FEBRUARY 2020
! EE FR
MAGAZINE
Town in Focus
What’s on? Your monthl guide to locay events l
Exploring Colwyn Bay
SNOWDONIA RESTORING THE NATURAL FABRIC OF OUR NATIONAL PARK
ROMANTIC RETREATS
WHERE TO ESCAPE TO THIS VALENTINE’S DAY
INSIDE J Competitions J Homes & Interiors J Food & Drink
MAGAZINE
ADULTS
£29 CHILD
£19
5-12 years
PUMP UP YOUR
ADVENTURE WITH OUR HALF DAY
ADRENALINE PASS
INCLUDES YOUR ENTRY TO AERIAL ASSAULT & SLIDES, THE CAVES & INDOOR ADVENTURE CLIMB. Your half day pass saves you a whopping 65% (child) and 45% (adult) when compared to our regular activity prices. Not to be used with any other offer. Check online for our terms and conditions.
01492 353 123 info@adventureparcsnowdonia.com www.adventureparcsnowdonia.com
Page 2 NWM 2020
HOME OF ADRENALINE INDOORS & SURF SNOWDONIA NWM 2020 Page 3
LUXURY OUTDOOR LIVING
High quality, affordable prices. Available for immediate local delivery.
Snowdonia Nurseries & Garden Centre, Glan Conwy 01492 580703 www.snowdonianurseries.co.uk
MAGAZINE
DEAR READER Last month saw St Dwynwen’s Day, this month it’s St Valentine’s turn! And there is nowhere better to cosy up with your loved one than in North Wales… From a romantic stroll on the beach to a
likewise, if you live by the sea already, then a
candlelit dinner for two, you can do it all here.
country break will feel like a world away.
But perhaps the best way to really enjoy Valentine’s Day is to get away from it all with
We have seaside hotels, B&B’s, luxury
a romantic retreat.
lodges, farmhouses, cottages and swanky apartments that are all available to rent
There is a huge choice of places to stay
for a short break. Throw in a hot tub, a
in North Wales and, even if you are lucky
roaring fire and room service and you’ve got
enough to live in the region already,
Valentine’s all wrapped up!
that doesn’t mean that you can’t take full advantage of some of the amazing retreats. If you live in the countryside, then just a short drive to the beach can make you feel like you’re actually in a different country! And
Kate Hamilton Founding Editor
J
In this issue...
From exploring a bustling seaside town to getting back to nature in the Snowdonia National Park – it’s pretty safe to say that North Wales has it all…
We want to hear from you! 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 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 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 £75. sales@ northwalesmagazine.co.uk
Front cover credit: © Shutterstock
NWM 2020 Page 5
MAGAZINE
Page 6 NWM 2020
Contents
MAGAZINE
EDITOR
Kate Hamilton
09 What’s On
PUBLISHER
Your guide to the events taking place this February
Grant Hamilton
16 The Big Pic Conwy in the winter
19 Is anyone there?
SALES MANAGER
Scott Lawson
23
ART DIRECTOR
Simon Marriott
Meet your local ghost hunter…
MARKETING MANAGER
Carly Redgers
23 Snowdonia National Park
DISTRIBUTION MANAGER
Are peat bogs the answer?
Nigel Smith
27 Town in Focus
CONTRIBUTORS
Discovering Colwyn Bay
34 Community spirit
27
Helping cancer patients regain their confidence
37
37 Top ten… Romantic retreats
43 Island life
CONTACT US editorial@northwalesmagazine.co.uk sales@northwalesmagazine.co.uk subscribe@northwalesmagazine.co.uk
Church Island has quite the story to tell
49 Food & Drink
whatson@northwalesmagazine.co.uk
The local wining, dining and culinary scene
65 Homes & Property Get inspired by local homes and interiors
77
77 Walking A circuit of Flint Castle
81 Competition Two amazing prizes to win this month!
83 Community news A roundup of regional happenings
89 In my opinion Our expert columnists share their thoughts
98 Horoscopes What does February have in store for you?
Steve Goodier Lowri Llewelyn Stephen Gregory Cai Ross Pete Greensmith Sally Ann Harding Julian Hughes John Crane Sion Bashar Russell Grant
83
01492 472052 2nd Floor, 23A Abergele Road, Colwyn Bay, LL29 7RS 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. 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. Privacy Notice. You can read North Wales Magazine’s Privacy Notice in full at www.northwalesmagazine.com
NWM 2020 Page 7
5th
Wrexham Glyndwr University Open Day If you’re thinking of furthering your academic study at
What’s on this...
FEBRUARY
postgraduate level, develop your career further by undertaking a professional or vocational course or just want to pursue a short or part-time course in an area that’s always interested you then Wrexham Glyndŵr University can help you to take the next step, with a variety of courses on offer. Stop by for a tour and information at 4:30pm
1st
Banff Mountain Film Festival World From skydiving in Mexico to ice skating on the spectacular frozen lakes and fjords of Sweden, this is a collection of short, adrenaline-fuelled films made by the world’s best adventure
7th
film-makers. There are two different sets of films to choose
Bangor on Dee Race
from – or double the adventure and come to both!
Bangor-on-Dee will hold the first fixture of 2020 on Heritage Day! Open course and Paddock tickets can be bought in
1st
Iwan at Ucheldre - Beethoven and the Lost Penny In 2020 the classical music world pays tribute to one of its
advance at a discounted price. First race starts at 1:40pm
8th
most endearing and remarkable sons, Ludwig van Beethoven.
Beer Festival
Iwan Llewelyn-Jones returns to Ucheldre to mark the 250th
Theatr Clwyd and Beer Heroes
anniversary of Beethoven’s birth with a series of recitals that
(Chester) and are combining
feature the piano music of this extraordinary composer. Music
forces to create an iconic
starts at 7:30pm
Craft Beer Festival featuring over 10 of the most exciting breweries, along with an 8-tap bar, live music and plenty of
1st
Cabaret: Bardd Bardd are back with two brilliant sets of their unique
food. There are two sessions throughout the day, 1pm and 7pm. Tickets are £10.00 each, and includes a complimentary drink and branded glass
dualingual global music fusion at Pontio Bangor. Featuring the Spoken Word Poetry of Martin Daws and Emceeing of Mr Phormula; show starts at 8pm
8th-9th
4th-8th
Kinky Boots The Musical, filmed live at
Jason Manford Curtains
Kinky Boots London’s Adelphi Theatre, is strutting
The star of a new Broadway-
onto the big screen at Theatr Colwyn!
bound musical has been
Charlie is a factory owner struggling to
murdered on stage on opening
save his family business, and Lola is a
night! The entire cast and crew
fabulous entertainer with a wildly exciting
are suspects. Time to call in
idea. With a little compassion and a lot of
the local detective, Frank Cioffi.
understanding, this unexpected pair learn
With a nose for crime and an ear for music, Frank tries to find
to embrace their differences and create a
the killer whilst giving the show a lifeline. Tickets are from
line of sturdy stilettos unlike any the world
£28 at Venue Cymru
has ever seen!
NWM 2020 Page 9
MAGAZINE
What’s on this...
FEBRUARY
15th
Puccini – Madama Butterfly One of the world’s most popular operas, Puccini’s Madama Butterfly tells the heart-breaking story of the beautiful young Japanese girl who falls in love with an American naval lieutenant – with dramatic results. Highlights include the
8th - 9th
Marie at Earth Deva Collection
melodic Humming Chorus, the moving aria One Fine Day and the unforgettable Love
Marie has many fascinating items in her collection, to include
Duet. Opera begins at 7:30pm at the Rhyl
bowls, statues and more, with many being of a mythical theme.
Pavilion
She will also exhibit unusual silk and gemstone jewellery at the Afonwen Centre
14th
9th
The Pontio Studio in Bangor invite you to an evening of belly
Celtic Royal Wedding Open Day From 11am-3pm, the event team at the Celtic Royal invite to
Comedi Club laughs with Jarred Christmas, Foxdog Studio, Catherine Bohart. Tickets are £10, show starts at 8pm
tour the wedding facilities and meet wedding suppliers to discuss your big day. Free entry to all
14th
Rob Beckett
9th
Craft Fair
Give the gift of laughter this Valentine’s Day. Rob Beckett is
Theatr Clwyd invite you to browse through some of the
back on tour with a brand-new stand-up show. It’s been a
best local crafts and huge range our beautifully designed
busy few years for the Mouth of the South and he’s coming
products from 10am – 4pm. Perfect for Mother’s Day
to see you at Venue Cymru to fill you in and make you laugh
shopping; free entry 14th 11th
Crafty Sisters Cymru
Cocktails, Pizzas and Fajitas A perfect treat for you and your loved
The ladies will be at the Afonwen Centre exhibiting their
one this Valentine’s Day, The Conwy
handmade Resin, fused glass, braided and gemstone jewellery,
Falls Café invites you to enjoy comfort
as well as handmade greetings cards
food with your loved ones. Must call to book
13th-15th
Wizard of Oz
14th
The talented young actors and singers of the
Valentine’s Day at Rhug Estate
Llangollen Operatic Society are excited to be
Spoil your loved one for Valentines at the Rhug Estate’s Bison
performing the Wizard of Oz at Llangollen
Grill Bistro with the special Sweethearts’ four-course menu
Town Hall as part of the 80th Anniversary of the society.
and a free glass of Prosecco on arrival for those who have
Tickets are £12 Adults and £10 concessions
booked in advance. Dinner served from 6.30pm
Page 10 NWM 2020
WEDDINGS AT
QUAY HOTEL & SPA A PERFECT DAY
OUR NEXT WEDDING OPEN DAY IS S U N D A Y 5T H APRIL 1 2 - 4 P M If you just can't wait to get married we also have Whirlwind Packages* available for 2020
*T & C's apply
Deganwy Quay | Deganwy | Conwy | LL31 9DJ 01492 564100 www.quayhotel.co.uk NWM 2020 Page 11
MAGAZINE
What’s on this...
FEBRUARY 18th-22nd
Bang Bang! Monty Python’s John Cleese makes his stage writing debut with this hilarious new adaption of a classic comedy at Venue Cymru. For showtimes and prices visit the Venue Cymru website 19th 14th
Bryn Woodlands House 5th Birthday
The Fureys Formed in 1974, the folk band’s trendier than ever with a
Owners Joel and Tracey invite you to celebrate the Bryn
new generation discovering well known hits like The Green
Woodlands House fifth Birthday with their weekend
Fields of France. Watch the band live at the Pontio Bangor at
package includes cocktail tasting, a two-course meal and
7:30pm
entertainment. Room and meal packages still available. Fun starts at 6:30pm
20th
15th-23rd
For the first time ever, Theatr Clwyd is hosting
Half Term Fun at Greenwood Forest Park
Roller Disco a roller disco! Perfect for those who want to try
Visit GreenWood Family Park this this February half term
their hand at skating for the first time or if you just want to
and enjoy a live Forest theatre show, search for clues hidden
take it easy and get back into the swing of things? Daytime
around the park to claim your prize on the Syril the Squirrel
sessions from 10am-6:45pm, adult evening session with 80’s
activity trail. Also enjoy zooming down the 70m Great Green
music at 8:30pm. £10.00 per skate (including skate hire)
Run, indoor soft play, have a go at den building and explore
£6.00 spectator. Advance booking recommended
the TreeTop Towers 15th-23rd
Half Term / Half Day Adrenaline Pass Looking for a totally weatherproof day out? Grab a half day adrenaline pass for access to The Caves, Aerial Assault and Slides, and Indoor Adventure Climb at Adventure Parc Snowdonia’s epic Adrenaline Indoors facility. Entry is £19 age 5-12 / £29 age 13+.
20th
Clwb Comedi Pontio Studio in Bangor welcome three brilliant comedians to the monthly comedy club: Tom Wrigglesworth, Louise Young and Leroy Brito. Laughter starts at 8pm
Page 12 NWM 2020
20th
Rapunzel Immersion Theatre proudly presents a witty, tongue-in-cheek retelling of the family favourite complete with a laugh out loud script, a host of catchy songs, heaps of audience interaction, and an exciting array of magical characters which include a wickedly boo-able witch, a clumsy Prince, and a feisty Princess with the longest hair you’re ever likely to come across! Fun starts at 2:30pm at the Rhyl Pavilion
20th
National Theatre Live Edmond Rostand’s Cyrano de Bergerac (Broadcast)
21-23rd
Snowdonia Slate Trail The 90-mile marathon (yes you read correctly, 90 miles!) takes you on a scenic route from Bangor to Llanberis, Betws y
James McAvoy (X-Men, Atonement) returns to the stage in an
Coed, Beddgelert and then back to Bangor. Are you up for the
inventive new adaptation of Cyrano de Bergerac, broadcast
challenge? Get in touch with @uphilldowndale on Facebook to
live the Ucheldre from the West End in London at 7pm
learn more 22nd-23rd
Gill Benjamin Art Exhibit Local artist, Gill, paints in acrylic, of animal portraits, buildings, landscapes and seascapes. Browse through the collection at the Afonwen Centre 22nd
Rhyl 10 Mile Part of the 2020 Coastal Series, the seaside town of Rhyl welcome club and fun runners to join on a scenic, flat and fast course. Designed to help you achieve your personal 21st
Live Bands Night – HENGE
best, sign up with Run Wales
Band members Zpar, Nom, Goo and Grok bring you the gift of Cosmic Dross – a kind of music new to your world. Music starts at 7:30pm at the Ucheldre 21st
WRU Wales vs France The Wales Under 20’s Rugby team take on France at Stadiwm Zip World for an exciting match. Kick off at 7:35pm
23rd
Herman’s Hermits One of the biggest selling bands of the 60’s, not just in the UK, but around the World will take stage at the William Aston Hall singing hits like ‘I’m Into Something Good’ and ‘Mrs Brown You’ve Got a Lovely Daughter’. Enjoy an evening of nostalgia, song and laughter. Evening of Nostalgia, Song and Laughter, plus bringing all the Hits to life
NWM 2020 Page 13
MAGAZINE
What’s on this...
FEBRUARY 29th
That’ll be the day Prepare for a nostalgia extravaganza as the UK’s No.1 Rock & Roll variety performance returns with the Best of That’ll Be The Day! 29th
Wine Festival Come and celebrate St David’s Day weekend (and 25th
ROH Ballet Live - The Cellist / Dances at a Gathering (Broadcast)
a bonus leap year day) by tasting some of Wales’ finest produce at Theatr Clwyd.
Set to the music of Chopin, watch beautifully choreographed
Meet the producers, speak to
ballet at the Ucheldre. Dancing begins at 7:15pm
them one to one about what goes into the wine, and listen to them in speaker events throughout the day. Tickets are £10
25th
Circus of Horrors
29th
Whether you are a rock fan or theatre goer The Circus of
Levellers
Horrors has something for everyone. Don’t miss this amazing
Levellers are still going strong after 30 years in the game.
amalgamation of acts, driven by a rock ‘n’ roll sound scape, a
They have long been, and still are, one of the best live bands
show that will have you sat on the edge of your seat when not
around and they’re back in 2020 with a new studio album
falling off it with laughter.
and an extensive tour! With support act, Goldie Lookin’ Chain, the group will take stage at 7pm Venue Cymru 29th
Charlotte at Country Commissions Charlotte will be holding one of her paint your own piece workshops at the Afonwen Centre. Simply bring along a small piece of your own furniture and learn how to paint. Call the centre for more information 29th – 1st March
St. David’s Day Celebration Enjoy your Welsh favourites on a Special Saint David’s Day Menu served throughout the day on both days at the Rhug 29th
Whisky Masterclass For whisky enthusiasts we recommend this Penderyn Distillery Masterclass. As well as imparting their knowledge and experience on the importance of wood and the art of maturation, you will also learn the protocol of whisky tasting
Page 14 NWM 2020
Estate Bistro. Call to book in advance
Are you organising or taking part in an event that should be covered in our what’s on listings? Then get in touch! whatson@northwalesmagazine.co.uk
THE HOME OF BIG BRANDS
CHARNWOOD, GAZCO, HETA, MORSO, STOVAX.
AGA, ESSE, EVERHOT, LACANCHE, SMEG.
CA PIETRA, FISHER & PAYKEL, MINERVA.
KUDOS, LAUFEN, VILLEROY & BOCH, UTOPIA. We always offer great prices, but if in doubt, we’ll happily try to beat any like for like quotation or online price for our showroom products during January. Buy locally for luxury at the lowest price.
