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Blog Goodbye winter, hello spring - February 2012 Oh such a joy to see the snowdrops arrive at Rose Cottage, all along the bank of the river, the bottom of the garden and the wood next door.
Time to get those jobs done. Despite the freezing temperatures we have had a few days of beautiful sunshine. This has warmed the days sufficiently for the jobs which need doing. John has begun to layer the hedge. By the time the spring is really in full swing there will be enough hedge growth for the birds to return to favourite nesting sites.
Layering provides stable horizontal branches, just right for a nesting platform. Between jobs we had snow but we weren’t as badly effected as the eastern side of the country, and it disappeared within 48hrs. Frozen mud made easier walking on the field without the loss of a welly boot. Our hens received a new roof. This is just right for poor old Phant. She has reached the grand old age of 5 years and likes to stay inside most of the time now.
Her great age, as a free range hen, is entirely due to the Alpacas who keep the hens safe by chasing off any predators, like our old friend the fox! The others are all still laying well despite colder weather, so there are still plenty to give our guests. Marje has been making fingerless mittens for everyone during Knit and Knatter sessions at www.first4yarns this year, which have been beautifully warm and very well received. (We still have some skeins of Alpaca/wool from our girls and boys for those who still want some too.)
Our recent guests have enjoyed the Elan valley reservoir and nature reserve with all the dams overflowing after some rain. It is always a spectacular sight. More guests have enjoyed the local walks, birdwatching from the cottage sun room, and a visit to Gigrin farm to see the masses of Red Kites coming in to be fed. Next month there will be celebrations to commemorate St David’s day. Local lunches here, and in Knighton, where they will also enjoy the wonderful sound of Rhayader male voice choir. (March 3rd, Knighton Community Centre) There is nothing like a bit of Welsh singing to herald in the spring……….
Where did the time go? December 2011 Oh dear I must apologise for not writing sooner, but the summer has been so busy. We have had some lovely visitors to Rose Cottage and I thank them all for their gracious comments. It has been a real pleasure to us that you have enjoyed your holiday here and we hope you will come and see us again. Well, by July it was time for winter coats to be removed. Here is Delilah being divested of her woolly-ness under the expert hands of our friend Cody. They were all very grateful and we now have some very soft fleeces to go with the ones from Dylan, George and Gilbert. They were shorn a little earlier than the sheep by our roving New Zealand team of shearers-always good to see them.
Then in July Tabitha produced Basil. She picked a particularly busy evening to deliver him; we were running around the field rescuing Delilah’s lamb who decided to make his escape through a gap in the fence! In this picture you can just about see his nose!
She is such a proud Mum! Now look at the size of him!
We have continued to improve Rose Cottage and to increase its ‘green’ credentials. We have installed a new ‘A’ rated dishwasher and, with thanks to our visitors, in September we were able to put solar panels on the roof. (It took just two days) Now you can come and see how it all works by watching the electricity which is generated when the sun shines. We have a small meter on the wall to demonstrate how much power the panels produce which, of course, we are paid for through the ‘feed in’ tariff. In this way we can keep our costs down and keep the holiday rent as low as we can.
John has re-tiled the bathroom this month and we have also been out investigating more places which we can recommend to our visitors.
This is Lake Vrynwy just a few miles from Welshpool. (John was able to try out his new splendid walking boots here to walk the dog, from http://www.newforestfootwear.com) We stopped here on the way to Pennant Melangell which is about 40 miles from Rose Cottage. It is part of the Living Stones heritage trail (www.living-stones.info)
According to the legend, in the seventh century, St Melangell was discovered in prayer by Prince Brochwell Ysgithrog. The hare he was hunting took refuge under her skirts and he was so taken by her spirituality that he gave her permanent sanctuary in the Pennant valley. The valley has been a sacred site and a shrine was built. It has been a place of pilgrimage ever since. It was a beautiful day out and the scenery was stunning. We are looking forward to greeting more visitors at Christmas and for the New Year. Merry Christmas everyone!
Babies, babies, babies! (And more otter sightings) June 2011The valley is just full of tiny creatures. Our house has been commandeered by swallows (nest on side gable) House Martins (nest on back gable) Pied Wagtails-(two nests on the roof) Sparrows, Blackbirds and Siskins have nested all around here, and Rose Cottage. There are baby woodpeckers noisily visiting Rose Cottage, and here, keeping everyone alert to their antics. The hedges are busy and are at risk from nest overload! The wood next to the cottage is full of worried parent birds dashing back and forth to the feeders trying to avoid the baby woodpeckers. The baby woodpeckers just hang on to the nut feeders with cries of ‘chip, chip, chip!!’ until mum, or dad, winkles a nut or two out and feeds the chick on site, much to the joy of our visitors. Unfortunately they occasionally get so enthusiastic that they run in to the window, which is what happened here at Hawthorns recently-they usually fly off with a headache!
