dish. Remove the crumble mix from the oven and carefully scatter it all over the fruit.

Grease your favourite pie dish with the butter, including the

Put the dish into the oven and bake for ten minutes. Serve

rim, then pour in the chicken mix. Lower the puff pastry

with double cream or ice cream and perhaps even some

sheet over the dish, letting it hang over the sides. Trim it,

chopped mint.

but remember that the pastry will shrink when baked so leave some overhang. You can either cut a couple of slits in the middle to let the steam out, or you can use that porcelain blackbird nestled mysteriously amongst your eggcups!

Brush the pastry with the beaten egg and bake for 40-45

Don’t fancy cooking? 01492 582079 @PaysanneDeganwy www.paysannedeganwy.co.uk

minutes. Served with buttered vegetables and new potatoes.

NWM 2021 Page 43

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Llandudno

MOSTYN Shop: The place to find unique cards and gifts for everyone!

MOSTYN, 12 Vaughan Street, Llandudno LL30 1AB 01492 868191 Open 10.30 - 5 Tues - Sun Or visit our online shop www.mostyn.org/shop

OF THE

Month The Old Fashioned

The Old Fashioned is made by simply mixing sugar with Angostura bitters and water, adding whisky and then garnishing with an orange slice and a cocktail cherry. It may sound simple, but it is actually one of the six ‘original’ cocktails – meaning that you only need really to know how to make these six drinks in order to have mastered the art of cocktail making…

INGREDIENTS

INSTRUCTIONS

• 50ml whisky

• Put the sugar, bitters and water

• Ice

in a small tumbler

• 5ml 2:1 sugar syrup

• Mix until the sugar dissolves

• 2 dashes Angostura bitters

• Fill your glass with ice and stir

• Orange slice

in the whisky

• Cocktail cherry

• Add a splash of soda water if you like and mix • Garnish with the orange and cherry

IN THE MIX

Of course, if you’d rather sit back and relax while somebody mixed your ideal cocktail for you, then why not visit Sheldon’s in Colwyn Bay? From a Margarita to a Mojito, it has quite the cocktail selection and is quickly becoming the place to go for cocktails in North Wales.

01492 339821 www.sheldonsbar.co.uk

NWM 2020 Page 45

LOVE CHRISTMAS AT HOME LLWYN Landscapes LTD Landscape Design, Construction & Maintenance Contractors

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TRADITIONAL & MODERN RANGE COOKERS

Visit our award winning showrooms for inspirational ideas and advice for the most important rooms in your home. Displaying quality items from exclusive brands you can trust, all at competitive prices.

01745 582254 www.rnwilliams.co.uk Chester Street, St Asaph, LL17 0RE

Quinten Hazell Enterprise Parc, Glan Y Wern Road, Colwyn Bay LL28 5BS Office: 01492 552521 Mobile: 07896 222702 Email: info@llwynlandscapes.co.uk

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Wrap up in a warm and welcoming red It’s that time of year again, the nights are drawing in, the leaves are changing, falling and going crisp underfoot. The temperatures are ranging from comfortable to chilly and the wind and rain comes and goes. Cardigans, jumpers and fleeces start to creep into our everyday wear.

Our thoughts start to drift to Christmas, or holidays in the sun, whichever it is that we find most distracting or productive, depending on who we are. For me, however, this is my favourite time of year as it is casserole season and more of my beer and wine purchases end up in food than happens in the summer.

As well as all of these things my thoughts turn to a roaring fire and slipping into the warm embrace of a soothing red.

Sometimes as big and bold as Tim, other times something a bit more spicy and warming.

We have a wide variety of reds to choose from and we always struggle to pick which are our favourites. I prefer them big and bold, some prefer them as smooth and silky as Tim’s patter when guiding us through the tasting menu.

For those in the big and bold camp like myself, here are some of our favourites from the shelves right now:

J The Drift Farm, Moveable Feast, Overberg Highlands, South Africa The nose shows a beguiling mixture of ripe mulberry, white pepper, framed in a touch of toasty, vanilla oak and just the faintest hint of minty caramel chocolate.

The palate echos the blackcurrant, mulberry and dark cherry.

J Lake Breeze, ‘Bull Ant’ Shiraz, Langhorne Creek, Australia A stunning, cool-climate Shiraz with alluring aromas of plums and chocolate enveloped in a touch of earthy complexity. Rich, full bodied and full of vibrant, black fruits Since writing the last article we have a new member of staff

on the palate with a long, soft finish.

J De Lato, ‘Aurkitu’, Old vine Garnacha, Navarra, Spain

to introduce to you. We have a new four legged, tail wagging,

Bright red fruits and hints of spice and wild dry earthy

ever so cute furball called Albie (of course short for Albariño)

notes on the nose. The palate is rounded and soft but with

who has joined the team. He is taking his duties very

an energy, full of bright red fruits and with balanced, fresh

seriously indeed and giving out licks and attention in return

acidity cutting through.

for fuss from anyone.

J Alpha zeta, ‘A’, Amarone della Valpolicella This Amarone is deep and intense on the nose with aromas of dried cherries

So come on down, check out the latest additions to our stock

and blueberries and notes of spiced autumn fruit compote.

(and your favourites) and see if you can catch Albie.

On the palate, it is powerful, with a lovely balance of ripe

Iechyd da!

tannins and spiced, concentrated cherry fruit character. A touch of woodsmoke completes the long finish.

Tim, Nicole, Mark, Pete, Ant, Huw and Albie

The Grape to Glass Wine Shop and Tasting Room

Tim Watson and his team run the Grape to Glass

8b Rhos Parade, Penrhyn Avenue, Rhos-on-Sea, LL29 7RE

Wine Shop and Tasting Room in Rhos-on-Sea which,

Tel: 01492 545934

as well as offering wine from far reaching lands, also

www.thegrapetoglass.co.uk

stocks locally produced beers, wines and spirits

NWM NWM 2019 2020 Page Page 47 47

CALL TODAY TO GET YOUR FREE QUOTE

01492 550120

info@cvw.wales | www.conwyvalleywindows.co.uk The Roundabout, Glan Y Mor Road, Penrhyn Bay, Llandudno, LL30 3NL

IMPROVE YOUR HOME

Explore the largest and most diverse range of windows, doors, conservatories and other products. With various styles, sizes, and features. Improve your home - whatever your budget.

WINDOWS | DOORS | CONSERVATORIES | EXTENSIONS ORANGERIES | LANTERNS | TILED CONSERVATORY ROOF SYSTEM GARDEN PODS

“ A big thank you to you all, from measuring the windows to completion, (sadly delayed through Covid-19) the whole experience has been great, very friendly and professional survey and measurement, price just as we expected. The two fitters today were great to have around, have worked really hard and left inside and out spotless, absolutely no tidying up to do.

