Gower e-News Issue 8 - 7th October 2011

GOWER NEWS Gower’s Independent Online News, Event and Information Guide

INSIDE: Gorgeous Gower Labrador Puppies Page 33 GOWER EVENTS PAGE 11 GOWER CIDER WEEKEND PAGE 13 SWANSEA’S LATEST COOKERY SCHOOL PAGE 5 WEEKEND WEATHER PAGE 17 ICE AGE GOWER PAGE 19 Issue 8 7th October 2011

www.gowernews.co.uk

From the Editor It’s a funny time of year: we’re caught

This Week’s Contributors:

between the epic summer session and

•

Ian Ambrose

Christmas. In just a few week’s time,

•

Tatiana Bento

the clocks will go back an hour, the

www.marmaladecookeryschool.co.uk

kids will be off school for half-term,

•

Chris Ridgway

colourful flashes and loud bangs will

•

Emma Jones

be all the rage in the lead up to Guy Fawkes, and no doubt the Christmas decorations will start to appear across the City shortly after. In the meantime, there is still a fair bit going on if you know where to look. Our mission is to bring ‘grass root’ news and events from around the Gower region to the forefront - if you know of anything going on, no matter how big or small the event, then please let us know. Although we’re entering the throws of autumn, this edition is packed with new beginnings synonymous with spring: new born Labrador puppies born and raised on Gower, and the start of a new restaurant venture for Swansea’s latest cookery school run by Tatiana Bento.

www.ambiencefinearts.com •

Gower Labradors www.gower-labradors.co.uk Cover Picture: Gower Labrador Puppy © 2011 www.gower-labradors.co.uk E-mail the Editor: editorial@gowernews.co.uk A quick dash into Mumbles today resulted in an unexpected level of outstanding customer service from a local trader.

Popping into UNO on lower Newton Road for s o m e Ya n k e e C a n d l e s u p p l i e s i s a lw ay s a n uplifting experience - today they went the extra mile to make it an even better visit!

Having missed their loyalty evening yesterday, the kind lady in the shop - as an act of generosity and excellent customer service provided a free goody-bag with lots of Yankee Candle products: OUTSTANDING service!

Thank you UNO of Mumbles :)

GOWER NEWS 7th October 2011

This Week’s Contributors

Editor / Design / Illustration Ian Ambrose Publisher Gower News | www.gowernews.co.uk editorial@gowernews.co.uk Gower News is an independent and privately owned online publication.

Distribution This e-publication is freely distributed through Gower News’ e-newsletter and online media network: www.gowernews.co.uk www.facebook.com/gowernews www.twitter.com/gowernews Views and opinions expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of Gower News' Editor. Gower News does not accept responsibility for the products, goods or services featured or advertised throughout this epublication. Gower News does not personally endorse any business, organisation, product or service featured in this publication. Every effort is made to ensure the information contained within this publication is accurate and up to date. The contents of this publication are subject copyright and must not be reproduced in any way without the express prior permission of the publisher.

Gower News In Brief Wind far m plans of f the Gower coastline: http://www.thisissouthwales.co.uk/ Gower-wind-far m-fears-voicedvillagers/story-13490357-detail/ story.html

Gower coastline pathway closer to becoming a reality: http://www.walesonline.co.uk/ news/wales-news/2011/10/01/ single-path-around-gower-coastlinea-step-closer-91466-29518109/

Gower MP under fire over coastguard station closure campaign: http://www.walesonline.co.uk/ news/wales-news/2011/09/27/ gower-mp-accused-of-trying-to-pito n e - a r e a - a g a i n s t - a n o t h e r- i n coastguard-battle-91466-29491645/

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Contents

Gower Labradors See Page 33

5 Swansea’s Latest Cookery School 11 Gower Events 13 Gower Cider Festival: Apple Days 15 Local Produce and Craft Markets 17 Gower Weekend Weather 19 Ice Age Gower 21 Tide Predictions 33 Gower Labradors

Swansea’s Latest Cookery School Page 5

Local Produce Markets Page 15

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Marmalade: Swansea’s Latest Cookery School Ian Ambrose catches up with cookery entrepreneur, Tatiana Bento who runs Swansea’s latest cookery school with a Portuguese twist!

Marmalade is a new cookery school based in Swansea. They are are looking to revolutionize the way we buy, cook and eat food!

The school was founded by Tatiana Bento, a Portuguese architect with a passion for cooking who moved to Swansea 3 years ago.

When Tatiana first moved to the UK she had a big shock!

"What I found most disturbing was the quality of the food compared with what I had become used to back home.

“Perhaps more concerning was the general acceptance of this food by the British people.