Our visitors to Rose Cottage have seen the otter yet again. This time he was gambolling about at 11o’clock in the morning. (I am sure he will be much more obvious come the winter months. I must make a point of sitting in the sun room to watch, whenever we don’t have anyone staying there. He is a much more frequent visitor to Rose Cottage than I think he is to Hawthorns.) Visitors have also enjoyed the baby squirrels trying to work out how to use the squirrel feeder. Once they get the measure of it they practically disappear headfirst in to it, with just their back legs hanging out-it is funny, and it does help to keep them off the bird feeders. Well, for those fans of Tabitha the Terrible, we are pleased to announce she is at last expecting kittens (…well she wasn’t that sort of girl!) She was smitten by the very handsome Champion Richdale Sha Tin (Roly to his friends) and the rest is history! www.richdalesiamese.co.uk
It hasn’t stopped her facing up to the squirrels through the windows and knocking ornaments off the windowsills though. We will report events as they happen on facebook ( http://www.facebook.com/pages/Rose-Cottage-Dutlas/109727032403282?v=wall)
The lambs around Rose Cottage are getting bigger and their Mums are all becoming a bit careworn with their fleeces looking a little ragged-no doubt they feel as all mums do, human and otherwise, with demanding toddlers. Here, even Dylan had to do a bit of babysitting with Freda -
- however cool relief is on its way. Up and down the valley the farmers are shearing the sheep. This often involves a bit of a hold-up in the day to day business of the valley! Made all the more difficult because the lambs have not a clue how to be rounded up and scatter everywhere up the banks.
Still, Estyn our reliable postman is used to it and always gets through, what ever the situation. Tri (Delilah’s lamb) on the other hand, has been giving us lots of trouble. He is our biggest lamb and most determined to escape. We think we need to rename him ‘Houdini’. John fixed all possible escape routes, but he was not to be deterred. At last he blew it- he was spotted climbing on top of the dung heap and jumping up and over the fence-who says sheep are stupid! He then comes around to the front gate and cries to be let in through the garden, silly old thing!
As we had the summer in the spring we seem to be having the spring now. We have had some beautiful days and some rainy days but it doesn’t seem to have deterred our visitors, there really is an awful lot to do and to see here. It has been one of the reasons our visitors to the cottage return again.
Who switched up the thermostat? April 25th 2011Like the rest of the country we have been enjoying some very unseasonable heat and sunshine here. It has been glorious, all the wildflowers are out-violets, primroses, bluebells, speedwell, stitchwort, vetch, lady’s smock to name just a few. There is going to be a great crop of wild strawberries and bilberries this summer too, judging by the amount flowering at the moment. Beacon Hill and the Kerry (Ceri) Ridgeway are covered in plants. (Bilberries are also known as winberries in this part of the country) Here at Hawthorns the girls have been very productive, as John announced on facebook. Jezebel had twins, Delilah had an enormous ram lamb and Tracy had a dear little black ewe with a white blob on the end of her tail! Our recent visitors have enjoyed a cuddle but they are growing fast and may soon be rather an armful!
The weather has been good for lambing. Wet weather can be dangerous for the lambs as they have not developed their protective lanolin. It means that they are not greasy to cuddle, but the rain can get in and make them too cold. Ours are pampered, they not only have a shelter to run to but if the weather becomes too awful we do have some little lamb raincoats. Not a problem at the moment and I hate to say it, but we do desperately need some rain. The river is very low and my flower bed is dry (and much undermined by the little bank voles too) The birds are still busy (as, unfortunately, is that sparrowhawk). Driving up to Beacon Hill from Beguildy and walking across the top there were so many larks to see and hear! We walked the Kerry Ridgeway last week and were pleased to see meadow pipits keeping us company, at times, hopping from one fencepost to another.
Our visitors have been enjoying the walks here and at Church Stretton, as well as sampling the delicious local fare. (Cheese from Monkland cheese dairy and fresh ice cream from Dairy Dreams at Common Piece Farm, both local to us). Yum………..!
The First Day of Spring March 11th 2011The Daffodils are now all along most of the road past the cottage from Knighton to Newtown, it is a sea of yellow! The primroses are up and in some places we still have snowdrops dancing about in the breeze. The celandines are opening up to the sun and the fields are filling up nicely with lambs. It is so peaceful in the valley, even the farm vehicles are few and far between. This is not unusual at this time of the year in such a rural area as this because every farm is lambing. Once past each farm gate- it is a hive of activity!