Many, many thanks. ” - L. Dale

“We are more than happy to continue to work with Conwy Valley because the support was honest, authentic and the price was so fair, and to top if off the quality of the work was absolutely superb.”

- I. Urbat

“Provided sound, practical and budget-friendly advice on the best ways to double glaze. The fitters were polite, knowledgeable & experienced. The windows & doors are of excellent quality, and heating bills have reduced since fitting. Sound-proofing is top notch. Finally, this was an on-going project over 18 months; we used Conwy Valley Windows for all the work as we were confident and happy they would provide the best service.

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NWM 2020 Page 51

WINDOWS • DOORS • ORANGERIES • CONSERVATORIES • SOFFITS • FASCIAS • CLADDING

Wishing you

Merry Christmas and a happy New Year

VISIT OUR LARGE LIFESTYLE SHOWROOMS IN MOLD Monday - Friday: 9.00am - 5.00pm Saturday: 10.00am - 4.00pm

TELEPHONE: Mold: 01352 758812 Chester: 01244 879818

Email: reception@snowdoniawindows.co.uk

MOLD: Bromfield Industrial Estate, Mold Flintshire CH7 1HA

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PROPERTY OF THE MONTH

Phase two now released at Copper Beeches A choice of nine stunning apartments, newly converted within a former community hospital, are now available. The listed building retains many original architectural features, and now combines the old with the new – bringing this long forgotten structure back to life. These stylish properties boast modern innovations while they retain a timeless presence.

Stoutly constructed they stand within a courtyard setting on the outskirts of the popular former market town of Holywell, which is known as the ‘Lourdes of Wales’ because of its religious healing links and its renowned St Winifreds Well.

The latest release, which is within two miles of the coast, offers a range of sizes and designs. With prices starting from just £145,000, many of the apartments boast far reaching views over the town towards the Dee Estuary. n Viewing at Copper Beeches is available by appointment.

Please contact Peter Large’s Prestatyn branch on 01745 888100 for further information

NWM 2021 Page 53

MAGAZINE

The Selling & Letting Agents

Sales / Lettings - 3 Lancaster Square, Conwy LL32 8HT • Tel: 01492 583100 Sales - 1a Penrhyn Avenue, Rhos-on-Sea LL28 4PS • Tel: 01492 549178 email: conwy@fletcherpoole.com

email: rhos@fletcherpoole.com

RHOS ON SEA

RHOS ON SEA £185,000

£459,950

• Two Bedroom Third Floor Retirement Apartment • Superbly Located In Rhos On Sea Village • Light And Spacious Apartment • Enjoys Far Reaching Coastal Views

• Spacious Seven Bedroom Semi Detached House • 5 Reception Rooms, 7 Double Bedrooms & 5 Bathrooms • Off Road Parking & Garage • Situated Close To The Promenade & Rhos on Sea Village

EPC

F

OLD COLWYN

RHOS ON SEA £159,950

• Light & Spacious Two Bedroom Purpose Built First Floor Apartment • Quiet Position To The Rear • Centrally Located For The Local Amenities

website: www.fletcherpoole.com

£295,000

• Impressive Two Bedroom First Floor Apartment • IPart Of A Newly Built Well Maintained Development • IPrivate Roof Terrace With Panoramic Coastal Views

OPENING HOURS: MONDAY – FRIDAY 9.00-5.30 SATURDAY 9.30-4.00

INDEPENDENT ESTATE AGENTS

Page 54 NWM 2020

VALUATION - If you are thinking of moving at anytime in the near future please do not hesitate to ask for a FREE SALES VALUATION www.fletcherpoole.com

The Selling & Letting Agents

Sales / Lettings - 3 Lancaster Square, Conwy LL32 8HT • Tel: 01492 583100 Sales - 1a Penrhyn Avenue, Rhos-on-Sea LL28 4PS • Tel: 01492 549178 email: conwy@fletcherpoole.com

email: rhos@fletcherpoole.com

LLANDUDNO JUNCTION

DWYGYFYLCHI £265,000

£375,000

• Four bedroom end terrace, three storey town house • Enjoys a conservatory to the rear • Situated in a convenient & popular location • Distant countryside views to the front aspect / No chain

• Beautifully presented three bedroom detached home • Enjoys superb sea and mountain views • Good size balcony from one of the bedrooms • Currently run as a successful holiday let / NO chain

EPC

F

DEGANWY

CONWY £275,000

• Detached 2 bedroom cottage • Situated just outside the town walls • Light and well planned accommodation • Conservatory to rear / Parking & No chain

website: www.fletcherpoole.com

£475,000

• Immaculately presented four bedroom detached home • Enjoys far reaching countryside and mountain views • Located in a small executive cul de sac • Easy access to the village, beach and Llandudno

OPENING HOURS: MONDAY – FRIDAY 9.00-5.30 SATURDAY 9.30-4.00

INDEPENDENT ESTATE AGENTS VALUATION - If you are thinking of moving at anytime in the near future please do not hesitate to ask for a FREE SALES VALUATION www.fletcherpoole.com

NWM 2020 Page 55

£415,000 Denbigh

Rhyl • Detached house

• Four bedrooms

• Four reception rooms

• Two En suite

• Family bathroom

• Detached double garage

• Gas central heating

• uPVC Double glazing

• Detached House

£420,000 • Five Bedrooms, Two with En-suite

• Master Bedroom with En-suite & walk-in wardrobe • Open plan Kitchen/ Diner/ Living • Sought After Location

• Ample off road parking & Double garage

• Well maintained low maintenance rear garden

• EPC Rating C

£595,000

Prestatyn Office • Five Bedrooms

• Outstanding Unspoilt Views

• Three En-Suites

• Open-Plan Kitchen/Living/Dining

• Three En-Suites

• Private Rear Garden

• Off-Road Parking

• Gas Central Heating

£295,000 Ruthin

Mold • Three Storey Town House

• Three Double Bedrooms

• Two En-suites

• Open Plan Kitchen/Lounge/Dining Room

£399,950

• Stunning Detached Bungalow

• Three Double Bedrooms

• Features such as High Ceilings and Arched Windows

• Kitchen/ Diner

• Good Sized Lounge & Conservatory

• Modern Interior with outer shell of Historic Building

• Utility Room & WC

• Integral Garage

• Under Building Car Parking Area

• Off Road Parking and Landscaped Gardens

• EPC Rating E 44

• Far Reaching Views

Making property dreams come true throughout North Wales Conwy based Mainly Money Matters can help with: First Time Buyers | Home Movers | Remortgages | Help to Buy | Buy to let | Let to Buy | Right to Buy | Holiday Lets

In addition:

Life Insurance | Critical Illness Insurance | Income Protection | Buildings and Contents Insurance

Mainly Money Matters is a trading style of 163 Consulting Limited, who are an appointed representative of HL Partnerships Limited, which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.