01745 582254 rnwilliams.co.uk Chester Street, St Asaph, LL17 0RE
MAGAZINE
Page 16 NWM 2020
The Big Picture Cowny is beautiful at any time of year, but it can be especially pretty on a cold winters day… Take a brisk walk up Conwy mountain, or stroll the town walls, and appreciate the view that seems even more special when dabbled in a bit of winter sun. And when the cold finally wins out, there is an abundance of cafés in the town where you can indulge in a spot of coffee and cake, and properly recharge your batteries. © Paul Maguire / Shutterstock.com
NWM 2020 Page 17
The Friendly
Ghost Hunter Lowri Llewelyn talks all things spooky with spiritualist medium Islwyn Wynne Owen. “I started seeing things at a young age, with spirits coming to me in my dreams. I only confided in my mum and grandmother as they didn’t want me to be bullied,” says Islwyn. “My mum used to run the Willow Spiritualist Group in Holyhead, which I now run. While she sensed things that were going to happen, my nan did the likes of tea leaf readings, as did my great grandmother.” Now that some of his loved ones have passed, I wonder whether seeing spirits makes it easier to process loss. “Loss is always hard, and I still get days where I miss my loved ones. But I work with my mum; she protects me when I work with spirits. I see her on a daily basis, but it is hard that I can’t get a physical hug off her.”
NWM 2020 Page 19
MAGAZINE
Today we’re at St Baglan’s Church, overlooking the Menai
door. The following morning, around 4:30am, I woke up on
Strait from the Gwynedd parish of Llanfaglan. Islwyn
my hands and knees on the floor. I was choking and couldn’t
senses a man in his sixties sporting a beard with us,
breathe. I thought maybe it was a dry throat, so I drank and
passed in the 17 or 1800s. “Spirits show themselves and
drank, but my throat was completely blocked. And then I
communicate in many different ways,” Islwyn explains,
opened my eyes and it was a spirit! I’ve no idea who it was.
when I ask why only a select few are privy to spiritual
I pushed it away and asked for my mum and past relatives
encounters. “I think many have the gift of communicating
to help me get rid of it.”
with spirits, but on different levels and with different abilities. How strong you are defines your ability. But, I
What does his family make of sharing sleeping quarters
know many people over the years who have had the gift
with these spirits? “My daughter claims to be a skeptic.
taken from them when they’ve abused it. The way I see it, I
My son gets people stopping him saying ‘Your dad talks
work for the spirit – they are in charge.”
to dead people,’ but he doesn’t mind. My partner is open minded. A couple of years back we had a spirit in the house
At this point I notice my microphone has stopped working,
we were in. One night, I threw a ball down the hallway for
and Islwyn chuckles that he should have predicted that
the dog and it bounced up a big step into the kitchen; the
would happen. The man, who Islwyn describes as ‘a pretty
ball came rolling back down the hallway and the dog just
stern guy,’ continues to watch what we’re doing as if to
looked at the kitchen and ran back into the lounge! I didn’t
make sure we’re behaving, though Islwyn doesn’t get a
tell my partner about that spirit. We sold the house and the
sense he’s the religious type. He keeps mentioning the land
people who moved in said a spirit was hiding their letters.”
surrounding the church –perhaps a dispute? – and insists
Hopefully it was just bills...
there are more bodies here than meets the eye. “I’ve kept it quiet about this house up until now, but Islwyn’s services are in high demand, taking him to the
apparently someone had hung themselves and a few former
furthest corners of the UK from Scotland to the Isle of
residents have moved because of so much activity. But it
White, while his media appearances include Most Haunted
doesn’t bother me, really. Up until the last couple of days
and digital channel TeliMôn. Seeing ghosts out and about is
I’ve never had to open up in the house, which I wish I didn’t
one thing. What about at home? “I’ve not really ‘opened up’
have to, because that was my time out. But it’s one of those
in my own house. But a few days ago, in the early hours of
things; my family know they’re safe with me there.”
the morning, my partner heard a loud thud. We didn’t think anything of it – maybe the elderly gentleman living next
Page 20 NWM 2020
It’s difficult to tell whether Islwyn’s gift is a blessing or a
IT’S DIFFICULT TO TELL WHETHER ISLWYN’S GIFT IS A BLESSING OR A CURSE, WITH MANY VIEWING HIM AS THEY KEY BETWEEN THEM AND THE OTHER SIDE
curse, with many viewing him as they key between them and the other side. “I only do the odd private reading now,” he says, “as I opened up too much once and was shown some graphic things, which upset me for a fair while.” Having encountered spirits across North Wales in locations ranging from Denbighshire asylum to The Bull Hotel in Llangefni, I’m keen to know where Islwyn considers to be the ultimate haunted spot. “Beaumaris gaol. I’ve picked up on many disturbing characters – some have murdered people, others have been wrongly accused. My friend was physically lifted up and shoved back. I was shocked to realise how strong a
gift despite its setbacks. In a society which fears death, it
spirit could be.”
must be a great comfort to know with absolute conviction your loved ones are never far away – and so, just in case, I
Beaumaris gaol is a regular haunt for Islwyn, and his most
resolve to stop sleeping naked.
n
recent visit in partnership with TeliMôn included a special invitation for the public to join him. It seems that opening
Images by Andrew Lai
up with the public in tow could be a dangerous business,
www.andrewlaiphoto.com
but Islwyn insists, “I always make sure others are well protected when doing a paranormal night, with a nonreligious prayer of protection.” n
We take one last glance at St Baglan’s Church. Islwyn seems entirely sincere in his beliefs, and I can’t help envying his
If you’d like to get in touch with your spiritual side, find Islwyn’s group on Instagram and Facebook @ thewillowspiritualistgroup, and watch videos from the gaol and more at www.telimon.com Images by Andrew Lai www.andrewlaiphoto.com
NWM 2020 Page 21
PULSE RECORDS LTD in association with BILL ELMS presents
MARK MORAGHAN
SIAN REEVES
PARRY GLASSPOOL
LUCY DIXON
ERIC POTTS
HELEN FORRESTER’S
BY THE WATERS OF LIVERPOOL ALSO STARRING
LYNN FRANCIS . DANNY O’BRIEN . ROY CARRUTHERS . CHLOE McDONALD
‘A big sweeping story with real emotion!’ The Stage
‘A wonderful play!’ Lucy Meacock / Granada TV
Adapted by ROB FENNAH Directed by GARETH TUDOR PRICE
TUE 31 MAR - SAT 4 APR 2020 Eve: (Tue-Sat - 7.30pm) / Mat: (Thu & Sat - 2.30pm) | Tickets from: £17.00
East Parade, Rhyl, LL18 3AQ.
BOX OFFICE: 01745 33 00 00 / www.rhylpavilion.co.uk
For peat’s sake How peat bogs are saving Snowdonia…
Snowdonia is a National Park of phenomenal natural diversity: rocky summits where ravens abound, violet hills ringing with heather, damp mossy woods and golden beaches. It’s a peopled land, where generations have left their mark through its patchwork fields, lichen-stamped stone walls and mosaic hedgerows. Stitched together by the element of water: a landscape of stream, river and lake. This unfolding drama occurs within a relatively small radius, a mere 823 square miles in the 8,000 that is Wales. Within that radius we have the highest mountain (Yr Wyddfa / Snowdon), the largest lake (Llyn Bala) and the wettest place (Capel Curig). Questions like these might pop up at your local quiz night and many people – whether they live, work or play in Snowdonia – would attest to knowing them.
BUT THERE’S A PART OF THE NATURAL FABRIC OF SNOWDONIA HAS QUIETLY EXISTED FOR HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF YEARS WITHOUT DUE RECOGNITION: THE PEAT BOG
But there’s a part of the natural fabric of Snowdonia has quietly existed for hundreds of thousands of years without due recognition: the peat bog. For the uninitiated, a peat bog is a type of wetland whose soft, spongy ground is composed largely of living and decaying mosses. It’s an ecological time capsule. If you’ve ever gone for a walk in the hills and had your welly sucked out from underneath you, you were probably walking through a bog. Damp, dark and seemingly undramatic, peat bogs make up around 12% of Snowdonia’s landmass.
NWM 2020 Page 23
MAGAZINE
Join the
Snowdonia Society today The Snowdonia Society is a conservation charity that’s been working hard to protect Snowdonia’s precious natural habitats and landscapes through campaigns and practical action since 1967. This work has been made possible through the thousands of volunteers who have lent a hand over the years, through rain or However, in an age of uncertainty about the state of the
shine, along with partner organisations. From restoring
environment, peat bogs are beginning to attract attention:
precious habitats like peat bogs and hedgerows to dry
Did you know that peat bogs hold more than twice the
stone walling and litter picks on Snowdon, volunteers
amount of carbon stored in all the world’s forests? They are
play a key part in protecting the natural and cultural
the largest natural terrestrial carbon store. And at a time
heritage of Snowdonia.
when humanity is looking to reduce the amount of carbon released into the atmosphere, peat bogs become paramount
Its work is never done and The Snowdonia Society
to making this happen.
needs as many people as possible to stand up for Snowdonia. You don’t have to volunteer to be a
The most extensive peatland area in Snowdonia is the
supporter of the Snowdonia Society. There are a
Migneint-Arenig Dduallt special area of conservation. But,
number of ways you can do your bit without wading
like many of the bogs in Snowdonia and beyond, it is under
through a peat bog (though we strongly recommend it):
pressure from land use changes. Across Snowdonia peat bogs have in the past suffered from drainage for plantation forestry and agriculture and the spread of invasive species such as Rhododendron. Today, however, thanks to Welsh Government funding and focused effort from the National Park Authority, conservation organisations and landowners,
J Become a member – Your annual subscription means we have
the resources to fund our practical work and campaigns. J Register your business to our directory of Business Members
and become an example of good practice J Donate towards our work – a little goes a long way
work is being done to bring the bogs back to life. Last year during the Snowdonia Society’s annual MaD (Make
the most weary office worker. In Japan, the practice of Shinrin
a Difference) Weekend volunteers helped restore the peat
Yoku, or forest bathing is popular with those craving relief
bogs of the Migneint. Decade-old ditches were blocked,
from the stresses of modern life. Sphagnum mosses that form
allowing the land to re-wet. In time this will help restore the
bogs have traditionally been used to cleanse and soothe,
land back to a shimmering peatland oasis of water and moss.
having antibacterial properties. Again and again, studies
Truly the emerald jewels in Snowdonia’s boggy crown.
show that spending time outdoors improves mental wellbeing and helps boost the immune system. We should take the time
If you look closely enough, these bulging blankets of moss
to appreciate these humble wetlands, and we need to do all
contain a myriad of colour, pattern and form to inspire even
we can to protect them. n
Page 24 NWM 2020
es g n e l chal r fo & s t l u ad n e r d l i ch
4 levels 80 targets 21 challenges
against the clock we are here at
BOOK YOUR CHALLENGE ONLINE:
NINJATAGRHYL.CO.UK
MAGAZINE
THEIR BEG I NS
U20s SIX NATIONS 2020 ZIP WORLD STADIUM, COLWYN BAY
ON SALE NOW v ITALY
v FRANCE
v SCOTLAND
31.01.20 KO 19.35
21.02.20 KO 19.35
13.03.20 KO 19.35
TICKETS FROM £5 U16s VENUECYMRU.CO.UK
Page 26 NWM 2020
WRU.WALES/TICKETS
EXPLORING
Colwyn Bay
TOWN IN FOCUS
Colwyn Bay is easily accessible no matter where you are coming from in North Wales, thanks to its easy proximity to the A55. But, says Steve Goddier, there is more to this seaside town than first meets the eye… Many years ago I used to help an old lady called Mary by cutting her grass each week in the summer months. For her entire adult life she had holidayed in Colwyn Bay for two weeks every July. I asked her why she went back to the same place year-on-year when there were so many other locations in North Wales she could try? She told me that when she wanted a relaxing break in a traditional resort she knew well and enjoyed spending time around, then it was Colwyn Bay for her every time – she had even stayed in the same bed and breakfast establishment for over 20 years! It was a tradition for her and she never changed her routine for all the time I knew her. And Mary knew her stuff – because ‘traditional’ sums up Colwyn Bay nicely. It’s probably fair to say that as a beach resort the town has passed its heyday but, like so many coastal locations, it has adapted and changed to appeal to a wider audience. In Victorian times Colwyn Bay was an incredibly popular summertime seaside location and even
and joggers, cyclists and dog walkers make up a large
today, standing on the promenade, you can easily visualise
percentage of the visitors to the ‘prom’, but there are many
what it must have been like with suited Victorian gentlemen
who still like to just stroll along it. And it’s a great walk too.
escorting beautifully dressed ladies holding parasols over their heads to protect them from the sun as they took the
The Wales Coast Path passes along it on its mammoth journey
sea air. There would be horse drawn carriages too for the
of 870 miles from Queensferry in the north to Chepstow in
elderly or those who just didn’t fancy going on foot and the
the south but, for those who like a good stretch of the legs on
atmosphere would be happy and light.
something perhaps not so gigantic, Colwyn Bay’s promenade runs for over three miles and makes a superb seaside walk
The passing years obviously brought changes – cars have
and is a ‘must do’ activity for any visitor to the area. Many
replaced the horse drawn carriages alongside the promenade
locals walk it regularly and have never tired of it after years
NWM 2020 Page 27
MAGAZINE
What to do
Colwyn Leisure Centre
Wales U20s
at Colwyn Leisure Centre is set to
The second phase of the development
Colwyn Bay has been home to Wales U20s games for a
begin this month. The current fitness
number of years. The best in upcoming talent in Wales
suite will be doubled in size, and the
will be taking on rivals France this month and Scotland
end product will include a large functional and free weights
in March at Stadiwm Zip World. With tickets starting
area as well as a bespoke rig. As part of this phase of
from £10 for Adults and £5 for U16s this is the perfect
the development, work is also scheduled to begin at the
opportunity to see some great rugby and witness Wales’
Performance Gym at Eirias Events Centre.
future stars in the making!
01492 577900
wru.wales/tickets
RGC – North Wales Rugby
The Welsh Mountain Zoo The Welsh Mountain Zoo is also known as the National
The North Wales region has risen through the leagues
Zoo of Wales, the oldest and most established Zoo in Wales
since 2012 and claimed the WRU National Cup in 2017.
having been born as a small family run business by the
That was also the year that they faced a Wales XV side in
Jackson family in 1963. Today The Welsh Mountain Zoo
front of a sell-out crowd. They are now in the Indigo Group
occupies some 37 acres of lush green landscape overlooking
Premiership, and current players include Wales 7s star Afon
Colwyn Bay and the Carneddau mountains.
Bagshaw. On Saturday 15th February RGC will be playing the
welshmountainzoo.org
Carmarthen Quins, kick off is at 2.30pm. northwalesrugby.wales
James Barr Tennis Centre
Stadiwm Zip World Stadiwm Zip World will be hosting a wide range of stars in 2020, as
The James Alexander Barr Tennis Centre was officially
both Little Mix and Westlife are
opened in October 2003 by Welsh Assembly member Alun
all set to perform in the stadium.
Pugh. The Tennis Centre has two full size indoor tennis
On Sunday 5th July, Westlife will
courts, recognised as tournament standard courts, lit by
perform in Colwyn Bay as part of their Stadiums in the
internal floodlights and sunlight. There are also four outdoor
Summer Tour. Then, just a week later, Little Mix will be
floodlit courts. The centre is in the process of developing
bringing their unmissable live show to Colwyn Bay. The
new group classes for all ages and abilities – ring for further
group are set to perform at Stadiwm Zip World on 11th July
information or to book a court.
as part of their Speaking about the Summer 2020 tour.
01492 577923
venuecymru.co.uk
Prom Xtra
Theatr Colwyn
Prom Xtra is a family event
Theatr Colwyn is an historical theatre and cinema utilising
taking place on Saturday
the latest in technology to offer patrons a 21st Century
2nd May along Colwyn Bay’s
entertainment experience with a traditional, friendly flavour.
promenade. Prom Xtra has loads of free activities to keep
It is a receiving theatre, a 4K digital cinema and home to the
the family entertained. Plus a funfair for all of the screamers,
cutting-edge Oriel Colwyn photography gallery. It is the UK’s
stalls for all the shopaholics, entertainment for all, and it will
oldest working cinema and also the oldest working theatre
be making the most of the beautiful beach to boot.
in Wales.
www.promxtra.co.uk
theatrcolwyn.co.uk
of wandering along its length from Old Colwyn to Penrhyn
The famous Victorian pier was finally closed to the general
Bay – it’s wide and has a designated cycle path too. It has been
public in 2009 and the lower end of the pier partially
pointed out on more than one occasion that this promenade is
collapsed into the sea in January 2017 before the pier was
actually longer than Rio’s Copacabana in Brazil – although the
demolished in May 2018. However, plans are in place to create
weather is possibly a little different on the North Wales coast!
a new ‘truncated’ pier and groundworks have already begun.