The birds are very busy now. There are a pair of kites circling Rose Cottage and we hope they have found a nest site close by, they are certainly often seen wheeling around along side the buzzards. A more fascinating, but less welcome visitor has been diving around the area-the sparrow hawk. Luckily it is a juvenile and not so clever at catching out the birds on the feeders. Our recent visitors have also seen peregrines up on the Kerry Ridgeway so it is obviously a month for raptors. The rug has arrived back newly cleaned from ServiceMaster for the front room and I am desperately trying to finish the patchwork quilt for the main bedroom.
I am having lots of help with it from the new shop in Knighton which is running sewing and quilting groups on Wednesday mornings-it’s brilliant. www.sewhandmade.co.uk (sister shop to First4yarns)
The girls are getting very plump and maternal looking now. It won’t be long until we cuddle new lambs. Of our two Jacobs; Jezebel is due to deliver twins around April 7th and Delilah is due to deliver just one, we think, around April 25th. Tracy our Black Welsh will deliver somewhere in between.
So….if you are into cuddling lambs now is the time to come.
Fantastic Fibre from Felindre!!! February 18th 2011 The Alpaca/Jacob wool mix has arrived back from the Halifax Spinning Mill in Goole Yorkshire and it is fab!!! The boys and girls on the smallholding have done exceptionally well and it has been beautifully prepared and spun by Paul and Scott at the mill. Now it is over to Lisa and Diana at First4Yarns http://www.first4yarns.com where they have it out on display to sell both in the shop and online. I have to admit that it won’t all be sold because I have been knitting for all I am worth. It is so beautifully soft and warm and the colours are natural. I am running out of knitting patterns………………………….!!
Do the birds know something we don’t???? February 18th 2011 I don’t like to mention the ‘S’ season yet just in case after such a cold winter….but…..what are the birds up to? We seem to be seeing more and more at the feeders both here and at Rose Cottage. At ‘Hawthorns’ we are getting flocks of siskins numbering twenty and more. There are less siskins at Rose Cottage, but then there is a more diverse population there which includes more woodland birds-nuthatches, tree creepers, the odd blackcap, serin and rarer birds. Both sites are used to dippers, greater spotted woodpeckers and various tits. This year we spotted a very shy brambling which had to visit several times before we could identify him! Which ever species they are, they are certainly getting noticeably louder and prettier; this is heartening after such a cold spell. The days and nights have been quite mild most of the time so perhaps we can use the ‘S’ word. The flower beds and banks of the road certainly seem to think so. Rose cottage has a wonderful display of snowdrops at the moment and the daffodils are coming up all along the roadside and hedgerows-though they may be a little while before they bloom.
I have several brave primroses showing now and those I love the most. It is about this time of year that the frogs begin their march down from the hills and swarm across the B4355 to get to the river. I look forward to the sight each year. Unfortunately they don’t all make it as they have no road sense! Not a problem for the buzzards though, they enjoy the unfortunates. We have also had more kites in the valley this winter I notice too, so there will be plenty of opportunists about! We have now just about finished refurbishing Rose Cottage ready for our first visitors (we were closed over January owed in part to a burst pipe!) We now have a beautiful new wood burning stove and surround and a redecorated and refurbished kitchen and sitting room. The main bedroom has been redecorated and the bathroom and sunroom have been titivated as well! Our picture shows the sitting room without the big rug which is away being cleaned.
So we look forward to meeting new visitors this year and are looking forward to catching up with our returning visitors too!! We have a brilliant new shop in Knighton which our visitors will find is well worth a visit. It trades in natural materials for kitchens and interiors. It also sells lovely gifts for the home and usefully for us, lots of energy saving light bulbs of all types and sizes!!
Snow! December 29th 2010Well, like most of the country we have experienced quite a lot of snow!! Tess has enjoyed it thoroughly, as can be seen, but for the rest of us who hadn’t finished the Christmas shopping, it was a little bit of a trial to say the least.
Most of our neighbours live off the main road and if they could not get out by four wheel drive, then the rest of us delivered the paper and the post on foot. Everyone prepares for this eventuality by filling the freezers and stocking up the larder. I am told however that this amount of snow over a prolonged period is more than has been experienced in the last 40 or so years.
