The Grapevine - July 2014

THE GRAPEVINELlangorse • Llanfihangel Talyllyn • Talyllyn • Llanywern • Pennorth • Llangasty • Cathedine • Bwlch

• View current and past issues online at www.aroundllangorselake.co.uk •

Summer / Autumn 2014

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Llangors Youth and Community Centre needs supporters to help with organising and running the forthcoming Village Fete and Sports being held on July 26th.

Your support is also requested to provide cakes, bottles (soft drinks) and/or raffle prizes for this event. Your continuing support for Llangors Youth and Community Centre is very much appreciated.

For further information please contact Mike Featherstone - 01874 658257

Llangors Village Fete & Sports - help needed

Page 2 The Grapevine - Summer / Autumn 2014

Llanfihangel Talyllyn and Llanwern Summer Fete

The Glebe field, Llanfihangel Talyllyn17th August from 2 p.m.

Coconut shy, hoopla, tea tent, barbecue, hooking ducks, skittles,Punch and Judy, bouncy castle, Beat the Goalie and so much more!

Free admission and plenty of fun for all the family!

Llangors MarketNext Market: Sunday 14th September 10am - 1pm

Local Produce, Food & CraftsAfter your shopping, enjoy tea and homemade cakes!

Llangors Youth & Community Centre - All Welcome!

Treberfydd HouseSummer Art Exhibition

Llangasty, LD3 7PX

July 18-August 1Daily 1pm - 6pmWatercolours, Oils, Prints and InteractiveArt by local, regional and international artists. House Tours at 2pm and 4pm. Gardens Open. Homemade Teas.

[email protected]

www.aroundllangorselake.co.uk Page 3

ACTIONPACKEDADVENTURES

01874 658 272 www.activityuk.com

Indoor Activities - year round instructed activity sessions: climbing, rope bridges, zip line, cave and much more!Sky Trek - fl y through the air on a series of connectingzip lines, high above open farmland below.Horse Riding - various types and lengths of rides are available, depending on age & ability. Miles of private tracks and hillside.Multi Level Challenge Course - over thirty individual activities, starting at a low level, then progressing higher.New: Junior Challenge Course - for ages 6 and over.

Indoor & Outdoor Family Activitiesat Llangorse Multi Activity Centre

Llangorse Multi Activity Centre, The Gilfach

BASE CAMP CAFEGreat Food Served All Day

Breakfast, Lunch, Evening Meals,Tea & Coffee, Homemade Cakes.

For the variety of dragonflies and damselflies and the sheer numbers that are sometimes present, Llangorse Lake is an outstanding site. Its large size, shallow shores, reedbeds, water lilies, trees and meadows provide a range of wet and dry habitats. Most of a dragonfly’s life is spent in the water where the nymphs hunt other small animals. The flying adults also hunt but their main purpose is to mate and lay eggs.

Seventeen species have been recorded here, and ‘blue damselflies’ – Azure, Common Blue and Variable - may emerge in thousands. With smaller numbers of Large Red and Blue-tailed Damselflies, these are the first to appear, usually from the second half of May. The Ty-Mawr meadows, especially the boardwalk field before you reach the Hide from Llangasty, are a good place to find them. In June and July, stocky Broad-bodied and Four-spotted Chasers dash about the edges of the Lake, and long blue Emperors patrol their strips of shoreline. You might see them at Llangorse along the edge of the outlet stream and from the bridges. From August to October the boardwalk field is a favourite place for Migrant and Southern Hawkers hunting flying insects and hunted by Hobbies. Other species seen at the Lake are Banded Demoiselle, Emerald and Scarce Blue-tailed Damselflies, Hairy and Golden-ringed Dragonflies, Black-tailed Skimmer and Common Darter.

These insects are most active on sunny still days. On dull days they can be very hard to find. Close-focusing binoculars help, and stealthy use of a camera to check fine identification details. For more information visit the British Dragonfly Society website, www.british-dragonflies.org.uk.