Contact us for a FREE initial consultation

163 Consulting Limited is a company registered in England and Wales with company number 09011721. The registered company address is 60 Willclare Road, Birmingham, B26 2NT

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siobhan@mainlymoneymatters.co.uk

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The right start

Parenting is one of life’s biggest challenges with so much balancing to do.

As a parent you may feel the pressures of supporting your children with their schoolwork, encouraging their sporting and musical interests, and preparing them for life as an adult.

One of the vital lessons we can pass on to our children is how to understand and manage money, so they are more prepared to make financial decisions as an adult. A lack of understanding around personal finances, can lead to unwise decisions being made and ultimately sees many adults end up in debt.

The world of social media that our young people now

using cash much less frequently, but making the connection

find themselves immersed in means that they are often

to value is helped immeasurably by understanding coins and

bombarded by slick advertising for the latest “must have”

notes and what they represent.

products. Pressure to make these purchases combined with the ever-increasing access to easy credit or ‘buy now,

Give them pocket money: In exchange for chores done around

pay later’ schemes, are tempting many towards instant

the house, pocket money is a good practical demonstration of

gratification.

the connection between work and reward.

Therefore, giving our children a grounding in personal finance

Encourage saving: Insist that a percentage of their pocket

will help them understand how money can work for them, and

money goes into savings; perhaps a piggybank for the very

help them to navigate their way past potential pitfalls.

young or helping older children to open a savings account

Tackling big issues with children and young people always

either online or via an app or passbook, in which they can see

needs to be done in an age-appropriate way and you will

their money grow.

know them best. Here are some starting points.

Explaining the value of money: This is something you can start

The adult world is becoming an increasingly difficult place to

even with very young children and will become increasingly

navigate, especially for the younger generations. So, a basic

important as they get older and closer to needing to budget for

grounding in managing money can be one of the best gifts you

themselves. When you take them shopping, share with them

give to your youngsters. n

how much you spend on food and try to impart that money is a tool and enables you to purchase items. Explain that having

Mainly Money Matters Limited, is an appointed

£10 in your hand does not mean you can buy something worth

representative of HL Partnership Limited, which is

£10.01.

authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority

Explain where money comes from: Many parents will have memories of trying to explain to children that money doesn’t grow on trees and that to use your bank card there must be enough money in the account. Keep going with these conversations, keep explaining the concept that you need to work to have money to spend.

Get them a piggybank: Start the savings habit early. We are all

Siobhan Watson is the North Wales based mortgage and protection advisor for Mainly Money Matters, a whole-ofmarket mortgage advice firm specialising in residential, buyto-let and holiday-let mortgages.

NWM 2021 Page 59

CYFREITHWYR•SOLICITORS

Ein Pobl, Eich Tîm Our People, Your Team Yma i helpu…

Here to Help…

Mae ein swyddfeydd agor ar gyfer cyfarfodydd sydd wedi eu trefnu o flaen llaw ac er mwyn gollwng dogfennau. Rydym eisoes yn cynnig cyfarfodydd dros y ffôn a thrwy fideo.

Our offices are open for pre-arranged appointments and to drop off documents, we continue to offer meetings via telephone and video.

Rydym ni’n cynnig ystod eang o wasanaethau cyfreithiol, sy’n cynnwys:

Offering a wide range of legal services including:

• • • • • • • • •

• • • • • • • • •

Eiddo Masnachol a Phreswyl Amaethyddiaeth Ewyllysiau, Ymddiriedolaethau a Phrofiant Cyfraith Teulu Cyflogaeth Corfforaethol a Masnachol Anghydfodau Troseddau Moduro Niwed Personol ac Esgeulustod Meddygol

Commercial & Residential Property Agriculture Wills, Trusts & Probate Family Law Employment Corporate & Commercial Disputes Motoring Offences Personal Injury & Medical Negligence

Swyddfa Conwy Office 1 & 2 Connaught House, Riverside Business Park, Benarth Road, Conwy LL32 8UB

01492 557070 info@lblaw.co.uk www.lblaw.co.uk Yr Amwythig • Bromyard • Conwy • Henffordd • Llwydlo • Croesoswallt • Telford Shrewsbury • Bromyard • Conwy • Hereford • Ludlow • Oswestry • Telford

Business NEWS Law firm continues to grow in Conwy

Awards success for Williams Estates

The family run North Wales based agency Williams Estates received no fewer than six awards last

A North Wales law firm has added another lawyer

month, including the double GOLD

to its growing team as demand for legal services

awards for Best Sales Agent office

continues to rise. Emma Deering is the latest new face

in Wales and Best Estate Agency

at Lanyon Bowdler, which opened a permanent office

Group in Wales at the prestigious

in Conwy in 2019, and has more than doubled the

ESTAS Customer Service Awards

size of its team over the past 18 months. Emma is an

2021. Now in their 18th year the

experienced chartered legal executive, specialising

awards, which are powered by

in will writing and advising on inheritance tax, along

ESTAS own customer review

with the preparation of Lasting Powers of Attorney and

platform and are sponsored by

the administration of estates. She is a fully-accredited

Coadjute, recognise the best estate

member of Solicitors for the Elderly, an affiliate member

and letting agents for customer

of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP),

service based on ratings from

and has more than ten years’ experience in this field

clients who have been through

of law. “I joined Lanyon Bowdler this summer and it’s clear the firm’s reputation is

the whole moving experience

growing across North Wales,” she said. “All of the departments are very much in

with an agent. This year’s results

demand, and I am already working with a wide variety of clients assisting them

were calculated from over 200,000

with their wills and Lasting Powers of Attorney, amongst other legal services.

customer review ratings. Williams

Preparing a will is often something people put off, but it’s absolutely vital to ensure

Estates’ success in the 2021 awards

your wishes are taken care of, and clients always say they feel like a weight has

makes it an incredible 90th time

been taken off their shoulders once it is all arranged.”

they have collected the top awards for Wales.

Rydal Penrhos partners with North Wales Crusaders Rydal Penrhos is proud to have an association with the North Wales Crusaders, who have been busy forming links with local businesses and people to grow their presence in the area following their move from Wrexham to Parc Eirias in Colwyn Bay. Players, coaches and supporters

Contributed to the Club Award for all the fantastic work

descended on Rydal Penrhos for the Crusaders’ annual

he does off the field. The duo of Rob Massam and Tom

End of Season Awards ceremony on Saturday 16th October,

Johnson were crowned joint-winners of the Coach’s Player

which was held in the school’s fantastic Ferguson Centre.

of the Season. Rob also won the Try of the Year after his

One of the big winners from the evening was Jordan

memorable score against Barrow Raiders. Rydal Penrhos

Gibson, who took home the Players’ Player of the Season

has formed a successful working partnership with the

and Fans’ Player of the Season after a sensational series of

Crusaders after the rugby league side made their move,

performances to further enhance his growing reputation.

with the club holding events and making use of the first-

Alex Eckley won the Young Player of the Year Award, with

class facilities on offer during training weekends in the

Conrad Anderson presented with the Jacqui Walker Most

not-too-distant future.