The main B4355 was kept clear, so in fact Rose Cottage and Hawthorns were much better off than a lot of people living in the towns where the side roads remain icy and treacherous. We could at least get to Knighton and in fact up even up over Cilfaesty Hill (470mtrs) to Newtown. We are often cut off from Newtown when the snow drifts over the road but this year both Montgomery Council and Powys Council kept the road very clear all the way from Knighton to Newtown. A brilliant effort by the men who grit the roads because by keeping it clear when the salt became ineffectual (temperatures dropped to minus 16/17 here at Hawthorns) there was no build up to compact down. Most of the farmers in the valley have brought the sheep in to the barns earlier than they would have done so the feed bill will rise this year! Our sheep and alpacas have mostly retreated to the field shelters and are more than happy with the extra rations.
It has to be said though that the scenery has been stunning with icicles, snow covered trees and bright sunshine. A positively Alpine landscape complete with ski runs without the hold ups at Heathrow. We have been able to spot evidence of nocturnal visitors in the garden (badger footprints) and the owls have come closer, landing outside the window.
Now the thaw has come, which is not quite so attractive, but at least we can get on with redecorating Rose Cottage. (We will be open again to guests by March) Meanwhile a very Happy New Year.
Autumn pastimes! We have been having some glorious autumn days (tho’ today it’s a bit misty) There is an abundance of free food all along the hedgerows. Tess has certainly enjoyed my forays in to the woods and across the fields she has been very helpful indeed-but mostly with searching out really tasty sticks!!
There weren’t so many hazelnuts or fat blackberries to be found this year, but I found enough hips, haws, crab apples, elderberries and sloes to make hedgerow jam. We have plenty of
sloe gin from the sloes we picked around Rose Cottage two years ago; it is
maturing very nicely along with the raspberry gin we made this year. There is a wonderful crop of crab apples so I have made crab apple jelly to go with the pork in the freezer. (Local pig from our butcher in Knighton) John made rowan jelly which is really delicious with our own lamb. (We don’t eat our pets I hasten to add, just the male lambs which we do not pet!) I have enjoyed making food for free (apart from the sugar that is) and got so keen that I made elderberry cordial as well. We are currently drinking the elderberry wine John made last year and it is really good. Everyone from Knucklas, just down the road, to Leintwardine and Presteigne (both just beyond Knighton) and beyond, are holding apple days and cider festivals. We can take our own apples to press; there is apple juice and cider making as well as music, refreshments and games. Ludlow had a very successful food fair and there are plenty more ‘food events’ on the calendar to enjoy yet! Autumn is a great time to be in the valley.
Here at the smallholding we are also preparing our girls to be introduced to the boys. Poor old Harry has had to be separated for a while from Tracy-he just stares at her through the gate at the moment. Never mind they can frolic together again very soon! Now …. I think …… apple chutney and then pickled onions to complete the winter goodies in the store cupboard…
I’M A LAZY BLOGGER!! We have had a beautiful early summer and thanks to two of our guests, Barrie and Sue, you too can share some of that by checking out Barrie’s video of the cottage, now on our website. There have been several very successful events around and about us this spring. The Clun Green Man
festival
www.clungreenman.org.uk - just over the border, Wonderwool, Wales -
www.wonderwoolwales.co.uk (all things woollen from craft and spinning,
to personal appearances from sheep and other furry beasts) which was held at
the Royal Welsh showground in March. Our friends from First4Yarns, Knighton,
were there of course (pictured)
www.first4yarns.com.
There have been numerous festivals, exhibitions, and of course the Eisteddfod (which we have yet to attend, tho’ we want to). The Hay Festival- www.hayfestival.com/wales and now the new Titley Jazz Festival- www.titleyjazz.com, have been enjoyed by people who have come from far and wide. We really enjoyed going to the Titley Jazz festival with friends. We just went for an evening, had supper and a ride on the train where we enjoyed the panoramic views at dusk. The weather here was glorious but the river got really quite low. The dippers have been seen often this spring and summer and there have been a lot of nests under the river bridges. More evidence of the otters- but I need to sit by the river at dusk and wait…………..! Meanwhile at the small holding…………………… John has had great
success with the polytunnel and the vegetable garden and
We had so many raspberries this year that I haven’t bothered to pick any wild ones which are growing profusely all around us. I did pick the
Elderflowers though and have made a good year’s worth of Elderflower
cordial. John added some to his home made beer which went down very well
indeed with our visitors. Electra hatched 5 chicks in June and they are getting bigger by the day. The girls went off lay for a couple of weeks while they renewed their feathers. George (the Alpaca) discovered if he stretched his neck enough he could reach one side of the runner bean frame and so deprived us of some of the vegetation. It was so funny though that we couldn’t mind too much! Jim, (or ‘Lard bucket’ as John calls him!) our dear old castrated ram, has discovered he likes comfrey very much indeed and has managed to make a hole in the fence to get to it. (I suppose it cuts out the middle man as we grow it as a fertiliser!) Still he makes up for it by literally ‘butting in’ when there is an altercation between Dylan and Gilbert-he just doesn’t like arguments!
