Following our Founders' Footsteps in Barmouth

On Saturday, I came across one of the strangest sights I've seen on my travels around the Welsh Coast.  

On a rugged and gorse-covered hillside hundreds of feet above the roofs and chimneys of Barmouth were a group of Victorian ladies and gentlemen enjoying an afternoon tea.

L-R: Fanny Talbot, Robert Hunter, Octavia Hill and Hardwicke Rawnsley

In an imaginative play on the concept of 'open-air sitting rooms', my colleagues in Snowdonia had staged the event at Dinas Oleu as part of this month's celebrations of the life of a remarkable woman who was a driving force behind the founding of the National Trust. 

Octavia Hill, social reformer and champion of open spaces for the benefit of the public, had visited Barmouth on at least one occasion.  She had travelled there to meet her friend and fellow-philanthropist, Fanny Talbot, who had kick-started the fledgling National Trust by donating the hillside above the town as its first acquisition.

In a letter that was written in 1911, only a year before she died, Octavia Hill wrote:

 I visited in the spring the cliff at Barmouth, which was the first possession of the National Trust.  It was given by Mrs Talbot, a great friend of Mr Ruskin’s.  It is steep and wild, the path along its face is cut in the rock high above town and sea; at one place the path is widened, a semi-circular seat is hewn in the face of the cliff, and above the seat is an inscription telling of its dedication to the people for ever.  As we stood there the rain clouds suddenly parted and cleared off; the sun broke out and lighted up the whole magnificent view of sea, and bay, and headland; and one felt what an abiding possession such a view was for the townspeople, and the many visitors from all parts of England.

This Saturday turned out to be a similar day.  It had rained in the morning, but after enjoying some of the celebrations in the town - including a re-enactment of a meeting between Mrs Talbot and the Trust's three founders and talks about Octavia Hill and the town's history - a group of us walked up in sunshine to admire the 'magnificent view of sea, and bay and headland'.  

L to R: Rhodri Wigley (Area Ranger), Dame Fiona Reynolds (Director General) Vanessa Griffiths (Wales Countryside Assistant Director of Operations) with her children Quinn & Róisín, Jane Richardson (Wales Head of Membership & Supporter Services) and Trystan Edwards (General Manager, Snowdonia & Llyn). At the cairn built in 1995 to commemorate the centenary of the Trust's founding. 

I was reminded of the day we unveiled the centenary viewpoint cairn 17 years ago when I took a photo of Fiona's predecessor, Martin Drury, together with the Trust's Chairman, Wales Chairman and Wales Director, sheltering from the wind on the same spot.

Perhaps it should be made obligatory for every Director General to pay a pilgrimage to Dinas Oleu.  I'll suggest that our new Director General, Dame Helen Ghosh visits in her familiarisation tour.  

But I can't guarantee that there will be a sofa and tea to greet her when she arrives. 

Autumn Walks in South Wales

Autumn is undoubtedly the best season for country walks.  Perhaps it's the quality of the light, the absence of crowds or the promise of nature's hedgerow harvest.  And it's not only the colours that are mellower: people seem friendlier and the pubs and cafes seem cosier.  

But most of all, the dying days of summer lend a wistful retrospection that I find so conducive to appreciating landscape.  Like tunes, I find that the best walks are in the minor key.

So it was my good luck that last week's visit to South Wales gave me an opportunity to further my quest to walk every section of the National Trust's 200 miles of Welsh coast.  And appropriately enough, both of them are featured in our Great Welsh Walk, which runs until the end of October.

The view of the secluded cove of Pwll Du, on Gower's south coast

The first walk, which takes you past this wonderful viewpoint to the hidden cove of Pwll Du on Gower's south coast, rewarded me with a glimpse of a kingfisher - darting up the stream in Pwll Du Wood - and gave amazing views of the south Wales coast as far as Porthcawl to the east and north Somerset and Lundy to the south.