NWM 2021 Page 61

Expert Focus Liz Cade is the Professional Lead and Principal Lecturer for Occupational Therapy at Wrexham Glyndŵr University. Here she explains what this fascinating course entails…

How did you get into occupational therapy?

involved in extra-curricular activities and we really value

Both my mother and aunt were occupational therapists, so

those opportunities for building resilience, a sense of

I grew up immersed in the profession and understanding

belonging and identity. We have our Occupational Therapy

the value that occupational therapy can bring to individuals.

society, run through the SU, which students are encouraged

I’ve always had an interest in the allied health and enjoyed

in getting involved as a committee member or participating

working with people. It was inevitable I’d go into a health

in the many events that they run. We have an Occupational

care profession, but it was just deciding which one. There’s

Therapy week which is a UK wide event run by the Royal

quite a lot of creativity within occupational therapy and it

College of Occupational Therapists that happens in early

allows for a lot of autonomy, so it felt as if it was going to fit

November and we encourage students to run various events

with me and who I am as an individual.

to raise the profile of the profession. Students are expected to participate in an action-based project throughout

What can students expect from your course?

the three years where they volunteer within their local

We are all occupational beings, so we do things in our lives

communities and immerse themselves in projects and

that are linked to self-care, productivity, and leisure which

charitable organisations or support individuals.

helps us find meaning, purpose and structure. Occupational therapists help empower people who can no longer engage

What opportunities are open to students after they

in those everyday occupations because they’re facing

graduate?

difficulties or barriers such as physical illness, disability,

We are a commissioned programme with Health Education

mental health or learning disabilities. In occupational therapy

Improvement Wales who fund student training across our

students learn about the whole breadth of occupation and

allied health and nursing programmes. Students can opt

the impact this can have on our health and well-being, they

to receive additional bursary funding which places an

don’t just learn about the physical aspect of someone’s health

expectation on them to work in Wales for a minimum of two

or disability, but the person as a whole. The subject areas

years post qualification. Students typically secure posts as

cover anatomy, physiology and psychology initially. Students

a Band 5 occupational therapists within the NHS once they

learn how an individual functions and how they can engage

graduate but can equally move into employment in social

in their occupations and as the programme progresses, they

care and the independent or third sector. The profession

learn about what barriers they may face. They underpin

offers a diversity in roles across different areas of practice

their practice with the bio-psycho-social approach which

including acute hospital services, mental health, paediatrics,

involves thinking about how someone interacts with their

primary care, and community rehabilitation alongside more

environment and the context in which they live, work and

specialist areas of practice.

engage in. Our students must gain a minimum of 1000 hours of placement experience to qualify and register with the Health and Care Professions Council, our regulatory body.

What is your best advice for anyone wanting to pursue occupational therapy?

To really understand what occupational therapy is. It’s such How can students get a place on the programme?

a diverse profession and there are so many opportunities

The occupational therapy degree programme is

for students, graduates and practitioners. Throughout your

commissioned by Health Education Improvement Wales

career you can change and move across between different

(HEIW) offering individuals the opportunity to train and

areas of practice, as a career and a profession it offers so

qualify as an occupational therapist. We have two routes, a

much to so many people. The Royal College of Occupational

three-year full time and four-year part time programme, so

Therapist’s website can be used to look into the profession

you can apply for the one that fits you best.

and find career information. The University run open days and engagement events throughout the year where you can

What type of work are you involved with outside of the

chat to the tutor team to understand what is expected if

programme?

you wish to pursue a career in occupational therapy. Highly

There’s plenty of opportunities for our students to get

recommended! n

NWM 2021 Page 63

MAGAZINE

Page 64 NWM 2020

Learning by heart

Rydal Penrhos recognises the importance of the “whole

This also gives our parents peace of mind knowing their

child”, including social and emotional learning along with

children are eating the right things, being provided with

academics. And one good place to find opportunities to

multiple choices on a daily basis and learning all about the

support our pupils in this sense is by providing all the

benefits of a strong nutritional foundation that they can take

nutrients needed during meal times to keep them focused –

into higher education and later life.

both in and out of the classroom.

Our menus are always being monitored and assessed by Maintaining a balanced diet and regular exercise is important

our incredible staff team, making tweaks and improvements

for all individuals, especially those within education, no matter

where needed. This is part of the school’s ongoing strategy

their age. These children are required to eat a variety of foods

to provide a well-rounded and exceptional education from

from each group to ensure optimal intake of all vitamins and

Pre-School right up until our Year 13 pupils are ready for the

minerals.

next stage of their respective journeys.

At the same time, they may face new challenges regarding

A healthy, balanced diet is a key component of this. As is

food choices and habits. Decisions about what to eat are

providing all the necessary tools needed for our pupils to

partly determined by what is provided in school, at home, the

explore more about how food impacts performance and

influences from friends and the information they gather from

overall mindset in pursuit of making the right choices when

social media, which is becoming a growing influence.

presented with them. Knowledge is power, after all.

School-aged children grow significantly, but at a slower rate,

Rydal Penrhos looks to provide specialist Food Studies

whilst being very physically active in general. As a result, their

and Nutrition lessons as part of the curriculum, which is

nutritional needs are high and critical. Additionally, genetic

yet another unique approach to providing our pupils with

background, gender, body size and shape are all important

a heightened sense of awareness. Something our pupils

determinants of nutrient requirements.

thoroughly enjoy judging by a recent survey conducted with Year 7 to see how they are transitioning and what each

This is something Rydal Penrhos realises is a top priority

child is liking most about the senior site. Almost every pupil

and we work closely with catering partners Holroyd Howe on

named Food and Nutrition as one of their top subjects, with

producing a balanced menu throughout the week, something

the lunches also coming in for significant praise from the

that’s proven a big hit with pupils and staff alike.

group. n

Of course, for our pupils, it’s just eating delicious and varied dishes with friends. But to staff, it’s feeding bright young minds and enabling them to progress both academically and during their extra-curricular activities. It might sound like a small thing. However, it makes a significant difference and is

John Waszek is the Principal of Rydal Penrhos

further reflected in our pupils’ development across all areas and consistently exceptional examination results at both A Level and GCSE.

NWM 2021 Page 65

Ymunwch â ni yn un o’n MAGAZINE

digwyddiadau agored Yn bersonol neu ar-lein

Join us at one of our

open events In person or online

Cadwch le / Book now

wgu.ac.uk/open Page 66 NWM 2021

EDUCATION NEWS Opportunity to become a Children’s Nurse There is now an opportunity to study for a BN (Hons) Degree at Wrexham Glyndŵr University to become a Children’s Nurse. The BN (Hons) with Registered Children’s Nurse is a brand new programme developed to meet the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) (2018) Future Nurse standards. The course consists of 50 per cent clinical practice and 50 per cent theory. “There is a range of experience amongst the staff here that students will be able to draw upon, and this course opens up a real career pathway to becoming a children’s nurse,” commented programme leader Karen Griffiths. “The curriculum is very much person-centred and there is a blended learning approach.”