SUMMER AT ROSE COTTAGE Our visitors to Rose cottage are returning for another year and we are enjoying seeing old friends back again. We have had more children this year and I know they have enjoyed the games in the cupboard by the pieces of puzzle and dice that I find when they have gone. Our electronically minded children once rendered us speechless by saying that the best thing about staying in Rose Cottage was the lack of the TV (there is one there now!) because they so enjoyed playing the games with us. They also enjoyed going to the pub to have supper and play Pool. July saw a profusion of wild orchids which were a real joy to behold. The meadows were full of wild flowers. Some areas are set aside by our local farmers for the wildlife and remain untouched until the end of July. Some are just not grazed until the hay is in and haymaking can be left until the end of July.
We had a wonderful clear night on August 12th and saw an incredible display of ‘shooting stars’ (the Perseid Meteor shower) We are so fortunate to have such dark nights here with no ‘light pollution’ at all, which is why we have so many amateur astronomers living in the valley. John has picked more Rowan berries this year for the Rowan jelly, which was so successful last year that we had more lamb to eat without the jelly to go with it.
We have started to pick wild mushrooms so it is now becoming a little more ‘Autumnal’-where did the summer go! The valley from the walk behind Rose Cottage Radnorshire Wildlife Trust has just opened a new nature reserve on part of Beacon Hill (opposite the cottage) with parking, so our less able visitors will be able to get there. www.rwtwales.org/index.php/radnorshire-wildlife-trust-reserves/tylcau-hill I did not visit the Victorian Festival this year but according to our visitors it sounded as good as it usually is. www.victorianfestival.co.uk Today (Aug 27th) is the Farmer’s market and the Knighton Show and Carnival-always on Aug Bank Holiday weekend- so today’s visitors to Rose Cottage may have to rest awhile and watch. www.visitknighton.co.uk/knightonshow.htm Next week there are two food festivals within easy reach, one near Welshpool and the other in Ludlow- www.welshfoodfestival.co.uk and www.foodfestival.co.uk then Herefordshire art week www.h-art.org.uk which exhibits very locally.Well for a ‘lazy blogger’ I think I have written quite enough now!!!!
May 16th 2010 Volcanic ash or spring sunshine? (no competition!)
The primroses are
still well in bloom along the roadside and looking more closely the little
violets are to be seen in amongst them everywhere along the banks. The
wild cherry is common here and grows wild in Rose cottage garden. Just to cap off the beauty all around us at the moment is the view of the many thousands of bluebells. This last picture was taken just a short way from Rose Cottage. This month there has been the Green Man festival in Clun-just over the border- and the Cider festival at Llanidloes. Also, our favourite, the Small holders show with the Garden festival at the Royal Welsh showground. The Hay Festival starts on May 27th. (Leominster and Ludlow festivals are next month.) The Royal Welsh Agricultural show and all the food festivals have yet to come! Closer to home we are expecting the shearers (from New Zealand) next month to shear Gilbert, George and Dylan, so always an event to watch.
Our visitors have enjoyed the birds at Rose Cottage and have expressed surprise at what else there is to see and do around here!
March 3rd 2010
We have our first baby Jacob lamb!
Well things are beginning to hot up in the valley!!! Go in to the shop any time now and someone will be dashing in to grab something quickly because they are in the middle of lambing.
We are, on the other hand, moving at a more leisurely pace (and so is Delilah one of our expectant Jacob ewes, ever fatter she still looks like she will burst before she delivers those lambs!) Jezebel however has produced the most beautifully marked Jacob ram lamb and is a very proud mum indeed. Tracy isn’t due until April-so we are far less productive on our smallholding-but then we do have time to give the little lamb a cuddle! The Alpacas are very solicitous and are more than pleased to take advantage of the open visiting in the field shelter maternity suite. They put their heads in to check all is well and then keep watch and guard the entrance. (And our lovely neighbours, despite their frantic busyness have also been around to help us amateurs!!)
The fields all around us and the cottage are alive with the sound of tiny bleating sounds and wagging tails. The banks are full of snowdrops and the Kites are keeping company with the Buzzards further up the valley. We have just started to see the hares grouping together again and soon the frogs will be on the march down to the river.
We have been layering the hedges and those who are not yet lambing are doing the same. The birds will soon want to nest so there is not a lot of time to tidy up the hedgerows and create wildlife spaces and runs between the hedges. (These spaces are included as part of the management of the countryside here.)
