A scene from a previous Stations at Stations pilgrimage at Talyllyn Railway. A unique Good Friday event will again take place on Talyllyn Railway in Mid Wales this year. Called ‘Stations at Stations’, a special train will stop at each station along the line exploring the story of the first Good Friday with readings, prayers and reflections. This year, the Rev. Phil Jump, North West Area Baptist Association regional minister, will be leading the reflections focused on eight of the ‘Stations of the Cross’. The event, which is supported by churches and chapels in Tywyn and surrounding area, started in 2009 and continued every year up to the outbreak of the Covid pandemic in 2019. Last year, after the relaxation of Covid restrictions, the event was reinstated to the annual Talyllyn Railway programme. The event starts at Tywyn Wharf station at 4 pm and the train will return by 9pm. There will also be a refreshment stop at Abergynolwyn station at around 6.30 pm where teas, coffees and light refreshments will be on sale. Tickets, costing £6 for adults and £3 for children, can be booked on-line at: www.talyllyn.co.uk or in person at Wharf station when trains are running.
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Two new books will be promoted at this year’s Wonderwool Wales, the award-winning show that celebrates all that’s great about Welsh wool and natural fibres. Ria Burns, who designs and makes sustainable knitwear in Bristol, has chosen to launch her new book, Dyeing Yarn Naturally, published by the Crowood Press, at the 17th show, which will be held at the Royal Welsh Showground in Builth Wells on April 22 and 23. Meanwhile, TOFT founder Kerry Lord’s latest publication, Alexandra’s Garden: Flowers, which features patterns to make 30 crochet flowers and will be launched at the end of March, will be promoted at Wonderwool Wales. Ria makes small batch, artisanal clothes from local, traceable wool. She hand dyes her garments with homegrown and foraged native plants, handmaking each piece to create a locally made, long-lasting and unique product that works with, not against, the environment. The knitwear is designed for longevity and Ria takes pride in showcasing the natural hues and qualities of British wool as a soft, warm, and durable textile. ‘Dyeing Yarn Naturally’ is a step-by-step guide to the process of dyeing yarn naturally from start to finish. This practical book explains the basics of how to colour yarn successfully with plant-based dyes. It starts with a detailed account of how to source materials and equipment, then moves onto how to prepare yarn and finally how to dye. Packed with advice and illustrated with inspiring photos, this guide will launch readers on a sustainable and creative journey that explores and celebrates the dyeing potential of everyday plants. “Wonderwool Wales will be the book’s first official outing after publication, so I think it technically counts as the launch, which is very exciting,” said Ria whose website is at https://www.riaburns.co.uk/ . Kelly’s much-anticipated book, ‘Alexandra’s Garden: Flowers’, celebrates TOFT’s 30 favourite flowers, travelling through the four seasons of the garden. Flowers range from the first snowdrop shoots pushing through the frost to the delicate and intricate petals of the alstroemeria and on to the fantastical displays of the dahlia. Accompanied by stunning floral photography, readers will also find pages of handy tips and tricks, sewing up instructions and guides for tension, basic stitches and much more. TOFT is a British craft company based in the rural Warwickshire village of the same name, which is home of the Edward's Menagerie and Alexandra's Garden collections of crochet animals and flowers by Kerry. Bringing traditional crafts and contemporary designs together using luxury materials, the business specialises in beginner knit and crochet kits and has a wide range of pattern books and British wool. Everything is sold online at https://www.toftuk.com/ to customers worldwide. TOFT was launched at Kerry’s parents’ alpaca stud farm in 2006, originally to produce alpaca yarns. Today, the company sells both alpaca and premium sheep wool yarns and has a global following. All of TOFT's yarn - whether alpaca or premium wool - is spun in the UK by the best mills in England. The wool itself is of the highest quality, both in terms of the raw fibre the company uses and the workmanship that goes into creating the yarns. Animal welfare is extremely important to TOFT as well. All wool yarns are museling free and all of the alpaca yarn is from the fleeces of company’s own herd. In addition to the development of TOFT yarns, Kerry has written a series of best-selling books, including ‘Edward's Menagerie’. During the last weeks of her pregnancy with her son Edward in 2012, she taught herself to crochet