St Davids offers exceptional pastoral care St David’s College has, since it’s inception in 1965, placed enormous value in focusing on the individual and supporting them to realise the potential of their own gifts. Two-way communication between staff and pupils is key. Pupils must feel comfortable enough to speak up about anything that is concerning them. Staff strive to get to know pupils as well as possible and make themselves available. An open dialogue between pupils and staff is hugely important, because every

November Open Events at Grŵp Llandrillo Menai Grŵp Llandrillo Menai’s colleges have announced their first on-site Open Events in nearly two years. Coleg Llandrillo, Coleg Menai and Coleg Meirion-Dwyfor have thousands of options to suit your needs and to help you fulfil your potential, including the widest choice of full-time, parttime, apprenticeships & degree courses in North Wales.

Upcoming open events are:

J Coleg Llandrillo: Rhos-on-Sea Campus: Monday 15th November, 5.30pm – 7.30pm

J Rhyl Campus: Tuesday 16th November, 5.30pm – 7.30pm

J Coleg Menai: Llangefni Campus: Wednesday 24th November, 4.30pm – 7pm Bangor/Parc Menai Campus: Thursday 25th November, 4.30pm – 7pm

J Coleg Meirion-Dwyfor: Dolgellau Campus: Tuesday 23rd November, 4.30pm – 7pm Pwllheli Campus: Wednesday 1st December, 4.30pm – 7pm

J Coleg Glynllifon: Saturday 27th November, 10am - 4pm

child feels safe in the knowledge that they are a valued member of the community, that is where their true gifts can be found, nurtured, and given the freedom to flourish.

Rydal Penrhos scholarship for talented pupil Every academic year, Rydal Penrhos also offers scholarship premiums to children with ‘exceptional talent’. These are open to pupils already within the school as well as to those joining and are based on testing and recommendations from teaching staff who are constantly monitoring their development. Another example of this was confirmed just before the half-term break, with Executive Principal John Waszek presenting Year 12 pupil Sophie Madden with an Art scholarship in recognition of her outstanding progress under the guidance of Mark Sherrington, the school’s Head of Art, and other teaching staff. “What sets Sophie apart is her technical skill with paint and drawing materials,” said Mr Sherrington. “The speed at which she is improving is breathtaking and I am certain this is because she has been prepared to read around the subject and investigate how other artists work. As a teacher, she is a fantastic pupil because she always listens, responds and reacts to being challenged. I am genuinely excited to have such a talented painter in the studio for the next two years.”

NWM 2020 Page 67

MAGAZINE

Page 68 NWM 2021

Team spirit Rydal Penrhos has a long-standing tradition of sporting success throughout its history, as Maria McLean reports.

The school has produced a wealth of international-calibre

Rydal Penrhos is delighted to host local clubs and teams who

athletes over the years, who all built their early foundations as

train with us on a weekly basis. This also includes Welsh

pupils before going on to achieve great things.

youth rugby, cricket, netball and hockey squads who hold residential training camps with us. The school’s incredible

Whether it’s Wilf Wooller –widely regarding as one of the

New Field sporting venue – which has its own pavilion –

greatest all-around sportsmen the country’s ever produced –

regularly hosts Cricket Wales youth matches and has seen

or the Prince of Centres Bleddyn Williams, Rydal Penrhos is

iconic figures such as Andrew Flintoff attend.

proud of its sporting heritage which is continuing right up to the present day.

Rydal Penrhos has a vast array of facilities, including a Sports Hall and Fitness Suite that can be used for netball, basketball and

This was no more evident than during the summer,

indoor cricket nets, with the astroturf surface providing a floodlit

with Georgia Wilson securing two bronze medals at the

training area for pupils and clubs across the region to utilise.

Paralympic Games and Vicky Thornley also representing Team GB en route to securing fourth in the women’s single

The school also has its own outdoor cricket nets area, no

sculls rowing event having previously won a silver medal at

fewer than five immaculate rugby pitches, seven outdoor

the Rio Olympics.

tennis courts, two squash courts, four Eton Fives courts and a dedicated short game golf area for anyone wishing to hone

All this comes from exceptional coaching delivered by

their bunker, chipping or putting skills.

the school’s staff team, who are constantly monitoring the progress of our aspiring athletes and developing programmes

If that wasn’t enough, Rydal Penrhos has an RYA accredited

to enhance conditioning and overall performance in pursuit of

Sailing and Water-Sports Centre as part of our campus and

reaching their respective goals.

this is available to visiting groups. Our instructors can put together taster sessions or a day on the water for our more

Not only this, but our pupils benefit from first-class facilities

qualified visitors, which has been part of the school’s history

to give them another major boost as they look to follow in the

for more than 60 years and something pupils absolutely love

footsteps of those who’ve been so incredibly successful in

all through the academic year. n

years gone by.

The sporting facilities at Rydal Penrhos are available for These are not only used by pupils during school time, but

evening and weekend hire and during all school holidays.

NWM 2021 Page 69

Volunteers Needed Citizens Advice is a dynamic, innovative, professional organisation that gives advice to communities on their rights and responsibilities.

Gain new skills, increase your confidence and improve your employment opportunities.

Free training provided and expenses paid.

Volunteer roles include: Initial assessors and General advisers For role descriptions and an application pack, please contact Julie:

07775 917 825 julie.pierce@dcab.co.uk

Abbeyfield Colwyn Bay With two accommodations in Rhos-on-Sea with close proximity to the seafront, and one in Colwyn Bay we can offer safe and secure accommodation in a sheltered environment for the elderly We are very proud of our three houses which are decorated to a high standard with well-established gardens and conservatories.

We aim to provide a peaceful and friendly atmosphere where you will be in the company of like-minded people.

• Home Cooked Lunch • High Tea • Breakfast Provisions • All Bills included • Community Alarm Service • Washing and ironing done weekly • Room cleaned weekly If you would like to view any of our three properties please contact Anna by telephone or email Search @ abbeyfield colwyn bay society on facebook

For more information contact General Manager Anna Hamblett on 01492 533724 or email abbeyfieldcolwynbay@gmail.com

Abbeyfield Colwyn Bay Society 10/12 Alexandra Road Colwyn Bay LL29 7YB

Abbeyfield.com

Images courtesy of Loveclic

TYING THE KNOT Talhenbont Hall on the Llŷn Peninsula is a fabulous place for an autumn wedding, as this lucky couple discovered…

Elen and Stephen finally got to tie the knot at Talhenbont Hall in October after having to postpone their wedding due to Covid. The couple opted for a sumptuous, rich autumnal colour palette which worked perfectly in the Hall & Coach House.