On gentle summers days it is a delight to stroll by the sea here, but at times of storm it can be a different story with waves
Modern day Colwyn Bay has expanded to become the second
being lashed over the railings onto the road by the wind.
largest community and business centre in North Wales and has a permanent population of around 30,000 (if you include
Page 28 NWM 2020
Hamdden Conwy Leisure Mae ein haelodau’n mwynhau mynediad at:
Our members enjoy access to:
Saith Ystafell Ffitrwydd
Seven Fitness Suites
Pedwar Pwll Nofio
Four swimming pools
Dros 150 o ddosbarthiadau ffitrwydd yr wythnos
Over 150 exercise classes each week
Cyrtiau tennis dan do ac awyr agored gyda llifoleuadau
Indoor and outdoor floodlit tennis courts Squash, badminton, and table tennis
Sboncen, badminton, a thennis bwrdd, Traciau Athletau
Various membership packages and pay-as-you-go options available
Mae ystod o becynnau aelodaeth ac opsiynau talu wrth fynd ar gael
New junior membership for 11-15 year olds
Aelodaeth iau newydd ar gyfer plant rhwng 11 a 15 oed
State of the art gym equipment
Offer campfa o’r radd flaenaf
Friendly, qualified, experienced staff Exercise programming and classes to suit all ages and abilities
Rhaglenni a dosbarthiadau ymarfer corff sy’n addas ar gyfer bob oedran a gallu
Am ragor o wybodaeth
ymwelwch â’ch Canolfan Hamdden leol, neu anfonwch e-bost atom ar hamdden.leisure@conwy.gov.uk
For more information
please visit your local Leisure Centre, or email us at hamdden.leisure@conwy.gov.uk
NWM 2020 Page 29
A luxury boutique guest house nestled in the rolling countryside of North Wales, Bryn Woodlands House offers the perfect retreat for those seeking a getaway from the hustle and bustle of life.
HAUS
Based in Colwyn Bay, at the gateway to Snowdonia National Park, you have a wealth of beautiful and exciting destinations nearby to explore, from walking in the hills to relaxing on the beach. Bring your family, or well behaved dogs – there’s a warm welcome for everyone at Bryn Woodlands House.
Independent café and bar in Colwyn Bay serving a fantastic breakfast, brunch and lunch Fully licensed bar to enjoy an Espresso Martini or glass of Prosecco with your brunch We can cater for private parties up to 20 to 24 guests. If you have a Birthday / Baby Shower / Funeral Tea / School Reunion / Business Events coming up, contact us: info@hauscoffee.co.uk, or call 01492 536610 If you are passionate about great coffee and honest food come and join us!
www.hauscoffee.co.uk
Bryn Woodlands House, 14 Woodland Road East, Colwyn Bay, LL29 7DT
HAUS, 13 PENRHYN ROAD, COLWYN BAY, LL29 8LG. Find us on
Find us on
Tel: 01492 532320 @BrynWoodlandsHouse
Wide range of Burgers, and Specials Pulled Pork, Beef, Chicken, Lamb, Salmon and Vegetarian options. 5 different Pasta Dishes, incl Chicken, Chorizo, Meatballs, Prawns and Salmon. Milkshakes with all the toppings, French Toast and Homemade Upside Down Cheesecake. All food locally sourced and all our meat is from Poyntons.
For all the latest updates follow us on FB.
Open from 11.30am-9pm 45 Abergele Road, Colwyn Bay, LL29 7RU
01492 532515
Where to stay Honeydew House
Honeydew House is located just a short walk from the beach in Colwyn Bay. This two-bedroom cottage is split over three floors, and boasts a small paved area to the front of the property. There is also off-road parking for Rhos-on-Sea and nearby Mochdre). Its well connected by
two cars (or one car and a boat!) and the owners allow a
road and rail links with the A55 Coastal Expressway running
dog – so there is no need to leave Fido at home when you
right through the town and a train station located close to
come on your beach holiday…
the town centre. The station opened in October 1849 and
www.northwalesholidaycottages.co.uk
was known simply as ‘Colwyn Station’ but was renamed as ‘Colwyn Bay Station’ in 1876. The Llandudno and Colwyn
Travelodge
Bay Electric Railway operated an electric tramway service
There is a Travelodge located just around the corner from
between Llandudno and Rhos-on-Sea from 1907 and this was
the Bay View Shopping Centre, offering an affordable yet
extended to Colwyn Bay in 1908 with the service surviving
central base for your Colwyn Bay break.
until 1956. And, if getting to the town is straightforward, then
www.travelodge.co.uk
getting around it is easy too with a good bus system and numerous taxis.
Bryn Woodlands House
Geographically Colwyn Bay is situated about halfway along
Bryn Woodlands House
the north coast of Wales and, besides a good selection of
offers the perfect retreat for
shops, the town has quite a few parks and gardens and has
those seeking a getaway
received a Gold Award in the Wales in Bloom Competition on
from the hustle and bustle of life. Based in the centre of
eight occasions.
Colwyn Bay, you have a wealth of beautiful and exciting The best-known and most visited park is Eirias Park which
destinations nearby to explore, from walking in the hills
covers 50 acres and was once known as ‘the park by the
to relaxing on the beach. Bryn Woodlands House is family
sea’. Eirias Park was created between 1921 and 1929 with
friendly, and it also accepts well-behaved dogs.
the official opening of the playing fields taking place on 27th
www.brynwoodlandshouse.co.uk
September 1923. Situated within the park you will find Colwyn Leisure Centre, Eirias Events Centre (which has conference
Awel y Mor
and classroom facilities for business and commerce events),
Awel y Mor is
a sports stadium (which includes a floodlit synthetic hockey
a six-bedroom
and football playing area), an indoor and outdoor tennis courts
house with hot
area, a children’s playground and a picnic area. Eirias Park is
tub, pool table
also a notable concert venue with the likes of Sir Elton John
and woodburner,
and Ollie Murs having performed here.
located just down the road in
High on a hillside above Colwyn Bay you will find the world-
Rhos-on-Sea. Sleeping ten people, Awel y Mor is within
famous Welsh Mountain Zoo which opened on 18th May 1963
walking distance of Colwyn Bay beach as well as the
and covers 37 acres. It has superb panoramic views in most
town itself.
directions and is a great family day out for kids of all ages
www.walescottageholidays.co.uk
and the parents seem to enjoy themselves too! The zoo is
NWM 2020 Page 31
MAGAZINE
Eating and drinking Sheldon’s
well laid out and wooded with open pathways linking the
Located on Penrhyn Road Sheldon’s is a vibrant
various enclosures which house animals such as chimps,
wine and cocktail bar that is open from Tuesday to
penguins, sea lions, bears and lemurs. It’s a conservation zoo
Sunday. It serves a range of platters and lite bites,
and home to endangered species such as snow leopards, red
and has a comprehensive wine list and a good
pandas and Sumatran Tigers. For youngsters there is a jungle
selection of local beers.
adventure land and a Tarzan trail adventure playground. For
sheldonsbar.co.uk
the adults to unwind in there is a great café set high up with
Chicago 1935
superb views of the surrounding coastline.
Chicago 1935 is a new American diner that can be found
A more recent development located on the seafront is the Porth
on Abergele Road. It offers a good choice of pasta dishes
Eirias complex which cost £9,000,000 to build. This impressive
as well as the USA inspired fare that you would expect
iconic building is set in the heart of the new promenade
from a diner. Burger anyone?
improvements and is visible from most areas of the promenade.
01492 532515
It is promoted as a centre for the whole of the local community
Bryn Williams at Porth Eirias
as well as visitors. There is a modern children’s outdoor play area, coffee shop and restaurant on site.
Just a stones throw away from the sea lies Bryn Williams’ bistro. This big open space with its easy,
Colwyn Bay has been home to some notable celebrities
informal mood has an open kitchen where Bryn’s team
including James Bond actor Timothy Dalton, former Monty
of chefs turn simple, local, seasonal ingredients into
Python funny man Terry Jones, Coronation Street’s William
extraordinary bistro-style food.
Roache (Ken Barlow), footballer Mickey Thomas of Manchester
portheirias.com
United and Chelsea fame and Paula Yates. The town hosted
Haus
the National Eisteddfod in 1910 and 1947.
Haus is an independent café and bar on Penrhyn Road,
As a destination Colwyn Bay deserves so much more than
serving fantastic breakfast, brunch and lunch. If you are
just being driven through on the A55 – its well worth a day or
passionate about great coffee and honest food then look
more of anyone’s time and the mixture of historic and modern,
no further.
along with the superb seaside location, make it a North Wales
www.hauscoffee.co.uk
‘must visit’ location. n
Virgilio’s This family run pizziera and Portuguese grill believes that home cooking and sourcing local produce is the key to creating delicious food. It offers good quality food for a reasonable price – try its two lunchtime dishes for just £12. www.virgiliosrestaurant.co.uk
Page 32 NWM 2020
Steve Goodier is a freelance outdoor writer that specialises in North Wales. He is the author of ten outdoor books and his latest ‘Ten Best Pub Walks in Snowdonia’ will be published later this year, followed by ‘Ten Best Waterfall and Lake Walks in Snowdonia’ (www.northerneyebooks.co.uk). He is married to Paula and has two grown up children.
THE MAN BEHIND THE SONGS: PLUS SPECIAL GUESTS
goldie lookin chain
I’M NOT IN LOVE DREADLOCK HOLIDAY THE THINGS WE DO FOR LOVE BUS STOP FOR YOUR LOVE BRIDGE TO YOUR HEART AND MORE...
Maelor Hughes
+ SPECIAL GUEST
PAUL CANNING
2020 29.02.20 VENUE CYMRU, LLANDUDNO
29.03.2020 THEATR COLWYN, COLWYN BAY
NEW STUDIO ALBUM COMING IN 2020
SUMMER 2020
T H U R S D AY 4 J U N E 2 0 R AC E C O U R S E G R O U N D WREXHAM
J& hiso oRhythm l s &HBlues o l Orchestra land fe a t u r i n g G I L S O N L A V I S
05 / 07 / 2020
STA D I W M Z I P WO R L D C O LW Y N BAY
SAT 11 JULY
COLWYN BAY
STADIWM ZIP WORLD
With Special Guest Eddi Reader and Guest Vocalists RUBY TURNER & LOUISE MARSHALL
19.07.2020
Venue Cymru, Llandudno
TICKETS: TICKETMASTER.CO.UK | ORCHARDLIVE.COM NWM 2020 Page 33
MAGAZINE
Rebecca Morgan Brennan has made it her mission to help people that are suffering from hair loss
Creating confidence Losing your hair is an extremely traumatic thing to experience. That’s why Rebecca Morgan is doing everything in her power to make the process as painless as possible…
“Hair loss is more common than you think,” announces Rebecca Morgan Brennan of Morgan’s Hair, Beauty & Wigs in Prestatyn. “We see up to 40 people a week who are suffering from hair loss.” It’s a staggering statistic, especially considering that hair loss isn’t something that is generally talked about. “There are numerous reasons why somebody might start to lose their hair,” continues Rebecca from the private room located at the back of her salon. “Cancer treatment, alopecia, stress and skin conditions such as psoriasis or dermatitis are some of the common causes. But, whatever is causing it, it is bound to be a traumatic
WHEN PEOPLE LOSE THEIR HAIR, THEY TEND TO LOSE MUCH MORE THAN THEIR LOCKS – THEY LOSE THEIR CONFIDENCE AND, SOMETIMES, THEIR IDENTITY TOO Page 34 NWM 2020
experience. That’s why we are here to help.” When people lose their hair, they tend to lose much more than their locks – they lose their confidence and, sometimes, their identity too. “People arrive here feeling anxious and leave feeling confident,” says Rebecca who, remarkably, started her career in engineering. “We have a range of treatments so we can help as many people as possible. There isn’t a single solution – we have a range of options depending on the individual.”
Such a place can be a lifeline for people who just want to look their best. And, heartbreakingly, this extends to children too. “We are about to become a ‘Gold Salon’ for The Little Princess Trust – a charity that provides wigs for children free of charge,” adds Rebecca. “We have just helped a little girl of just three who lost her hair due to leukemia, but we do boys wigs too.” The charity has been set up to ensure that children, teenagers and young adults don’t have to worry about the financial implications of having a top quality wig. All wigs from The Little Princess Trust include virgin hair, which can cost up to Catrin has completed the team at Morgan’s Hair, Beauty & Wigs
£2,000 – but there is no cost to the family. “If anyone has long hair and is thinking of having it cut, then please consider donating it to The Little Princess Trust,” says
Many people suffer
Rebecca. “Anyone who has hair longer than seven inches
from thinning of
is eligible to donate – just make sure that you fill in the
the hair and, ladies
necessary form before it lands on the salon floor!”
especially, can find this traumatic. But
And Rebecca’s help doesn’t end with hair either. She has
a simple hair piece
recently become part of the ‘Look Good Feel Better’ initiative
can often be the
which helps people to face cancer with confidence.
answer here, as Rebecca is able to match your natural hair almost exactly. And hair pieces aren’t necessarily a temporary
“We are hosting a range of workshops in Prestatyn and
solution either…
Bangor for women and children that have been through cancer treatment,” she says. “It’s about making people feel like
“We have a hair system that can be glued on which lasts for
themselves again, and it really is a great initiative. It’s free to
up to six weeks,” explains Rebecca. “At that point it is changed
attend, and it’s being supported by some really big cosmetic
here at the salon but, in the meantime, it’s just washed and
brands – meaning that attendees will get to go home with a
treated like normal hair. We also offer a complete mesh
relevant goody bag that is genuinely worth £300!”
integration service, whereby we sew on a complete hair system.”
There is no doubt that Rebecca is doing some fabulous work in North Wales for her clients – but she has also helped her
And, as the name suggests, Morgan’s Hair, Beauty & Wigs
staff too.
offers a wig service too. And we say service, because it often comes at no cost to the client. If a patient is referred to
“We have one particularly special member of the team called
Rebecca from either the dermatology or cancer departments of
Catrin,” concludes Rebecca. “She has Down’s syndrome and is
the NHS then they will be entitled to a voucher which can be
helping us out no end in the salon! She’s 24, and just wanted
redeemed at the salon.
to have an everyday normal life. I feel really proud that we are able to give that to her – although she did put us all to shame
“We have a bank of old recycled wigs here that people can
in the Christmas karaoke!” n
borrow while they are waiting for their own,” continues Rebecca. “A wig is a very personal thing – most people want it to look like their own hair, and want the style to reflect their
Further information
personality – just like when they went to the hairdressers
Morgan’s Hair, Beauty & Wigs www.morganshairandbeauty.co.uk
previously. Then there is the size, colour and length to consider.” Morgan’s is the NHS wig provider for North Wales, Chester, Cheshire, Crewe, The Wirral and Shropshire. And, along with its permanent salons in Prestatyn and Chester, it also hosts a
The Little Princess Trust www.littleprincesses.org.uk Look Good Feel Better www.lookgoodfeelbetter.co.uk
pop-up salon in Craig y Don every other Friday.