There is also a lot of conservation work being undertaken by the Radnorshire Wildlife Trust up on Beacon Hill nature reserve (opposite Rose Cottage) to improve the habitat for amongst others, the grouse, the curlews, the pond life and the rare Radnor lilies which are only found here. www.radnorshirewildlifetrust.org. We have been exploring the wildlife events around Rose cottage with Sue Buckingham from RWT and she has provided some really interesting information for our visitors. We now hold quite a library of information in the cottage! So bring your reading glasses when you come!
Happy New Year! 11th January 2010 Another late posting-but life here has been so busy, especially before Christmas. Knighton was all lit up and most of the shops had a Christmas scene displayed in the window. Lots of concerts and amusement in the valley. The Young Farmers managed to sing carols most of the way up the valley to raise money for the Air Ambulance; that was before they were forced to adjourn to the pub to oil their vocal chords! The snow has been a great success for all those not wishing to attend school or work. The hills around the valley could have been designed for winter sports-lots of sledging, snow modelling and snowboarding-and that was just our visitors! We are at least on the main thoroughfare between Knighton and Newtown so supplies were not really a problem but some of the outlying farms had to resort to the tractor with a bucket on the front. Then of course the road was closed for a while at the top of the valley because the snow made it impassable across the common to Newtown. Visitors to the cottage happily strode out into the snow and enjoyed the bird life around the cottage as well as the local visitor attractions. The Spaceguard Centre in Knighton is great at the moment for its camera obscura-as well as looking at the stars of course. (spaceguarduk.com) We have been watching the foxes from the window fishing for frogs and searching around for nourishment. The dog fox was particularly handsome as long as he stayed the other side of the Teme and didn't bother my hens. (That goes for the buzzards too who seem to be landing ever closer to the house!) Out and about it is fascinating to see all the animal prints-foxes, badgers, squirrels of course, and smaller mammals such as rabbits, stoats and weasels. The blackbirds have learned to hang on to and feed from the bird feeders, something I have never seen them do before! The Alpacas are not at all bothered sleeping outside the shelter covered in snow, but then that must be a common sight in South America. No wonder Alpaca fibre is so warm for humans too! The sheep are not so contented and snuffle around in the snow rooting for the grass (sheep nuts and hay are obviously not as tasty) The countryside is so beautiful, quiet and peaceful. At night the skies have been mostly clear and starry. Lovely if there is time to wander about in the snow or just stop and stare. Even the farmers are philosophical about the weather as they take feed to the animals and rescue stranded vehicles and no one seems too stressed. Most of the animals are in the barns, the village post office is well stocked and the postman is still getting through so all is well.
Visitor attractions Friday, Nov 13, 2009 We have at last found time to visit some of the places
our visitors have enjoyed in order to have some first hand experience. We stopped first at the mountain centre where we had a delicious lunch which has superb views of the surrounding mountains. We headed out from there on one of the many walks clutching a comprehensive leaflet indicating the shorter walks . The dog was very enthusiastic as usual and bounded off in front of us looking for sticks; there weren't all that many that were really good for throwing, just heather brushwood, not that she cared so long as she had something to run after. We took a fairly gentle walk up to Twyn y Gaer, sat on a rock and looked down over the vast expanse of the Usk valley. It was lovely! The terrain is quite different from our own valley in that it has wide open valleys surrounded by the mountains. We live in a cosier area our local hills closely surround the river valleys and it is from those hills that we get an idea of the greater picture, before dropping down in to the next valley. I am not sure I would be up to mountaineering but the black mountains are very grand in comparison with our hills. (We did not stop off to pick up any more books from Hay-we have already filled Rose Cottage with books and now we are building more book spaces at Hawthorns) On the way home we passed a Hen Harrier nonchalantly perched on a bush beside the road; it quite took me by surprise as I had not long seen one-they must be getting common! This week we had a much more adventurous and exciting trip, we went mine exploring. A fantastic trip for a real experience of the slate mining industry in Mid-Wales. We had to pre-book the tour from home because there are not many places on each tour and at this time of year not so many tours. We drove to Corris, which is a small village 40 miles from here via Newtown, between Machynlleth (where the Centre for Alternative Technology is) and Dolgellau. The mine was abandoned eventually in 1970 after being worked for 120 years. Unlike other tourist sites this mine is untouched and the tour, lead by a very knowledgeable and experienced guide, was geared entirely to the adventurousness and fitness of the visitors. Luckily we could walk comfortably upright but we did have to be warmly dressed, in our wellies, and equipped with helmets with lights on and belays (which were provided) for safety if we wished to look deep into the workings. The guide will only take a maximum of 10 visitors on two trips a day. It was brilliant value especially for the longer rather than the 'taster' tour. We went down at 10am and I was amazed at the speed of the time because when we came up and I looked at my watch it was 2.30pm. There was so much to take in and because we were keen we were taken in to some less frequented areas. Mark, our guide and real enthusiast took us in to areas which were far older, newly researched and thus less frequented. He told us that with prior notice he would take visitors on exciting explorations which required more safety equipment and getting wet and muddy. Just the ticket for cave enthusiasts we know and our adventurous son and his friends.www.corrismineexplorers.co.uk Because this mine is situated in a craft and visitor centre with cafe and King Arthurs Labyrinth then not everyone has to be in on the adventure. We thought it was great and will recommend it to our visitors as something really out of the usual. By the time we got home it was getting dark and the sheep and Alpacas were gathered around the gate telling tales of acute hunger and neglect!!!
