Exploring The Area

[Hugo]

This article was in the Daily Post and it's about the walk I mentioned yesterday
https://www.dailypost.co.uk/whats-on/trips-breaks/magnificent-nine-mile-snowdonia-estuary-25924352

There was another article in the Daily Post about the Mawddach Trail walk and we hope to do it again when the weather improves

https://www.dailypost.co.uk/whats-on/whats-on-news/gallery/nine-images-stunning-eryri-estuary-25930150

[Hugo]

I had a nice walk around Bodnant gardens yesterday and enjoyed the Wintet Gardens section in particular,   The Daphne bushes were all out in full bloom and the fragrance from them was really nice.
A coffee and Pasty at the old mill completed a lovely day out

[SteveH]

I had a nice walk around Bodnant gardens yesterday and enjoyed the Wintet Gardens section in particular,   The Daphne bushes were all out in full bloom and the fragrance from them was really nice.
A coffee and Pasty at the old mill completed a lovely day out

Looks like a good day out, and shows spring is getting closer.     

[Hugo]

What made it even better Steve was the fact we used free tokens from the Daily Mirror         

[SteveH]

Free tokens and good weather, you were being spoilt, your photo of the white flowers I believe are
White hellebores, which I noticed a couple of days ago flowering in our own garden.

[DVT]

From where the pic of the weir has been taken, turn through 180 degrees and a visitor on Thursday told me he saw an otter go into a hole in the stone embankment on the left side of the river.  Must go armed with camera next week!

[Hugo]

Free tokens and good weather, you were being spoilt, your photo of the white flowers I believe are
White hellebores, which I noticed a couple of days ago flowering in our own garden.

The flowers were Hellebores Steve and you're lucky to have them in your garden as they are such attractive flowers.   I've not been lucky when I've planted them in my garden they all seem to have died on me.

[Hugo]

From where the pic of the weir has been taken, turn through 180 degrees and a visitor on Thursday told me he saw an otter go into a hole in the stone embankment on the left side of the river.  Must go armed with camera next week!

I'll keep my eye open for the Otter when I next go to Bodnant, it must have been a great sight for the guy who saw the Otter,    Arfon, an other volunteer was busy weeding by the main entrance when we visited the garden but didn't know whether you were there  on the day, but he did mention your camera!      Keep those photos coming as they are a joy to see
I'm hoping to visit there again soon and especially when the Rhododentrons are out.     After smelling the fragrance of the Daphne in the Winter ardens I ordered a Daphne Perfume Princess said to be the most fragrant shrub in the World and I'm taking good care of it at the moment and hope that it'll be as good as those in Bodnant

[SteveH]

Free tokens and good weather, you were being spoilt, your photo of the white flowers I believe are
White hellebores, which I noticed a couple of days ago flowering in our own garden.

The flowers were Hellebores Steve and you're lucky to have them in your garden as they are such attractive flowers.   I've not been lucky when I've planted them in my garden they all seem to have died on me.

Lucky indeed, we have three white and two burgundy plants, inherited when we moved in, in fact the majority of the garden was here when we arrived, if I get any off shoots I will let you know.

[Hugo]

'Fantasy island' seen by thousands from A55 was part of forgotten 4,000-year tradition
Ynys Gorad Goch is the most famous of the 20 fish traps in the Menai Strait

It does look so picturesque every time you see it but I've also noticed that the tides there are getting higher and higher!




https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/fantasy-island-seen-thousands-a55-26311337

[SteveH]

Plas Glynllifon is one of the most recognisable buildings in North Wales. The grand neo-classical mansion on the outskirts of Caernarfon, Gwynedd was built in the 1830s to 1840s by Lord Newborough and was a playground for the rich and aristocratic.

It sits on the site of a series of earlier houses and was the family seat of the Glynn family of the Glynn family until the 1700s, when it passed to the Wynns. It sits in the heart of Parc Glynllifon, which is now owned by Cyngor Gwynedd, and is a sprawling country park which is still open to the public.

In 1948 the estate was sold to a timber merchant and in 1954 the house and park were sold to Caernarfonshire County Council, the estate buildings were later transferred to Coleg Meirion-Dwyfor. In 1969 Plas Glynllifon even played host to the Prince of Wales Investiture Ball.

The mansion house has been in private hands since the turn of the century and was sold at the end of 2020, to a Manchester developer, after going into receivership, following a failed attempt to develop it into a luxury hotel. It's last listed guide price was for ?2 million. The mansion, it's understood, has lain empty for the last three years.

cont and photos https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/property/gallery/grand-gwynedd-mansion-played-host-26325769

[Helig]

This featured on a Salvage Hunters programme which has been shown quite often. Drew and Tee visited the place with a view to buying some antiques but came out with very little. Most of the furnishings etc were reproduction and too new. Not sure when this was filmed exactly. I think a property developer had bought it in order to use it as a wedding venue and hotel. I think he will need deep pockets to restore this let alone make it viable as a commercial venture.

[Hugo]

Sadly Helig, there are a number of grand houses that have gone into decline in the North Wales area and are unviable to restore to there former glory such as Bontddu Hall near Dolgellau and Plas Gwyn Fryn near Llanystumdwy
Sadly too are unscrupulous actions by builders in North Wales.    I know of listed buildings in Rhyl, Abergele,  Rhos on Sea and Llangernyw that had applications made  for planning permission to demolish them and in every case the planning permission was refused,    Then strangely soon afterwards all four properties were destroyed in "mysterious fires"           Little wonder I rate developers on a par with politicians and bankers and now energy companies

https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/price-cut-former-hotel-sits-23601731

https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/plas-gwynfryn-mansion-fire-redeveloped-23841523

[Hugo]

I was disappointed when I saw this headline and then read the article.  If anyone has visited this park then they will have noticed how nice and natural this place is
If the County needs Hydro Electricity then there is a better place nearby at Greenfield where an untapped source spews out millions of gallons of water each and every day


https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/calls-abomination-flintshire-waterfall-removed-26359995

[Hugo]

After posting the bit about the unsightly Hydro Electric scheme in Gwepre Park I came across this article on the Milwr tunnel.     It's an interesting piece to read but at the end it says that 23 million gallons of water is discharged into the Dee Estuary on a daily basis.
I've seen it for myself and the water enters the sea at an incredible rate,  If Flintshire need hydro electricity that is a better source to tap in to.


https://www.mythslegendsodditiesnorth-east-wales.co.uk/milwr-tunnel