“The lack of locally grown ingredients and the high dependence on 'convenience' were really distressing,” said Tatiana.

As time went on, Tatiana realised that not many people really knew about food beyond what's fed to them by the television and in magazines. “This, I thought, had to change,” she said.

All Photography by Jon Lewin Photography & Design

Marmalade Cookery School - which aims to help people of all levels understand and get excited about cooking and food in general - holds introductory classes every week at the Monkey Café on Castle Street.

Telephone: 01792 678 678 or 07565 252858 E-mail: info@marmaladecookeryschool.co.uk Website: www.marmaladecookeryschool.co.uk

Tatiana wanted people to understand food in their own intuitive way. She started cooking for people and friends, showing them her own methods for choosing quality ingredients to produce tasty, wholesome food, for relatively small cost.

“Before I knew it I had people asking me to teach them recipes for everything I had been making, up to the point where I had to turn it into a business as I had no time for other work!

“We are now getting requests for events and weddings, with completely tailored menus, all locally sourced and cooked by us,” explains Tatiana.

“

We teach everything from going to the market and choosing good ingredients, to preparing and cooking.

Covering a vast range of cuisine, Marmalade Cookery School love to emphasize the importance of seasonal, local food.

“We go into depth with everything we teach, so that the pupils can really get a good understanding of what they are cooking and eating, and how this can be really good for themselves and the communities they live in," said Tatiana.

Already the cookery School is evolving and Tatiana will be opening her own restaurant in the city centre as Marmalade takes over the kitchens at Monkey Cafe on Castle Street.

Tatiana said: “We will be using local produce to create delicious lunch time meals.”

Marmalade Cookery School also offer private lessons for people who want to really expand their abilities and knowledge - these lessons are available at a beautiful farmhouse in Gower, or can be taught at the student’s home if they prefer.

Telephone: 01792 678 678 or 07565 252858 E-mail: info@marmaladecookeryschool.co.uk Website: www.marmaladecookeryschool.co.uk

All Photography by Jon Lewin Photography & Design

Gower Cider Weekend 15th and 16th October 2011 Gower Heritage Centre, Parkmill, Gower Visit www.whatsongower.co.uk for more information.

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WhatsOnGower.co.uk Date

Time

Details

Contact

08/10/11 11am - 3pm Mynydd Bach Chapel Restoration Open Day 08/10/11 9am - 1pm

07854 883469

Mumbles Produce and Craft Market

08/10/11 10am - 4pm The Funky Craft Fayre

-

08/10/11 9.30am 1pm

Gorseinon Canolfan Food and Craft Fayre

-

09/10/11 9.30am 12.30pm

Pennard Produce and Craft Market

-

15/10/11 11am - late

Apple Days at Gower Heritage Centre

01792 371206

16/10/11 11am - 6pm Apple Days at Gower Heritage Centre

01792 371206

The National Trust Gower have got a few spaces left on their guided ‘Walk to the Worm’ on Wednesday 26th October 2011.

If you'd like to find out more about the tidal island at the end of Rhossili and enjoy some spectacular views, then give them a call on 01792 390636 to book your place.

Cost: £4 per adult, £2 per child.

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APPLE DAYS ARE HERE AGAIN

The Gower Heritage Centre and Transition Swansea Present “Apple Days” Part of the Gower Cider Festival weekend on Saturday 15th October 11am until Late & Sunday 16th October 11am until 6pm.

Do you know anyone who has any apple trees?

Do you know anyone who has windfall or damaged apples that are no good for eating?

Would you like to use these apples to make your own apple juice, or even better, cider?

Bring your own apples to the Gower Heritage Centre throughout October and you can press your own apples and collect your own juice. You will need to bring your own containers, but anything will do. There will be instructions and recipes on hand, along with expert knowledge from our on site cider makers!

During the Gower Cider Festival (15th & 16th October) you can watch cider apples being pressed on an antique 1890 mobile cider press. The apples used by the Gower Heritage Centre are grown in their own orchard.

Learn about the process from picking the apples to crushing the fruit to fermenting the juice. You’ll have the chance to try dozens of award winning Welsh ciders from across Wales, all traditionally made, no flavourings, additives or preservatives.

Saturday Houdini Dax. Supported by Thistledown, Will Killeen, & Andy Jones (Boys from the Hill).

For further details contact the Gower Heritage Crentre on 01792 371206 or contact the events organiser, Richard Saunders, directly on 07891 508688

Sunday Sicknote Steve.

Supported by Last Tuesday Society, Patrick Ellis, Ian James, & Afternoon in Paris.