Elen and Stephen took exclusivity of the whole Estate for the weekend, enjoying a meal at Dylan’s in Criccieth the night before the wedding, returning to the Hall for drinks by the grand fireplace.

Dress by True Bride

Elen looked stunning in her dress by True Bride, while the bridesmaids wore deep plum dresses. The florals were truly breathtaking, provided by award winning florist Springbank Flowers.

The ceremony took place in the Grade II Listed Coach House – and the aisle certainly had the ‘wow’ factor! The drinks reception was served in the Main Hall with fabulous canapés provided by Cheeky Chilli.

Make up and hair by Moncrieffe

Then it was back to the Coach House for the Wedding Breakfast, a delicious three course meal which included Welsh Lamb as the main. A magnificent chocolate cake was provided by Cariad Cakes by Pippa.

The evening entertainment was provided by The 1965 featuring the fabulous

Florals by Springbank Flowers

vocalist Elin Fflur. The following day the couple enjoyed a hog roast and drinks in the Hall. An absolutely magical wedding from start to finish! n Talhenbont Hall www.talhenbonthall.co.uk

NWM 2021 Page 71

Llandudno Kia

Friday 5th November 3pm, 5pm or 6pm

Book your spot now at

www.llandudnokia.co.uk LLANDUDNO KIA Argyll Road, Llandudno, Conwy, LL30 1DF

|

www.llandudnokia.co.uk

Tel: 01492 875991 Email: info@llandudnokia.co.uk

NORTH WALES MOTOR COMPANY We are delighted to announce that North Wales Honda has opened a second showroom in Llandudno and welcomed the Kia brand into our family.

With the expansion from one Global brand to two major brands we are delighted to now offer our customers the broadest range of cars of any independent family run business in North Wales.

Our award-winning friendly team of experts are ready to guide you through our range of petrol, hybrid, electric and diesel cars.

Our compact economical cars are now the Hybrid Jazz and nippy petrol Picanto and Rio. If you need something with a bit more space and range, we have the Civic, Stonic and Ceed. Small SUVs are the exciting new self-charging Hybrid HR-V and Hybrid or all electric Niro.

Larger vehicles with more space and pace are the, X Ceed, Pro Ceed and Ceed Sports wagon. If you need space and height the award-winning CR-V, Sportage and Sorento tick all the boxes.

With 17 models across our two brands, and a host of pure Electric cars complimented with Hybrid variants I feel we have solutions for all of your motoring needs. With so much activity, great news, it’s the same TEAM. Adrian still has a firm hand on quality control and customer satisfaction across the two brands and Erin will keep you moving with a larger team of aftersales experts and we have added more technicians into our workshop.

With so much activity we have invested heavily in what we believe will be the best workshop in North Wales, on Argyll Road. During Covid we purchased the former Peugeot site and set about refurbishing possibly the oldest car workshop in North Wales, soon to become the most modern. With two MOT ramps and eight service ramps, a full body shop, tyre and parts department, we will satisfy all your needs.

Please browse our stock from the comfort of your own home, with our www.northwaleshonda.co.uk and www.llandudnokia.co.uk websites. You can reserve a car subject to test drive for only £99. To book a service or MOT simply email info@nwmco.co.uk or call 01492875991 and follow the menu for sales or service for either brand.

We may have got bigger, but I promise that we will not compromise on quality or our level of service. The motor industry is under going the biggest change in technology for over 100 years, and we are here to help and guide you at North Wales Motor Company, Llandudno.

David Paveley Managing Director North Wales Motor Company Ltd.

Community

News

Thursd ay 9th Decem be 2021 r

Marchnad Nadolig Fictoraidd Wrecsam 2021 – 12pm tan 8pm

Wrexham’s Victorian Christmas Market 2021 – 12noon – 8pm

Mae Marchnad Nadolig Fictoraidd Wrecsam bellach yn

Wrexham’s Victorian Christmas Market has become one of

un o’r digwyddiadau y mae disgwyl mawr amdano yng

the most eagerly awaited events in the town’s calendar and

nghalendr y dref, ac mae’n denu miloedd o ymwelwyr

successfully attracts thousands of shoppers year after year.

flwyddyn ar ôl blwyddyn. Bydd thema Fictoraidd i’r

2021 will once again see a Victorian theme to the market and

farchnad unwaith eto eleni, a bydd dros 100 o stondinau’n

visitors will find over 100 stalls from Queens Square right up

disgwyl yr ymwelwyr, o Sgwâr y Frenhines yr holl ffordd at

to and inside St Giles’ Church.

ac y tu mewn i Eglwys San Silyn.

Stalls this year will be selling a selection of festive gifts and Bydd y stondinau eleni yn gwerthu dewis da o anrhegion a

treats alongside Victorian street entertainers and traditional

danteithion Nadolig ac mi fydd yna hefyd ddiddanwyr stryd

rides and side stalls. There will be all sorts of hot, freshly

Fictoraidd, ffair fach draddodiadol a stondinau bach eraill. Mi

prepared food to try including German sausages, festive

fydd yna bob mathau o fwydydd poeth, o selsig Almaenaidd

mince pies, mulled wine and hot chestnuts.

a mins peis i win poeth a chnau castan wedi’u rhostio.

What makes this market really special is that it spills over Ond yr hyn sy’n gwneud y farchnad yn un arbennig iawn

into the beautiful parish church of St Giles – a real haven

ydi’r ffaith ei bod hi’n parhau y tu mewn i eglwys hardd

of warmth on a cold winter’s evening. Inside there are

San Silyn – sy’n hafan o gynhesrwydd ar noson oer o

more stalls and refreshments, music and carols and many

aeaf. Y tu mewn mi fydd yna fwy o stondinau a lluniaeth,

of the thousands of visitors are so captivated by their

cerddoriaeth a charolau, ac fe gewch chi’ch hudo gan yr

surroundings that they take an opportunity to just sit and

eglwys wrth i chi eistedd i lawr a mwynhau hwyl yr ŵyl.

soak up the atmosphere for a while.

Tom Grennan announces Rhyl Events Arena Show Tom Grennan has had an extraordinary year playing to huge crowds at Reading, Leeds Latitude & TRNSMT festivals as well as a massive sold out 15-date UK tour to support his album Evering Road which he described as a “thank you note” following a breakup back in March. It was flanked by the singles ‘This Is The Place’, ‘Oh Please’, ‘Little Bit Of Love’ ‘Amen’ and ‘Something Better’, and went on to earn Grennan his first UK Number One album. The show at The Events Arena in Rhyl follows the highly successful Tom Jones concert earlier this year and is again delivered by award winning promoters Orchard Live. “We’re really excited about returning to Rhyl after such an amazing and successful night with Sir Tom Jones back in September, this is the first announcement of a series of shows we will be bringing to Rhyl next summer!’’ commented Pablo Janczur form Orchard Live.

Tickets for the show, which will take place on Sunday 10th July 2022, are available from Rhyl Pavilion box office.