and made a toy elephant for her new baby. This began the collection of amigurumi animals - there are now more than 200 -which is now a phenomenon in the global craft industry. Edward's Menagerie began as an ebook that was exclusive to TOFT until 2014 when it was turned into a book and appeared on the shelves of bookshops all around the world. Since then Kerry has designed hundreds more crochet patterns and written more books. Wonderwool Wales tickets - costing £12 per day or £22 for the weekend - may be purchased online in advance at www.wonderwoolwales.co.uk or at the gate. . For more information, visit www.wonderwoolwales.co.uk , like Wonderwool Wales Ltd on Facebook or follow on Twitter @wonderwoolwales . The owners of a five star guest house in Southern Snowdonia, which welcomes “the adventurous who don't want to skip the luxury”, have added another award to their collection. Kirsty Busfield and her husband Gareth, who purchased The Old Vicarage in the former slate village of Corris, near Machynlleth in 2021, have won the marketing and social category of the 2023 Excellence in Luxury Service Awards. The awards are run by Luxury B&B Magazine whose judges selected The Old Vicarage, which has four guest bedrooms, for working hard to promote the business together with the local community. This new accolade is added to five star gradings from Visit Wales and the AA who also gave the guest house an award for its three course breakfasts. Kirsty, who runs the guest house, offers a series of packages that benefit other local businesses and give her guests extra reasons to visit and things to do and see during their stay. “I am passionate about promoting local, small businesses for guests to support whilst they are in the area,” said Kirsty, who has swapped a globetrotting job with one of the big four consulting firms to take over the small hospitality business. “One of the marketing initiatives I created, which took a lot of effort to co-ordinate with multiple local businesses, was my activity e-gift voucher promotion before Christmas, which included two nights B&B and an activity. “My goal was to curate something fundamentally different to the gift vouchers that are popular at most hospitality establishments which just offer accommodation.” Kirsty focuses on offering a quality experience to guests keen to discover beautiful Southern Snowdonia. The e-vouchers offered by The Old Vicarage range from multi day hiking and cycling holidays, such as the Welsh three peaks, to ‘your railway for a day’ where guests are taught how to drive a steam train at Corris Railway. There’s also an interactive donkey experience day, bushcraft or green-wood carving skills and a slate mine exploration day. Kirsty also hopes to provide options for anglers who stay at The Old Vicarage and she’s keen to find a photographer to provide expert advice to guests interested in photographing military jets over the Mach Loop low flying zone. Other top notch local attractions include Cader Idris mountain, extreme downhill cycling at Dyfi Bike Park, abundant wildlife and walks in the UNESCO Dyfi Biosphere and the pioneering sustainable living work at the Centre for Alternative Technology. That’s not to mention Corris Craft Centre with its range of craft studios, King Arthur’s Labyrinth and Corris Mine Explorers, together with Machynlleth, the ancient capital of Wales where Welsh warrior Owain Glyndwr established the first Welsh Parliament. “With our dramatic views across the Dulas valley and no end of activities on the doorstep, The Old Vicarage B&B is for the adventurous who don't want to skip the luxury,” explained Kirsty. “We pride ourselves on being more than 'just a B&B'. We help our guests to truly experience the wonder of these valleys and make memories that will last a lifetime. We have rapidly become a destination for experience based adventure in Mid Wales and Southern Snowdonia.” Reflecting on her change of career from being a digital banking trouble-shooter, Kirsty says she has no regrets. “It’s fantastic and I’m absolutely loving spending time with people who are on holiday and happy to be here to explore the area,” she explained. “We think it’s an incredible place and are excited to share it with other people, as there’s so much to do on our doorstep. I have a more hectic lifestyle here than when I lived in London and Brighton.” Great news for the local area is that advance bookings at The Old Vicarage are 80% up on the same period last year. There are also exciting investment plans in the pipeline for the guest house which will create jobs and attract even more visitors to the scenic Dulas valley in the near future. The Old Vicarage is a member of MWT Cymru, an independent organisation that represents around 600 tourism and hospitality businesses across Powys, Ceredigion and Southern Snowdonia.
