​Dafydd Wyn Morgan is back on site for a fully booked course on ‘Photographing the Milk Way’ on the evenings of Friday and Saturday, September 6 and 7. The course will be returning next year and is one not to be missed.
 
There are spaces available for an Introduction to Night Photography course Dafydd is running on Friday and Saturday, November 1 and 2. This course has been highly successful in the past and needs to be booked in advance to avoid disappointment.
 
‘Mining in Ceredigion’ is a fascinating subject and talk on the history of this skill and way of life. This free, interactive event from 10am to 4pm on Wednesday, September 18 will include walks around the site to see the legacy of metal mining in this part of Wales and the historical impact it had on the land.
 
Suitable footwear and outdoor clothing will be required for the walks up to the Abbey Console mine.
 
On Saturday and Sunday, September 28 and 29, Strata Florida will be hosting its first ever ‘Walking Festival’ which will include a walk to the Pilgrim sculpture.
 
‘Autumn Foraging with Lucas Harley-Edwards’ will be the second of its kind this year, due to the success of the first one in the spring. The techniques, ethics and practises of foraging this area will be shared with plenty of opportunities to ask questions and gain first-hand experience.
 
‘Printing with Packaging with Marian Haf’ shares her expertise on creating art in a fun and friendly way, with stunning pieces for participants to take home.
 
This relaxed introduction to this skill uses household packaging and all materials and equipment will be provide. Participants can bring images for vision or inspiration.
 
The course runs from 10am to 4pm and participants are welcome to arrive earlier to gather ideas from the landscape, objects or wildlife of Strata Florida.
 
‘Barddoniaeth Ystrad Fflur with Professor Dafydd Johnston’ is the first course of its kind to be taught at Strata Florida. Taught in Welsh, it’s suitable for Welsh speakers and advanced learners.
 
The course discusses famous poetry connected to the site, from the Middle Ages with Gruffudd Gryg’s cywydd to the yew above the grave of Dafydd ap Gwilym, Guto Glyn’s praise poem to Abbot Rhys and Dafydd Nanmor’s description of the abbey church. There will also be modern poems from the likes of Hedd Wyn, T. Gwynn Jones and some of the works of the Ffair Rhos poets.
 
Saturday, November 23 sees another new course at Strata Florida, with the talented Jacqueline Yallop’s ‘Writing the Dark: Darkness as Inspiration for Creative Writing’. Budding writers and established authors will be able to learn and share ideas on creativity and how inspiration is gained from everywhere and everything.
 
The Strata Florida Trust will be hosting its second Christmas Carol Service in St Mary’s Church on the evening of Wednesday, December 4. If the evening is dry and mild, carols will be sung amongst the Abbey Ruins by torchlight, led by Choirs For Good, a non-for-profit organisation.
 
To register and find out more about courses, visit https://www.strataflorida.org.uk/courses-and-events.html
or contact the trust at [email protected] .
 
The Strata Florida Trust is a member of MWT Cymru, the independent organisation representing around 550 tourism and hospitality businesses across Ceredigion, Powys and Southern Snowdonia.

The celebration continues throughout the weekend with Bank Holiday pop-up stalls on both Saturday and Sunday, from 9am to 5pm. This array of stalls will feature Welsh artisans proudly showcasing their creativity in food, drink, arts and crafts.
 
Further information about the tour and pop-up market may be found at https://elan-valley.co.uk/events/
 
Elan Valley also offers a range of activities for the whole family. Visitors can hire bikes, or bring their own, to explore nine scenic trails, take walks in historic landscapes or enjoy a drink and cake at the café. For more information, visit https://elan-valley.co.uk/.
 
Elan Valley is known for its stunning landscapes, rich history and remarkable engineering heritage. The valley is home to a series of dams and reservoirs that have provided water to Birmingham for over a century, making it a vital part of the region's history and development.
 

A mighty oak tree on the famous Gregynog Estate in Mid Wales that’s at least 500 years old has been named as Wales’ nomination for the Woodland Trust’s Tree of the Year competition.
 