Page 74 NWM 2021

Military veteran shares experience of living with PTSD An Army veteran who suffers from PTSD after serving in Iraq has shared his story of how taking action against the MOD helped turn his life around. Andrew Preston says talking to law firm, Lanyon Bowdler, which has offices in Conwy, about making a legal claim against his former employer was a major turning point in his life. He tells the story how PTSD affected him and his loved ones, and

MOSTYN opens seasonal showcase

discusses the progress he has made, in the latest episode

MOSTYN Gallery Shop’s new seasonal showcase, ‘Gifts

of the The Legal Lounge podcast. “I felt strongly that I

from Wales and the Borders’, is now open and runs until

had to do something to make the MOD accept its failings

the 2nd February. Having selected some of the very

specifically in my case, and more generally for other soldiers

best craftspeople and artists working in Wales and the

who had suffered similarly,” he said. “I remember walking

Borders, they will be offering an eclectic range of gifts

into Lanyon Bowdler in Oswestry to ask if they did this kind

and treasures, including woodwork, knitwear, jewellery,

of negligence case, and it was a difficult but really important

glassware, original artworks, limited edition prints and a

step to take.” With the support of legal specialists at Lanyon

beautiful mix of hand-crafted contemporary items to suit

Bowdler, Andrew built a case against the MOD, resulting in

every budget. MOSTYN is proud to support hundreds of

a financial settlement and support package which changed

independent makers in their retail spaces, and any income

his life. “It was a very cathartic experience,” he said. “I was

generated by the gallery shop is invested back into their

taking a stand against an employer who had not done what

exhibition and community programmes. What better

was expected of them. Yes it was difficult to bear your soul

reason to treat yourself?

in front of people, but I am so glad we did it and it was a great relief when we won the case.” To listen to the podcast, search for The Legal Lounge on Apple Podcasts.

Mynydd Sleddog looking to grow Junior Academy Mynydd Sleddog Adventures is Wales’ first and only outdoor activity provider, specialising in husky rides and sled dog adventures with their team of racing sled dogs. With 20 years experience of training and racing sled dogs in the UK and abroad, they pride themselves on providing awesome adventures for anyone who loves the wild outdoors and, of course, sled dogs. This autumn Mynydd launched the Wales Junior Sleddog Sports Academy, which so far has proven to be hugely successful. They are working with 20 super young people who receive fortnightly tuition and coaching in two classifications of Sleddog Sports; Dryland Rig and Canicross, and are hoping to inspire them to compete in the British National Championship Sleddog Sports Event being held in February 2022. Due to the overwhelming interest in the Academy they are now taking bookings for their Spring Junior Academy, which will be an intensive programme during the February half term break, so if you know a young person who loves dogs, loves sports and being outdoors, why not treat them to a place on the next Academy?

NWM 2021 Page 75

Walking

world

THE ASCENT OF CARN FADRYN

The lovely Llŷn Peninsula feels very remote in many parts with a few towns and several villages and hamlets. Apart from a limited number of major roads most of the driving takes place on narrow

THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW

lanes that have a certain romance about them and make you slow walking destination the Llŷn Peninsula is superb with a mixture

J Distance: 4.0 miles/6.43 kilometres J Time: Allow around 3 – 3.5 hours J Start: Use the free car park for Carn Fadryn

of stunning coastal walks and plenty to do inland as well. Interest

(more of a large lay-by) near the hamlet of

away from the coast is centred around the several distinct hills

Garnfadryn which is about 5.5 miles south

that are scattered around the area and which offer stunning views

of Nefyn

down which fits in nicely with the aura of the place perfectly. As a

from their summits. This month’s walk climbs to the 1,217 ft./371 metre summit of Carn Fadryn which is one of the most striking of the Llŷn Peninsula’s hills and visible from many parts of the region.

Carn Fadryn looks very like a volcanic cone and has a five-hectare Iron Age hill fort on the summit. Carn Fadryn overlooks the village

J Grid Ref: SH 277345 J Nearest postcode: LL53 8TG J Ordnance Survey Map: Ordnance Survey Explorer 253 – Llŷn Peninsula West

J What to expect: This walk uses a combination

of Garnfadryn and although the climb to the summit is steep and a

of field paths and tracks which are fairly

bit rough it’s well worth the effort for the all-round panorama from

clear throughout. There are some fairly steep

the top. This walk is a full-blown hill route and you should wear

ascents and descents on the route and the final

boots and carry waterproofs, a hat and gloves and make sure you

pull up to the summit of Carn Fadryn is rough

choose a day of settled weather for the outing. You should also carry

as is the descent. As this is a full-blown hill

a map and compass. There appears to have been several phases to

walk full hill gear is required as well a good

the building of the hill fort on Carn Fadryn’s summit with the first

pair of walking boots plus a map and compass.

period dating from about 300 BC when the summit and an area of

Take walking sticks in summer as some of the

about 12 acres were enclosed. This works was reinforced during a

paths can be a little overgrown. Avoid in bad

later second period dating from around 100 BC. During the second building periods a larger area to the north end of the summit was enclosed and this covered an area of around 26 acres. A third fort appeared on the summit during Medieval times and is thought to be the legendary ‘castle of the sons of Owain’. It is possible this third fortification dates from around the 1180’s. Once you have climbed to the top it’s easy to see why this was such a popular destination for

weather.

J Dogs: OK on leads J Suitable for: Experienced hill walkers who don’t mind steep ascents and some rough going

J Refreshments: Best heading for Nefyn or Pwllheli

hill forts for on a clear day the view takes in Anglesey, Snowdonia, a lot of Cardigan Bay and (on a very clear day) even the Wicklow Mountains in Ireland. As a military position it would have been very easy to defend

NWM 2021 Page 77

3

MAGAZINE

WALK DETAILS 5

START

2

4

From the parking area (with your back to Carn Fadryn) go right down the lane. Follow it and when it bends left go ahead taking a lane signposted for a ‘Dead End’. Continue

START/ FINISH

to the lane end and a fork of two tracks.

Points of interest on this section

J The Llŷn Peninsula extends 30 miles/50 km into the Irish Sea south west of the Isle of Anglesey. It is very popular with tourists and water sports enthusiasts

2 Take the right hand track and follow this under the slopes of Carn Fadryn. Pass through a gate and continue on the track beyond. At a left fork and a house stay ahead on a rougher

ght https://openstreetmap.org track. Follow this past a fork left to another house (Pen y Gorgl) ntributors, under an open licence

on your left. Continue ahead to leave the track half left (just

before the ruins of a building and well before a gate) taking a rougher track left of the ruins. Drop to a stile in a fence corner.

