Blogs

The Wardens’ Blog – Teifi Pools

To carry on the theme from our last blog, here’s more lakes in the mountains 🙂

The Teifi Pools are not that far away from Woodlands and pretty easy to find. Just make sure you’ve got a full tank of petrol before you head out there (we may have run out the first time we tried to visit, oops!)

Hidden up in the hills to the east of Ffair Rhos, this magical set of lakes are so peaceful you feel that you’re in a different world up there. There are some walking routes (Google is your friend here), and some angling spots too apparently. But we just like to drive up to a quiet spot and sit, breathe and relax.

So a short, sweet blog post this time, but that is all the pools need. Simple.

 


The Wardens’ Blog – Lake Brian

The Wardens’ Blog is back! We’ve been requested to get blogging again! We are rather happy to hear that we’ve inspired folk to seek out new places and that we’ve managed to surprise those of you who have been coming to the Woodlands for years yet not heard of some of the places we discovered so far. So the challenge is on – to find even more unusual locations and discoveries to share with you all.

We’ve not had much time to go exploring so far this season, with various errands and work on our van needed to be done. So this week marked one of our first trips worth writing about…. and it started with wanting to go the cinema. We decided to venture further and go to the multi-screen in Carmathen so we had more choice of films and timings. And then we decided to go the “long way” to the cinema 🙂

Upon arriving in Tregaron, we took the small road headed east into the southern end of the Cambrian mountains. The road is a little steep at times and a single track for most of it, but well worth the adventure with its stunning views of the hills and trees and valleys. We then just kept following our noses along the road through the forest until we reached the incredible sight of Llyn Brianne, or as we like to call it “Lake Brian” (thank Meryl for that one!).

Llyn Brianne is HUGE and absolutely breaktaking. The circular route around the mountain tops looking down is incredible, a little scary at times, and takes a good amount of time to drive around. There are plenty of places to stop to admire the view, and picnic spots dotted around with paths that lead you down to the lake edge. Peaceful and rather epic looking, this was a great way to drive to the cinema but also well worth a visit in itself 😉

For more information check out Trip Advisor and the route here on Google maps, or there are some good tips on the doggy friendly website Dog Days Out which are useful even if you’ve not got four legs.

 

 


The Wardens’ Blog – End of Season List of Adventures

We’ve neglected our blog lately, sorry! It’s been busy busy busy on site with no rest as the park gets quieter as there’s lots to do to prepare for winter.

We still have places to tell you about, and plenty of places we want to visit. We’ve also had some lovely invites from places to go, and we’ve not had the time to accept all of them this year but we will be back in 2018 and will do our best to include every one of them. Its been lovely to hear from so many of you that you have enjoyed reading about our trips and that we’ve managed to find a few spots that you hadn’t heard of! We will continue to seek out new finds and adventures. Feel free to drop by reception and ask us more details about any of the destinations.

Recently any days off we’ve had have been spent prepping for our departure and working on our van conversion. But over the year we’ve visited a few more places than we’ve had time to write about. So just to spread the word and give you a taster, here is a list of the other places not yet mentioned on our blog.

  • Strata Florida – beautiful ruins full of fascinating history and stunning surroundings
  • Pistyll Rhaeydr – huge magical waterfall entwined in myth and legend
  • Lake Efrnwy – wonderful huge lake with activites, walks, boats and wild camping
  • Dolfornwyn Castle – hidden ruined castle, the last frontier of Wales, worth seeking out
  • Coed Y Brenin – ideal for mountain biking but great walks too
  • Newcastle Emlyn Castle – another ruined castle tucked behind the town
  • Castell y Bere – our favourite ruin so far, hidden in the most incredible scenery
  • Tregaron Bog – a lovely boardwalk filled with nature and wildlife
  • Llanfihangel-y-Creuddyn Church – a sweet little village church not far from Woodlands
  • Teifi Pools – another world up in the mountains, definitely worth a visit
  • Nant Y Moch Reservoir – super close to Woodlands and stunning walks and scenery
  • Snowdonia – we had a quick day trip to see Snowdon, but will return to explore more and climb Snowdon!