To celebrate this anniversary, Ceredigion County Council has created a series of 26 circular walks, each taking in a section of Coast Path but returning to the start point using inland routes. Launching in April until October, a new walk will be published each week on the council’s social media platforms; Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. E-leaflets will be available to download or print from the website, together with other useful information such as a Coast Path mileage chart to help you plan your walks. The e-leaflets contain a simple map, route distance, availability of services, such as toilets, parking and public transport and information about the walk itself, such as the number of gates and the presence of stiles and steps. A recent Welsh Government review of the Coast Path indicated that the creation of circular routes incorporating inland settlements were seen as a strategic priority. The circular routes make it easy to walk sections of the Coast Path without having to make an out and back journey, have two vehicles or be under pressure to meet a bus at the end of your walk. They link settlements set back from the coast, which often have services available for walkers or points of interest that might otherwise be overlooked on a purely north or south journey. Councillor Clive Davies, cabinet member with responsibility for economy and regeneration, said: “The Ceredigion Coast Path is a very special part of the Wales Coast Path. I’ve walked a few areas of the path, a spectacular section being between Cwmtydu and New Quay and, of course, closer to home a section I used a lot as a child between Aberporth and Mwnt. “Iolo Williams noted at the National Eisteddfod in Tregaron that Cwmtydu to Llangrannog is his favourite stretch of the Wales Coast Path. Increasingly, people have found walking the Ceredigion Coast Path beneficial for their mental and physical wellbeing and our rangers and volunteers do an excellent job in maintaining and monitoring the paths condition.” Further information will be provided on the council’s social media platforms, including the details of six guided walks to be held over the summer holidays as part of marking this special year. When venturing out into the countryside, the council says sturdy footwear is essential as is weather appropriate clothing and drinking water. A recent OS map of the area is always a good idea and walkers should follow the Countryside Code. Arched bridge on Llanon to Llanrhystud Circular route.
“Our trade counter will be open so businesses can pick up Coco Pzazz bars, buttons and pillow packs at trade prices. We will also be introducing the opportunity of own label chocolate and sharing some exclusive offers.” Coco Live comprises a team of experienced chocolate makers who pass on their skills to participants at hands on, fun events. These range from a ‘Chocolate Experience’, where chocolate bars and shards are made and decorated, through to making filled chocolates and truffles with a selection of caramel and ganache fillings. Workshops can be tailored to special dietary requirements, such as vegan and for celebrations, including birthday parties or family celebrations. “Our informal approach, encouraging bowls to be scraped and spoons to be licked, is a hit with everyone,” said Lori. “After all, chocolate tends to bring out the inner child in all of us!” Tourism and hospitality businesses wishing to attend the ‘Eat & Greet’ on March 22, between 11am – 1 pm or 2pm – 4pm, are asked to email info@coco-live.co.uk to book their spaces. Advance booking is recommended as spaces will be limited and a maximum of two people per business will be allowed. The event will take place at Coco Pzazz and Coco Live,1 Parc Derwen Fawr, Llanidloes, SY18 6FE. Attendees with food allergies or intolerances are asked to notify Lori and the team when they book. Coco Live and Coco Pzazz are members of MWT Cymru, an independent membership organisation that represents more than 600 tourism and hospitality businesses across Powys, Ceredigion and Southern Snowdonia. In the Welsh Wind’s award-winning premium gins will feature at an exclusive Harvey Nichols food and drink event in Manchester this week. The Cardigan-based distillery will have a team at the luxury store’s Taste on Two soiree, which is being held on Thursday, March 9. It will be the first time In the Welsh Wind has taken part in Harvey Nichols’ Taste on Two, having secured a deal with the luxury store last October to stock two of its premium gins. At Taste on Two, guests will be able to sample In the Welsh Wind’s gold medal Signature Style gin and its Master winning Palo Cortado gin, which are available in all of Harvey Nichols’ UK stores. Taste on Two, which is being held for the seventh time, is one of the Manchester store’s premium events, featuring an array of food and drink demonstrations and interactive masterclasses. “Our partnership with Harvey Nichols was about introducing our gins to new audiences outside of Wales,” said In the Welsh Wind co-founder Ellen Wakelam. “Taste on Two is an excellent way for us to meet customers and for them to try our award-winning gins and find out more about us. “It is an established and very well attended event and we’re looking forward to being part of it.” Tickets for the Manchester event are available on Eventbrite and are priced at £10, which is redeemable against Foodmarket and Wine Shop purchases on the night. In the Welsh Wind, which has established a strong reputation and presence in Wales and has secured several industry accolades for the business and its spirits since being founded in 2018, is proactively expanding into new markets. For the latest news and products from In the Welsh Wind follow across Facebook, Twitter and Instagram or visit the website. In the Welsh Wind co-founder Ellen Wakelam.