Otters!!! Sunday, Oct 25, 2009 Another busy period-who said the country was boring because there is nothing to do??!! It seems most of my weeks are busy with one event or another-two weeks ago we won the village quiz and last week there was a superb talk (and masses of food of course!) about the drovers of Wales. Now I know why there are Scots Pines grown in small clumps around the hills-they were the landmarks for the drovers long cattle drive to London. (These were the original cowboys before America was discovered), it was fascinating! Harvest Festival was a fantastic event; as it would be of course in a farming community. The ancient church of St Michael looked glorious with the autumn flowers setting off the carved wooden screen so beautifully-as for the food afterwards-well, the valley excelled itself! Walks with the dog have been glorious and we have seen so much wildlife this month. We have had to dash home several times to study the bird book and exclaim 'wow, we did see one of those!' Hen Harriers and Merlins to name just two and several that flew in to the sun and were so tantalising with possible identification, (especially a white raptor I thought for a moment was an off-course seagull) but we just could not be sure. Just a word with the knowledgeable locals usually confirms a sighting. This week we learned that -yes, it must have been an otter my son saw at Rose Cottage because evidence of their presence has been confirmed by the wildlife warden. When I have the time (!)I would like to sit by the river and watch. Once more visitors to the cottage have 'kicked their shoes off, lit the fire and watched the wildlife through the sun-room window'. It always amuses, but doesn't surprise me, because folk come to see so many things in the neighbourhood but then they are reluctant to leave the cottage!!!! (We used to live there and we do understand) We have yet more hens as Syco-Chicco managed to hatch another 8 this year. Our visitors have enjoyed lots of fresh free range eggs, as have the neighbours and friends. We have given away 3 hens and we don't really need so many eggs, but my hens are so friendly and delightful to watch scratching and clucking about in the field that I can always accommodate more. Watching from the window I saw a most beautiful fox which I initially mistook to be a ginger farm cat (until I saw his movement and luxuriant brush) My hens were still in their coop and tho' I love to see him I am jolly grateful to our three Alpacas who will keep him well away from our flocks. In fact just recently one of the Alpacas (Gilbert) played 'nurse' to a sick sheep. He wouldn't leave her and was very assiduous in his care of her. Well its Sunday again-another event (with cake) in church for 'bible Sunday' then down to the Radnorshire Arms for the usual good food and to meet up with most of the valley
Too busy to blog! Monday, Aug 17, 2009 It has been a very busy summer so far and there has
been lots to do despite the rain! So I have to remember two months-worth. The B3455 which runs past from Knighton to Newtown hasn't been without its attractions either. Driving out of Knighton last month I was faced with a beautiful deer, fairly sizeable and complete with small antlers, looking for a spot to get through the hedge. I stopped to enjoy the sight until he disappeared into a gap. The road provides quite a route for the common sight of hares taking a short cut up the road, often in front of the traffic and seemingly not at all afraid or hurried in their mission. Last month a family of polecats took a stroll up the road taking the evening air. This I found very amusing as on TV at the time 'SpringWatch' was staking out half of the country searching for them. Up at the top of the valley near the source of the Teme the Welsh ponies have had lots of foals and will insist, along with the Welsh black cattle, on walking in the road on hot days, requiring me to stop the car to sound the horn- the sheep are far more obliging! The bluebells were spectacular, the wild strawberries tasty, there have been harebells and my favourite wild foxgloves amongst many many wildflowers. The valley has been very busy preparing for the Welsh Show, rare breed sheep as well as Limosin and Hereford cattle looking spruced up, it has been quite an event and lots of prizes have been won. This weekend the town criers meet and march through Knighton. Now the Knighton show is on the agenda for next weekend and everyone is busy. My social knitting group at first4yarns.com have produced some fantastic garments (I am still plodding on trying to use all the alpaca yarn I have) Gone are the days of old fashioned knitting with boring wool and nylon. These days it is silk, alpaca, merino, angora and all mixes and multicoloured fabric for both knitting and felting. (My daughter is knitting a handbag for felting!) The gardening