The ancient oak measures a mighty nine metres at its widest point and is the only tree from Wales nominated for the UK competition. People can now vote for the Gregynog Oak online at https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/trees-woods-and-wildlife/british-trees/tree-of-the-year/
 
Located in the Great Wood at Gregynog, the tree is up against 11 other amazing oaks from across the UK. Voting is open until 11.59pm on October 21 and the Woodland Trust will announce this year's UK winner on October 29.  The winner goes on to the European Tree of the Year competition.
 
One of Wales’ premier country house estates, Gregynog Hall is located on the edge of Tregynon village, near Newtown and is now run by The Gregynog Trust. The 750–acre estate is designated a National Nature Reserve, considered to be one of Wales’ most important ancient parklands and wood pasture habitats
 
Lydia Bassett, the trust’s director of business development, said: “The magnificent Gregynog Oak stands alongside several mammoth trees in the Great Wood in the grounds of Gregynog Hall.
 
“We are so excited to be named as Wales’ nomination for Tree of the Year. Gregynog Oak is a brilliant reminder of the estate’s incredible history since the first house was built here in the 12th century.
 
“Our woodland is a globally significant area of Specific Scientific Interest with rare lichens in the ancient oak forest as well as redstarts, pied fly catchers and three types of woodpecker.
 
“Gregynog Trust, a charity which took over the management the hall and estate from the University of Wales in 2019, is working with the Montgomeryshire Wildlife Trust to study the exceptionally biodiverse nature on the estate.
 
“The woodland at the hall has just been awarded the status of being part of Wales’ National Forest.
 
“Thought to be at least 500 years old, the impressive Gregynog Oak hosts countless species including important lichens. With many esteemed visitors to the hall over the years, the likes of Gustav Holst, George Bernard Shaw and Prime Minister Stanley Baldwin may have admired this incredible tree. There is a footpath to the Gregynog Oak from the hall through the Great Wood.”
 
The estate is open every day with miles of woodland paths to explore and a brilliant café to visit. A £3 parking fee helps maintain the gardens and woodland.
 
Gregynog Hall is best known as the home of sisters Gwendoline and Margaret Davies, remarkable Welsh women who had a revolutionary vision to create a place in Wales which would be a true cultural and artistic centre.
 
While still young, they amassed one of the great art collections of the 20th century. They bequeathed 260 Old Masters, 18th and 19th century British, Impressionist and Post-Impressionist paintings and sculptures to the National Museum of Wales in 1951 and 1963, completely transforming its art collection in character, quality and range.
 
The sisters’ achievements and the events that took place at Gregynog helped shape the history of Wales. They helped found a national university, the foundations of the Arts Council of Great Britain, a national library, a national museum, making huge strides towards improved public health and the Council of the League of Nations.

Former work colleagues have been fondly remembering “Auntie Mair” on the 50th anniversary of Ffestiniog Travel, a business that has organised holidays for thousands of rail enthusiasts over the past half century.
 
Ffestiniog Travel founder and director, Alan Heywood, explained Mair Watson’s key link to the origins of the overseas railway travel company, which now employs eight staff, runs more than 40 tours a year and has a turnover of £2.5 million.
 
Alan, who is now retired but works on a voluntary basis, was traffic manager at Ffestiniog Railway in 1969 when Mair, who had been working at Butlins, joined as booking clerk at Harbour Station. 
 
“One of the things we did, apart from selling tickets for the FR, was to sell British Rail tickets,” he explains. “This arrangement had been in existence since the mid ‘60s after the Dr Beeching cuts. 
 
“British Rail wanted to de-staff the stations along the line but not to close the railway. This was a bit of a political hot potato. People perceived it as wanting to close the Cambrian Line but what British Rail wanted to do was to save money and close the booking offices.  
 
“So, they asked Ffestiniog Railway to take over as a type of clearing house for ticketing. Mair and I inherited this task, together with the late Alan Skellern.
 
“In a way, Ffestiniog Travel owes its very existence to something Mair said. We were selling domestic rail tickets for the UK, but people who were on holiday here, particularly from the Netherlands, would come to the booking office and ask for travel to get home.
 
“Mair was able to get them as far as the ferry port at Harwich but no further. She came to me and said, ‘Can we apply for a licence to sell the Sealink ferries and continental rail?’  I said, ‘we can ask’ ...and we did!” 
 