Video clip of my description of the Pennard to Pwll Du walk:

The second walk was in Pembrokeshire's wonderful Cleddau woods, near the picturesque village of Lawrenny.  This walk had the benefit of starting and finishing at one of the cosiest of cosy autumn cafes, the Quayside Tearoom at Lawrenny Quay.  I had been told that it was one of the best in the county, and I was not disappointed.

The perfect combination: Lawrenny woodland walk and afternoon tea at the Quayside

To follow in my footsteps and sample the hidden delights of these two walks click the links:

Pennard Cliffs, Southgate, Pwll Du and Bishopston Woods

Lawrenny Woods

If you've enjoyed these walks as much as I did, why not use this blog's 'comment' facility?

A Taste of the Sea at Porthdinllaen

As I approach the village by sea, I can see the crowds in front of the Ty Coch

The picture postcard village of Porthdinllaen is amazing whichever way you approach it.  But by far the best way, is by sea.  And that is how I arrived at Porthdinllaen this afternoon, on my way to join the first Blas y Mor (Taste of the Sea) festival.

The event was organised the National Trust as part of the Llyn Coastal Festival and included seafood cookery demonstrations from local cooks Mary White, Selective Seafoods, Heather Jones, Gegin Grug, Nick Grimes and Russel Smith from the Woodlands Hall Hotel and Mel Thomas, Hafan Hire.

Other activities included beach games, free canoeing trips with Llyn Adventures, face painting and a fascinating exhibition about the area's rich seafaring history, provided by the Nefyn Maritime Museum.

I've visited Porthdinllaen hundreds of times over the years, but I don't think I've ever seen it so full of life.  After catching up with colleagues, family and friends - and sampling some of the cook's dishes - I paddled out to see the new Porthdinllaen Lifeboat, the John D. Spicer, on her mooring out in the bay, before heading for home.

Below are some photos of the event, and a video in Welsh of Coastal Ranger, Laura Jones.

Hundreds pack the beach in front of the the famous Ty Coch Inn

Russel Smith dishes out his tasty Cawl Cranc Llyn - Llyn Crab Soup.

Three happy members of the Llyn Visitor Services Team: Val, Steph and Joan, in front of the Ty Coch

A group of youngsters head off for their first taste of canoeing, with Llyn Adventures 

Ceidwad Arfordirol Llyn, Laura Jones yn siarad am gwyl Blas y Mor

(Video in Welsh only)

The Menai Strait's Other Engineering Wonder

Small but perfectly formed.  Anglesey's hidden hide.

In my first Welsh Coast blog post, made five months ago after an inspirational visit to Glan Faenol with Warden John Whitley, I promised that I would return to share with you more of his handiwork.

Well, today I found that I had an hour to spare in between meetings, so I popped over to take a look at another of his hand-made buildings.  Rather than writing about it, I thought I would post a video of my visit instead.

To take a look at another of John's creations, click here to download a walk.

Ceredigion by Bike

You too can enjoy the tracks and byways of Dyffryn Aeron.  Photo Credit: Janet Baxter

By happy coincidence, one of Wales' most attractive coastal towns is connected by an easy cycleway to one of Wales' most fascinating country houses open to the public.

The town is Aberaeron, with its wonderful architecture and equally wonderful ice cream and chips, and the country house - you've guessed it - is that miraculous survival from our rural past, Llanerchaeron. 

And now you can enjoy both these attractions without having to resort to the usual necessary evil of the motor car.

Since January, a cycle hire firm has teamed up with the National Trust to establish its base at the car park at Llanechaeron.

I met Simon Firth, the enthusiastically friendly proprietor of this little business, the other day on my travels. With his dog Woody (my "trusty side-kick") sitting patiently at his heels, Simon explained how he'd been approached by Paul Boland, the Trust's Property Manager about a year ago.

"I was working at a bike shop at the time, and Paul put the idea into my head. Although it’s taken a while for people to realise I'm here, I've not looked back."

