Ty Cariad - in the Welsh Mountains

Star Gazing with the BBC

2012-01-17T21:16:00.010Z

It is worth noting that on clear nights, especially at the New Moon, the skies over the cottage may startle city dwellers. There is very little light pollution - and if even that tiny amount (from the village) bothered you, you don't have to go very far to find somewhere astoundingly dark...

BBC Stargazing website

and the Dark Sky Discovery website can tell you more.

In particular, Dark Sky Wales.

So far, the only official Dark Sky Discovery Site in Wales is in the Brecon Beacons, here. Sadly that is about 60 miles away...but perhaps other zones may be officially added at some point.

All Wales Coast Path due to open 5 May 2012

2011-11-07T16:53:00.001Z

This was an exciting read on the Council intranet:

"Lonely Planet have confirmed it, Wales is the best on Earth to visit! Well, the 870-mile (1400km) trail around Wales, which is due to be completed next year. But that covers the most of Wales anyway!

We are very excited to announce that our very own coastline has been named the "best region on Earth" to visit next year by the prestigious travel guide.

From May 2012 Wales will become the first country in the world to offer tourists a formal trail right around its coast.

The Lonely Planet guide (edition 7), highlights 10 countries, 10 regions and 10 cities handpicked by the publisher's travel experts as the best places to visit. They say of the Welsh coast line: "What a wonderful thing: to walk the entire length of a country's coastline. How better to truly appreciate the shape - and soul - of a nation?"

The All Wales Coast Path (AWCP) will cover spectacular ground from Chepstow in the south to near Queensferry in the north - whilst on the path you will experience dramatic serrations, sandy bays and breathtaking castles and countryside.

Lonely Planet's Tom Hall explained: "As well as the novel ability to walk its entire coastline, the region comes out top because of its wildlife, great surf, castles and fantastic spots such as Barafundle Bay and St Davids.

The path is due to officially open on 5 May 2012."

Another season, another reason...

2011-10-22T15:36:00.008+01:00

We have been delighted with the new entries in the guest book.

People seem to find lots of things to do around the cottage, even when the weather reminds you that you are in the Welsh mountains!

Read the Guest Book here.

New television and some more art

2011-09-08T15:41:00.003+01:00

Julie has just visited the cottage to upgrade the television set - all ready for wet autumnal days!

I [Toby] haven't had a go with this one yet, so can't give you the details, but it sounds as though (on top of the Sky package) you may also be able to access streaming films, etc, through the WiFi.

I will update this post when I have more details about what it is capable of...

She has also added some of her art to the walls -examples of which you can find on her website.

Images from Google Maps - the side turning

2011-07-29T15:11:00.007+01:00

As the last approach to the cottage can prove a little tricky (the Post Code covers the whole village, so a SatNav won't get you right to the door) I have been using Google Maps to grab a few useful images, to supplement the maps.

If you have come through the village on the B3443 then you will take a left hand turn to reveal The Counting House, an unmistakable landmark, and should take the next left turn up the hill.

Below you can see it, approaching from the other direction, with The Counting House on the left of the picture, and a clear view of the little lane up the hill that you need to take.

This is also what you would see if approaching on the B3443 from the Ysbyty Ystwyth direction, just after you pass the Pont-Rhyd-Y-Groes village sign.

This summer at Ty Cariad

2011-06-27T09:50:00.008+01:00

You will find some history of The Hafod Estate on Julie's blog, here [Hafod and The Orchid Thief 11 June 2011]

Also find some pictures from her recent visit
[A Week at Ty Cariad 29 May 2011]

Here comes summer...

2011-06-10T16:09:00.007+01:00

Dandy particularly likes the summer for long walks.

All seasons

2011-06-10T15:47:00.009+01:00

Although summer is wonderful, the landscape changes throughout the year, and some of the crisp autumnal days can also seem magical.

We have quite a few pictures posted on the Facebook Page, in these folders:

Views and Vistas

Paths, Tracks & Trails

Maps and History

Other views Other seasons

Guest Book for the cottage

2011-05-27T13:35:00.002+01:00

We have such nice comments in the guest book that we have added them to the website.

We have kept people anonymous, as they perhaps didn't expect to appear on the web, although we have let the dogs' names through.

You will find the book available, both to read and to contribute to, when you stay.

See the Guest Book comments here (and yes, we leave the small criticisms in, too!)

We do try to respond to suggestions for improvements, but feel pleased that the overwhelming response has been one of delight and contentment.

Thanks to everyone who took the time to leave comments...

