Mystery Roads in Cwm Prysor

I am a regular traveller on the A4212 which links Trawsfynydd to Bala. This is part of the Snowdonia National Park and is fairly deserted except for wild grasses, sheep and the odd pylon. An unexpected temporary road has now appeared and I am mystified as to what it is. Can anyone help? A temporary road made out of plastic runs south east from the main road. It has been down for a couple of months and is now being taken up as these photographs demonstrate.

In need of a makeover?

Can anyone tell me what this was about? Early evening, Tuesday the 4^th of June at the Rhug Estate Farm shop. Apparently some staff members at the Rhug estate are appearing in a TV makeover program, and this appearance on stage was relevant to this. I was off to a meeting about walking in the area and couldn’t stop to get the full details. Also I’m not an aficionado of TV makeover programs - despite being in desperate need of a makeover myself! Can anyone help?

A Parallel Universe in Corwen

This is not a reference to Doctor Who, or a repeat of the unkind insinuation that it is still 1920 in Pwllheli! This is a heads up on Geocaching and the Corwen Walking Festival. Geocaching is often referred to as a parallel universe because the vast majority of non-geocachers (known as "muggles") know nothing about these strange caches (stores of value) that are hidden in secret places all over the world. Most people are astonished to find that there are such caches in places where they go everyday. Have a look at www.geocaching.com and click on your home town to see what's there and try it for yourself. Many modern smartphones have GPS functions and you can download free or inexpensive apps to help you navigate your way to finding them. Better still, enjoy discovering this parallel universe with a group of people who are keen to share their knowledge and get people into the outdoors in Wales by booking a place on the Introduction to Geocaching Course at the Corwen Walking Festival.

Not for the Faint Hearted

We had the pleasure of meeting Jen and Miles Moulding a few years back, when they were just starting out with their new venture - Go Below Underground Adventures, neat Betws y Coed. The business seems to be doing well, as they have expanded to offer a new underground route, the Challenge Xtreme.

This route is even more physically and mentally challenging than their original challenge route, and features exposed traverses over huge voids and abseils on your way to the deepest point in Snowdonia, 1,300 feet below the surface.

You can see a video of a group on the challenge here.

New Walking Festivals

In addition to the more established walking festivals in Conwy, Prestatyn and Trefriw, this year will see new ones in Holywell, and Wrexham, and the return of the Corwen Festival which has grown considerably in the past few years.

The Wrexham Walking Festival is on now until the 7th of June. If you would like to see which walks are still available, visit www.walksinwrexham.com or ring 01978 292015

The Holywell and District Walking Festival takes place on the 14th, 15th and 16th of June. You can ring on 01352 712027 or visit www.holywell-town.gov.uk for more details.

At the end of the Season we have the Corwen Walking Festival. This event has expanded greatly from last year, and has a new, very professional looking website at www.corwenwalkingfestival.co.uk. You can also contact them via their Facebook Page, or follow the organiser Steve Layt on Twitter.

Let us know about your experiences at the Festivals in the comments below.

What's going on in Criccieth?

I was driving through Criccieth on my way to a meeting at the Rhug Estate, and I saw this bunting across the High Street.

Like the return of the swallows, the festivals are a sure sign that summer has finally arrived. The Criccieth Festival is taking place from the 15th to the 23rd of June. The focus of the festival is on music and the arts, with concerts, choral recitals and bands playing in the local pubs. You can find more details at the festival's website http://cricciethfestival.co.uk/.

Criccieth is a lovely little town, and well worth a visit, especially if you happen to be walking the Wales Coast Path. The town's ruined castle has a commanding view over Cardigan Bay.

The Jampot Hill

One of the Llyn Peninsula's more famous local landmarks is the "Jampot" or Melin Foel Fawr overlooking Mynytho. It's a stone tower built on a hill which is visible for miles around.

Although it may look like some sort of mini-fortress, the tower was actually built as a windmill, but was never successful due to the cross-winds on that particular hill. However, many modern day "windmills" are being erected nearby, as landowners put up wind turbines for electricity generation.