Pontarddulais Produce and Craft Market Second Wednesday of every month between 9.30am - 12.30pm The Institute, 45 St. Teilo Street, Pontarddulais Mumbles Produce and Craft Market Second Saturday of every month between 9.00am - 1.00pm The Dairy Car Park, Oystermouth Square, Mumbles The Funky Craft Fayre Second Saturday of every month between 10.00am - 4.00pm Ostreme Centre in Mumbles, Swansea Gorseinon Canolfan Food and Craft Fayre Second Saturday of every month between 9.30am - 1.00pm Canolfan Centre, Millers Drive, Gorseinon Pennard Produce and Craft Market Second Sunday of every month between 9.30am - 12.30pm Pennard Community Centre, Pennard Penclawdd Produce and Craft Market Third Saturday of every month between 9.30am - 12.30pm Community Centre, Banc Bach, Penclawdd Clydach Produce and Craft Market Last Saturday of each month between 10.00am - 1.30pm Moose Hall, Beryl Road, Clydach

Local Produce

‘Highlight of the Week’ What?

The Funky Craft Fayre When?

Second Saturday of every month between 10.00am - 4.00pm Where?

Ostreme Centre in Mumbles, Swansea ~~~ The Funky Craft Fayre is held at the Ostreme Centre in Mumbles, Swansea on every second Saturday of each month between 10am – 4pm, featuring local crafts, arts and food from around Swansea.

& Craft Markets

weekend weather

Community Gower Weather Weather Outlook for Weekend 07/10/2011-10/10/2011 What a difference a week makes with stark contrasts in the recent weather! A brief last gasp of summer followed by a return to the cool, wet autumn conditions - the vagaries of a Temperate Climate!

Wednesday saw the remnants of Hurricane Ophelia pass over the UK, bringing wind, rain and cloud. It has been quite an active autumn so far with a number of hurricane remnants passing over the UK. The hurricanes have been sweeping up the east coast of the USA - as opposed to entering the Gulf of Mexico captured by the Jet Stream and spun across the Atlantic.

The remnant of Hurricane Philippe is potentially the next to impact on the UK. Currently the storm is situated in the mid-Atlantic, east of Bermuda. It is likely to be caught up in the meandering Jet stream over the weekend, and may potentially arrive on our shores by mid-week. I will keep an eye on that one - tweeting @gowernews on Twitter with an update over the weekend if necessary.

The autumnal feel will continue this weekend with the variable blustery conditions continuing as a low pressure system is situated between Greenland and Iceland, which will affect the weekend weather.

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Community Weekend Outlook Friday is looking like the best day of the weekend, following the passing of the remnants of Ophelia, with a ridge of high pressure pushing in off the Atlantic.

It will bring a settled, dry, sunny day with lighter winds. The wind direction will still be from a NE direction making it feel cool, temperatures ranging between 13-15째C. Saturday should get off to a dry start, the morning will bring increasing amounts of cloud as a warm weather front associated with a low pressure system over Iceland pushes in. The increasing amounts of cloud will produce some rain and drizzle as the day progresses. The winds will be from a SW direction so feeling a little milder, temperatures 15-16째C. Sunday the warm front should pass over the UK and into the North Sea overnight Saturday, brining a westerly airflow - there will be a notable increase in wind speed, up to 20mph, gusting 30-35mph. The winds will continue into Sunday daytime as a cold front moves down from Northern Britain bring more cloud and rain. Temperatures will be around 15-16째C about the seasonal norm.

Monday after the rain of Saturday and Sunday, the working week should start off dry, with high pressure sitting over France and Spain pushing up over Southern Britain. As the day progresses the cold front over Northern Britain will move south bring us cloud and some rain. The temperatures however will remain about the norm of 16째C as the wind is still from a westerly direction.

Not a great outlook for the weekend if you intend getting out and about or tidying up the garden, the weekend looks as if it is book-ended by dry sunny weather with Saturday and Sunday looking a bit damp and miserable.

Whatever you are up too this weekend, have a good one and good luck to Wales on Saturday morning!

Chris.

Specific detailed daily forecasts can be obtained from professional organisations like the Met Office: http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/weather/uk/wl/swansea_forecast_weather.html

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A Look at Gower’s Glacial Erratics Words by Chris Ridgway

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Picture: Arthur’s Stone, Cefn Bryn, Gower. © 2011 Emma Jones

Ice Age Gower:

Picture: Arthur’s Stone, Cefn Bryn, Gower. © 2011 Emma Jones

In a previous article I discussed how the dynamic changes in climate - from the Medieval Warm Period to Little Ice Age had a dramatic affect on both the landscape and the people of Gower in a relatively recent historic past.