At the time, British Rail was dubious about the request and felt there wasn’t enough business to be had in a rural area such as Porthmadog, as setting up an international rail bureau would mean training a team and installing new equipment and systems. 
 
Alan wasn’t to be defeated. “I had at the back of my mind that the Ffestiniog Railway Society had about 5,000 members and they would undoubtedly support us when it came to booking tickets at continental railways as railway enthusiasts,” he added. “Then we weren’t just relying on local people.” 
 
“We should pay tribute to Mair as, in a manner of speaking, it was the start of where we are now.”
 
Mair was with the company until she retired and worked very closely with Alan to build a huge amount of experience selling continental rail journeys and running the ticket office.  
 
Alan remembers Mair, who died in 2009, with affection. “We nicknamed her Auntie Mair as I was 29 when we started working together and she was older than all of us and in her 30s,” he said.
 
Her granddaughter, Leah Watson, is now manager of Ffestiniog and Welsh Highland Railways’ Spooners bar and restaurant. She remembers Mair, her nan or ‘nain’, would put her and her siblings on the train in the summer holidays and send them to Blaenau Ffestiniog with money for a Mars bar and drink. 
 
“Nain would be waiting for us on the platform when we got back and check with the guard we had been good!” said Leah.
 
Mair was also a kind and thoughtful colleague and friend to all who knew her. Whenever help was needed, somebody to work late or cover a Saturday duty, or even babysit for colleagues with young families, Mair was first to volunteer. 
Beddgelert Station mistress, Sarah Buchanan remembers ‘Auntie Mair’ handing out hydration drinks to the loco crew in the guards’ room on hot days and insisting they drank it all, however nasty it tasted. 
 
“She was a whizz with numbers and knew all of the jobs in the booking office inside out,” said Sarah. “She was able to work out in moments why figures weren’t adding up when anyone else would have been pouring over them for ages.” 
 
Although Ffestiniog Travel’s existence is thanks to Mair, she wasn’t one to travel for work and turned down the offer to run tours, preferring to run the railway back at base.  
 
This October, there is a celebration tour to the same destination as the original tour in 1974. “We are taking a group out to Switzerland which was our first destination,” added Alan. “Not quite the original itinerary with no Eurostar in those days! I am looking forward to leading the very special celebration tour.“ 
 
Maria Cook, general manager of Ffestiniog Travel, said: “Over the years, we have earned a reputation that is second to none. The team work hard to keep it, ensuring that customers receive the highest level of customer satisfaction and a quality product with every booking.  
 
“As a result, growth has been an organic process and we have managed to stay true to our roots as a small specialist operator specialising in rail holidays.  
 
“We are extremely proud to boast that we have around 60% repeat business, which is a rarity in the travel industry. However, we are victims of our own success as we must deliver a tour programme every year that includes something new for our regulars. At the last count, the total number of countries visited was over 60! 
 
“Ffestiniog Travel has developed into a company that offers escorted and tailor-made holidays in the UK, Europe and worldwide destinations, specialist private group tours plus rail and flight tickets.
 
“We have an average annual turnover of £2.5 million and have donated £1.3 million to the Ffestiniog and Welsh Highland Railways to date. 

“Ffestiniog Travel has had to evolve over the years to survive but one fundamental area of the business has always been the European Ticketing department, Auntie Mair’s legacy!” 
 
Find out more about railway adventures abroad with Ffestiniog Travel Rail Holidays at https://www.ffestiniogtravel.com/ . 

Wellsynergy, the first wellbeing and outdoor activity festival to be held in the stunning Brecon Beacons (Bannau Brycheiniog) from September 20-22  will be welcoming Patrick Holford as special guest speaker.
 
Patrick, the founder of dementia prevention charity, Food For The Brain and author of almost 50 books, has dedicated his life to helping people enhance their health.
 
He will share valuable insights into the practical changes in nutrition, lifestyle and mindset that can improve our mental health. 
 
Other guest speakers include qualified mountain leader Kevin Walker, who has been running navigation and hill skills courses for more than 40 years.
 
