Everything to do with the Conwy Valley

[SteveH]

Hoard of nearly 3,000 Roman coins uncovered in Conwy Valley by detectorist friends
David Moss and Tom Taylor found the treasure in a field at Caerhun, an inquest revealed today

cont https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/hoard-nearly-3000-roman-coins-27874171

[SteveH]

Hoard of nearly 3,000 Roman coins uncovered in Conwy Valley by detectorist friends
David Moss and Tom Taylor found the treasure in a field at Caerhun, an inquest revealed today
cont https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/hoard-nearly-3000-roman-coins-27874171

The Time Team tip treasure hunters used to protect Roman hoard found buried in North Wales
'We had only just started metal-detecting when we made these totally unexpected finds'

Cont https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/time-team-tip-treasure-hunters-27877933

[Hugo]

That was a great find by those metal detectorists and I would think that the find would have been near the Roman Fort of Canovium at Caerhun

[SteveH]

Three developments that could make 'best destination in the UK' even better
Betws-y-Coed is already much loved but even this stunning village could be improved further

Betws-y-Coed already has the accolade of the 'best holiday destination in the UK'. It is no surprise that the village is much loved, with its grey slate and stone buildings nestled amongst deep green forest.

Its location at the entrance to the rugged mountains of Eryri and the activities, shops and eating places on offer all add to its all-year-round appeal.

But even a place close to perfection could always be improved. There are currently two developments and a restoration in the pipeline that will make the Conwy Valley village an even better place to live and visit.

Here we look at those plans: ....     https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/three-developments-could-make-best-28024711?IYA-reg=49560bcd-5a9c-47f0-8fc5-ba2e71710589

[SteveH]

Plans to build up to 120 new homes on farmland in Llanrwst need to include as many affordable homes as possible, says the area?s councillor who is can't afford a house in the town. Conwy is currently carrying out a consultation featuring a series of public information sessions about its new replacement Local Development plan (RLDP), which dictates what major developments can be built and where in the county.

The new Local Development Plan is not expected to be ready until late 2024 or early 2025 and includes five sites for significant development. One of those is Penloyn in Llanrwst, a field on the left side of the A470, just as you enter the market town?s boundaries coming from Glan Conwy.

cont https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/new-homes-conwy-town-must-28128210

[SteveH]

NATURAL Resources Wales (NRW) is starting work to fell diseased larch trees at Mynydd Deulyn, in the Conwy Valley..........pioneer

The trees, in a forest block covering 9.5 hectares at Llyn Crafnant near Trefriw, have become infected with Phytophthora ramorum, commonly known as larch disease.

A Statutory Plant Health Notice (SPHN) has been issued, which requires NRW to act within a set period of time to control the disease, which can spread quickly through a woodland or forest, killing whole trees.

Work starts this week, and is set to last three months.

Harvesting operations will take full account of the presence of, and possible impact on any protected species, and their habitat.

Kath McNulty, NRW?s team leader for forest operations in North West Wales, said: ?To comply with the notice, the trees will need to be removed to stop any further spread of the larch disease.

?Due to the location of the site, work requires access management to keep everyone safe and may mean temporary public right of way closures.

?We will work to reduce the impact on the local community wherever possible and no forest operations will take place at weekends.

?Our priority is to keep everyone safe and we are asking members of the public to follow any signage in place during the work.

?We would like to thank everyone in advance for their co-operation.?

Residential, agricultural and third-party accesses will remain open at all times but may be subject to short delays while timber lorries are uplifting.

[SteveH]

Castle owners' 'night terrors' every time it rains fearing floods will wash away centuries of Welsh history
The Conwy Valley's Gwydir Castle has a rich and fascinating past - but it's under constant threat

When rain hammers down on its slate tiles at night, Gwydir Castle?s owners lie awake fearing the worst. ?It?s like having night terrors, always wondering if this is the one,? said Judy Corbett. ?Every time you think this is it ? that water will come rushing through the house and we?ll have to start carrying the furniture upstairs.?