Grow - Define - Deliver Together, an engagement event hosted by the Mid Wales Regional Skills Partnership will take place on the morning of 23rd March to give businesses of Mid Wales an opportunity to come together and tell us what you need for the future to meet your business goals.
"Come and understand the support and guidance available to you in procurement, tendering, recruitment, skills, and training. If you are a Ceredigion and Powys business thinking about your future workforce needs, come and join us for the morning at the Metropole Hotel, Llandrindod Wells. Be inspired by other businesses who have faced similar challenges. Network and explore the opportunities around upskilling, training or apprenticeships to help your business now and for the future. If you are a business just starting out or even an established business, of any size, and you are unsure of the options that are available to you in recruiting or upskilling staff, then this event is for you. Powys and Ceredigion officers will be on hand to share the support and solutions available, for example tendering and procurement. Key topics that will be explored include Green Skills and Net Zero; looking at ways to prepare and adapt your organisation and supply chains for the green economy, identifying the green skills your workforce needs to succeed and how these can be achieved. Emma Thomas, Chair of the Mid Wales Regional Skills Partnership said: “We're pleased to invite Mid Wales Business Employers to join us at the ‘Grow - Define - Deliver Together’ event. Help us to understand your barriers to skills and recruitment, enabling the Mid Wales Regional Skills Partnership to be your voice when and where it matters. You will have the opportunity to join a round table discussion with fellow employers and experts in the field of employment, skills, and training. They will be on hand to listen to your needs, and the challenges your businesses are currently facing, and to offer advice and guidance. This is an important opportunity not to be missed.” The event will be followed by a networking lunch. To attend the event, businesses must register their interest through the following link: https://bit.ly/GrowDefineDeliverTogether2023 The famous Clock Tower in Machynlleth. Machynlleth's literary festival, named Amdani, Fachynlleth!, will come to life once again in the ancient Mid Wales market town from March 31 to April 2. The idea for a festival was instigated by Charles Dark, owner of The Wynnstay Hotel, in 2020 and was inspired by the life of Jan Morris. Now, her description of Machynlleth, the place where journeys meet / lle mae llwybrau'n cyfarfod, is what the organisers continue to try to evoke. As Jan said: ‘It’s always a junction of powers and influences.’
Elin Haf Gruffydd Jones chairs a lively conversation between Simon Brooks, specialist in the history of ideas in Welsh-language culture and political philosopher, Huw L. Williams, columnist for O’r Pedwar Gwynt. They ask ‘What is Welsh Thought? Is there a risk in the age of global knowledge that a Welsh understanding of the world might be lost?’