NWM 2020 Page 35
Ten
of the best
Romantic Retreats Escape the ordinary, rediscover luxury and create a memorable experience with a loved one this Valentine’s Day – or any day of the year! Whether it’s a hot tub, log fire, champagne, cosy bathrobe, roses or chocolate that tickle your fancy – we’ve got you covered with one of these ten unique and romantic retreats…
Sandy Mount House With views of the Irish Sea, experience luxury, fine dining and superior service at this new spot in Anglesey! Sandy Mount House in Rhosneigr has all the ingredients for a romantic weekend getaway. The contemporary beach house rooms are stunning – each equipped with a luxurious bed, fridge packed with local goodies, coffee maker, a morning pre-breakfast platter and Molton Brown bath products. Let chef Hefin Roberts whip you up something delicious for breakfast, lunch or dinner. We enjoyed a delectable Charred Chorizo with Honey starter, Roast Loin of Monkfish served with Spiced Tomato Arancini, Celeriac Puree and Curried Mussels Velouté, finished with a delectable fresh Lemon with Felin Honey Ice Cream. We loved the chorizo so much that we ordered it with French Toast for breakfast! The restaurant has a fantastic relaxed vibe, with great service and stylish interior – however, if you’d rather stay in your robe, ask the team to bring your food and cocktails to the room. Truly a home from home to eat, gather and sleep… www.sandymounthouse.co.uk
Plas Dinas Plas Dinas Country House is an award winning historic Country House set in Snowdonia. Formerly the home of Lord Snowdon and Princess Margaret, with ten individually styled bedrooms, five-star comforts in historic yet relaxed surroundings full to the brim of Royal memorabilia. Situated between the Snowdonia mountains and the Irish Sea, the idyllic setting and stunning views are not to be missed. Whether you take a stroll round their 15 acres in the summer or sit by the roaring log fire in the drawing room on a cold winter’s day, you’ll relax the minute you arrive. Home to the award-winning Gunroom Restaurant headed up by head chef and TV personality Daniel ap Geraint. Looking for somewhere romantic to propose? Speak with their event specialist about their secret lover’s bench! www.plasdinas.co.uk
NWM 2020 Page 37
MAGAZINE
The Forge Designed as a romantic retreat specifically for couples, the new vintage bow top caravan at The Forge in Corwen sleeps two in a traditional double bunk bed. Enjoy a charming little log cabin alongside with a kitchen, dining and chill-out space with everything you could possibly need to escape from the real world for a few days. You also get your own eco-friendly composting toilet, a hot shower and a whole field to yourself, with stunning mountain views. Plus there are two log burning stoves and a campfire to snuggle up next to, perhaps with a hot chocolate and some marshmallows while you gaze up at the stars. For just £132 per night, guests will receive complimentary free-range eggs laid by The Forge’s own chickens and a large basket of logs. www.theforgecorwen.co.uk
Plassey Holiday Park Nestled in 250 acres of park and woodland in the picturesque Dee Valley, Plassey has everything you need to make your romantic break truly outstanding. For lovers of the great outdoors, take advantage of the fishing ponds, nature trails, cycle paths and golf course facilities. Swimmers will enjoy the heated indoor swimming pool, and for those who want pure relaxation, book a treatment at their onside hair and beauty salon. Make a date at Shippon, the onsite restaurant, enjoy a romantic meal or indulge in afternoon tea for two. When it comes to accommodation, you truly are spoilt for choice. The luxury lodges and stylish safari tents mix essential luxuries with a classic slice of outdoor holiday adventure. Both offer the ultimate in five-star holiday accommodation with private Jacuzzi hot tubs, underfloor heating, and spacious living areas. They truly combine outstanding comfort with great facilities, set in a stunningly scenic location. The award-winning park also includes a range of high-quality pitches for touring caravans, motorhomes, and tents – meaning that there is something for everyone. www.plassey.com
Talhenbont Hall
Set in 100 acres of private woodland and gardens, Talhenbont Hall Country Estate is a truly a unique getaway. Peacocks wander through the estate, and the River Dwyfach runs through the grounds making it a truly idyllic setting! Once home of William Vaughan and used as a Garrison for Cromwell’s army in 1607, Talhenbont offers luxury selfcontained accommodation in the North Wales countryside. Escape the hustle and bustle of daily life and plan a romantic weekend away to reconnect. Call ahead to book a bottle of Champagne to your room, bouquet of fresh flowers and any other special requests and the team will be happy to help. We recommend taking a stroll through the ancient woodlands, simply stunning! www.talhenbonthall.co.uk
Page 38 NWM 2020
Bryn Pedw Holiday Cottage You can’t go wrong booking a cottage through North Wales Holiday Cottages. No. 2 Ty Cerrig in Bryn Pedw, just outside of Llandudno, is one of our favourites for couples. This fabulous cottage is set in this quaint hilltop village overlooking the sea, and it offers bike storage after a day out exploring the coast, hiking through the Snowdonia Mountain range or even zip lining through historic abandoned slate mines. And, at the end of such an exhilarating day, you can both curl up and relax in the spacious lounge which has a wonderful log burner for those cooler winter evenings. www.northwalesholidaycottages.co.uk
Quay Hotel
Meticulously designed throughout, the Quay Hotel & Spa in Deganwy epitomises cool sophistication on the North Wales Coast. The moment you enter the four-star hotel you are welcomed into a world of comfort and a sense of belonging. Set on the idyllic Conwy Estuary, the 4 star Quay Hotel and Spa commands awe-inspiring views of the most magical scenery in North Wales and is located within easy reach of Snowdonia National Park, the neighbouring medieval town of Conwy and Victorian Llandudno, all within close access from Chester and the North West. See for yourself why the Quay Hotel has been awarded multiple rosettes. Enjoy 24-hour room service, Freeview television, complimentary wifi, comfortable beds and even a couple’s spa treatment. Take in the spectacular views at the Ebb and Flow Restaurant and try a mouth-watering selection of award-winning culinary delights as well as specialty cocktails. For February, the Quay Hotel is running a ‘Room for Romance’ package which includes rose petals in your room and a two-course evening dinner. The package also includes full use of the leisure factices to enable you to truly unwind with your loved one, and prices start from just £92.50 per person. www.quayhotel.co.uk
NWM 2020 Page 39
MAGAZINE
Seaview Holiday Home Park Nestled among Gwysper Mountain, Seaview Holiday Home Park offers a wonderful romantic escape in North Wales. Seaview is just one of Darwin Escapes four resorts across North Wales and offers a tranquil location with stunning views of the Welsh coastline. Choose to sit back and relax from the comfort of your private decking as you take in the surrounding scenery, or cuddle on the sofa in your living room from your very own home from home, filled with everything you could possibly need for a self-catering holiday. If you’re after a more adventurous holiday, then Darwin Escapes’ North Wales resorts are ideally located for you to explore all that the country has to offer, so get on a boat ride, climb Snowdonia or get on your bikes for some outdoor treks across the mountains that are right on your doorstep. www.darwinescapes.co.uk
Hotel Portmeirion The 4-Star Hotel Portmeirion is a luxury hotel overlooking the sandy beaches of the Dwyryd Estuary in Snowdonia. It has 14 stylish bedrooms, some with lift access, a fine-dining restaurant, a bar and terrace and several relaxing lounges. Clough Williams-Ellis opened Hotel Portmeirion at Easter, 1926 as the focal point for his proposed ideal village. He retained much of the Victorian interior including an intricate Italian fireplace, the grand Mirror Room, the library carvings from the Great Exhibition of 1851 and a grand 18th Century oak staircase. Hotel Portmeirion maintains a high standard of cuisine and excellent service in a magical setting. See the dawn break over the mountains of Meirionnydd; watch the tide fill the Dwyryd estuary from shore to shore. For Valentine’s Day weekend, Hotel Portmeirion invites lovebirds to enjoy a complimentary bottle of Champagne in your room upon arrival. Book two nights’ Dinner, Bed & Breakfast on the 14th of February and enjoy a complimentary upgrade to the special Tasting Menu on one evening of your stay. This special is valid for the 14-15 February 2020 and subject to availability. www.portmeirion.wales
Aberdaron Welsh Holiday Cottage Close to a hidden beach and coast path, this wonderful retreat for two features a freestanding double-ended bath, a log burner and a four-poster king-sized bed. With the picturesque seaside village of Aberdaron just 3.5 miles away at the tip of the Llŷn Peninsula, you are well located to discover wonderful cafés and tea rooms, restaurants and pubs with sea views, catch a boat to the sacred island of Enlli (Bardsey Island) and explore the beautiful villages and resorts that are dotted around. This is a truly special retreat that is just perfect for couples. Enjoy a welcome pack which includes tea, coffee, sugar, milk and cake – and ask for a BBQ set if you want to dine alfresco! www.walescottageholidays.co.uk
Page 40 NWM 2020
Reasons to be cheerful! There is no better place to celebrate the cheerful awakening of snowdrops this month, says Stephen Gregory, than Church Island in the Menai Straight…
What’s cheerful about February? The coldest month of the
It’s a very small island, less than three acres, and it’s
year, when the coastline is lashed by bitter winds, when the
entirely taken up by the church of Saint Tysilio and the
hills are covered in a blanket of snow, when the mountains of
surrounding cemetery. You get there by strolling along the
Snowdonia are locked into another Ice Age. In the olden days,
Belgian promenade, so called because it was conceived
farmers would traditionally mark Candlemas, the second day
and built by Flemish refugees who came to the town of
of February, as only the halfway point of their winter.
Porthaethwy – that is, Menai Bridge – in the First World War. These people, men and women and children, were so moved
And yet… yes, there are reasons to be cheerful. Did you know
and gladdened by the warmth of the welcome they had
that, on the first day of February, less than six weeks since
from the townspeople that they wanted to make something
the gloom of the winter solstice, we’ve already regained 53
which would serve as a lasting sign of their appreciation.
minutes of daylight? Nearly an hour, already!
So today you can enjoy a safe, gentle walk along the Belgian promenade and cross the causeway onto Church Island.
And soon you’ll be seeing the snowdrops pushing their beautiful blooms through the frozen ground. Sometimes
Tysilio was a holy man, ultimately a saint, who sought his own
known as Candlemas bells, nicknamed the snow-piercer
refuge on this island long ago in the 6th Century. History tells us
– so lovely, so brave, and holding up their little faces to tell
he was a son of the king of Powys, and he could have accepted
us we’re only a few weeks away from the daffodils of St David’s Day.
his lot in life and enjoyed the privileges of living within a royal court. But when his older brother, Cynan, inherited the throne and became embroiled
Yes, in February there’s plenty to be hopeful
in the trials and dangers of kingship,
about. So, do what the snowdrops do –
Tysilio began to have his doubts about
hold your face up towards the sun. It’s
the responsibilities of being royal. Indeed,
up there somewhere!
when Cynan was killed in battle against the Saxons, Tysilio fled the court and opted
And if you’re looking for a good
for a completely different way of life. He found
place to see them, and to savour
his own personal sanctuary on this tiny outcrop
the sunlight of our lengthening days, take a stroll along the edge
of rock in the swiftly-flowing waters of our Menai Strait, where he became a holy man.
of the Menai Strait, just beneath the Menai Bridge itself, and onto the
There aren’t any records of how Tysilio lived and
sacred rocks of Church Island…
sheltered on the island, so we can only imagine the
NWM 2020 Page 43
MAGAZINE
simple and undoubtedly straitened existence he endured there. The church you’ll find there today, as you cross the causeway and under the yew tree, is medieval, dating from the 15th Century. In fact it was substantially renovated in the 1800s and became a Grade II listed building in 1967 – so it’s by no means an especially ancient monument. But it’s a place of peace and quiet and personal reflection, carefully maintained and used for worship and for weddings and funerals. The surrounding cemetery is well worth exploring. You can browse the headstones and graves and enjoy the curious, bewildering juxtaposition of new life and the relics of death. It’s keenly refreshing, literally invigorating, to see the delicate freshness of snowdrops and primroses in a
soldiers and labourers, poets and bishops, and still gives
cemetery, and the first bloomings of our favourite daffodils.
solace to us, the many everyday people who go there.
At the highest point of the island there’s a memorial to the local men who died in the World Wars, and from there, as you
Indeed, there’s something fascinating about islands. Tycoons
pause to remember the people who served and fell in those
and celebrities and lottery-winners splash out on their island
terrible conflicts, you can take deep, exhilarating breaths
homes. Some people can even buy their own island, asserting
and enjoy the views up and down the strait.
their exclusive independence, surrounding themselves with deep blue water and enjoying a private domain, separated
And then, as you might do in country cemeteries around
from the rest of the world.
the world, you’ll wander and ponder, you’ll stoop to the headstones and relish the names of the people who are
Conversely, in fiction, many writers have recognized their
resting forever on this island, in this unique place. Too many
readers’ fascination with islands and turned it on its head.
to mention all of them, of course, but you’re in the company of
They’ve used the island as a place of loneliness and danger
a motley gathering of human souls…
and dire imprisonment, from which every do-or-die attempt must be made in order to escape. Think of all the stories and
They could tell a few stories. There are war heroes, who
films about a man or a woman marooned on a desert island,
might not want to recount the things they’d seen. There are
and even our present-day reality TV programmes about
men who died while they were building the Menai Bridge,
islands infested with snakes and mosquitoes.
which looms over the island as a lasting memorial to their labours. There’s William Jones, the coroner who presided
Intriguing really, our ambivalence about islands. They figure
over the inquest into hundreds of people lost on the wreck
in our dreams and nightmares. They can be paradise or hell.
of the Royal Charter. There’s John Jones, a Bishop of Bangor
Church Island, a tumble of blackened rocks which have felt
who gave years of his life as a missionary in Africa.
the fierce currents of the strait for millions of years, has a relatively recent history of human habitation and usage –
And a number of remarkable wordsmiths. Pause for a
which makes it a good place for us passing through, to think
moment and applaud Thomas Hughes, who, in the 1880s, first
about our own purpose here and what might lie ahead – and
proposed and composed the lengthened name of LlanfairPG,
to enjoy the snowdrops. n
cleverly making the village forever world-famous. Conjure an image of Robert Herbert Williams, remembered as a writer of hymns and for having an extraordinarily luxuriant beard. You’ll find John Evans, who passed away in 1888 and enjoys immortality for his ‘unintentionally inane poetry’. More recently there’s Hugh Emyr Davies, a local bard buried in 1950, and another 20th Century bard, the celebrated Cynan, Albert Evans-Jones. So the island, long ago a refuge for a prince who fled royal privilege for a lifetime of prayer and personal contemplation, remains a resting place for
Page 44 NWM 2020
Stephen Gregory’s new book, an anthology of short stories entitled ON DARK WINGS, is now out in the USA from Valancourt Books. It features 14 of his stories, many of them previously published in the Illustrated London News and the London Evening Standard, as well as a Christmas ghost story he wrote especially for the North Wales magazine. Search for ON DARK WINGS at www.valancourtbooks.com to order your copy, postage free!
NWM 2020 Page 45
Own your escape.
Your perfect getaway, time and time again.
Purchase a luxury lodge with Darwin Escapes, and get up to £3,000 worth of vouchers for food, drink and activities, to spend at your chosen resort. Our beautiful and finely crafted holiday homes come fully-furnished, set in outstanding handpicked destinations across Britain. Each one offers the perfect getaway for you: whether that’s refreshing walks, sumptuous relaxation, or energising activities. Whatever it is, find it with your Darwin escape.
To find out more about luxury lodge ownership in beautiful destinations across the UK, contact us on 0800 717 707.
T&Cs: Offer on selected holiday homes only. Minimum of £500 and maximum of £3000 spend on food and beverage or resort facilities. Value of vouchers given dependent on total lodge value. Not valid with any other offer. Sale must be paid in full or finance fully arranged by 31/03/20.
Site fees
FREE until Feb 2021
From rugged countryside to salty sea air, at Darwin Escapes in North Wales, we have something for everyone. With locations at Aberconwy, New Pines, Seaview and Talacre Beach, you can find your perfect getaway.
FOOD & DRINK INSIDE: recipes wine cocktail of the month
NWM 2020 Page 49
Breabach
Gandini Juggling
Sigma
+ Elidyr Glyn
Iau 6 Chwefror Thursday 6 February 7.30pm
Gwener 28 Chwefror Friday 28 February 8pm
Theatr Bryn Terfel
Theatr Bryn Terfel
Jen Brister Under Privilege
The Other Room Theatre
Gwener 6 Mawrth, 8pm Friday 6 March, 8pm Stiwdio | Studio
Triawd o ddramâu dystopaidd A trio of dystopian dramas
AM ER I C A N N I G H T M A R E T H E S TO RY H E LA 12-14 Chwefror | February Stiwdio | Studio
The Fureys Mercher 19 Chwefror Wednesday 19 February 7.30pm Theatr Bryn Terfel
Lyngo Theatre
16+
16+
KIN
Cwmni Dawns Cenedlaethol Cymru National Dance Company Wales
Mawrth 17 Mawrth Tuesday 17 March 7.30pm 12+ Theatr Bryn Terfel
Milky Peaks Theatr Clwyd, Áine Flanagan Productions + Seiriol Davies
What A Wonderful World
21 + 22 Ebrill | April, 7.30pm
Sadwrn 22 Chwefror Saturday 22 February 11.30am / 1.30pm / 3.30pm
14+
Stiwdio | Studio
Theatr Bryn Terfel
5
Give me five!
Gwledd Dewi Sant promises to be a spectacular evening where five chefs serve five courses, along with five matching wines – and it’s all in the name of a good cause…
From left to right: Wayne Roberts, Gorse Hill, Mark Threadgill, Portmeirion and Graham Tinsley MBE, Carden Park Hotel
On Thursday 27th February The Quay Hotel in Deganwy is
of the Castle Cottage in Harlech, is serving a twice-baked
hosting Gwledd Dewi Sant – an evening of fine food and drink.
cheese soufflé before The Quay’s very own Ian Watson makes your mouth water with a divine dessert. And, as
However, there are two things that make this event stand out
each course has been paired with a wine that compliments
from the crowd. Firstly, it is the unusual set up that is taking
the flavours perfectly, you can be assured that you are in
place behind the scenes at The Quay, for each of the five
for a fantastic evening.
courses is being created by a different chef. And it’s not any old chef line up either – Gwledd Dewi Sant has secured five
However, it doesn’t stop there, because the second reason
of the best chefs in the region in order to ensure that this
that this isn’t your average event is the reason why Gwledd
will be a meal to remember.
Dewi Sant is being hosted in the first place.