Dragonflies at Llangorse Lake

Keith Noble,Breconshire Dragonfly RecorderPhotos (left to right): Common Blue Damselfly, Four-spotted Chaser, and Emperor

Weekly sessions for youngsters during term-timeWorkshops • One-to-one tuition available for English & Drama

Llangorse Village Hall - Thursday EveningsCrickhowell Parish Hall - Monday Evenings

Tutored by Lynn Clausen, a drama subject leader with 18 years teaching experience, including English. Fully CRB checked. LAMDA exams offered

to those interested. Proud to announce 100% pass rate for our fi rst LAMDA exam entrants in June this year… all gained either a Merit or a Distinction.

Tel 07949 32956. Please see our website for more times & details Email: [email protected] / Web: www.ravendrama.com


To experience the

Best of the BeaconsHome produced Venison, Lamb, Beef and Pork.Vegetables, Welsh cheeses, sauces and pickles. We also stock locally produced eggs and homemade cakes, handmadebreads. Selection of handmade gifts. New our very own, handmade deer skin rugs...

Support your local farm shopShop Open Monday to Saturday, 8.30am to 5pmTea & coffee served to drink at the shop or to take away...

Middlewood Farm Bwlch I Powys I LD3 7HQ t 01874 730929 e [email protected] www.beaconsfarmshop.co.uk

2012-13 2012-132012-13

BeaconsFarmShop_ad_LS_Layout 1 21/03/2014 10:28 Page 1

InterIor / exterIor emulsIon, GlossInG,

Wall paperInG, HIGH qualIty Wood fInIsHes. for all your decoratInG needs...

contact Kirk marsh T: 01874 712 327 • M: 07791 627 104e: [email protected]

fully qualIfIed, experIenced paInter and decorator

Marsh flyer.indd 1 14/01/2014 10:09


As well as selling from the Beacons Farm Shop and to the catering trade, you’ll find us out and about at many festivals and events during the summer. Shows and festivals where you’ll find the Welsh Venison Centre outdoor catering van serving up our award-

winning varieties of sausages, gourmet venison burgers, steaks and venison chilli with nachos is a special on the menu this year.

Ingredients:Vegetable oil • 500g venison mince (ask our butcher at the farm shop) • 1 onion • 1 red pepper • 1 stick celery

• 8 red chillies • 1 garlic clove • Tomato purée • Pinch Mixed spice • Pinch ground paprika • Game or beef stock

• Red wine ¼ bottle • Tin of chopped tomatoes • Salt and pepper • Tortilla/nachos • Welsh cheddar cheese

How to Cook... Welsh Venison Centre Style!

1. Heat the vegetable oil and add the venison to a frying pan. Fry the meat until golden-brown all over. Put the venison into separate bowl and set aside.

2. Using the same frying pan, add the onions, red peppers, celery, red chillies and garlic and fry until soft.3. Add tbl spoon of tomato purée, turn down the heat and gently fry for ten minutes. 4. Add the spices, stock, red wine and tin of chopped tomatoes and bring to the boil. 5. Add the venison back into the frying pan, reduce the heat to very low and simmer for one hour.6. Plate up your chilli on a bed of tortilla/nachos and sprinkle on some grated welsh cheddar cheese - Enjoy!

Recipe: Festival Special – Venison Chili

History GroupWe are pleased to announce that we have planned our programme of four talks with guest speakers commencing with our launch event on October 16th at Llangors Youth and Community Centre, 7.30 pm, with Nigel Blackamore, Curator of the Brecknock Museum. This will be a very special occasion and hope that there will be a big turnout to help us celebrate.

Membership of the group is now open with an annual subscription of £5 for individuals and £7 for families. Membership allows for free entrance to all our events whilst non members would pay £3 entrance fee for each talk. If you would like to become a member contact Roger Young on 658205. Current membership will run to Oct 2015.

Programme for 2014 – 15 (start times 7.30 pm)

• 16th October; launch event with Nigel Blackamore.• 15th Jan; Janet Bailey, Milling in the Llangors area.• 16th April; Adrian Humpage, Geological history of local

area.• 9th July; David Raikes, The story of Treberfydd House• 8th October; AGM with guest speaker tbc.