During the festival, Kevin will be presenting two audio-visual shows. The first – “Nature of the Brecon Beacons” – is based on his book of the same name. “Messing With the Masonry” will take the audience on an autobiographical journey from schoolboy rebel to Himalayan adventurer, sharing his passion and enthusiasm.
 
Entertainment highlights include live music from talented Cwmbran artist Rhys Watkins and two outdoor cinema screenings, including The Greatest Showman.
 
Festival-goers can enjoy a wide range of activities, such as guided nature walks, scenic hikes, sunrise yoga, a climbing wall and invigorating fitness sessions. Children’s activities include bug hunts, outdoor play and arts and crafts.
 
For those who want to relax and simply enjoy the beauty of the landscape, there will be plenty of delicious food and drink options available. Those attending are also welcome to take their own food.
 
The festival will be held at Onnenfawr, Crai, Brecon, LD3 8PY. Tickets and more information at : https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/wellsynergy-festival-2024-tickets-923765847517?aff=oddtdtcreator
 
Organiser Janine Price said: “We are delighted to have speakers of Patrick and Kevin’s calibre at the event. It’s a rare opportunity to have such experts on the same stage.
 
“There really will be something for everyone and we have deliberately kept ticket prices affordable as we would love to see lots of families share the weekend.”
 
Chris Thomas, of ROC Outdoor Adventure and joint festival founder, added: "Anything that gets people embracing and enjoying the outdoors is a great thing. We have such an outstanding natural resource on our doorstep.
 
“Wellsynergy is an amazing opportunity to explore the benefits of outdoor activity and for people to take home practical strategies for living well.”
 
Keri Davies, festival host, said: “It is with great excitement that we get ready to host what we hope, as a family, will be an unforgettable weekend of blending the natural environment, simply delicious Welsh food and drink, rounded off with great music and dance.”     
 
A range of affordable accommodation to suit all tastes and budgets is available, ranging from luxury onsite and local accommodation, to a range of on-site camping options, including campervans, allowing ground campfires and BBQs and welcoming well-behaved dogs on leads.

The brand new Strata Florida Walking Festival on September 28 and 29 will combine walks in historic landscapes with the annual pilgrimage to the iconic sculpture of the Pilgrim above the medieval site.
 
This festival is a collaborative event organised by the Strata Florida Trust and the Strata Florida Community Group, with walk leaders from local Rambler Groups.
 
The famous Strata Florida Cistercian Abbey near Pontrhydfendigaid, between Devil’s Bridge and Tregaron, is a spiritual site of immense presence in its landscape. The festival aims to celebrate and experience the very special atmosphere of the place.
 
Not only were 12th century Cistercian monks captivated by its spiritual tranquillity, but evidence in the surrounding landscape shows that the area has been spiritually significant from as far back as the early Bronze Age, over 4,000 years ago.
 
As part of the 2012 Sculpture Cymru exhibition shown during an open weekend event run by the Strata Florida Trust, the sculptor Glenn Morris created a pilgrim on the hill to the east of the abbey.
 
The sculpture captured the hearts and minds of both the local community and visitors to Strata Florida, to such an extent that when the original pilgrim collapsed on the skyline above the abbey, in 2019, there was widespread dismay.
 
Through crowd funding and a generous donation from the World Monument Fund, the Strata Florida Community Group, with the trust’s help, enabled the Pilgrim’s return.
 
Morris created his second Pilgrim which was completed in 2022. The following year, a pilgrimage was made to the pilgrim attended by about 50 people.

As the sculpture is on private land, it is only possible to get closer with the permission of the farmer, Iwan Arch, who is generously allowing visitors to walk up to the Pilgrim on the afternoon of September 29.
 
The weekend will comprise several walks to different locations and on diverse paths, of varied lengths and difficulty. They range from “easy walk/walk and talk” to “energetic and challenging”.
 
The Teifi Pools, Rhos-gelli-gron and Abbey Woods will be explored, amongst other beautiful routes, with the chance to ask questions along the way.
 
These routes, which suit all ages and walking abilities, will immerse walkers in the rich heritage, wildlife and beautiful landscapes of the Cambrian Mountains.
 
On Saturday, September 28, there will be a talk by Caradoc Jones, first Welshman to climb Mount Everest, followed by a Q&A session.
 