After some delicious canapés and a glass of Gavi Spumante,
There are currently over 2,000 food banks in the UK. To
Wayne Roberts of Gorse Hill will serve his hotly anticipated
put that number into perspective, there are only 1,300
starter. Mark Threadgill of Portmeirion is responsible for
McDonald’s restaurants – so you can see the vital role that
the fish course, while Graham Tinsley MBE, head chef at
food banks are currently playing in our country. Conwy Food
Carden Park Hotel, will be creating the main. Glyn Roberts,
Bank is no exception, and its existence relies solely on the
NWM 2019 Page 51
MAGAZINE
Left: Glyn Roberts, Castle Cottage Harlech
5 Right: Ian Watson, Deganwy Quay Hotel
coordinator. In addition, it has been able to part-fund with
The Sanctuary Trust the new role of Project and Marketing Manager to progress the food bank further, and hopefully generosity of local people, and fund raising events such as
increase donations further still.
this one. Finally, the funds raised at last year’s event allowed the Last year Gwledd Dewi Sant raised over £10,000 for Conwy
food bank to expand the ranges of products for babies and
Food Bank, and it was money that was desperately needed by
children. This includes nappies and pull-up pants, wipes,
the charity. That single donation allowed for the food bank
baby food and milk, cotton wool and cotton buds and bed
to take over the running of a Sanctuary Trust Van that was
mats. Previously the donations of these was very sporadic
previously used for the projects in Rochdale. It paid for the
and unreliable, but now supplies are regularly bought and
insurance, vehicle tax, MOT, repairs and put on new tyres.
kept topped up with many families who are desperate for
This has been of huge benefit to the Food Bank as the team
these items helped regularly.
are now able to pick up larger donations from organisations and businesses, pick up from multiple donation points on
So, if you’d like to help out the Conwy Food Bank this month
the same trip and employ more volunteer drivers in order to
then all you need to do is put your money where your mouth
ensure that there is a driver five days a week.
is – quite literally! Tickets for the event cost £95, and there will be an auction of prizes on the night in a bid to raise as
With the Gwledd Dewi Sant donation the food bank could
much for the Conwy Food Bank as possible.
also continue to pay six months salary of a Food Bank Co“It’s a pleasure for us to prepare a fine dining banquet for The Quay Hotel in Deganwy
an educated and appreciative audience – and even more so considering that all the proceeds to go to families who struggle to put food on the table,” concluded chef Glyn Roberts. Book now to ensure that the efforts of these fine five chefs are used to maximum effect… n
Further information Gwledd Dewi Sant 01492 544600 info@gwledddewisant.com www.gwledddewisant.com
Page 52 NWM 2020
Conwy Food Bank 01492 471793 conwyfoodbank@gmail.com www.conwyfoodbank.co.uk
NWM 2020 Page 53
OPEN DAY 7th March
10am-12:30
OF THE
Month
INGREDIENTS
Feeling romantic but don’t have anyone special to share this Valentine’s
1 1/2 ounces peach
Day with? Well fear not, because you can always get a Kiss On the Lips
schnapps
at Sheldon’s!
5 ounces frozen mango mix (or mango chunks, if
The team at the “Bar in the Bay” will be serving up this impressive
you can’t find mango mix)
frozen drink this Valentine’s Day, meaning that everyone can get a Kiss
1 tablespoon grenadine
On the Lips if they’re in the mood! The colours of this fruity and tropical-
2 cups crushed ice
tasting cocktail are super fun, while the flavour is somehow the perfect blend of sweet and sour – a bit like a traditional Valentine’s date…
Kiss on the Lips METHOD
Put the peach schnapps, frozen mango and crushed ice into a blender and blend in spurts until smooth. Pour the grenadine into the bottom of a cocktail glass and then pour the blended mixture in over the top of it. Garnish with a pineapple slice 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 55
My approach Autotutors Young Driving School ‘Hands on’ & fun driver education for young people age 10 + 2017 - Chief Instructor awarded grade ‘A’ licence by Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency. 2016 - Chosen by Sky Insurance - Autotutors YDS placed in the top 5 driving schools in Wales. 2015 - Awarded High Sheriff of Clwyd Commendation for Outstanding Service to the Community. 2014 - Started at Lleweni Parc, Denbigh, North Wales.
Contact details: web: www.autotutors.co.uk email: contact@autotutors.co.uk telephone: 01745 818811 Stay connected: Facebook / Twitter / Instagram
10% Off Premium Prints!
Exclusive to readers of North Wales Magazine Claim your discount:
www.jackwoodhams.com/northwalesmagazine
Jack Woodhams www.jackwoodhams.com T&Cs apply. Visit www.jackwoodhams.com/northwalesmagazine for more information on how to claim your offer.
I believe in order to plan the perfect event it’s important to understand your needs, we all know what we want but sometimes don’t know how to make that reality…..that’s where I come in! Advice and bespoke planning guidance for Weddings, from helping with seating plans to co-ordination on the big day …. I can cover everything. If you can dream it I can make it reality!!! During February, I am offering a free one hour consultation to help with wedding planning 07884 180 822 helen@perfectlyplannedbyhelen.co.uk www.helen@perfectlyplannedbyhelen.co.uk
Food for thought
Once the 12 days of Christmas are up
January is suddenly all about rectifying the
and with great collective relief, normality
untold damage that we did to ourselves by
resumes, one of the standard questions
eating that second mince pie and saying ‘why
one asks people is ‘Did you have a good
not’ to a third Baileys on ice. Many of you have
Christmas?’ More than ever before, this year
just gone a month without drinking a drop
I found a lot of people replied (with a deep
of booze or a scrap of meat – I haven’t taken
sigh), ‘We got through it.’
a drop for three weeks and to my chagrin, I seem to have put on two pounds!
As much as Christmas can be a wonderfully magical time of the year, it does seem to
What we often forget when we’re spending
take up every waking second of our lives for
our money ‘sculpting our guns’ so obsessively
Cai Ross is co-owner
weeks on end until a sort of mania is all but
in January is that winter is still out there to
and Maitre d’ of
unavoidable.
be enjoyed for free. North Wales in winter
the award-winning
has a stark, icy and unique beauty that we
Paysanne Bistro in
often overlook.
Deganwy, which has
Whomever put January straight after December knew what they were doing. It’s
been serving French
the calendar equivalent of Graham Chapman’s
As such, February is the perfect time to enjoy
country-style food to
officious Colonel lifting his hand and telling
the last vestiges of winter. The mania is over.
the fine people of North
us to stop being so silly. As soon as we
Time seems to finally slow. Taking a long walk
Wales since 1988. He
even hear the word ‘January’, we picture
around the Great Orme in Llandudno against an
also writes for Calibre
ourselves pouring leftover wine down the
empty pastel sky or around the Llŷn Peninsula,
Magazine, BBC Good
sink, measuring out tiny portions of muesli
with the salty air cooling your face, you start to
Food, HeyUGuys.com
on the kitchen scales and pedalling away
feel your life start to belong to you again.
and The North Wales
like maniacs on in our living rooms like
Weekly News
those rather sanctimonious folk in those
This is, of course, unless it’s raining. Then
infuriatingly omnipresent adverts where
again, if it is, here are a couple of easy recipes
the instructor tells everyone that they’ve
for some late-winter tummy insulation, best
‘crushed’ something (or ‘smashed’; the gist is
enjoyed with the soundtrack of the pitter-
the same, I’m told).
patter of benign raindrops against the glass. n
NWM 2020 Page 57
MAGAZINE
RECIPES
Chorizo and white bean hotpot Serves 4
The ultimate mushrooms on toast
J 200g chorizo sausage J 50g shallots, chopped
This makes a great easy lunch and reminds me of soft bark
J 2 400g cans chopped tomatoes
falling from leafless trees as you knock them with a thick stick.
J 1 400g can butter beans J 1 400g can cannellini beans
Serves 2 J 350g mixed mushrooms (I used forestière and Shiitake mushrooms) J Knob of butter J Handful of chopped tarragon J 100ml crème fraïche J Juice of half a lemon J 4 slices of bread J 2 eggs
Slice the chorizo at a jaunty angle (about 5mm thick) and place in a deep pan. Turn up to a medium heat – you don’t need any butter or oil, the chorizo will produce its own. Fry gently for 5 minutes, then add the shallots. Once they have softened add the tomatoes, butter beans and the cannellini beans then stir and turn up the heat. Once it’s been brought to a boil, drop the heat, season and simmer for 10 minutes. Serve with a lightly dressed salad and warm, crusty bread.
You’ll need two pans for this. Melt the butter in one pan while you bring some water to the boil in the other. Tear the mushrooms with your hands and fry them up in the butter with some seasoning over a medium heat. It may seem a lot, but they will reduce down. Once they have been cooked down (about five minutes), stir in the lemon juice, the tarragon and finally the crème fraïche. Drop the heat to a low simmer. Put the bread in the toaster – don’t scrimp on the bread; nice thick sourdough is just the ticket! Poach the eggs over a low heat so that you get a runny yolk. Butter the toast liberally. Spoon the mushrooms over the toast, place the poached egg on top and tuck in.
Page 58 NWM 2020
Don’t fancy cooking? 01492 582079 @PaysanneDeganwy www.paysannedeganwy.co.uk
01492 539 023
TAKE THE STRESS OUT OF OWNING A HOLIDAY HOME... We know that renting out a holiday home can be a great investment, but often there aren’t enough hours in the day to manage it properly. After 10 years+ of managing properties we know what it takes to deliver a first class service, offering the vital services you need to put a smile on your visitor’s faces and ensure rave reviews.
CLEANING
KEY MANAGEMENT
MAINTENANCE
TAX ADVICE
OTHER SERVICES : LAUNDRY | GARDEN MAINTENANCE | SELF ASSESSMENT ADVICE | MARKETING ADVICE
INTRODUCTORY OFFER...
Get 2 sets of laundry washed & ironed for FREE. Terms & Conditions apply.
WWW.HOLIDAYPROPERTYMANAGEMENT.CO.UK
AZOREAN (PORTUGUESE)///WELSH FUSION
HOLIDAY IN FRANCE
A farmhouse and a picturesque village house, in Charente, south-western France – both available May onwards. Two-bedroomed riverside cottage at Ansac-sur-Vienne, near the pretty medieval town of Confolens… ensuite, TV. Swimming, fishing, tennis all nearby, and Limoges airport 30 minutes away, £500 per week. Three-bedroomed farmhouse at Champagne Mouton, £800 per week.
'OLD WIVES' TALES' restaurant in Corwen
From slow cooked Beef Alcatra ( UNESCO Award winning) Lamb Alcatra, Seafood rice, typically Portuguese. We have created a story of our own dishes, cooked from scratch, using local Welsh produce. 'Music Nights', local musicians eat with us then get up and play on the mat We organise regular music nights, where local musicians come, eat and play live. Rui, also sings and plays acoustic, singing chef. Also have Vegetarian, Vegan and gluten-free menu. Free artisan bread, salted butter, Portuguese Olives and Lupins on arrival and a complimentary Port Wine to finish
Telephone 0758 704 8955 or e-mail stephengregory1@hotmail.com
07413 965625
T: 0175 8 7409 92
TAKE A LOOK AT OUR FULL COLLECTION abersochholidayhomes.co.uk info@abersochholidayhomes.co.uk
S TAY I N S T Y L E O N T H E L LŶ N
TALFOR, MYNYTHO 10 Guests | 5 Bedrooms | 4 Bathroom | 0 Pets | Wifi | Hot Tub Beautifully presented and perfectly spacious for large families, combining contemporary styling with period charm, this delightful detached house in a elevated position offers panoramic sea views plus a hot tub and annexe are available as extras!
T28 THE WARREN, ABERSOCH
TIDE'S REACH, LLANBEDROG
ISLAND VIEW, ABERSOCH
6 Guests | 3 Bedrooms 2 Bathrooms | 1 Pet | Wifi
6 Guests | 3 Bedrooms 2 Bathrooms | 2 Pets | Wifi
15 Guests | 7 Bedrooms 3 Bathrooms | 2 Pets | Wifi
Boasting a fabulous large decking and a contemporary open-plan living area, this spacious chalet lies just 100 metres from the sandy beach on the exclusive Warren holiday park.
Beautifully converted and occupying a unique beach side location Tide's Reach Cottage has been transformed into one of the most desirable holiday ^ homes on the Llyn Peninsula
Beautifully refurbished imposing 3 storey holiday home in the heart of Abersoch with high ceilings, fabulous flowing social spaces, spacious bedrooms and, of course, views of St Tudwal's Islands.
INSTAGRAM WITH US #ABERSOCH HOLIDAYHOMES
Raise your glass
Caru dy hun, caru dy win
Love yourself, love your wine. This probably seems like an odd title for an article, but as we head towards Valentine’s Day, I want us to focus on loving ourselves – and what we drink. A common theme in my writing is about breaking the rules. Wine for me is something that I love. I love to drink it, share knowledge, guide people, most of all enjoy it, and enjoy it with friends. Seeing people enjoy wine that you have chosen, listening to why and being able to help people to explain what they love is amazing. The journey through wine is similar to the journey of love. You meet, you explore, you find mutual likes. That journey that defines love, also defines the love of wine. As the phrase goes, you kiss a lot of frogs to find a prince/princess. You may need to try a lot of wines before you are able to find the one(s) that you like. When I first started to
complexity and the challenge of liking natural/orange wines.
drink wine, I drank whites, chilled, very cold, mostly light, easy to drink, fruity, medium dry whites. Mainly Spanish
So my point is loving wine is a journey. Some things are
and Italian, all from the supermarket, all from the lower end
constant, others change. The key, to me, is to take that
of the price spectrum (it was quantity not quality for sure).
journey and go with it. Discover what you don’t like (flavour, strength and body) as much as what you don’t.
I graduated to drier, less fruity more complex flavoured whites. At this point in time I hated red wine. It was all
But never give in, try as much as you can. Try other people’s
heavy, made my teeth furry and my mouth dry. Had odd
wines. Use tasting counters like ours. When you get the
flavours and wasn’t present.
opportunity try, try, try. Ask in bars to have a try of a wine before buying (if it is open).
My tastes changed over time and now I drink far more red wines than white. I like heavy reds from Argentina, Spain,
Go on that journey and reap the rewards. But remember to
Chile, Italy. But also love some complex reds from Croatia,
share your experience. Talk about wines with friends, share
Lebanon and New Zealand. Recently I have discovered
your wine, let people taste your wine. Encourage people to do
Italian varietals being produced in Australia (which blow my
tastings and tours (Conwy Vineyard do a great one with food
mind a little with their subtlety from a country known for
also!!).
heavy hitters). As Euripides said – where there is no wine there is no love. My new passion is natural wines (which you may have
Happy Valentine’s day.
heard me promoting in the shop – LOTS). I like the
Pete
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 61 61
MAGAZINE
✓ Family run business ✓ 10 year manufacturer and fitters guarantee ✓ Secure by Design Standards ✓ Showroom car parking ✓ Installers are employed not sub-contracted
✓ Card facilities ✓ Finance available ✓ Certass members ✓ Extensive product range
Call today for a free, no obligation quote
01492 543 317 info@conwyvalleywindows.co.uk
www.conwyvalleywindows.co.uk
Showroom location: The Roundabout, Glan Y Mor Road, Penrhyn Bay, Llandudno, LL303NI
Page 62 NWM 2020
WINDOWS . DOORS . CONSERVATORIES EXTENSIONS . ORANGERIES . LANTERNS TILED CONSERVATORY ROOF SYSTEM Our sales team, workmanship and aftercare are first rate, but don’t just take our word for it, this is what our customers have to say... “Every workman was on time, knowledgeable and friendly. The workmanship is of a very high standard. I must say a special ‘Thank You’ to Andy, the Surveyor. He has been very approachable and nothing has been too much trouble. I highly recommend Conwy Valley Windows.” - S.Lloyd “Provided sound, practical and budget-friendly advice on the best ways to double glaze The fitters were polite, knowledgable and experienced... The windows and 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 because we were confident and happy they would provide the best service. - S. Gow “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 NWM 2020 Page 63
MAGAZINE
Page 64 NWM 2020
HOMES & INTERIORS
NWM 2020 Page 65
WINDOWS • DOORS • ORANGERIES • CONSERVATORIES • SOFFITS • FASCIAS • CLADDING
VISIT OUR
BRAND NEW
2340 sqft SHOWROOM VIEW A WONDERFUL RANGE OF DOORS, WINDOWS, ORANGERIES, GARDEN ROOMS AND SO MUCH MORE
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
www.snowdoniawindows.co.uk
Property of the month
Bryn Gobaith is a beautifully presented semidetached house dating back to 1840. Located just a five-minute walk from the City Of St Asaph, this is the first time that the property has been on the market in over 30 years. The spacious living accommodation oozes the charm and character of an older building married with modern finishes making this the perfect family home. The property comprises lounge, dining room, study, kitchen, breakfast room, conservatory, four bedrooms, en suite shower room and fabulous bathroom. To the outside is a private courtyard providing ample parking and attractive cottage gardens to the rear. Further benefits include gas central heating and double glazing. The property is conveniently positioned with easy access to the A55 for commuters and local to Trefnant and St Asaph amenities, and the property has a further benefit of not being part of a chain.
