A principle idea of permaculture and no-dig gardening is to develop ground cover. Uncovered soil attracts unwanted weeds , allows the soil to dry out, and is not contributing to the Eco-system. In accepting this principle I was prepared to accept some degree of what some would think of as weeds. For example I tolerate […]
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Hint for a drizzly Bank Holiday
There seems to be a tradition forming in the UK. The week before a Bank Holiday has glorious weather, as they say the sun is cracking the flags, right up until the start of the weekend when it goes completely down the drain! Well here’s a hint for a drizzly Bank Holiday, just put the […]
Hoping for dolphins, porpoises or seals
Frequent visitors Neil and Barbara were here in early May. A characteristic of their stays is that they travel widely, always attracted to bird reserves, and wildlife resources. They went on one of their favourite trips, to Llangrannog. They came back very excited, and no wonder! As they walked along the cliffs they spotted gannets […]
An art day at Ty Olaf, a race in election time
It was busy in our corner of the Elan Valley today! First thing this morning some of the shepherds started gathering the sheep. By nine o’clock people had started to park cars on the grass opposite the house and unload gear, a large gazebo, chairs, water containers, back packs. All very puzzling, but it turned […]
New visitor
We had just returned from shopping when Maggie spotted this tiny visitor sitting motionless on our patio. My first thought was that it was dead, but its little eyes were taking everything in. It was the size of one of the larch pine cones that fall into our garden from the stand of larches alongside […]
Time for the Martins to move on
One of the joys of living here in Elan Village in summer is the arrival and presence of the Martins. We don’t get them up here at Ty Olaf very much for most of the time, they prefer to scour the air near the bridge for insects, but every now and then a posse have […]
EPIC
We were on one of our regular walks as far as Caban Coch dam. As we went past the Visitor’s Centre we saw that the footpath had been closed by a large van with a sizeable gang of young men who were unloading it. We decided, as we got closer that they were unloading a […]
Elan Valley Walking Festival 3rd – 11th September 2016
The second Elan Walking Festival will take place in early September. There will be a great variety of free, guided walks for all abilities over nine days. You can get more information, or book a place on any of the walks by ringing the Visitors Centre on 01597 810880. Walkers will need suitable clothing and […]
The Lost Arc of Rhayader
One of its previous incarnations was as “The Drill Hall”, at some point it was the town cinema. When we came to live here it was, almost unbelievably, a supermarket, run by a wonderful gentleman, in his nineties, still manning the cash point and driving the van, preceding the “new” thing of supermarket home deliveries, […]
Perry pears
Perry pears can be used in many ways, other than just making perry. Casseroles, tagines, desserts and chutney, for example