In addition we will be present at the Llanfihangel Talyllyn and Llangynidr fetes.

Railway ProjectAlthough our intention is to explore and share a wide range of historical subjects our first project is to create a digital archive of material relating to the life of the railways in our area and particularly around the Talyllyn station and junction complex, and making it available to others through the internet. We are very keen to receive personal stories and memories and would love to hear from you if you are able to contribute in any way.

Although we do not intend to hold objects and other bulky material for practical reasons , we will consider acquiring any object that is of special interest or importance to our area. Such an opportunity came about recently when one of our project

Llyn Syfaddan History Group & Railway Project

members discovered that three railway signs, described as having come from Brecon Station were included in an auction of railway memorabilia. Although we have limited funds at present some members of the group offered to loan the money required for a successful bid so that we would have time to raise the funding to purchase them outright.

We managed to secure two of the three signs for a total of £850 and have discovered that the signs were from Talyllyn station which is great news (they probably date from 1933 when the station was remodelled) and many of us will have seen them standing on Talyllyn station in all weathers and conditions.

Having acquired the signs “on loan” we are now busy trying to raise the money to pay for them. Our intention is to offer the signs to the Brecknock Museum for their permanent collection but in the meantime they will be on display at our stand at the Llanfihangel Talyllyn fete and history group launch event in October. We have already received promises of support from the Black Cock Inn and Llanfihangel Ladies and welcome any contributions to our fighting fund. If you would like to support our fundraising please get in touch with either Roger Young or Roger Reese 658726

Roger Reese

Adrian, Denise and Roger Young outside the Black Cock


Llangors Youth &Community Centre

Regular Events:Post Office ServicesMondays10 am - 12 noonThursdays9.30 am - 11.30 am

Beaver ScoutsMondays4.45 pm - 5.45 pmTina Hill - 658 531

Cub ScoutsMondays6 pm - 7.30 pmMaureen Lowe - 658 453

Llyn Safaddon Art GroupMondays7.30 pm - 9.30 pmMyra Morris - 611 868

Monthly Camera Club2nd Monday - 7.30 pmCurrently on break - callM. Feathersone - 658 257

Kids Soft Play Club2nd & 4th Mondays (Term Time)9 am - 12 noonEster Koppenjan - 658 660

Monthly Luncheon Club4th Monday - check date12 noonAnn Evans - 658 319

Dog TrainingTuesday eveningsTracy - 07833 439446

BadmintonWednesdayUnder 11 - 6.30 - 7.30 pmDave Hope - 658 106Over 11 - 7.30 - 8.30 pmMike Scruby - 658 410

Coffee, Tea & BiscuitsThursdays - All Welcome!From 10 am in the hall

Junior Drama Group Thursdays5.30 pm - 7 pmLynn Clausen - 658 776

Parkinson’s Keep Fit ProgrammeSaturdays10 am - 11 amVal Morgans

Judo ClassesSaturdaysJuniors - 11.30 am - 12.30 pmSeniors - 12.30 - 1.30 pmPhil - 07854279957

to be involved. Please contact Glyn Price on 730471.

For bookings and other information on the hall contact Ann Reese on 658726 or 07760382447.

We have been busy at the hall sprucing up the exterior and interior with fresh coats of paint and general spring cleaning. This has also included improvements to the ground drainage to prevent build up of water on the Allt side. Whilst undertaking this work we uncovered the original well that supplied the hall. It was in remarkably good condition and was about 8 metres deep. This has now been resealed and capped , but not before we photographed and recorded its position.

In addition to our regular bookings we have taken more private bookings this year which have include a wedding reception, baby naming and charity events.

When you read this we will have held our midsummer BBQ and birdwatching walk down to the lake led by Andy King. We will be holding our Harvest Supper on Saturday 27th September at which Mark Young will be taking us on a stroll down memory lane with his photographs of many of the events held here over the last twenty years.

