Corwen Railway Mania! - Buy the Shares!

I'm delighted to be able to report that the 2 and a half mile extension to the Llangollen Railway (taking the line all the way to Corwen) is now well under way. The first sod was dug in March 2011 and the halfway stage has now been reached. It is on target to be completed by March 2014. Readers of this blog will know that the Llangollen railway was born out of the ashes of the 1965 Beeching Closure of the Ruabon to Barmouth line. It currently operates on 7 and a half miles of track from Llangollen to Carrog and carries more than 100,000 passengers a year. The extension of the railway from Carrog to Corwen includes a new station and is going to cost £4.6 million. Some of this will need to be raised by donations and sale of shares. £50 buys you one share and application forms are available by visiting the Llangollen Railway website. Share ownership confers a number of benefits, and donations even more so. For example, £500 will get you a certificate, a one year membership of the railway and a seat on the first train to Corwen (a maximum of 400 people). The greatest benefit of all will be putting Corwen seriously back on the tourist map.

"Secret" Gardens

The National Trust have just launched a series of videos on Britain's 10 best "secret" Walks. By secret they seem to mean "slightly off the beaten track", but they are worth a look nonetheless. North Wales is represented by a walk in the grounds of the Erddig Estate near Wrexham. You can find out more about it in the video above, (if you can get past the presenter's mispronunciation of the word Erddig, that is).

Rambling Events

The Caernarfon and Dwyfor Ramblers are planning a walk around the historic buildings of Dolgellau on the 5th of September, and a trip to Bardsey Island on the 10th, so if you were looking for an excuse to join, now's the time!

Martin Turtle Photography

Trip to Bardsey Island, Tuesday, 10th September 
Colin, the boatman, will be leaving Port Meudwy at 10.30 a.m. on 10th Sept.  This will entail meeting in the National Trust car park just beyond Cwrt farm by 10 a.m. prompt.  The crossing takes about 20 mins and we should have 3-4 hours on the island.  This is ample time to stroll round most of the island and picnic.  Apart from a packed lunch you will need the usual outdoor gear, plenty to drink and binoculars to make the most of the wild life.  Close encounters with seals guaranteed!  Also prepare yourself for primitive toilet facilities.

Bardsey is now owned by a Trust and the farm is managed by the RSPB.  It is a National Nature Reserve and a Site of Special Scientific Interest.  The bird observatory was opened in the old lighthouse in 1953.  There are the remains of a 13th century abbey (dissolved under Henry VII) as well as, allegedly, the bodies of several thousand saints.  It was, and still is, a place attracting pilgrims.  The short walk down to the cove and the crossing build a sense of anticipation and the island does not disappoint.

If interested please email (margaretlowewales@btinternet.com) or ring Margaret on 01286 660370 to book a place.  The cost is £30 payable on the day.  The boat holds 12.  As Bardsey Sound is potentially a treacherous stretch of water, the trip could be cancelled if weather conditions dictate. Margaret will be phoning Colin the evening before, so please check with Cadramblers website or ring me after 9 p.m. on the Monday.

Dolgellau Town Trail, Thursday, 5th September 
Did you know that Dolgellau has more listed buildings than any other town in Wales?  So it is worthwhile exploring some of its heritage and enjoying the catering facilities of a couple of special cafes!  (Save preparing that packed lunch).  It is also the most higgledy- piggledy of towns as plots of land were infilled during the boom time of the woollen industry in the early 19th century.  This, together with the surrounding hills and the river, results in fascinating vistas in all directions.  So bring a camera!

Please contact Margaret – details as above, to book a place and for more information.  We will travel on the T2 Bangor to Aberystwyth bus; 9.45 a.m. Caernarfon, 9.58 a.m. Penygroes by police station car park, (not 10 a.m. as in the walks booklet).  Remember the bus pass!

Fancy a S.N.O.G.?

Rural areas like Snowdonia can often seem to be a bit lacking in opportunities for socialising. The Snowdonia Nights Out Gazette (S.N.O.G.) is a website which aims to redress this, by listing information on nightlife and events in the Snowdonia region. The site lists both regular and one-off events, as well as information on local bands and venues. You can also follow them on Twitter.

Countdown to Corwen

Just a quick reminder that the Corwen Walking Festival is fast approaching, taking place on the 31st of August and the 1st of September.

Many of the walks are free, but some do have an entry charge. You can find a programme here.

Peter is running one of our traditional Geocaching taster sessions, so if you would like to come along, please register on the Festival website.

Rush Hour at Mount Snowdon

All the main UK newspapers are carrying stories of how crowded Mount Snowdon has become. In particular they draw attention to this last weekend when great weather afforded superb views from the summit. I recently walked up the mountain in similarly good weather and there were walkers every ten yards or so all the way up. There have been calls by no less a person than Sir Chris Bonnington for walkers to consider climbing the Carneddau or the Glyder range instead. These are mountains which are equally challenging, and nearly as high as Snowdon, but far less busy "even on a Bank Holiday".

We can recommend parking at the new visitor centre at Ogwen, (where there will be lots of maps and routes available and where you can park your car). Richard Down, blogged about his experiences on a circular route taking in the summits of Carnedd Dafydd and Carnedd Llewelyn, back in 2009. Over the coming days we will be publicising some more of these routes.

Free Rambler's Training Day

If like me you are not fully aware of the range of work covered by the Rambler's Association then consider joining a special training day provided by the Ramblers at the Glandwr University in Wrexham on Tuesday September 13th 10am to 4pm. This is a pilot course for regional volunteers, a workshop where members can come along and learn more about the work of the Ramblers and receive training in their chosen volunteer role. 5 workshops will be on offer:

1.     Special Area Chairs Forum
2.     Ramblers Routes Workshop
3.     Rights of Way: A Beginners Guide to the Law
4.     Walk Leaders Workshop
5.     Promoting your group in the media

For more information, click this link - http://www.ramblers.org.uk/what-we-do/events-index/2013/september/regional-volunteer-workshop.aspx