We’re sure there’s more but we can’t remember! What we have done is made sure to always take the small roads, the little white roads on the map, to explore as much as possible even if we’re just going to town for the supermarket. That way we’ve stumbled across little villages, quaint little pubs and rounded the corner to unexpected jaw dropping views. We highly recommend the method (depending on the size of your vehicle of course!) Every turn is a picture postcard and we feel very lucky to have landed in such a beautiful part of the world.

So as we pack up for the end of the season and head off on to adventures further afield (we’re taking the van to France) we wish you a happy healthy winter, may you enjoy the festive season and we shall see you early next year!

 


The Wardens’ Blog – Corris Mine Explorers

Wherever you go in Wales, it seems you end up passing a mine. We’ve been tempted to venture in and explore them, but decided it was best to get a guided tour with someone who actually knows what they are doing! So we thought a good place to start would be the Corris Mine Explorers.

You have a choice of trips – 50 minutes as a taster, 2 hours for a bit more exploring or a half day expedition for the more adventurous. Obviously we went for the half day tour! But we are certain whichever you choose, you will learn a lot and enjoy the experience.

A lot of the enjoyment comes from the amazing guide and host “Mr Mole” who is incredibly enthusiastic, passionate and knowledgeable about his mines, as well as entertaining! And he is a trained paramedic with experience of search and rescue, so he makes you feel super safe and looked after whilst you venture deeper into the tunnels. No tour is the same, and he will get to know the group and tailor it to suit the needs, interests and abilities of everyone.

The mine itself is HUGE with incredible openings and chambers and tunnels. What was more surprising were all the artefacts kept in place along the way, remnants of the workers’ tools, belongings and equipment, all found within the mine. From old cigarette packets, tea cups, chisels to lamps, wagons, candles and even explosives!

The 4 hours flew by, we could have stayed hours longer and quite sure Mr Mole’s stories and facts could have filled days or even weeks down a mine! We definitely recommend this experience, and will be going back again ourselves.

Check out the website  for more information, its worth booking ahead and make sure you take warm clothes, wellies and a snack to eat if you go on the longer tour.

(We loved it so much that we forgot to take any pics, even outside the mine, so here are some photos from their facebook page!)


The Wardens’ Blog – Fungi Foray

It’s been a busy summer season and we’ve not been blogging so much, but now that it’s a bit quieter we thought we would try to catch up on our adventures and share them with you.

This week we were very lucky to get the chance to go foraging for mushrooms with Daniel from Fungi Forays. Since noticing the abundance of various mushrooms growing around Devil’s Bridge and Woodlands, we’ve been curious to understand them better and perhaps begin to learn what mushrooms might be safe to eat. The idea of foraging for food has always been interesting to us, but something we knew we would need guidance on. So when we were offered the opportunity to spend a few hours in the Elan Valley with an expert, we were very excited.

We met Daniel at the Elan Valley Visitors Centre and off we went in his landrover to see what we could find. He has years of knowledge of edible mushrooms, but also of the area, so he can take you immediately to some secret spots almost guaranteed to find a fungi feasts. We learnt quite a few species and indeed a fair bit about the inedible mushrooms and of course the few poisonous ones too! Daniel also ensures you are taught about the different habitats that attract different types of fungi and where is best to hunt for your dinner. After a bit of a drive around, we set off on foot to find and after a couple of hours we returned to our van with a basket full of edible finds.

We took our mushrooms home and had a fry up for dinner! But if you join one of the Fungi Forays at the weekend, as part of the trip, you will enjoy a wild mushroom based meal at his traditional Welsh longhouse after your foraging. Sounds yum!

Not only do you learn a lot about fungi, habitats and the local area, but you get to enjoy it all in the beautiful scenery of the stunning Elan Valley.

If you want to find out more and go on your own Fungi Foray, take a look at his website for more information. (Or ask us at reception)


The Wardens’ Blog – Cwmystwyth Mines, Elan Valley, Rhayader and Gigrin Farm Red Kite Feeding Centre

Earlier in the season, we spent a day travelling to Rhayader through the Elan Valley. Well worth taking the longer route through the mountains passing the haunting Cwmystwyth Mines (stopping to explore and take some photos).