We are also hoping to hold an apple pressing day in October if there is sufficient interest and would like to hear from you if you have apples for pressing or would like

Llangasty Community Hall - update

Ann Reese,Llangasty Hall Restoration Group

Pennorth with LLanfiLo UrC at Pennorth ChaPeLpart of the Brecon Beacons Group Pastorate

Services every 2nd and 4th Sunday of the month at 10.30am - families most welcome

Loop system fitted • Small comfortable meeting room (up to 20 people)Food preparation area and disabled facilities • Available for hire - Roger Young 658 205

Ministers Rev Michael Hodgson and Rev Greg Thompson

• • •The members and friends of Pennorth Chapel would like to thank everyone who supported our recent coffee morning held in the Chapel and are pleased to report that as a result we were able to give The Brecon Food Bank £290. Thanks to everyone.

On a sad note, one of our Ministers Rev Greg Thompson is leaving us at the end of September to take up a Ministry in Northumberland, we wish him and his wife Adrienne a very happy future back in their homelands.

Llangors Ward Llanfihangel Ward

Colin Preece (Chairman) - 658 691 David Jones (Vice Chair) - 658 477

Robert East - 658 335 Mike Scruby 658 410

Tony Evans - 658 319 David James 658 457

Rev. Alan Jevons - 658 298 Emma Symonds 658 129

Dyddanwy Pugh - 658 177

Clerk – Judith Phillips 658 869 ([email protected]), Auditor – Jim Price 658 616

Llangors Community Council - contacts

Roger Young


Llanfihangel Talyllyn & Llanywern Hall

Bookings:Dave Jones - 658 477

Sheena Walker-RobertsTel - 01874 711 584

Regular Events:Pilates ToningUsing weighted soft balls.Tuesdays6 pm – 7 pm

‘Pure’ PilatesThursdays7.15pm – 8.15pmS. Walker-Roberts - 711 584Facebook - “Pilates for U”

Llangasty Hall

Bookings:Ann Reese - 658 726

Regular Events:‘Pure’ PilatesTuesdays - 10.30-11.30amS. Walker-Roberts - 711 584

Women’s Institute1st Wednesday - 7 pm

Hire of table tennis for just £3 an hour.

Bookings for events are charged at £7 an hour.

llangastyvillagehall.co.uk

Llangors Youth &Community Centre

Llangors hall is available to book hourly for

table tennis, badminton and short tennis. Hall

facilities include a meeting room and main

hall. Screens, copier, kitchen, stage, lighting, piano, tables and chairs.

Suitable for Wedding receptions.

Bookings:Alison Wilmott

Tel - 01874 658 645

www.llangorshall.co.uk

Church Services

The launch of the above New Booklet and the associated Exhibition and Flower Display held in the Church on 28/29th June was very well attended and appreciated. The committee of St. Michael’s Church, which organised the event, would like to thank a wide circle of people for their help and cooperation in staging this weekend. Those who loaned photographs; wedding, christening and other robes; Talyllyn station/railway memorabilia; antique agricultural equipment and other items of historic interest. They are also extremely grateful to the Black Cock Inn for serving refreshments, in aid of Church funds, on both days. Anyone who did not manage to attend the above but would like a copy of the booklet (priced £7.50) should please contact any of the following:

• Jo Copping - 658 263• Robin Rennison - 658 681• John Payne - 658 234• Windsor Griffiths - 658 108

Llanfihangel-Talyllyn Past & Present

Windsor Griffiths

Sunday 3rd August

Germany declared war on France and invaded Belgium on August 3, 1914. That evening, Sir Edward Grey gazed across St James’s Park from his window at the Foreign Office as the lamps were being lit on the Mall and made his now famous remark to a friend, John Spender - ‘The lamps are going out all over Europe, we shall not see them lit again in our lifetime.’

On Sunday 3rd August I am suggesting that we mark the centenary of the outbreak of the first world war with two services at both ends of our parish:

• 10.30am - Holy Communion at Bwlch• 3.00pm - A reflective service of hymns and

readings at Llanfihangel.