Julie & Toby (and Dandy the dog)

Golden Eagle in the village

2011-02-14T10:42:00.009Z

This month there is (unbelievably - they haven't lived in Wales for 200 years) a Golden Eagle being spotted not just in the neighbourhood - Ceredigion - but specifically in Pont-Rhyd-Y-Groes! Wonderful images from 'Irie'.

We don't have the full story yet, but it may be an escaped bird.

Here's the BBC story.

Keep an eye on reports at Ceredigion Birds.

Wow - I wish I was at the cottage to catch a glimpse of that!

I just found this website with an image to give you the sense of scale - this is a Red Kite with the juvenile Golden Eagle!

For more detail about identifying Eagles, sighting reported, etc - try the Bird Guides here.

Birds of Prey

2010-11-12T17:28:00.005Z

My own favourite sight in and around the cottage are the big birds of prey soaring over the valley. Buzzards are fairly common in the UK (they have the fan-shaped tail, if you catch them in silhouette, the Red Kites have the forked tail).

We have a significant population of Red Kites around the cottage (when they neared extinction, this area was the last pocket of resistance). Fortunately they were saved, and have spread back around the UK.

I lifted these images without permission (my apologies) from the RSPB site, click on the images to find the source material, or just visit the main RSPB site here.

You can find the Welsh section of the RSPB site here.

Last Minute Cottages

2010-11-09T20:58:00.004Z

We have just added the cottage to Last Minute Cottages, and you can find us on their website.

We will add the availability calendar to the website, but this is

JUST A TEST

so please check with us directly, before assuming the calendar below is current and up-to-date.

Thanks!

View calendar

BBC Winter Breaks

2010-11-03T14:12:00.001Z

You can see us listed on the BBC Winter Breaks page...

This is the Homes and Antiques magazine...

Testing the banner

2010-06-17T10:48:00.003+01:00

This is what banner2 looks like (using Centred, Medium sized in Blogger upload).

I have also made the image itself a clickable link.

Julie is on the map!

2010-05-14T15:02:00.003+01:00

Julie is still developing her wool craft activities, and you can find her listed now on the Heritage Crafts Network map - zoom in to Cardiff to find her...

And this is what the entry says:

I am a serious amateur in tradition wool crafts such as knitting, felt-making, and weaving. Recently I've also been sampling various related disciplines such as basket weaving, embroidery and mixed media textiles for wall hangings. I have a degree in fine art, but my first love has always been wool crafted textiles. I spend all my spare time advancing my skills and knowledge, and attending courses in related subjects. I hope one day to become a professional artisan and to earn my living from textile production (whereupon I will update you with a business address).

Ty Cariad awarded Four Stars by Visit Wales

2010-03-27T19:12:00.002Z

We were very pleased to hear that Ty Cariad has been awarded Four Stars as a Self Catering holiday cottage, by Visit Wales (formerly The Welsh Tourist Board).

timetable for Vale of Rheidol railway

2010-03-27T16:10:00.004Z

I have added a link to the website for the 2010 timetable for the Vale of Rheidol railway, which runs from Devil's Bridge to Aberystwyth.

You'll find it here.

Tan-y-graig

2010-02-25T17:55:00.003Z

Julie has started enquiring about the cottage through the archives.

The first discovery is that it used to be called Tan-y-graig (beneath the rock) which makes sense if you visit. It isn't clear yet if that is the name for the two joined cottages, or for our half.

The researcher has also looked back as far as 1841 to find stone masons and lead miners living there, so we still don't quite know when it got built.

Local news and weather

2010-01-30T16:41:00.002Z

The Pontrhydygroes Commmunity Web Site doesn't seem to get updated very often, but it contains someuseful information.

We have already mentioned that the mobile phone coverage is very limited in the area, and although I have occasionally got a freak Vodafone connection up on the hills, the main coverage comes from Orange. Even so, down in the valley you will get no signal, more than likely.
This phone coverage map might give you an idea...

In addition to the weather station that I have linked to on the website, the Community site offers this Ystwyth weather station (not sure exactly where it is located) - which you might find interesting or useful.

Cold weather for birds

2010-01-13T15:14:00.002Z

The snow has carried on, and birds of all kinds are highly visible around the feeder, and exploring around the gutters of the house.

You can just watch Red Kites from the fireside, they have been so close to the garden. Beautiful and bright against the snow. Stunning aerial displays.

Snow Fun

2010-01-05T11:19:00.004Z

We have come up for a winter break, and we met ice on the hill when we arrived. Couldn't make it around that final, steep, hairpin bend until a kind neighbour took his wheelbarrow up to a salt and grit bin at the top of the hill, then skidded back down with it. The one on the corner was already empty.

But we made it. This morning the world is covered with snow, much to the bemusement of the dog.