Then relax for the evening with Mike Parker’s Quiz Night and a Penderyn Whisky Tasting at The Wynnstay Hotel. Making an early start on April 2, Julie Brominicks and Tom Bullough swap travel notes on their respective hikes around ‘The Edge of Cymru’ and ‘Sarn Helen’, their recently published books. Roaming across Wales, Scotland and California in Birdsplaining, Jasmine Donahaye discusses the uniqueness of women’s experience of nature with Charmian Savill. Author of The Lost Rainforests of Britain, Guy Shrubsole, presents an illustrated talk that takes us deep into ‘found’ British rainforests. Mererid Puw Davies recalls the 1933 novel Nansi Lovell: Autobiography of a Gypsy written by her grandmother Elena Puw Morgan. Popular in its day and recently in an edition published by Honno, Nansi Lovell traces the history of her life among her family of North Wales Romani. Imagine a pilgrimage walk accompanied by poets Sian Aled Owen and Sian Northey and guided by photographer Jean Napier, in an illustrated talk based around her book The Cadfan Way. Mike Parker, author of On the Red Hill, will be in conversation with Ffion Dafis, to launch his new book, All The Wide Border: Wales, England and the Places Between. As the weekend draws to a close, Barbara’s Border Crossings, hosted by ‘Mrs Barbara Nice’ aka Janice Connolly, provides a fun finale. Over the weekend, in the town library, children will enjoy helping Elin Vaughan Crowley reimagine her rainforest and listen to an elephant story. The weekend has the support of Literature Wales, Parthian, Y Lolfa, Seren, Harper Collins, Atebol, Granta, O’r Pedwar Gwynt, New Welsh Review and Culture Colony. Machynlleth Literature Festival and Friends has also had an initial boost with generous support from local people. Tickets are £5 per person, per event and can be purchased via Eventbrite - simply search for 2023 Amdani, Fachynlleth! - or they can be bought directly from Pen’rallt, Senedd-dy and Literary Cat Bookshops in Machynlleth. For more information please visit https://www.penralltgallerybookshop.co.uk/ and to purchase tickets please visit https://www.eventbrite.com/cc/amdanifachynlleth-2023-1703929 The Smallholding & Countryside Festival returns to the Royal Welsh Showground in Builth Wells on May 20 and 21.
The festival is a celebration of rural life and country-living with smallholding pursuits at its heart. The weekend event is a showcase of the real diversity of the Welsh countryside and a fantastic day out for families, garden enthusiasts and anyone with an interest in the great outdoors. With a packed programme of livestock and equine competitions, displays, demonstrations, trade stands, live music and activities, there will be something for everyone to enjoy. Entries for livestock and equine competitions are now open and competitors can view the schedules and enter online at https://rwas.wales/smallholding-and-countryside-festival/competitions-festival/ . Entries opened on March 1 and close at 11.59pm on Monday, April 3. With more than 600 livestock classes and special awards for sheep, pigs, goats and cattle, many of which are for traditional, rare and native breeds, there is an opportunity for everyone to get involved. The Royal Welsh Agricultural Society has announced that this year’s festival will host Rising Star qualifiers for the 2023 London International Horse Show. Brand new Home-Produced classes are also being within the equine section with the support of the Welsh Pony & Cob Society (WPCS). Entries have opened for The Premier Open Dog Show, a 2024 Crufts qualifier, with rosettes, prizemoney and quality pet food all up for grabs for the winning canines. Postal entries close Tuesday, April 11 and online entries close Tuesday, May 2. Go to https://www.fossedata.co.uk/shows/Royal-Welsh-Agricultural-Society-Ltd-May-2023.aspx to view the schedules and to enter. The Smallholders Centre will continue to be the main port of call for those wanting to learn more about the smallholder’s way of life. This is the ideal place to stock up on the essentials from the agricultural and smallholding themed trade stands. Explore the Country Life Area, featuring the Premier Open Dog Show, Panic Family Circus, Pentre Pop Up Farm, The Woodville Medieval Re-enactment Group, Donkey Encounter, forestry competitions, sporting and countryside activities, all accompanied by live music from the bandstand. The display ring will be jam-packed with displays, including show jumping and working hunter competitions, The Steve Colley Motorbike Stunt Show, Little Nippers terrier dog racing, The Welsh Festival of Land Rovers and the M.A.D Team Mountain Bike Aerial Display. Meirionnydd Shearing Centre will become the Wool Zone, an area to promote the versatility and fantastic creations which can be made out of wool. Wool handling and blade shearing competitions, demonstrations from the Gwent Guild of Spinners and Weavers, a vintage shearing display and wool related trade stands will await visitors. Entries for the wool handling and blade shearing competitions are due to open in late March. It wouldn’t be a Royal Welsh event without showcasing the best food and drink produce that Wales has to offer. Sample delicious goods in the renowned Food Hall or grab a tasty bite at the food stalls in a Street Food Area. Tickets for the Smallholding and Countryside Festival are available online. Early bird online tickets are £18 for adults, £5 for children and family tickets cost £40. Discounted tickets are available for RWAS members. Visit https://rwas.wales/ for more information about the festival or to buy tickets. Image caption: The festival will launch brand new home-produced equine classes supported by Welsh Pony & Cob Society and host Rising Star qualifiers for the London International Horse Show. |
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