Following day there will be a special service at St Mary’s Church for walkers before they head off to the Pilgrim sculpture. A catering van will be providing food throughout the weekend, in addition to tea and cake in Y Beudy after the walk to the Pilgrim.
 
Costs are £7.50 for adults per day, £5 for under 18s and under fives are free. There is no cost to attend the service and walk to the Pilgrim on Sunday afternoon. Book a place online at https://www.strataflorida.org.uk/courses-and-events.html .
 
Strata Florida Trust is restoring Mynachlog Fawr farmhouse and farm buildings, bringing new economic, social and cultural life to the area, whilst also celebrating Strata Florida’s unique landscape and history. 
 
A free ‘Mynachlog Fawr Exhibition’ is currently being held in a building on the site, giving visitors of all ages a chance to explore the social and agricultural history of the house and the local area.
 
The exhibition also contains an interactive Virtual Histories educational experience, which allows visitors to travel back to see a day in the life of Mynachlog Fawr farm in 1947 and the abbey in 1238.
 
Strata Florida Trust is a member of MWT Cymru, which represents around 550 tourism and hospitality businesses across Ceredigion, Powys and Southern Eryri (Snowdonia). For more information, visit https://www.mwtcymru.co.uk/ .

Gregynog Hall, one of Wales’ leading country houses, is preparing to welcome visitors to a Forest Fairy Trail on August Bank Holiday weekend.
 
The 750 acres of grounds at Tregynon, near Newtown, are filled with undiscovered treasures and the Fairy Trail is an ideal way to explore the woodland walks around the Grade 1 listed gardens and historic landscape.
 
Last year’s fairy trail was a fabulous success, attracting more than 400 visitors, with the forest filled with face painted fairies over four days.
 
The trail opens on Friday, August 23 and runs until Monday. August 26 from 10am to 4pm. Trail sheets cost £6 which includes a strawberry milkshake and a fairy cake in the Courtyard Café.
 
Lydia Bassett, Gregynog’s head of business development, said: “We can’t wait to welcome all the fairy fans to our wonderful woods. Last year’s event was great fun and this year we’ve had help from the amazing artists’ group who meet in our café each Wednesday, so it will look even more incredible.
 
“The fairies’ front doors are being decorated with letters and numbers, and our visitors will need to collect all the numbers and letters and then unscramble them to find the magic words and claim their milkshake and fairy cake prize.
 
“Everyone is welcome to come along and join in. You’ll need solid shoes for wandering in the woods but dressing up is positively encouraged and some of our staff might well be dressing up as well.
 
“There’s no need to book, just come along and join in the fairy fun between 10am and 4pm over the Bank Holiday weekend.”
 
Gregynog Hall is now run by an independent charitable trust and the trail is part of its fundraising efforts to ensure the property and its grounds are preserved for future generations.
 
The grounds are a National Nature Reserve and there are miles of marked paths through the woods. The Courtyard café is open daily from 10am to 4pm and trail sheets will be available from there.
 
Gregynog Hall is a member of MWT Cymru, which represents around 550 tourism and hospitality businesses and organisations across Powys, Ceredigion and Southern Eryri (Snowdonia).

Tourism leaders in Mid Wales are calling for an urgent meeting with Deputy First Minister Huw Iranca-Davies and regional Members of the Senedd and MPs to discuss way of saving three Natural Resources Wales (NRW) visitor centres.
 
The NRW is planning to close the popular visitor centres at Bwlch Nant yr Arian and Ynyslas near Aberystwyth, and Coed y Brenin near Dolgellau with the loss of around 260 jobs to address a £13 million budget shortfall.
 
Now Zoe Hawkins, chief executive of MWT Cymru, the region's largest independent tourism organisation representing over 550 businesses, is joining forces with Steve Hughson, Mid Wales Tourism Forum chairman and Suzy Davies, Wales Tourism Alliance (WTA) chairman, to call for an urgent meeting with politicians and the NRW.
 
They are seeking a solution to save the visitor centres, whether it requires a U-turn by the NRW, extra funding from the Welsh Government or finding different operators to keep the doors open. They insist that the centres must remain open until a solution is found.
 