If this happens, much more will have to be left behind, including 17th-century wood panelling, leather friezes and ornate carved doorcases. Already, the fabric of the house, near Llanrwst in the Conwy Valley, is under threat from constant flooding. Cellars, often inundated with water 6ft deep, have needed underpinning, while wet and dry rot is a creeping menace.
https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/castle-owners-night-terrors-every-28554018


Study into options for beautiful but problematic bridge hit by 'Mexican standoffs' and truck damage
Welsh Government and Conwy council to work together on finding solutions to issues at Pont Fawr in Llanrwst

Welsh Government and Conwy council have agreed to hold a joint study into options for an historic bridge hit by "Mexican standoffs" and damage from trucks. Pont Fawr in Llanrwst is one of the most beautiful bridges in Wales but its narrow single lane means it can be impractical in an era of high traffic levels and large HGVs.

The crossing over the Afon Conwy can see standoffs between drivers crossing from opposites sides. It has also been damaged on a number of occasions as big vehicles misjudge the turn.
cont https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/study-options-beautiful-problematic-bridge-28557181

[Ian]

Two answers spring to mind: 
1. Install traffic lights at both ends (which will mean Llanrwst will come to standstill at times in summer) which will alleviate the first issue.
2.  Ban vehicles above a given weight from using the bridge at all.  Alternatively, enure the making good of any damage is borne entirely by the errant drivers plus 10%. 

[SteveH]

IT IS HOPED that a new partnership to run a Conwy Valley GP practice that has ended their contract with the health board will be secured.

"The health board went out to tender to secure a new partnership to run the Practice from 1st May 2024. The tender closed on January 12 2024 and we are pleased to report that interviews for the shortlisted bidders were held this week. We are now taking steps to award the contract to a new partnership which will maintain the same level of service provision.   

cont https://www.northwalespioneer.co.uk/news/24094236.hopes-new-partnership-can-secured-betws-y-coed-gp-practice/?ref=rss&IYA-reg=49560bcd-5a9c-47f0-8fc5-ba2e71710589

[Hugo]

Two answers spring to mind: 
1. Install traffic lights at both ends (which will mean Llanrwst will come to standstill at times in summer) which will alleviate the first issue.
2.  Ban vehicles above a given weight from using the bridge at all.  Alternatively, enure the making good of any damage is borne entirely by the errant drivers plus 10%.

There must be some type of system in place at the moment as there are traffic lights on the western side of the bridge and every time I've stopped at the red light,  traffic has been coming over the bridge from the town.       I've also stopped at the lights when they are on red and some idiot has overtaken me and caused one of those Mexican stand offs so the present system won't work while you have idiots like that on the road
I couldn't agree with you more about your second point, there should be a weight restriction on the bridge and the offending drivers should be made to pay for any damage done to the bridge.     In fact the vehicle drivers should be liable for any damage they have done anywhere and it should be claimed from them either by their vehicle insurance or from them direct

[SteveH]

NOTICEBOARD

Climber, mountain guide and environmentalist Rob Collister MBE will give a talk to the Conwy Valley Civic Society on Tuesday, Febuary 20 at 2.30pm.

The talk, entitled 'Over the hills and far away - a life in mountains', will take place in the Memorial Hall in Rowen, Conwy.

Everyone welcome; ?3 entry, to include refreshments.

[SteveH]

A NEW contractor has been appointed to run a GP practice in the Conwy Valley.             ref pioneer

Had a new contractor not been found for the Meddygfa Betws-y-Coed practice, many residents would have been forced to make a 36-mile round trip to visit their next nearest GP from April.

Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board has now confirmed that GMS Contractors has been appointed to take on the practice.

[SteveH]

Dramatic new 'Spaceship' toilet block on stilts becomes 'Noah?s Ark' during floods
The two-storey structure has been designed to withstand extreme flood events - but not everyone is happy

From a distance, it looks sleek, eye-catching and ever so slightly out of place. Lined with dainty portholes, it?s been dubbed Llanrwst?s ?spaceship?. When floods hit, as they often do, residents say it resembles more of a "Noah?s Ark".

The town?s new two-storey public toilet block, in Parc Gwydyr next to Afon Conwy, is not quite open yet, and for some residents that seems to have been the case for quite a while. In Llanrwst, there?s been much talk about the town?s long-awaited quartet of unisex ?flood-resistant? toilets and their ?160,000 price tag.

cont https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/dramatic-new-spaceship-toilet-block-28829100?IYA-reg=49560bcd-5a9c-47f0-8fc5-ba2e71710589

[Hugo]

Going to the loo by canoe must be the first of its type in Conwy