In both cases I am inviting people to bring along any photographs, letters, items of memorabilia.

September Confirmation Service

Bishop John will be coming to our parish on Sunday 7th September. He will b e conducting at Confirmation Service at Llangors at 3.30pm. Fourteen candidates from around the lake will be presented to him for Confirmation.

The Reverend A Jevons,Llangors

Llangynidr Farmers’ and Producers’ Market:July 27, The Show on August 24, September 28,

October 26, November 30 and December 14


The first ever Llangorse Lake Big Swim and Triathlon will take place in September. The big swim will be held on the afternoon of Saturday 20th followed by the triathlon on the morning of Sunday 21st.

All of the roads will be open as normal and we aim to keep the disruption for local people down to a minimum. The competitors are being encouraged to stay in the village and at the lake campsite in order to reduce the number of cars on the road.

For the run section, the athletes will go along the footpath to St Gastyn’s Church, up the lane and the left towards Bwlch. They will then turn right at the castell remains and go up the hill towards Middlewood Farm and turn right and run along the bridleway and up and over Allt yr Esgair and down to Pennorth village hall. They will re-join the footpaths through the farm, turn right and do one more loop to the church and then turn right at the end of the lane and run towards Pennorth, back through the farm and then left back to the sailing club.

We’re aiming to include as many members of the community as possible during the weekend. In particular, we’re looking for people who are able to help marshal on the running route. You don’t need to have experience of triathlon, just to be able to smile and point in the direction that the runners need to go. We will be able to make a donation to any community groups or charities of your choice in return for your time.

We’re also able to promote local businesses and would like to involve as many as possible. If you’re able to provide some prizes for the race or, perhaps, some samples and flyers to be handed out to the competitors we’d love to hear from you. There’s opportunities for you to have display stands etc. at the race weekend too.

If you’re interested please get in touch with us at [email protected] or contact Nicola on 07966 546068 or on twitter @LlangorseTri

Llangorse Lake Big Swim & Triathlon - September 20th / 21st, 2014

Nicola Goodwin

Summer holidays are upon us and Fun Days have organised two days in the Llangorse Community Centre LD3 7TR. These will be Tuesday and Friday.

Starting from Tuesday the 22nd of July we will be offering a great range of outdoor and indoor activities from 9 till 5. We will be setting up in the hall from 8 onwards so if you need your child to be dropped off earlier a fee of £5 will be asked for. To name a few of the activities that will keep them busy are the Zorb balls, Inflatable pirate ship with obstacle course, outdoor games, face painting, hair braiding and arts and crafts activities in the hall.

We have also organised for every Wednesday from 23rd of July 2014 during the summer holiday an ‘Away Day’ from 8.30 till 5.30.

This means that we will take the Fun Bus on trips out, such as The Splash park in Merthyr on hot days, the Owl centre and tobogganing in Ebbwvale or to ‘Bounce’ an indoor soft play centre in Rhymney or a day at the beach in Swansea, just to name a few, depending on the weather.

Please give us a call for more information: 01874 658660

Each activity day will be £20 per child. Please provide a packed lunch. Third sibling £10. Fourth sibling will go free.

Llangorse Summer Holidays Activity Club

Esther Koppenjan



AN EXHIBITION OF WATERCOLOURS BY RAE GERVIS

In the WALLED GARDEN TREBERFYDD

FLOWERS IN THE WALLED GARDEN

EXHIBITIONS FROM JULY 18 TO AUG 3

Beautiful plant nursery set in the old walled garden of a Victorian Gothic house. Focusing on hardy plants grown in Wales which are structural, unusual, edible, herbal or fragrant.

Walled Garden Treberfydd, Llangasty, Brecon,Powys, Wales LD3 7PX

01874 730 169www.walledgardentreberfydd.com

PLANTINGAt the Walled Garden we have just finished planting tiered raised beds with plants that love full sun and good drainage. These include Dianthus carthusianorum, Eryngium gigantuem and planum, Acanthus mollis, Cirsium rivulare atropurpureum, and grasses, Knipofias and Crocosmias.