Simon, who took up cycling on his doctor's orders to combat chronic back pain, is a convincing advocate of the restorative powers of cycling.

I asked him about the route to Aberaeron - which opened as a foothapth and cycleway 14 years ago when the track-bed of the Aeron Valley Railway was awoken from 40 years of neglect.

"At three and a half miles, it's such an easily-achievable distance.  Naturally, its popular as a safe peddle for families, but I've noticed how retired visitors have told me that its the perfect cycle for anyone who’s not been on a bike for a while."

Of course, when you get to your destination, there's no shortage of things to do: there's the ice-cream and chips for a start.

I wonder how many calories you burn off in three and a half miles of cycling?


Simon has a wide range of British-made bikes, trailers for people of all ages.  To contact Simon, phone 07896 895366 or email him on silikesbikes@gmail.com.  To download a leaflet, click here

Anglesey Visit: From Conservation Grazing to Nuclear Powerstations

An 'informed welcome': Warden Bryn Jones in action

How to establish an NT presence on NT beaches managed by a third party?

What's involved with organising conservation grazing?

How should we respond to the building of a new nuclear power station on our doorstep?

All questions raised during a fascinating day with our Warden Bryn Jones visiting National Trust sites on the north coast of Anglesey. 

Read the captions to the pictures on facebook to find out more > Click here

Getting Wet & Wild at Plas Newydd

“You can do kayaking, canoeing, raft building, high ropes course or sailing”

The words were spoken by Jane, our Business Support Coordinator at Plas Newydd when I asked if I could join one of their Wet & Wild days. 

I paused and glanced out of the window towards the Menai Strait. 

“Mmm.  Let me think…” I ruminated.

Kayaking and canoeing? I can do this any weekend. 

Raft building?  Sounds a bit like hard work. 

High ropes?  Too terrestrial for a Coastal Engagement Project Manager.

And, Sailing..? 

Yes, I thought.  I’ve always fancied doing that, but never had the opportunities – financial or otherwise – to have a go.

So here I am, a month later, unglamorously clothed in purple waterproofs and life jacket with three families of friendly strangers on the quay below the Marquess of Anglesey’s ancestral home on the banks of the mighty Menai.

Ready to cast off

 For some time now, the Trust has been keen to complement the more cerebral attractions of the James Wyatt –designed 18^th century mansion with activities that could appeal to people of all ages and interests.  And we didn't have to look far for ideas.  The Conway Centre which provides all sorts of educational, art and adventure experiences sits right next door.

So it was two teachers from the Centre, Colin and Charlie who were to show us land-lubbers the ropes.   They split us into two groups: the younger children and a father with Colin and the older children (including me) with Charlie.  A few minutes later our group was stepping carefully from the little motor boat onto the graceful lines of Jouster, one of two 8m long J/80 fixed-keel sailing boats that the centre owns.

Jouster, waiting at her mooring

Sitting attentively with my fellow cadets, Charlotte, Emily, Alfred and Alex, I learnt the names for the sails, ropes (some curiously called sheets), cleats and other vital equipment.  Soon we were setting off into a stiff south-westerly and learning to ‘beat a tack’, ‘come about’, ‘jibe’ and how to avoid the ominous-sounding “danger zone”.

Charlotte takes the tiller as Charlie checks the trim of the sails

Alfred and Emily off Felinheli

Emily takes a turn as helm

A dozen or so tacks brought us to the far side of Felinheli and in high spirits we made for home, securing the yacht to the mooring minutes before a squall hit us.  The final task – requiring the combined teamwork of both crews – was to haul the motor boat in one continuous motion up the steep ramp to the safety of the quayside.

And so we made our way back to the kit store, pleased with ourselves for taking the trouble of broadening our horizons in such an enjoyable way. 

Now all I have to do is start saving up for that yacht.

Why not go Wet & Wild yourself?  Trips continue until the end of August.  Click here for details.