For more information Bryn Gobaith is currently on the market with Williams Estates for ÂŁ350,000. For further information visit www.williamsestates.com
n
NWM 2020 Page 67
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
website: www.fletcherpoole.com
OLD COLWYN
OLD COLWYN £219,950
£229,950
• Substantial Detached Double Fronted Home • Enjoys Superb Sea And Coastal Views • Driveway Parking And Garage
• Three Bedroom Detached Bungalow • Modern Open Plan Lounge/Kitchen/Diner • Situated On A Good Size Plot Close To Local Amenities
EPC
COLWYN BAY £239,950 • Beautifully Presented Four Bedroom Semi Detached House • Modern Open Plan Kitchen/Diner • Maintains A Wealth Of Original Features
F
CRICCIETH Prices starting from £180,000
• 37 New Luxury Retirement Apartments • Enjoying Stunning Views Of Criccieth Castle & Cardigan Bay • Within Walking Distance Of Local Amenities Allocated Parking
OPENING HOURS: MONDAY – FRIDAY 9.00-5.30 SATURDAY 9.30-4.00
INDEPENDENT ESTATE AGENTS
Page 68 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
DEGANWY
GLAN CONWY OFFERS IN THE REGION OF £695,000
Reduced to £395,000
• Built To A High Specification • Occupies A Good Size Plot Extending To Approximately An Acre • Superb Four Bedroom Architect Designed Home • Enjoying Lovely Countryside Views
• Superb Views Over The Mountains, Conwy Castle & Estuary • Occupies A Large Plot With South Facing Rear Garden • Situated In A Highly Sought Ater Location • No Chain
EPC
F
CONWY
DEGANWY £325,000
• Enjoys Far Reaching Sea, Puffin Island, Anglesey, Gt. Orme & Vardre Views • Victorian Apartment Brimming With Period Features • Spacious Well Proportioned Accommodation Laid Over Three Floors • Garden & Parking To Rear
website: www.fletcherpoole.com
£295,000 • Plot 51 & 52 Help To Buy Price From £236,000 • Superb New Development In Stunning Location • Detached Single Garage • Three Bedroom Detached Bungalow
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 69
MAGAZINE
£269,950 Bodfari
Clos Bodrhyddan, Rhyl
Offers in the region of (O.I.R.O)
Ref: WR8963
£279,000
Ref: WE6592
• Detached modern family home
• Four double bedrooms
• Unique detached converted chapel
• Picturesque views
• Two reception rooms
• Open plan kitchen/diner
• Three double bedrooms
• Stunningly presented
• Beautifully presented throughout
• Master bedroom with en-suite
• Well maintained gardens with raised gazebo and patio
• Large enclosed garden with garage and parking
• EPC rating B-83
• Feature multi-fuel burner
• Simply must be viewed
• EPC rating G-17
Tanrallt Road, Gwespyr Ref: WP3991
Page 70 NWM 2020
• 5 bedroom house
• One bedroom annex
• Stunning views
• Village location
• Immaculate condition
• uPVC double glazing throughout
• Ready to move into
• EPC rating E-47
£379,950
£520,000 Clocaenog
Cilcain Road, Pantymwtn Ref: WM523
£385,000
Ref: RN1691
• 4 bedroom architect designed detached house
• Far reaching views
• 3 Bedroom Character Property
• Set in approx. 0.4 acres
• Private rear garden with land
• Ample off road parking
• No chain
• Stunning views of Moel Famau
• Modern fitted kitchen
• Exposed beams and log burner
• Detached garage with studio above
• EPC rating E-41
• Spectacular open plan living room/kitchen/dining room • Underfloor heating
• Large games room
• EPC rating C-80
NWM 2020 Page 71
INSIDE OUT North Wales Magazine brings you the latest products from the world of interiors
Put a spring in your step…
Colourful Comfort The Afonwen Centre near Caerwys
It may only be February, but you can still keep your outside space
has a fabulous selection of cushions
looking good so that it’s ready to go when the spring does finally
designed and made in Great Britain.
make an appearance! “Keep all products in the garden natural and low
Choose from bright floral, soft velvets,
maintenance,” advises Jason Osborne from Llwyn Landscapes. “Use bark
deep and rich patterns, some with a
chippings to cover the soil and plant shrubs and low maintenance trees.
scandic feel or perhaps an image of
This will assist with weed control and will look neat and well kept. Limit
wildlife. All in beautiful textiles, starting
the amount of grassed areas and try using various helix and hedera ivy’s
from just £15.
to cover the ground in areas where you are unable to access. To save on
www.afonwen.co.uk
turf areas, think about artificial grass, as well as arboriculture work – such as ponds, steps, lighting and effects.” www.llwynlandscapes.co.uk
Hop into the hot tub A wood fired hot tub from RN Williams is perfect for any home, providing a greener and more energy efficient way to enjoy your garden. Cheaper to both buy and to run than a typical electric hot tub, a wood fired hot tub can heat up in under 1.5 hours which makes it perfect for impromptu use when friends and family arrive unexpectedly. With room for six people, drinks holder as standard and both LED lights and an air bubble system included – this hot tub is equally as popular with party animals as it is with romantic couples. And, while homeowners love the option of an affordable hot tub, they are equally as popular with holiday property owners who report big increases in bookings and 5-star reviewers from guests. www.rnwilliams.co.uk
NWM 2020 Page 73
MAGAZINE
A Touch of Rainbow
On a roll
The 75x75cm Marciano framed art work is
Garolla specialises in installing made-to-measure
available at Bennetts Interiors, a small family
roller shutter garage doors around the UK. For only
run Interiors and furniture store which opened
£895 you can get a white roller shutter garage door
four months ago at 6 Garage Street in Llandudno.
fitted in North Wales. Perfect for openings up to
Guaranteed to be the focal point of the room, the
2.6m wide, Garolla’s roller garage doors come with
artwork costs £150. Pop by to browse through a
two remote controls and a full guarantee in their
beautiful selection of lighting, beds, pictures and
prices!
accessories.
www.garolla.co.uk
ellen@bennettsinteriors.co.uk
Purple rain Add a touch of glamour with this stylish LSA jug, with matching goblets. This tall, elegant handmade jug is perfect for a refreshing punch on a warm summer evening – and a nice mulled wine on a winter’s one! Available for pick up at the Lifestyle Store located at Unit 1, Lon Parcwr Industrial Estate, Ruthin.
Page 74 NWM 2020
Fires and Fireplaces The Fireplace Specialist You Can Trust...
CHOOSE FROM OUR STUNNING FIREPLACE SELECTION AT OUR LARGE SHOWROOM AND ENHANCE YOUR HOME
• Home surveys and made to measure bespoke service • Quality installation from start to finish - No outside contractors • Plasterwork, gas runs, load bearing lintels, chimney cowls, all rubbish removed from site Call: 01492 536353 or Visit our showroom at:
Unit 1, Falcon Estate, Eagles Farm Road, Mochdre Business Park, Mochdre, LL28 5HF Mon – Fri: 10.00 - 5.00 and Sat 10.00 - 4.00 Sunday CLOSED • Customer car park • Wheelchair friendly
(Water& Energy)LTD
SPECIALISTS IN WATER BOREHOLES AND GROUND SOURCE HEATING
Ground Source Heating
Get paid to heat your own home, earn cash via PHI payments with a
Ground Source Heating System
•Water Boreholes
Visit our online shop and see •All Existing Boreholes our huge Maintenance and Servicing variety of pipes •Water Treatments and fittings ISO 9001
WE WILL BEAT ANY LIKE FOR LIKE WRITTEN QUOTATION* * SEE WEBSITE FOR TERMS
For more information about our services, please call today 01824 707 777 or visit our website on: www.dragondrilling.co.uk
MAGAZINE
LLWYN Landscapes LTD Landscape Design, Construction & Maintenance Contractors
Commercial & Domestic: Driveways, Decking, Lighting, Paving, Brickwork, Turf Laying, Water Features, Artificial Grass, Fencing, Tree Work, Stump Grinding, Ground Maintenance
LLWYN LANDSCAPES LTD
Quinten Hazell Enterprise Parc, Glan Y Wern Road, Colwyn Bay LL28 5BS Office: 01492 552521 Mobile: 07896 222702 Email: info@llwynlandscapes.co.uk
www.llwynlandscapes.co.uk Page 76 NWM 2020
Walking
world
FLINT CASTLE AND MARSHES
THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW Both the distance and time quoted allow you to explore the castle ruins
Flint may not readily spring to your mind when you consider a destination for a walk in the fresh air. However, the town is located on the north east coast of Wales and is next to the tidal Dee Estuary so there are several walking possibilities if you fancy putting on your boots and taking the sea air. Interest in the area has increased since the The Wales Coast Path was routed along the estuary here as it makes its mammoth journey of 870 miles/1,400 km from Queensferry in the north to Chepstow in the south.
J Distance: 3.0 miles/4.82 kilometres J Time: Allow 2.0 – 2.5 hours J Start: There is a free car park by Flint Castle on Castle Road in Flint. The car park is near to the R.N.L.I. station
J Grid Ref: SJ 247732 J Nearest postcode: CH6 5PH J Ordnance Survey Map: Ordnance Survey
This month’s walk is a little shorter than this however and takes
Explorer 265 – Clwydian Range (Prestatyn,
in the best this area has to offer as it explores the iconic ruins of
Mold and Ruthin)
Flint Castle, meanders alongside the pretty Dee Estuary and returns
J What to expect: This is a fairly easy walk
through the wilderness that is Flint Marshes. You will be surprised
with good paths and tracks to follow. The
at how many other walkers you encounter on this short outing and
way back through Flint Marshes can be a
the area is particularly well used by dog walkers. The going is
little confusing so follow the instructions
mostly straightforward and on good paths and tracks with little in
carefully. Make sure you supervise children
the way of ascent or descent, and if you choose a settled clear day for
carefully if you explore Flint Castle ruins.
the route you will get some great views and enjoy a stunning outing.
There are one or two minor ups and downs
As you are walking beside the estuary at times the route is best
and a few rough areas to negotiate so
avoided at high tide times.
walking boots would be advisable. As the route is a coastal one it would be
The highlight of the entire walk has to be the ruins of Flint Castle.
unpleasant in wet or windy conditions.
This was the first castle built in King Edward I’s ‘Iron Ring’ of
Also it is best avoided at high tide time
fortresses designed to encircle North Wales and subdue the Welsh
– check this out at www.tide-forecast.
nation. Building work began on Flint Castle in 1277 (to coincide with Edward’s first Welsh War) and the castle has been managed as a public monument for over 90 years. The setting is impressive and was chosen as it was only a day’s march from Chester and could be supplied via the River Dee. There is no fee for entering the castle and you should certainly take time to explore the ruins. Some of the
com>locatioins>flint-2>tides>latest
J Suitable for: Walkers of all abilities should be able to enjoy this route
J Dogs: OK if on a lead J Refreshments: Flint is nearby, and you will find cafés, pubs and shops here
high turrets can be climbed to via steep stairs and there are viewing platforms on top of them which are not for the faint hearted and which should be avoided on windy days!
NWM 2020 Page 77
4
MAGAZINE 5
WALK DETAILS
3
START With your back to the sea, exit the car park via a pavement path on the right side of it following signs for ‘Flint Castle’ to pass a ‘Coast Path’ sign 2
and sculpture to reach a road. Go right following the pavement behind the
START/ FINISH
castle. At the castle entrance go right to cross the entrance bridge and explore the ruins of the castle. Exit the ruins via the bridge you used to
KWWSV RSHQVWUHHWPDS RUJ FRS\ULJKW KWWSV RSHQVWUHHWPDS RUJ &RS\ULJKW 2SHQ6WUHHW0DS DQG FRQWULEXWRUV XQGHU DQ RSHQ OLFHQVH
enter them and go immediately right to follow the castle moat to the last battlement. Here go ahead descending a path to reach a path junction right of a car park.
right again almost immediately to follow The Coast path for ‘Flint Point’. Continue down a road and at a yellow barrier and The Russel BI factory, go right following The Coast Path through a squeeze stile left of a barrier. Pass a sign for ‘Flint Foreshore’ and reach a path junction left by a footpath sign. Go left
Points of interest on this section
following The Coast Path and a sign for ‘High Tide Route’.
J Flint Castle - This was the first castle built in King Edward
Rise half left into trees and at the next footpath sign and a
1’s ‘Iron Ring’ of fortresses designed to encircle North Wales
junction right, go ahead continuing on the path with nice
and subdue the Welsh nation. Building work began on Flint
views of the Dee Estuary right. Stay ahead on the main path
Castle in 1277 (to coincide with Edwards first Welsh War) and
at all times and enter trees. Reach a path junction by double
the castle has been managed as a public monument for over
gates right and go right on the main path. Ignore any paths
90 years
going off left and continue on the main path to reach a good track heading uphill left.
2) Go right to stay left at the next path junction in woods and by a sign for ‘the Coastal Path’. Shortly cut back right to rise up
4) Go left here to rise up continuing to a junction with a good
and cut back left with nice views of the Dee Estuary. The path
track. Go left and continue past a small lake right. Take time
cuts back right again (as a rough path drops away ahead) and
to leave the path and cut left to see the soldier statue at a
then curves left to reach a ‘T’ junction. Go left and continue to
viewpoint. Afterwards return to the main path and continue on
a junction of paths with a barrier left. Go right towards the sea
it in the direction you were headed. Keep ahead to reach a ‘T’
continuing on the path with the estuary right and curve left
junction by a squeeze stile.
keeping the estuary right. Shortly curve left to follow an inlet inland and soon rise up to join a higher path and go ahead on it.
5) Go left to follow a wide path through trees and continue
Continue past factory units and a fence. At the end of the inlet
ahead at a sign for ‘Flint Castle’. At a barrier pass through a
curve right past two benches to reach a sign for ‘Flint Dock’.
squeeze stile and curve left of a barrier to pass through a barrier to a road. Go ahead to pass right of Flint Dock again.
Points of interest on this section
Keep ahead to continue down the road through industrial units.
J The Dee Estuary – this is where the River Dee flows into
At a junction go right (near a car park) to go left at the next
Liverpool Bay. The estuary starts near Shotton and soon swells
junction and walk past the entrance to Flint Castle. Continue to
to several miles wide. It forms the boundary between the
go left back to the car park and the start. n
Wirral Peninsula and Flintshire
J Flint Dock – this was built in the 1800’s to export lead from Halkyn Mountain. It was also used to ship out coal and timber. Seeing it as it is today it is difficult to believe that this was once one of the busiest places in Flint. 3) Stay ahead on the path to curve left to a road. Go right and
Page 78 NWM 2020
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.
LLANDUDNO MUSICAL PRODUCTIONS proudly presents
MUSIC AND LYRICS BY ROBERT LOPEZ and JEFF MARX
BOOK BY JEFF WHITTY
BASED ON AN ORIGINAL CONCEPT BY ROBERT LOPEZ and JEFF MARX
Theatr Colwyn 26th - 28th March 2020
Evening Performances 7.30pm Saturday Matinee 2.30pm
Tickets £15
Tickets are available from the Box Office, 01492 556677/872000 or www.theatrcolwyn.co.uk Discounts Available for Groups of 10+
Not Suitable for Under 16’s THIS AMATEUR PRODUCTION IS PRESENTED BY ARRANGEMENT WITH MUSIC THEATRE INTERNATIONAL (EUROPE) ALL AUTHORISED PERFORMANCE MATERIALS ARE ALSO SUPPLIED BY MTI EUROPE WWW.MTISHOWS.CO.UK
Whatever business you’re in, we can get you in front of the right audience Contact us today to find out how a competitively priced print advertising campaign can help you build your brand in 2020
PUBLISHING Print advertising solutions for North Wales businesses 01492 472052 sales@ksgpublishing.co.uk www.ksgpublishing.co.uk
Win
COMPETITIONS
A Life in Squares photo collage worth £295 These days, the majority of our photographs are stored on computers, filed away on hard drives, left on mobile phones or hidden away in boxes gathering dust. A Life in Squares photo collage will capture these precious memories and turn them into a unique piece of artwork for your wall. The team can work from digital images, old paper photos and children’s drawings. Any shape or size photo can be used – and they don’t have to be square! Prize is a 49-image collage on a 10mm floating acrylic panel at 50cm x 50cm to the value of £295! T’s&C’s apply. www.lifeinsquares.com
To Enter In order to enter, all you need to do is email your name and address to us at competition@northwalesmagazine.co.uk by Friday 28th February, making sure that you put the name of the competition that you are entering in the subject line. Of course, you could always enter both – good luck!
North Wales Magazine has two amazing prizes to give away this February! 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 that are taking place throughout the month. Good luck!
A Hollywood Red Carpet Facial with HEBE Aesthetics Treat yourself to an A-list treatment at HEBE Aesthetics. Using only high quality skincare, products don’t just sit on top of your skin, they are absorbed into your skin. Great before a night out, this unique facial is available at HEBE’s clinics in Wrexham and Colwyn Bay. The treatment will leave your skin feel fresh and clean. All treatments at HEBE Aesthetics are performed by an experienced and registered independent nurse prescriber, Irina Evans. T’s&C’s apply. Prize value £50 Find HEBE on Facebook @hebe.uk
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.