PLANT LISTAchillea millefolium, or Yarrow, is a very ancient herb said to have been used by Achilles in the battle of Troy to staunch soldiers wounds. Achillea filipendula “Gold Plate” is a magnificent plant with flat yellow flower heads that add real structure to a flower bed with the flowers, followed by the seedheads, floating at 1.2m in height.

BOOKS“Jekka’s Complete Herb Book” by Jekka McVicar. Wonderful book on herbs, which are, collectively, plants with culinary and medicinal uses aswell as for dyes, perfumes, narcotics, disinfectants, poisons and pesticides.

A DOCUMENTARY PHOTOGRAPHIC PROJECT BY

SARA ALFORD

RECLAIM

In the WALLED GARDEN TREBERFYDD

Summer Art Exhibition House and Gardens open to the public

TREBERFYDD HOUSE

www.treberfydd.com

OPEN DAILY 10am to 5pm


The Village hall Committee are looking for villagers in Llanfihangel Talyllyn who would be willing to open their gardens one afternoon in June 2015 in order to raise funds for the Village Hall.

We currently have four villagers interested and are looking for one or two more to give people a greater range of gardens to visit. If you enjoy gardening and would like to share your knowledge and love of your garden (big or small) with others please get in touch.

Ring Tina on 658 531 for more information. We anticipate a very enjoyable 2015 summer event including tea and cake!

Llanfihangel Open Gardens 2015

Tina Hill

‘The Meadows’ are are a young, Classically-trained, multi-instrumentalist quartet. Following their enthusiastically-received 2013-14 ‘Victory Over Cancer’ concert tour to raise funds for the Velindre Cancer Centre, they have been spurred-on to plan a brand new 2014-15 tour to raise much-needed funds for Air Ambulance, as they rely 100% upon donations to keep this vital service in the air, saving lives throughout the whole of Wales and beyond.

They will be performing in the Llangors Community Centre hall on Saturday 23rd of August at 19:00. It is to be a family-friendly evening of musical entertainment, performing a unique blend of genres including Celtic, Tudor, Classical and Contemporary on a whole range of instruments.

Tickets are available from:• The Gate Shop, Bwlch• Derek Wilmott, Llangors - 658 645• Talgarth Store• Brecon Cathedral Shop

More information can be found on their Facebook site: - www.facebook.com/TheMeadowsMusic

Donations can be made via their JustGiving site: - www.justgiving.com/the-meadows

‘The Meadows’ in Concert - Wales Air Ambulance

James Meadows

The first ever Canalathon takes place along the Monmouth & Brecon Canal on Sunday 14th September with 50 teams of four being challenged to canoe, cycle and run from Pontymoile Basin to Brecon canal Basin to complete the 33 miles.

At Brecon Canal Basin the teams will be greeted at the finish line by six local bands that will be performing their sets on staging which will be erected in the canal basin and is being built by HMS scaffolding. The bands will perform from 2pm-8pm, everyone is welcome to come along and cheer the teams at the finish line and also enjoy listening to the bands.

Another event being held to celebrate the Canalathon will definitely be a treat for BMX fans with a demonstration by Professional Flatland BMXer and Guiness World record holder Matti Hemmings at Talybont on Usk Henderson Hall tennis court. This will start at about 1pm. Matti holds the World record of most BMX Cliffhanger spins (one foot on the handlebar) in one minute with 56. Come along and watch for free.

Further information can be found on the Canalathon Facebook page - https://www.facebook.com/canalathon

Music on the Water


Please...

this newsletter after you have finished with it.

Published by Discover Llangorse & Bwlch in July 2014

Please send articles and contact details

to...Email:

[email protected]

Address:Ryan Thomas

c/o Llangorse Multi Activity Centre

The GilfachLlangorseLD3 7UH

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please contact Josie

Call - 07788256324 Email - [email protected]

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The Grapevine - July 2014