The scenery in the valley is out of this world, changing at every turn and really quite dramatic. The dams are huge and a feat of engineering, and whilst we didn’t stop this time we hear the Visitors’ Centre is full of information and history of the area and the dams.

We then headed on into Rhayader, a lovely little town with a few gift shops and cafes (and pubs too!). After a yummy lunch at The Old Swans Tea Rooms, we decided to visit the nearby Red Kite feeding centre.

Having already been to Nant Yr Arian, we were curious to see how it compared. Gigrin Farm is in fact a Rehabilitation Centre in conjunction with The Welsh Kite Trust which allows kites that have fallen ill or been injured to recuperate after having any required veterinary care. So whilst the entry fee is a little higher than you might expect compared to Nant Yr Arian, it all goes to a very worthwhile cause and is worth it for the super close up views of the Red Kites whilst they feed. There are several hides which are top notch, with separate levels for professional photographers to hire out, and are extremely close to the action! There are usually around 300 – 400 birds that drop by for afternoon tea (3pm BST, 2 pm in Winter or GMT) and it is incredibly spectacular. A couple of buzzards try to join in, making for interesting viewing. Although the star of the show turned out to be a male peacock who was intent on stealing the limelight and paraded up and down in front of the cameras demanding to be seen over the kites!

It was a great day, jam packed, and we definitely want to go back through the Elan Valley to see it at different times of the year but also to explore further!


The Wardens’ Blog – Dyfi Osprey Project

Upon recommendation from a trusty source at Woodlands, we hopped up to the Dyfi Osprey Project (on the road to Machynlleth) to see the chicks before they take to the skies and begin their long flight to warmer climates.

About 30 – 40 minutes drive away from the caravan park, the project is set amongst some of the most beautiful land in a nature reserve brimming with wildlife, insects, plants and water buffalo. Yes that’s right, water buffalo! 2 of them!

There is a small hide by some bird feeders, and a larger one further up the boardwalk, but the highlight is of course the observatory set just 200m away from the osprey’s nest. There you can see the birds easily with the naked eye, but they have some telescopes set up for closer viewing and a live cam feed from the nest itself. Combined with a wealth of information on boards and leaflets, the staff are very welcoming and knowledgeable whilst enthusiastic to tell you more about the birds and the chicks’ development.

Photo taken by Dyfi Osprey Project

Photo taken by Dyfi Osprey Project

These special birds are really quite spectacular and their story is remarkable. With just a suggested donation of £3 upon entry, it is worth a visit but make sure you go soon, as the chicks will soon be flying (in about a week or so) and after some practice they will be heading off on their long journey abroad! If you can’t get there this time, check out their Facebook page for updates and live videos to check in on the chicks and their progress.

(We also spied a small cafe on site with snacks, hot drinks and cakes, and some regular courses at the centre too such as plants for beginners, birds for beginners etc)

 


The Wardens’ Blog – Sculpture Heaven

When we first arrived at Woodlands we attended a World Host training day in Aberystwyth, (training in customer service and local area tourism), and we heard a few people mention “Sculpture Heaven” as a place to go. Finally the other day we made it down to Rhydlewis just off the coastal road near Llangranog and a few miles away from Cardigan to seek out this hidden gem. We were rewarded with a fantastic discovery of what feels like a secret garden full of fairies, sculptures, myths, spiritual tales and inspiration.

We were greeted by the sculptor himself and taken on a tour of his workshop before beginning our exploration of the garden of wonder. We found hidden doors, and messages, poems and musical instruments, zen gardens, a barefoot maze and meditation spots. Plants a plenty, a vegetable and herb garden, impressive statues and sculptures are all woven around the land with lots of unexpected finds along the way. Once we’d seen all we could see, we ended up at the tranquil Starfish tearoom to be given soothing herbal tea (fresh from the garden) and homemade cakes (ingredients from the garden too) and a photo book detailing the history of the garden and its creation.

Entry is free, although a donation is suggested in the tearoom for the tea and cakes (with all profits going to a worthy charity – this year its the Halo Trust).