3 Cross the stile and pass through a wall gap to follow an overgrown sunken path to reach an open field via a wall gap.

Llandu

dno Ca

4 Leave the right of way to go right and reach a stile in a wall.

Cross the stile and take the rising hillside path beyond. Soon join a better path at a junction and go right. Climb steeply up

Follow the faint path at the top right of the field keeping a

the slopes of Carn Fadryn. Continue rising on the main path

wall right. At the end of this field cross a stile (or go through

passing cairns. Follow the path to the summit of Carn Fadryn.

a gate next to it). Continue over the next field keeping a wall

The trig point is on a rocky outcrop.

ble Ca

r

right. Cross a stile in a fence and continue over the next field with the wall right and a caravan site ahead half left. At the

Points of interest on this section

end of this field climb steps and cross a stile. Continue across

J The 1,217 ft./371 metre summit of Carn Fadryn is one of the

a fourth field keeping the wall right. In a short distance cross

most striking of the Llŷn Peninsulas hills and visible from

a stile right to a plantation. Go left to follow the plantation edge

many parts of the region. There is an Iron Age hill fort on the

on a narrow rough path. As the plantation ends and you reach

top

open ground cross a stile to a marshy area of a field. Go ahead to cross a small bridge. Take a path across the field ahead

5 Re-trace your steps back down the hill side. When the

keeping to the left side to cross a stile to another field. Go ahead

path forks left to drop back to the stile stay right leaving your

over this aiming slightly half left to pick up a track. Take this to

outbound route. Continue to descend by a wall and follow the

dip to a hollow and cross a stream near a small rock face by a

wall down to reach a gate left. Pass through this to descend an

solitary tree. Rise beyond this heading well right of the corner

enclosed track. Continue on this as it becomes surfaced picking

at the top of the field following the path as best you can to go

up a house drive. Descend this to a lane and go right back to

through a gate right of a gate. Follow the direction of the yellow

the parking area.

arrow to rise next to a wall right. When the angle eases cross the brow of the slope. Descend with a wall right to a marker post. Go half left to cross the next field dipping to reach another arrow. Follow the direction on this to pass through a gate in a field corner. Climb beyond to a grassy col between Carn Fadryn and Garn Bach. Pass over the col to reach a wall corner near a marker post and a gate.

Page 78 NWM 2021

A WORD OF CAUTION Walking in the outdoors can be a strenuous activity and it is up to you to ensure that you are fit and healthy enough to undertake the route described and to approach the venture with caution and care. You should wear appropriate footwear and suitable clothing, take along food and drink plus carry the relevant map and a compass and be able to use it. The details given here are believed to be correct at the time of going to press. However, neither North Wales Magazine nor the author can accept responsibility for inaccuracies encountered.

You also must ensure that travelling to any location does not breach any current lockdown restrictions.

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NWM 2021 Page 81

MAGAZINE

IN THE

STARS...

While everyone remembers Russell Grant from his Breakfast TV appearances in the 1980’s, most people don’t realise that Russell was the first astrologer in over 300 years to present a horoscope forecast to a member of the Royal Family (HRH Queen Mother). Now dubbed the “Royal Astrologer” Russell has appeared on numerous television shows, including Strictly Come Dancing. He divides his time between London and his North Wales home near Portmeirion. www.russellgrant.com

November’s horoscopes brought to you by Russell Grant ARIES (March 21st – April 20th) November has an intense beginning for you. It’s possible you’ll get an unexpected bill on the 4th, when the New Moon disrupts your cash flow. If you’re looking for work, seek opportunities that pay on a commission basis. You’ll easily outperform the competition. Close relationships can be a source of irritation in the middle weeks of November.

LIBRA (September 24th – October 23rd) Salary negotiations could be stressful at the start of November. The New Moon on the 4th will make it difficult to get the compensation you deserve. Instead of committing to a long-term contract, it might be best to sign on for a couple of months, then renegotiate the terms of the deal early next year. The Lunar Eclipse on the 19th puts strain on an intimate relationship.

TAURUS (April 21st – May 21st) The New Moon on the 4th pressures you to make a commitment or walk away from a union. An intense desire for freedom may prompt you to go solo. Don’t overestimate your importance at work towards the middle of the month. On the 19th, a Lunar Eclipse will tempt you to change your image. This could do more harm than good.

SCORPIO (October 24th – November 22nd) Resist the temptation to undergo a radical makeover at the beginning of November. Although the New Moon on the 4th will make you yearn for a different look, you could be terrifically disappointed with the results. The Lunar Eclipse on the 19th could mark the end of a close relationship that is no longer working for you.

GEMINI (May 22nd – June 21st) On the 4th, the New Moon warns against accepting a job that seems too good to be true. It’s better to hold out for a position at an established company with a good reputation. A Lunar Eclipse on the 19th brings the end to a secretive situation that has been making you miserable. Turning your back on this part of your life will be a relief.

SAGITTARIUS (November 23rd – December 21st) The New Moon on the 4th could push you into the background, despite a desire to command the spotlight. Attending to background tasks and administrative work is critical to your wellbeing.. A Lunar Eclipse on the 19th demonstrates the need to take good care of your body.

Replace sugar, fat and alcohol with lean protein, fresh produce and whole grains.

CANCER (June 22nd – July 23rd) The opening days of the month can emphasise the need for fun, romance and adventure. The New Moon on the 4th could make you irritated. Until you change your priorities, you’ll remain anxious and stressed. On the 19th, the Lunar Eclipse will prompt you to leave an organisation or friendship that no longer reflects your values.

LEO (July 24th – August 23rd) Family matters will inspire a big change on or around the 4th, due to a conflicted New Moon. Alter your approach to work so that you can spend more quality time with your nearest and dearest. The middle of the month finds you facing off with your best friend or romantic partner. Be honest when they ask for more than you can deliver.

VIRGO (August 24th – September 23rd) Traffic tie-ups and electronic breakdowns could wreak havoc in your life on the 4th, due to a tense New Moon. The middle of November warns against overindulging in food and drink. Practicing moderation will boost your productivity, helping you attract a good work opportunity. On the 19th, the Lunar Eclipse could mark a shocking end to a legal matter.

Page 82 NWM 2020

CAPRICORN (December 22nd – January 20th) Working on a group project could be frustrating at the start of the month. The New Moon on the 4th could throw some technical glitches into a teleconference. The middle of November warns against engaging in retail therapy. If you want to fill an emotional void, pour your energy into realising a dream you’ve had since childhood.

AQUARIUS (January 21st – February 19th) The New Moon on the 4th brings your attention to career matters. If an exciting opportunity falls through, don’t despair. A bigger and better job will arrive. Your job is to stay positive and imagine yourself doing the work you love. A Lunar Eclipse on the 19th brings an end to an upsetting family matter.

PISCES (February 20th – March 20th) It may be necessary to cancel a trip or academic program near the 4th, due to a challenging New Moon. Instead of dwelling on your disappointment, fill your time with a writing or learning project that stimulates your intellect. The Lunar Eclipse on the 19th could deliver shocking news about someone you have always admired.

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