As I looked out the window a red kite came in to land on one of the nearby trees, when I crunched out to see if I could get a better shot it didn't like being looked at, and took off...that is how close they come!

It sure looks snowy up there!

2009-12-21T20:20:00.003Z

Snow on the mountains

I looked on the local webcam (only about a mile from the cottage) and it looked pretty snowy out there!

We will be going up in January for a visit ourselves, and to check out the facilities.

Gizmos and Moon Shadows

We do like to please people and make them feel at home, but we are still tweaking away, after our first year of sharing this beautiful place with others.

I just found a useful lantern (I kept worrying that people wouldn't bring a torch, or that ones we left would end with dead batteries, just when you need them). This is one of those handwound lanterns - not indestructible, of course, but perhaps enough for a day when a powercut happens, or the fuse blows, or you simply want to walk up the lane on a night of the new moon (you'll have no problem under a full moon on a clear night - the moon almost throws shadows it is so bright!)

Tweaks

I also noticed that the font on the front page of the website looked a bit odd and out of place - must have pasted it in from some other software - so it had a Times font. Have changed it to Arial to match the rest.

I know, I know - probably of interest only to myself - but Julie pays attention to lots of little details in the cottage - the least I can do is try to do the same for the website. Toby :-)

Flying Visit

2009-10-23T19:59:00.006+01:00

We managed to get a couple of days at the cottage, just to check it out. I got a couple of long autumnal walks in. Going up the hill, then left, takes you to the Forestry Commission (passing through a farmyard) and from there you have wonderful views down the river valley.

Looking back from the nature reserve, down by the flat bit of the river (far distance in hill view picture), we saw a rainbow...

The view from the cottage

2009-06-03T20:14:00.016+01:00

Sit outside on the bench, and just enjoy the view, the sunshine, and the sight and sounds of a wide variety of wild birds - accompanied by the tranquil farmyard sounds of roosters, sheep and dogs barking, off in the distance.

Ty Cariad looks straight out over the valley towards the highest point on the far side - Craig y Fran (Crow's Rock).

From the bench at the front of the house, from the living room, and from both bedrooms, this is the view.

The scenery is always changing, from sunny times to the striking sight of looming clouds, and in the autumn the peak may even be almost hidden behind low clouds, like a chinese painting.

In winter you may see it covered in snow. And any time you can see Red Kites and buzzards soaring over the valley... and even as you drive through the gate, nature can welcome you with a surprise...

Carnival in Pontrhydygroes

2009-05-26T17:31:00.004+01:00

I notice on the village's community web page that Carnival happens on 11th July 09.

Website updates

2009-05-20T17:06:00.009+01:00

This blog contains material waiting to get built into the main Ty Cariad website.

Photos

Photos of the cottage can be seen in this Facebook Album. (Facebook members only)

Online maps for Walks

We recently came across some more material on local walks, in PDF format (click on link to open, or download).

Spirit of the Miners walks

Pontrhydygroes-Pontrhydfendigaid (13k /8 miles - 4 hours)

Devil's Bridge - Pontrhydygroes (10k / 6 miles - 3 hours)

These and other routes can be found on this page from Ceredigion Council:

Walking in Ceredigion

Some glimpses inside

2009-05-18T10:29:00.008+01:00

The cottage has been improved throughout, with loving care and attention to detail.

More photos of the interior will be added to the website shortly, but here is a quick preview.

Here's the main bedroom, with a four poster bed and wonderful views. The guest bedroom has a double and a single bed, so the cottage can sleep up to 5 people.

The exterior of the house has been completely reworked, with this splendid oak porch as the latest addition.

new map

2009-05-16T16:18:00.001+01:00

View Larger Map

Everything seems so new!

2009-05-14T15:53:00.000+01:00

We have published the first couple of pages of the Ty Cariad website, but have several more pages to add, with pictures of the interior, etc.

It might seem excessive to have a blog as well as a website, but this is an easier place to offer quick updates, changes, and other announcements.

The cottage is about to become available to rent for holidays, and we welcome enquiries.

Currently, the easiest way to contact us is through tycariad@gmail.com, but we will add some phone numbers as well, soon.

Julie has spent a year and a half working on her Grand Design for the place, and we hope you will love the transformation. Apart from upgrading the infrastructure, with wireless internet, dishwasher, etc - she has lavished time, money and creativity on tiling, a new porch, furniture and fittings. It looks amazing.

We are pet friendly, and Dandy is only sorry he won't be there to greet your dog(s)...

Google Map of Ty Cariad and Pontrhydygroes

2009-03-12T01:42:00.000Z

View Larger Map