group and the new allotments association will be providing stiff competition as will all the talented WI's from all around Powys! The rain is but a memory now and we have had some glorious days-enough to get the hay in and these last few weeks have seen haymaking well in to the evenings. The Young Farmers have just celebrated their 60th anniversary in style dancing until 7am (and that included the adults!) The following evening the barn was packed with three hundred people for a fantastic Rhayadar male voice choir concert with the Three Welsh Tenors, fresh from winning prizes at the Eisteddfod. (all in aid of the Bracken Trust and St Michael's church) The wonderful folk in this valley and around about always make generous amounts for charity. Our alpacas and sheep are now shorn-lots of spinning to do! Now we have another eight chicks wandering around our field scratching and clucking followed by a very proud mother hen! We have actually managed to take in a few local attractions too as we entertained our Godchildren. The Small Breeds Farm Park& Owl Centre at Kington was an immense success and I am now very keen on pygmy goats to cuddle!! We also managed The Centre for Alternative Technology at Machynlleth which was fantastic fun as well as educational! Enough now before I bore you! We aim to visit the Brecon Beacons mountain centre sometime soon but whether we will make it this summer remains to be seen!
Summer is now in full swing Monday, June 1, 2009 Another month has passed and the weather is now very
warm in the valley so it is a real pleasure to take to the surrounding hills to
see the wild life and feel the cool breeze. (We ha ve nature reserves all around
us ; even the river Teme, which has its source in the hills at the top of the
valley, is a SSSI) Since the last entry I have heard the sound of the cuckoo,
have had hares run by me, heard the distinctive call and then had a clear view
of the curlews. The kingfishers have been at Rose cottage and Tess (the pup)
managed to scare the dipper which I think is nesting, by jumping in the water
close in to the bank. There are nests everywhere around the cottage and plenty
of unusual visitors to the feeders. (At the moment our 'twitchers' are mapping
bird nesting sites in this area.) This year there seem more woodpeckers than I
have ever noticed before with their lively 'chip-chip' calls. There is no need
to go outside, there are plenty of all types to see from the comfort of the sun
room.
Where does the time go here!!! Friday, May 8, 2009 Most of our visitors find the time goes quickly because
there is so much to see and do. We live here and its just the same for us.
the sea! the sea! Tuesday, Apr 7, 2009 It is just an hour's run out to Aberdovey in the car
(we have yet to take the coastal train from Newtown) It was such a lovely day
that we took friends to visit the sea.
Second entry! Friday, Apr 3, 2009 Yesterday was another glorious day, today is very mild
but a bit misty at the top of the valley. The Red Kites continue to be seen up
the valley. I have seen them in Dutlas and often in Beguildy. Lambing is coming
to an end for most folk and the fields are filling up nicely.
Welcome to Rose Cottage's blog! Wednesday, Mar 25, 2009 In this blog, we hope to bring you some
news of the events that are going on around us, and hopefully give you an
insight into what it's like to spend time in this idyllic place! |
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© Helen J Rickerby 2006-2012 Self catering holiday accommodation in Powys: Rose Cottage, Dutlas, Knighton, Powys. LD7 1YB. |
It’s
a bit difficult to throw a stick when you are part way through a prickly
bush picking rose hips and hawthorn berries!
Our visitors have
enjoyed the walks around the cottage, some have even walked a considerable
length of Offa’s Dyke explored a large area over Beacon Hill. There is a lot
of activity amongst the wildlife at the moment as there is so much food
around. The farmers are also pretty busy getting ready to put the rams with
the ewes. This happens later on hill farms, lambing is planned for
March/April time.
although we haven’t had a great
deal of rain, the garden, hills and fields around us remain very green-
unlike the rest of the country. 
We have had lots of noisy hedgehogs
in the evening and Tess (our collie) has found the babies everywhere and
sits watching with her head tilted to one side looking completely puzzled by
them all.
On the last week of July coming along the B4355 late in the evening, I
was charmed to stop for a family of six Polecats dancing up and down and
darting across the road. Then in early August I saw three Merlins hovering
over the upper meadow behind us while walking the dog.
Lambing
is just about finished for everyone now.
We
have another black Welsh lamb and the new poly tunnel is proving very
successful and productive.