The Deputy First Minister is being invited because the NRW is in his portfolio as Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs, together with Ken Skates, Minister for North Wales.
 
Also being invited are Mabon ap Gwynfor and Liz Saville-Roberts, MS and MP for Dwyfor Meirionnydd, respectively, Elin Jones and Ben Lake, MS and MP for Ceredigion, respectively, Clare Pilman, NRW chief executive and Eifion Evans and Dafydd Gibbard, chief executives of Ceredigion and Gwynedd County Councils, respectively.
 
Tourism is the second largest employer in Mid Wales, playing a vital role in supporting towns, communities and families in Powys, Ceredigion and Southern Eryri (Snowdonia).
 
MWT Cymru members have expressed their concerns, describing the decision to close the visitor centres, which attract hundreds of thousands of visitors annually, as another blow to the rural economy.
 
“Mid Wales is a rural area with a delicate economy and decisions like this can have far-reaching consequences,” said Miss Hawkins. “It’s essential that NRW carefully considers the impact on our communities and finds new management partners to secure the future of these centres.
 
“We understand the need for cost-cutting, but it’s crucial that these decisions are made with full consideration of their impact on our region. Our communities rely on the tourism that these centres generate and closing them without a clear plan for the future is deeply concerning.
 
“There is a need for thoughtful decision-making that takes account of the specific needs and vulnerabilities of rural areas like Mid Wales.”
 
Mr Hughson added: “Whilst I understand the business need for efficiency, I am surprised, particularly in the case of Bwlch Nant yr Arian, that it is a loss-making enterprise, as it always seems very busy and a great attraction for Mid Wales.
 
“The wider community benefits of employment in a rural area and the contribution these visitor centres make to the tourism sector and wider economy throughout the year - not just during peak season - must not be overlooked.
 
“Importantly, if the decision is to close, I would ask NRW to keep the centres open until a new owner is found, as business continuity is key. Once closed, we could lose this valuable asset forever.”
 
Mrs Davies said the WTA is urgently seeking information about visitor numbers at the three centres and the running costs. “The NRW must not make a final decision about the future of these centres until we get all these facts and explore all options for keeping them open,” she insisted.

The Centre for Alternative Technology (CAT) near Machynlleth is offering fully funded Carbon Literate Certified courses for businesses, community groups, town and community councils, social enterprises and other organisations in Powys.
 
Bookable up until the end of 2024, CAT’s Zero Carbon Britain trainers will be welcoming groups from across Powys to take part in this two-part training programme.
 
The training will support businesses and other groups to become more aware of sustainability related issues and to create a low-carbon culture within their projects and workplaces.
 
The courses will also help participants to become Carbon Literacy Organisations (CLOs) by providing a major step in the training requirements for group members.
 
Amanda Smith, CAT’s head of learning and education, said: "This is a fantastic opportunity to further support the growing transition movement within Powys. We are confident that lots of businesses, town and community councils and other groups within the county will be keen to take the opportunity for fully funded training and we’re delighted to be able to offer it.”
 
Anyone who lives, works or volunteers within Powys is invited to get in touch with Amanda at [email protected].
 
CAT is also offering free training for individuals via short courses and evening classes, details of which, along with more information about CAT’s bespoke offer, can be found on the CAT website www.cat.org.uk .
 
For more information visit https://cat.org.uk/free-carbon-literacy-training-in-powys/

Talyllyn Railway’s popular annual “Stations at Stations” pilgrimage event on Good Friday raised a record £540 for Tywyn Parish Church’s partner diocese in Matabeleland in Zimbabwe. 
 
A specially chartered train travels up and down Talyllyn Railway, visiting six stations which host a selection of readings, meditations and prayers on the ‘Stations of the Cross’ to form a spiritual journey.
 
The Venerable Robert Townsend, Archdeacon of Meirionnydd, was celebrant at the event, which is arranged with local churches and chapels.
 
The Right Rev Cleopas Lunga, Bishop of Matabeleland, a long-standing friend and occasional visitor to Talyllyn Railway, wrote to thank the railway, churches and chapels, stating that the money would provide welcome support to an area suffering from a devastating drought.