We would highly recommend visiting this place if you are down the coast (its worth making the trip just for Sculpture Heaven alone really), especially as it seems not too many people know about it. It’s a place you could go time and time again, to see how it changes and enjoy the peace and relaxation as well as the yummy cakes!

Whilst you’re there, pop up the road to the Curlew Weavers Woollen Mills which is open to visitors and really quite interesting. Free tours are available, although these must be booked in advance, you can pop in to the shop and chat to the owner to learn more about the process and their speciality work weaving rare breeds wool.


The Wardens’ Blog – Bwlch Y Geuffordd Gardens

This week we discovered an absolute hidden gem of a place to visit, and one we don’t think many people know about. So if you can keep a secret, read on 🙂

About 30 minutes away from Woodlands, Bwlch Y Geuffordd Gardens  is situated 1/2 way along a small road, one end of which comes off the A485 near Lledrod, and the other end of which also comes off the A485, in Bronant. Your sat nav will tell you that you have arrived when you are 1/2 a mile away towards the Bronant end, but keep going and look out for the National Garden signs. The road is a little bumpy and perhaps not so suitable for large campervans, so ideally visit in a car (our transit van made it fine) or of course on bike or foot!

Why is it so special? well Bwlch Y Geuffordd is part of the National Garden Scheme but its certainly not your average manicured garden! Its a magical wonderland full of surprises, quirky additions and adventure. It made us feel like big kids exploring a secret garden full of fairies, beasts and stories. Not only that, there are plenty of hidden spots for relaxing or even having a picnic. What makes it even more unbelievable that this charming “world” exists here is when you learn that the whole piece of land was once just a giant bog!

The couple who own the place have spent years of love, dedication and a touch of madness working on the land to make it so special, and its really worth a chat with them to find out more about their story. And their dogs provide a rather special tour guide experience if you’re lucky 🙂

Bwlch Y Geuffordd is perfect for families as children will love it, ideal for those of us who feel like big kids and want to explore, and a good dose of inspiration for avid gardeners. Its easy to walk around, and you are encouraged to take your time. We highly highly highly recommend this secret garden, and the Trip Advisor reviews (which originally inspired us to seek it out in the first place) give you a hint as to why its so unique.

(TOP TIP – if you are making the trip just to go visit, it may be worth calling ahead just to ensure they are home. We arrived with no advance call, and they were home, but we were in the area anyway. They are open every day but since its their private home they very occasionally may not be on site to let you in so maybe worth checking before you visit!)

 


The Wardens’ Blog – Cambrian Safari Tour

This week we were very excited to be invited on a Cambrian Safari Tour – an excursion around the local area (on and off road) in a Land Rover Discovery with the amazing Richard who seems to know EVERYTHING about everything in Mid Wales 🙂

Cambrian Safaris offers various tours and can also custom the day to your requirements. For us he took us to all sorts of hidden spots and back lanes, and a few exciting off road paths too whilst giving as an overview of the local area and telling us all about where we were and where we can explore ourselves. And this is one of the main points that Richard likes to emphasise – his tours are about discovering the area and giving you inspiration for further exploration yourself. It not only works by taking you to spots you may never find yourself, but by his incredible enthusiasm and passion for the region which you can’t help but share as you listen to him.

We saw hidden ways into the Hafod Estate, back lanes around Devil’s Bridge village and beautiful scenic viewpoints round the back of Bwlch Nant Yr Arian and beyond. But we also discovered lots of new places that aren’t obvious on the map at all and places we are very keen to get back to ourselves and venture out on foot. Of course its a little tricky to remember exactly where all of these places are… but he’s thought of that and has a clever app on his phone that tracks the whole trip and records it so at a later date you can contact him and ask him more. He can even send you the whole route if you wish.

And the Land Rover is super comfy too – sure it can do some pretty mean off-roading but its a modern comfortable ride and not a crazy bone shaker 🙂

It’s a perfect introduction to Mid Wales, inspiring you to get out there and discover and explore. But it’s also equally perfect for anyone who has been visiting here for a while and wants to find something new – for sure you won’t have discovered all the hidden spots yet!  And if you let him know you’re staying at Woodlands then there may be various seasonal offers on prices.