EACH COMPETITION NEEDS TO BE ENTERED SEPERATELY
NWM 2020 Page 81
Page 82 NWM 2020
Community
News
Have you considered mediation? The stress of Christmas can be the straw that breaks the camel’s back for some relationships, making the new year a busy time for divorce lawyers. But one Conwy-based family law specialist is urging couples to consider mediation before, or instead of, taking formal legal action. Caroline Yorke (pictured), of Lanyon Bowdler Solicitors, said mediation can be a very successful way for couples to reach agreement following the breakdown of a relationship. “During mediation, couples meet with a specially-trained family mediator to explore what options are available
Charity celebrates 10th anniversary
and work towards an agreement regarding their
2020 sees a local Llandudno Charity celebrating ten
take place at any stage of the separation or divorce,
years of providing their services. Hope Restored
and we find it can be a very effective and economical
provides totally free services to the homeless and
way of making progress without the need for drawn-
vulnerable in the area. Founder Brenda Fogg and
out legal arguments or court proceedings. It is a ‘safe
her team of volunteers provide not only shelter, help
space’ in which the parties can explore various options
and advice with the social welfare system, but also
creatively, whilst knowing that they can return to a
food and clothing generously donated by the local
solicitor for advice on any discussions that take place.
community. Steve Bate from Llandudno based Printing
Furthermore, mediation is one of the few areas of
Company, Print Approved was astounded what Brenda
family law where Legal Aid is available to people who
and her team have achieved and offered not only to
qualify financially for it, and many mediators are able
chose Hope Restored to be Print Approved’s charity
to offer a Legal Aid service. We are always keen to
of the year, but also created a brand identity and
suggest mediation to clients whenever we think it will
produced a range of marketing products to promote
be appropriate.”
the invaluable services this amazing charity provides.
www.lblaw.co.uk
finances and family situation,” she explained. “It can
hoperestored.co.uk
NWM 2020 Page 83
MAGAZINE
A butcher with a big appetite for the great outdoors is
Are your ready for a Miwtini?
raising money for vulnerable children by walking to the
The Enterprise Hub – a
top of Snowdon every week for the entire year. That means
collaboration between
keen walker Llyr Williams,
Menter Môn and M-SParc
who works for food
in Gaerwen – has
distribution firm Harlech
launched Miwtini, a
Foodservice, will have
new business start-up
climbed the equivalent of
programme for people
Everest five times, trekked
in Conwy, Denbighshire,
more than 400 miles and
Anglesey and Gwynedd.
scaled more than 150,000
The Miwtini programme
feet when he successfully
will be holding training
completes his gruelling 52-week challenge in aid of Action
sessions on a variety
for Children. The 32-year-old will be heading to the summit
of entrepreneurship topics to help individuals “make it
come rain or shine, or even ice and snow, with the aim of
happen”. The aim is for them to come into the programme
beating his current personal best time of one hour and 27
with a business idea and leave ready to start, with a
minutes tackling the strenuous Rhyd Ddu Path. Llyr, who
community of like-minded people to help them along the
lives in Llannor near Pwllheli and is a former student of
way. The workshops will encourage participants to try
Ysgol Y Moelwyn in Blaenau Ffestiniog, has worked as a
something out, making something happen, do something
butcher at Harlech Foodservice which has its headquarters
different or begin something new. The programme
on Parc Bwyd, Llanystumdwy, near Criccieth, for more than
will also highlight the Enterprise Hub’s co-working
two years. The company, which employs around 200 people
office spaces available across the region. These include
and has a satellite base in Chester, has named Action for
M-SParc on Anglesey and its satellite locations; Conwy
Children as its chosen charity during 2020. It’s a UK-wide
Business Centre in Llandudno Junction, Rhyl’s Clwyd
charity that protects and supports vulnerable children and
Chambers and bases in Ruthin, Botwnnog, Dolgellau and
young people by providing practical and emotional care.m”I
Porthmadog.
go walking every week anyway and having just achieved
www.hwbmenter.cymru
Llyr to climb Snowdon once a week!
my personal best time walking up Snowdon, I thought there must be a way of doing this for charity and making it a proper challenge,” explained Llyr. “My personal best is 87 minutes to the summit. There are four or five paths you can take but I prefer the Rhyd Ddu Path as I think it’s more
Wales Coast Path to launch over 50 new itineraries
The Wales Coast Path is launching over 50 new walking
rewarding and challenging than the others, and the views
itineraries covering the entire 870-mile trail to help
are stunning. I usually walk up to the summit of Snowdon
locals and visitors alike discover new and exciting ways
six or seven times a year so to do it every week will be
to explore the Welsh coastline. These new routes have
challenging. The changing weather will obviously make
been specifically designed by a network of officers
things difficult.” Llyr, who has a two-year-old son called
who spend their days managing and enjoying the path.
Ianto, added that the biggest reward from completing the
They will aim to make the path available to all ages and
challenge will be knowing that his efforts will go towards
abilities and will be grouped into specific themes. The
helping children that need it the most.
Wales Coast Path team have already rolled out a number
www.actionforchildren.org.uk
of these new itineraries, with a series of short, familyfriendly augmented reality (AR) walks having been unveiled in time for the school summer holidays. These were followed in autumn by a series of longer threeday itineraries developed to provide flexibility whether you want to completely get off grid, test your fitness or are looking for a family weekend activity. The next series of itineraries to be launched will all be centred on ‘mindfulness’, and will be perfectly suited for those who want to focus on reconnecting with nature, family and themselves. www.walescoastpath.gov.uk
Page 84 NWM 2020
Experience eFoil – a UK first From April, Hydrofoil technology is coming to the beautifully sheltered Menai Straits. The latest experience to come to North Wales, one of the world’s adventure capitals, FoilRide (an extension of RibRide in Anglesey) is the only place where water sport enthusiasts can learn to eFoil in the UK, and one of very few in Europe. eFoil is a surfboard with an electric motor that flies above a hydrofoil wing, giving visitors the chance to fly above water and interact with the beauty of Wales’ iconic waterway without imposing upon it. Only a modicum of balance is required. “We are always looking at ways to expand our offering to visitors, whilst focusing on sustainability,” commented Tom Ashwell, co-founder of RibRide. “Visitors to FoilRide will get a UK first experience, in an activity that promises true mindfulness. Hydrofoiling can be learnt in just one lesson, so it’s a perfect holiday activity and we already have repeat visitors to RibRide on our waiting list. We can’t wait to see perplexed faces watching people magically fly along the Menai Strait!” RibRide is working with local community groups to identify those interested in offering the FoilRide experience to its members, including Welsh tourism courses, Island Games Sports Ambassadors, mental health charities and disability groups. www.ribride.co.uk
Adam Hender returns to Llandudno
21-year-old rising star Adam Hender has announced his first run of headline shows, stopping in Glasgow, Manchester, London and homecoming show here at Venue Cymru this month. The shows follow the release of his anthemic new single ‘Burn’, which hit 100,000 streams on Spotify in a matter of weeks, and has been heard by millions more since, as well as receiving its first play on Radio 1’s ‘Best New Pop’ show. The track is a stirring ballad, touching on the darker side of relationships. “It’s very personal to me,” says Adam. “It’s about a toxic relationship, which I’m sure plenty of people have had too. I hope people relate to it.” The tour is the first chance to catch Adam live since his triumphant hometown show in Conwy Chapel last year. Tickets cost just £13. venuecymru.co.uk
Boris Johnson recognises Llandudo charity Prom Ally offers the free loan of prom dresses and suits to school children, sixth form students and college students who otherwise couldn’t afford one. Prom Ally has helped hundreds of girls since it was set up back in 2015 by Ally Elouise, a law graduate from Llandudno who used her 21st birthday money to start it. And now Ally Elouise has been recognised by Prime Minister Boris Johnson for the difference that she is making. “I know you do this with no thought of praise or reward, but allow me to offer my own recognition of how your brilliant idea of loaning out prom dresses and suits, to those who might not ordinarily have them, is allowing students to celebrate the milestone of finishing school,” said Johnson in a personal letter to Ally Elouise. “I feel so honoured to have been chosen by the Prime Minister to receive this Points of Light Award,” added Ally Elouise. “The ultimate goal is that eventually no-one will have to miss their school prom due to financial hardship!” www.promally.co.uk
NWM 2020 Page 85
Discover new adventures, great food, a World Heritage Site, two National Trust properties, a thriving town centre and make memories by visiting Wrexham County in 2020. To plan your visit and see our new itineraries visit
www.thisiswrexham.co.uk
@thisiswrexham
Discover the
FREEDOM TO FLOURISH
Independent Boarding and Day School, for ages 9 to 19, North Wales
For more information visit www.stdavidscollege.co.uk
Puzzle corner
Down 1 Army dining room (4,4) 2 Leaning letter (6) 3 Armed resistance (9) 4 Smoked herring (6) 5 Sporting competitors (8) 6 Silence! (5) 7 Group of spectators (8) 8 Makes over (6) 15 Grease (9) 17 Lack of variety (8) 18 Unequal (3-5) 20 Adolescent (8) 21 E.g. Seville (6) 23 Drowsy (6) 24 Outlaw (6) 25 Experiment (5)
Down: 1 Mess hall, 2 Italic, 3 Rebellion, 4 Kipper, 5 Athletes, 6 Shush, 7 Audience, 8 Renews, 15 Lubricant, 17 Monotony, 18 One-sided, 20 Teenager, 21 Orange, 23 Sleepy, 24 Bandit, 25 Trial. Across: 9 Extremist, 10 House, 11 Solve, 12 Palestine, 13 Accelerate, 14 Ends, 16 Limpopo, 19 Student, 21 Owns, 22 Measurable, 26 Afterlife, 27 Conga, 28 Ganja, 29 Expensive.
Across 9 Radical (9) 10 Accommodate (5) 11 Find the answer (5) 12 Holy Land (9) 13 Increase in speed (10) 14 Finishes (4) 16 “The great grey-green, greasy --River� (Kipling) (7) 19 Scholar (7) 21 Possesses (4) 22 Quantifiable (10) 26 Heaven or hell, maybe (9) 27 Sort of line dance (5) 28 Marijuana (5) 29 Dear (9)
NWM 2020 Page 87
MAGAZINE
An exceptional academic and enriching education from Pre-School to Sixth Form
Excellent examination results • High academic value added Outstanding Pre-School provision for 2-4 year olds • Wrap around care included Year 7 scholarships available • Exceptional Duke of Edinburgh Award scheme Forest School and Coastal School initiatives for Prep School children RYA Accredited Sailing Centre • Remarkable Performing Arts opportunities PRE-SCHOOL NOW ACCEPTING CHILDREN FROM AGED TWO
www.rydalpenrhos.com Page 88 NWM 2020
For more information email admissions@rydalpenrhos.com or call 01492 530155
Learning by heart Many parents find themselves asking at this stage, does it
maintain breadth of study for as long as possible. Both
matter which GCSE subjects their child chooses to take and
employers and universities expect pupils to take a wide
how do you go about making sure they are studying subjects
range of options including English Language, Mathematics,
which they enjoy, are passionate about, but that will
one Modern Language, The Sciences, the Humanities, as well as a creative subject. It should be noted,
set them off on the right path towards sixth form
however, that generally students wishing to
and courses of study after school?
apply to the most academic universities should not take more than one creative
Taken at the age of 16, when your child
or practical subject.
finishes year 11, GCSEs are used by both employers and universities as
Some GCSE exam boards are
evidence of a student’s academic
deemed ‘harder’ than others. Find
ability at this stage of their education.
out which exam boards the school
They are available in a wide variety
offers in each of the subjects that your youngster in interested in
of subjects. Most children tend to
studying and ask why the school has
take between eight and 11 subjects,
chosen this particular course within
depending on the recommendation of
this subject.
their school and their academic ability. IGCSE or International General Certificate of
Some schools insist on some subjects as
Secondary Education is increasingly offered
compulsory such as Religious Education, albeit
as an option in certain subjects. These are selected by some schools as they are often considered to have more
generally in short format, which requires no coursework.
challenging content and their tendency is to have less assessed coursework, which can ensure students are better
The correct GCSE choices and good results at this stage are
prepared for the next phrase of their education.
now critical for successful UCAS applications. For example, GCSE English is now generally a universal entry requirement
When helping your child select their GCSE options, it is
for any course. Mathematics is only slightly less commonly
important to look at a number of factors:
asked for and it is now often expected for students wanting to study subjects such as psychology, business and often the
You need to look at your child’s general ability, track record in
sciences.
examinations and overall performance in a specific subject. Success, general enjoyment and enthusiasm for the subject
It is important to note that a number of universities are
are strong indicators that a subject is a good choice.
asking that the results are achieved at one sitting. Some do
Often a youngster’s enjoyment of a subject at this stage of
not accept ‘re-sits’ at GCSE or standard level qualifications.
their education will correlate directly with a teacher who has
It is also considered better to take fewer subjects all in once
particularly inspired them. Make sure to enquire who will be
sitting at the end of year 11 and get higher grades. Oxford and
teaching your child if they select this subject as an option if
Cambridge and a number of popular courses at Russell Group
this is the case.
Universities now have entry requirements of 7A* GCSEs and often expect even more A*s!
Is your child better at assessment through examinations or coursework? There has been a significant increase in
Try to ensure your child feels ownership of the decision
coursework or controlled assessments in the past two years.
when choosing their subjects. The results they obtain
These can be an advantage/disadvantage depending on your
can really have an impact of the rest of their lives, so real
child. For example some subjects such as ICT, Music, Drama,
engagement in the process is critical. n
Art, Design Technology and PE have lots of practical work and controlled assessment pieces that account for over 40% of the available marks and which is very time consuming. These options will suit some students more than others. The aim is to get a suitable mixture of subject choices to
Sally Ann Harding is Senior School Head of Rydal Penrhos. She is about to embark on her 28th year at the school and her 40th in the teaching profession
NWM 2020 Page 89
MAGAZINE
EDUCATION NEWS Rydal Penrhos opens its doors to two-year-olds
New chief exec for Coleg Cambria
Coleg Cambria has appointed a new chief executive who plans to take the award-winning institution “to the next level”. Yana
Rydal Penrhos’ pre-school department
Williams has a long-term vision for the north east Wales college
is now accepting children from
and will build on the foundations laid by predecessor David
aged two. Those wishing to attend the prep school can
Jones OBE. The former CEO/Principal of
now do so from an earlier age than in previous years
Hugh Baird College in Liverpool vowed to put
thanks to a significant investment in equipment in order
students at the heart of every decision and
to make the transition to accommodate this particular
unite communities and industry behind a
age group. This includes a specialist play and learning
fresh strategy that will make Cambria “even
area for younger members of the pre-school community,
more innovative” in the future. Williams was
which was constructed by Rydal Penrhos’ maintenance
both a student and manager at the former
team, in addition to changing facilities for children who
Deeside College – which merged with Yale
are not yet potty trained. Pre-school staff have received
College in Wrexham to form Coleg Cambria in 2013 – and looks
specialist training ahead of the introduction, which is the
forward to the journey ahead. “I have always followed the
latest positive move implemented by Prep School head
college’s progress, so I’m pleased to see how it’s grown and
Lucy Davies following her appointment at the start of
am delighted to be back,” said Williams, who is originally from
the academic year. At Rydal Penrhos Prep School, young
Mold. “We have a real opportunity to become the best college
children will explore, investigate and question so that
in the UK; Cambria is established and respected, the links
they learn while their curiosity and imagination is given
and partnerships are already in place and we have a fantastic
full reign. The Pre-School department consists of a large
reputation. Together we can develop that potential across all of
open plan area with units for role play, circle and story
our sites and be the ‘can-do’ college for our communities, for
time, classroom activities/numeracy and literacy groups,
industry, and most importantly, for our students.” Her first task
construction/small world, art and wet activities, reading
will be to begin developing a strategy for the future, embracing
and computer activities. There is also a secure, fully
technology and looking at modern ways of working that reflect
enclosed and well-equipped outdoor area.
today’s society while “future-proofing” the organisation.
admissions@rydalpenrhos.com
www.cambria.ac.uk
Wrexham Glyndwr to host European delegation Architectural Design Technology students from Wrexham Glyndwr University will host a European delegation later this year to examine the future of the growing eSports industry. The appetite globally for eSports – essentially, competitive computer gaming which is viewed by spectators – has grown hugely in recent decades and Glyndwr’s students have taken part in a Europe-wide Erasmus + project examining the kind of buildings the new industry will need – alongside students from France, Spain and Finland. Dr Colin Stuhlfelder,
requirements of eSports, such as training spaces,
Programme Leader for Architectural Design Technology, said:
analytics facilities - as well as ensuring a public facing
“With the Spanish University of Murcia’s sports expertise,
space is created as well.” Last Autumn, students from
the University of Caen in France’s specialism in inclusivity,
Glyndwr joined their European counterparts in a trip to the
the University of Kajaani in Finland’s eSports lead, and
University of Murcia’s Faculty of Sport Science in San Javier.
WGU student’s design skills, the Erasmus+ project seeks
The visit was the third of a series of Erasmus+ study
to examine how eSports can be understood, expanded to
trips which Architectural Design Technology students
a broad audience regardless of ability, and be regulated
have taken part in as part of the pan-European electronic
through a Europe-wide Ethical Charter – as well as a host
gaming industry project, and later this year, students from
of other considerations linked to engagement. Our students
across Europe will be hosted at Glyndwr for the Welsh
at Glyndwr have been examining the design implications
section of the project.
of housing gaming tournaments, as well as the associated
www.glyndwr.ac.uk
Page 90 NWM 2020
diwrnodau agored. 29 Chwefror 6 Mehefin
open days. 29 February 6 June
Archebwch nawr / Book now 01978 293439 wgu.ac.uk/openday
NWM 2020 Page 91
Cato Crane Auctioneers MAGAZINE
CELEBRATING 34 YEARS OF HELPFUL SERVICE AND SUCCESSFUL SELLING
Chinese Reverse Painting on Glass C1900 £200-£300
Artist - Sir George Clausen - Sold by Us for £190,000.00’
Japanese Cranes in the Sunset £600-£800
• Free Pre-Sale Valuation at the Sale Room • Very Prompt and Courteous Service • Valuations for Probate and Sale • Valuations for Insurance • Weekly Collections and Furniture Auctions • Monthly Antiques and Fine Art Auctions • Specialist Book and Toy Auctions • International Advertising and Buyers • Specialist Removals with In-House Experienced Team • Removal of Low Value Items • Secure Insured Storage Facilities • Removals Arranged to All Parts of the UK • Live Internet Auctions
Our main offices and two auction rooms are located in Stanhope Street, opposite the Liverpool Marina. There is free on-road parking. Visits to clients in Wirral, Chester and North Wales are made every week. Evening and weekend visits to clients homes can be made by prior arrangement. To book your appointments simply call John Crane personally on either 01766 771777 or mobile 07836 209995 Cato Crane Auctioneers Liverpool Auction Rooms 6 Stanhope Street Liverpool, L8 5RF
Wirral Valuation Office 48 The Mount Heswall Wirral CH60 4RD
Chester and North Wales Tel: 01244 680055 Wirral Tel: 0151 342 2321
Email: info@catocrane.co.uk & sell@lowerpercent.co.uk
www.catocrane.co.uk
Telephone Soon For Home Visit Appraisals
Page 92 NWM 2019 2020
All Things
Auctioneering
Fine Victorian Silver Gilt Vinaigrette by Nathaniel Mills £200£300
Valuable Napoleonic Bone Boat C1810 for Restoration
Fine Walnut Serpentine Chest of Drawers
1937/8 Meccano SS 100 Type Tinplate Sports Car with Sleek Lines
Extremely rare and desirable objects are discovered not
model was in extremely good condition having been well cared
frequently, but they do turn up when least expected. Over
for. The colours are of the standard type but other rare colour
the Christmas break we spent a few days sorting through a
variants are to be found and can increase the value by five
property which contained a large number of boxes of items
times the normal cost to over £1,000.
which a collector had stored in his house for many years. Most of the items were not of great value and under £100 each.
As you can see the sleek lines in the model make it a very pleasing shape and it still has the original white tyres and seats
On the final day of sorting a box on top of a wardrobe was found
and steering wheel. All in all a great attic discovery and a future
to contain a small model boat in the form of a first rate ship of
joy to the new owner when it comes under the hammer in our
the line that is to say it had over 100 guns on three decks. The
auction on the 12th February along with other good models.
model needed repair and restoration. This rare model is known as a Napoleonic Bone Prisoner of War Model made in about 1810.
Rarity and condition makes models valuable and recently two Scalextrics model racing cars made over £500 with us
The prisoners obviously had plenty of spare time but also the
in Liverpool. If you have old metal models of boats, cars or
skills to make these vessels from the bones they were given as
aeroplanes which have been lying around in the garage for
the staple diet was mutton stew and the laborious construction
years and have become dusty and rusty don’t despair, they will
task developed into a small prison industry, albeit with very
still sell well as model collectors are often expert paint sprayers
low output. Prisoners’ hair was utilised for the rigging and the
and get great pleasure when engaged in winter evening
skills of the imprisoned carpenters was employed in making
restoration projects.
the basic hull shapes to which the newly fashioned mutton bones were attached with tiny metal pins. Some models were
Auction prices can be variable at times with the winter and
supplied for sale in intricate straw-work boxes for ease of
spring traditionally being the best time to sell. This rule is not
transport and storage.
so applicable now with internet bidding as summer in the UK is winter in the Southern Hemisphere and people are indoors in
Only a handful of these Napoleonic models have been on the
front of their computer screens hopefully bidding well.
open market in recent years, but there are many in museums. Despite requiring extensive restoration this intricate model is
Nowadays 70% of auction lots are sold live on the Internet
expected to make £5,000 to £10,000 or more as it might be a
with many bypassing dealers and going to the end user or
long time before another one in another attic is recognised as
private collector which means better results for today’s sellers.
being very special and discovered!
Every lot is photographed and condition reports sent out to prospective bidders to ensure they are informed of any wear
Browsing through glossy vintage sports car magazines and the
or damage.
car advertised says irritatingly POA or Price on Application you can be sure that the cost will be out of reach of most of we mere
Our valuation office in Heswall is open every Friday and
mortals on the planet! I don’t know the cost of an original 1930s
during the week by appointment when I am always pleased to
Jaguar SS 100 but it will be sure to be heading towards the one
meet clients with interesting objects and pictures; it is always
million pounds mark for a fine restored example. A replica can
amazing when people bring in valuable items and pictures
cost over £100,000! Only 119 originals were constructed.
bought in charity shops by those people with sharp eyes for a bargain!
This week on a house visit in Wirral I discovered in a loft a Liverpool Binns Road Meccano built model of a touring sports
The saleroom in Liverpool is also open every day for you to bring
car based on the famous SS 100. Surprisingly this 90-year old
in items for sale by auction. n
John Crane runs Cato Crane Auctioneers which offers a free pre-sale valuation service at its busy Valuation Office in Wirral. It also offers a home visit valuation service throughout North Wales, which is ideal if you would like advice on a few objects. Cato Crane’s selling commission rates are competitive, and a rate of 8% (or lower for very high value items) is available to clients in North Wales during February 2020. You can call Cato Crane’s head office in Liverpool on 0151 709 5559 or their office in Wirral on 0151 342 2321 for further information or, alternatively you can ring John directly on 07836 209995 if you would like any auctioneering advice. You can also follow Cato Crane on Twitter and Instagram. www.catocrane.co.uk
NWM 2019 Page 93 NWM 2020 Page 93
Three places to visit in February
Getting back
to Nature
There’s plenty of wildlife across the region in February, says Julian Hughes, if you know where to look.
Aberduna, near Mold There are great views across the Alyn Valley to Moel Famau from this Wildlife Trust nature reserve. You may spook a Woodcock from beneath the trees, before it heads back to Russia to breed, and look for Snowdrops and tiny purple Dog Violets, which are the food plant for the caterpillars of Small Pearl-
“There’s a flower that shall be mine, ‘Tis the little Celandine”
bordered Fritillary that will fly here in the summer.
Lesser Celandines bring sunshine to roadside verges, ditches and stream banks of North Wales. It’s a type of Buttercup, with glossy,
Bangor Harbour
heart-shaped leaves. Its star-like flowers with up to 12 petals are a
Just a few minutes’ walk from
beacon for insects, but the petals close up before it rains. They have
the city centre, the Menai Strait
inspired generations of artists to celebrate the start of spring: from CS Lewis in The Lion,
separates mainland Wales from
The Witch and The Wardrobe, to William Wordsworth who dedicated three poems to the
Ynys Môn/Anglesey. At low tide,
little plant.the first nature you heard as you walked home on New Year’s Day.
the sand and mud provide a rich feeding ground for wading birds
Getting the goat
such as Oystercatchers, Curlews and Knots, some of which roost
Queen Bumblebees; but what will they eat? Goat Willows are
below the harbour wall when
common in damp habitats, and their male catkins appear long
the tide comes in. Take a walk
before the leaves unfurl. The catkins are covered in soft grey
along Bangor Pier and look for
‘fur’, hence the old country name of ‘pussy willow’, beneath
black-and-orange Turnstones
which the bright yellow flowers provide a welcome source of
feeding busily on the seaweed
nectar for early-emerging bugs.
covered rocks.
Credit: Derek Moore
Warm days in February will bring out flying insects, including
Looking for lost nuts
February and March are tough months for birds, as last autumn’s food windfall is almost exhausted, but the warm days of an insect-rich spring are yet to come. Animals such as squirrels and jays hide excess nuts in times of plenty. Of course, the animal that hides the food doesn’t always reap the reward. In woodland, look for the Nuthatch, with its slate-grey back and peachy belly, walking down the trunks of trees, poking its bill into the crevices of bark to find a lost nut. Or make it easier for birds by providing nuts and seeds in a feeder in your garden.
Bringing back the Beaver
Beavers became extinct in Wales in the 15th Century because of overhunting for their meat and fur. It was the same story across Europe. Credit: Klaudiusz Nocturnal and aquatic, Muchowski with waterproof fur, Beavers are a keystone mammal, creating more diverse wetlands by cutting down saplings with their teeth to create pools in rivers, that are used by a range of other species. Wildlife Trusts Wales are assessing the feasibility of reintroducing Beavers to the Afon Dyfi and are organising drop-in sessions for people who live in the area from 12-4pm on: • Friday 7 February at Cletw’r, Tre’r Ddol, Machynlleth SY20 8PN.
Friog Cliff, near Fairbourne Rising steeply from the sea to the south of the Mawddach estuary, the cliffs between Friog and Llwyngwril are home to the only seabird colony in Meirionnydd. Fulmars are first to return, usually in January, and wheel along the seaboard on stiff-wings, setting up home with a mate on a narrow ledge. In February and March, the Herring Gulls, Lesser Black-backed Gulls and Cormorants will look for a good spot to build their messy
• Monday 10 February at The Brigands Inn,
nests, heading into Cardigan Bay
Mallwyd SY20 9HJ.
to find oil-rich seafood to raise
• Thursday 13 February at Llanbrynmair
their chicks in April and May.
community centre SY19 7DJ. • Saturday 15 February at St Peter’s Church, Machynlleth SY20 8AG.
Julian Hughes grew up in North Wales, which instilled a lifelong love of nature. He lives near Llandudno, manages the RSPB’s public affairs work in Wales, and writes about the region’s wildlife.
NWM 2020 Page 95
You & Your
Pet
HOW TO KEEP YOUR PETS STIMULATED Two of the most common reasons for behaviour problems
J Create an obstacle course in the garden with climbing,
in pets are boredom and excess energy. It’s easy to focus
running and jumping points to flex their mental and
on giving your pet physical exercise, but often, mental
physical muscles
stimulation can be overlooked. All pets require mental stimulation and it is estimated that most dogs need at least 6
Spending more time with your pet learning new skills and
hours of mental activity a day. If they are not provided with
tricks can help them expand their mental ability through
an appropriate amount of stimulation, they can become bored
problem solving. It also provides a time for you to grow a
which could also lead to bad behaviour. By keeping your pet
stronger bond with your pet. Stuffable food toys, puzzles or
mentally stimulated, you can:
long-lasting chew toys, such as the Buster Activity Mats and
J Burn off extra energy your pet may have J Reduce stress levels J Help with separation anxiety J Introduce healthy and calm behaviour in puppies
KONG toy range, are perfect to keep your pet entertained.
and kittens
Some of the best ways to use a stuffable food toy are:
J As a reward after a positive walk or training session J To prevent separation anxiety by giving them to your pet as you are about to leave the house
J Improve mental stamina
J As a substitute to a walk on a rainy day
Mental exercise is easy to accomplish by simply introducing
If you require any further information, please pop in to store.
a few games into your pet’s routine. You can try hiding treats
One of the team will be happy to help you pick out some
around the house, teaching them a new trick, or making
interesting toys and treats to keep your pet happy.. n
a play date with another pet owner so that your pet can socialise. This can change your pet’s behaviour for the better. Here are a few other ideas that can easily be implemented into your pet’s routine:
J Using a wobbler or puzzle feeder can make your pet work for their meal
J Introduce a dinner time routine, such as a high five before giving your pet their meal
J Teach your pet the name of their toys, and ask them to hunt
Sion Bashar is the store manager at petplace in Abergele. Having worked for petplace for five years he has a wealth of knowledge – and a genuine love for all things pet related. Be sure to pop in and say ’Hi’.
for specific toys around the house, or in their toy box
NWM 2020 Page 97
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
February’s horoscopes brought to you by Russell Grant ARIES (March 21st – April 20th) Both your public and private lives will reap rich rewards around the 2nd; there will be lots of reasons for rejoicing on this magical day. After making an appearance at an important party, head off to a romantic hideaway with your partner. Valentine’s Day promises to be a happy occasion, whether you are single or attached. Toast your love with your nearest and dearest. TAURUS (April 21st – May 21st) A friend will invite you to go on holiday with them on the 2nd; you’ll make wonderful travel companions. Splash out on a gourmet restaurant on the 3rd, as you’re sure to enjoy whatever is on the menu. Valentine’s Day will find you making a glamorous entrance at a restaurant, theatre or party. If you’re looking for love, you could find it with an attractive colleague. GEMINI (May 22nd – June 21st) A rewarding job with lots of perks could come your way on the 3rd. Stop doubting yourself and accept the position; you won’t regret it. Valentine’s Day could have an exotic flair. Going to a restaurant that specialises in foreign cuisine will be a real treat. Are you single? You could find love with someone with an exotic and attractive accent. CANCER (June 22nd – July 23rd) Working with an experienced person will turn out to be exciting and energising at the start of February. The 7th is ideal for making a professional presentation. Valentine’s Day is best celebrated at a romantic hideaway; it will be difficult for your lover to keep their hands off you. Are you single? Let a relative set you up on a blind date. LEO (July 24th – August 23rd) Hard work will pay off handsomely on the 3rd. Don’t be surprised if you’re given a bonus, pay rise or other perk as thanks for your excellent contributions. Valentine’s Day could find you getting engaged or married. If you’re already in a serious relationship, your partner will give you a beautiful gift. Are you single? Be willing to give up your independence to a cultured, sophisticated love interest. VIRGO (August 24th – September 23rd) Let your romantic partner pamper and pet you on the 2nd. A little tender loving care will bring out the best in you. Valentine’s Day will be glorious if you take extra time with your appearance; prepare to receive many flattering compliments. It will be necessary to change some of your expectations about romance on the 17th; stop clinging to some fairy tale notion.
Page 98 NWM 2020
LIBRA (September 24th – October 23rd) Your job prospects are looking good as February gets up and running; if you’re unemployed, you’ll get at least one potential packed employment offer. Valentine’s Day will be especially romantic. You special someone will be especially attentive, working hard to make you happy. If you’re single, you’ll have your choice of admirers. Pick the most original suitor; you won’t be disappointed. SCORPIO (October 24th – November 22nd) A powerful attraction between you and an unusual person will be evident on the 5th. This is an excellent time to embark on a relationship. Valentine’s Day might find you spending a quiet evening with your amour in the comfort of your home. Make the occasion special with flowers & a gourmet meal. Are you single? A heartfelt confession of love could reach your ears on this wonderful day. SAGITTARIUS (November 23rd – December 21st) You’ll attract lots of admiring glances on the 7th; this is a wonderful time to attend a party. The Full Moon on the 9th brings the satisfying conclusion to a legal matter. A minibreak will be a great way to celebrate Valentine’s Day; head for a nearby beauty spot with your amour. If you’re single, you will meet someone special when you’re out and about. CAPRICORN (December 22nd – January 20th) Your powers of persuasion are very strong on the 2nd. Take this opportunity to negotiate and finalise a contract, ask for a date or make a sales pitch. A breath-taking gift could be given to you on Valentine’s Day. Are you single? Take this opportunity to splash out on some creature comforts. Promoting a creative project is highly favoured on the 21st, when you could get funding. AQUARIUS (January 21st – February 19th) Working for a large organisation like a hospital or government agency could be profitable on or around the 2nd. Valentine’s Day gives you a special glow and you’ll have no problems attracting more than a few admiring glances. The 21st is perfect for moving to a new place or renewing your lease. On the 23rd, the New Moon brings a lovely money-making opportunity. PISCES (February 20th – March 20th) An influential friend will promote your interests on the 2nd. If someone offers to write a reference, set up a blind date or arrange a job interview on your behalf, you should take them up on their offer immediately. Take yourself off to a private hideaway with your lover on Valentine’s Day. If you’re single, you may prefer to embrace your freedom than look for love.
Luxmore Mews Livingstone Place, St.Asaph
3 & 4 Bedroom Luxury Townhouses
Sales suite open every day
10.30am - 4.30pm
.....quality in the making! www.pure-homes.uk
Contact us for details today on
0845 6036746
NWM 2020 Page 99 sales@pure-homes.uk
#GiftFromTheHeart
FREE AFFINITY BRACELET Receive a beautiful Tree of Life® Affinity stretch bracelet (pictured) worth £119, FREE with purchases of £99 or more. Just use offer code TREE during your online order at www.clogau.co.uk or in any of our Clogau boutiques and outlet stores or at participating retail partners. While stocks last. T&Cs apply. Visit your nearest Clogau store
Bangor | Broughton | Llandudno | Cheshire Oaks
www.clogau.co.uk Page 100 NWM 2020