The scenic landscape of the Gower peninsula we see today was mostly forged during last Ice Age. From Arthur’s Stone on Cefn Bryn and Whiteford Point to Rhossili Bay and the Ilston Valley - all were created by the waxing and waning of glaciers and a cold climate.

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Ice Ages Imagine standing on top of Cefn Bryn, 18,000BP: to the North you would see a vast glacier in what is now the Burry Inlet creeping and carving its way slowly down from the hinterland of the South Wales Coalfield out into Carmarthen Bay. To the South, a glacier would be spilling out of the Swansea and Neath valleys across Swansea Bay the edge of the ice sheet terminating to what would be now Langland Bay. Ahead of the ice sheet the Bristol Channel would have been tundra plain - a frozen world now restricted to the realms of the Arctic circle.

At the height of the glaciation, the sea level would have been up to 120m below the current level - there would have been even a land bridge to Ireland and south to Devon and Cornwall, and even Brittany!

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Eventually if you walked out and far enough into what is now the Celtic Sea - without freezing to death! - you would find a coastline of frozen sea ice with rafts of icebergs off in the distance. It truly was a world of Woolly Mammoths, Musk Ox, Walrus and Reindeer!

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Believe it or not, in a geological sense, we still are currently living in a period dominated by Ice Ages. At this moment in time we are just in a little warm 10,000 year interval known as an Interglacial.

The glacial periods themselves can last up to 100,000 years! The current era of Ice Ages, known as Quaternary Glaciation, started approximately 2.58 million years ago (MA - million years) and marks the start of the current Geological Era: The Quaternary.

Over the last 800,000 years there have been at least 8 Glacial / Interglacial cycles identified by geologists. The landscape of Gower within these periods of cold and warmth has been sculptured out, destroyed, reformed and changed by the dynamic changes in climate, creating vast ice sheets to warm temperate conditions and everything in between.

The last glacial period to affect us is known as the Devension Cold Stage - it started approximately 115,000BP and finished only around 10,000BP. However it must not be imagined that it was just purely a 100,000 year frozen period - there were short milder hiatuses with in this glacial age, with the presence of hominoids, other creatures and fossilised plants being found in numerous sites around Gower.

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The Signs of Ice In the 18th and 19th century, geologists studying the Alps pondered and considered the origins of many unusual landforms and deposits they encountered in their journeys through the mountains. The encountered giant isolated boulders (erratics) the size of houses perched on hillsides; ribbons of crushed up rock that stretched from one side of the valley floor to the other (moraines); polished rock surfaces with lateral scratch marks on them; and the deep flat bottom valleys in between the vast mountainous peaks. “What could have caused them?� - they wondered.

Pioneering geologists like James Hutton (1726-1797) and Louis Agassi (1801-1873) eventually concluded that the unusual landforms that occurred in the Alps - many miles away from the position of the glaciers at the time - was the result of the movement of ice; in the past the glaciers must have been more extensive than in their day.

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Picture: Arthur’s Stone, Cefn Bryn, Gower. © 2011 Emma Jones

It was soon discovered that similar landforms were being discovered hundreds of miles away, right across Northern Europe including the UK, from the glaciers in the Alps. Geologists concluded that it must have been an era of great ice sheets covering much of the Northern Hemisphere, although they didn’t know at the time what caused such events to happen.

Today on Gower, if you look in the right places, there are still remnants of this glacial world.

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Glacial Gower –Arthur’s Stone and Whiteford Point Gower is littered with relics from the last Ice Age: famously Arthur’s Stone - although now incorporated into a Neolithic tomb is a glacial erratic.

The stone itself has been identified as a boulder of Quartz Conglomerate, commonly known as Millstone Grit. This type of rock is found in the northern part of the South Wales Coalfield; the glacier that moved down the Bury Inlet scoured the rock out many miles to the north, and dumped it in the vicinity of Cefn Bryn as the glacier melted and retreated back up the valley. Our Neolithic ancestors then heaved the rock into its current position to form the burial mound.

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The Burry Inlet, as mentioned, is an ancient glacial valley: strip away the current layers of sand and mud you see now and you would find a deep flat-bottomed trench (u-shaped valley) across to Llanelli on the other side running north up the Loughor Estuary.

At its peak, the lateral extent of the Burry Inlet glacier may have run in a north-westwards direction from Rhossili Bay to Pendine Sands. As it melted and retreated, it left a series of deposits of crushed up rock called Moraines. One such moraine forms the base of now what is known as Whiteford Point and the Cwm Ivy Woods - around 17,000BP Whiteford Point would have marked the edge of the glacier.

The moraine can be seen below the mudflats around Llandimore, where the mudflats have been scoured by the numerous creeks and channels - the mud can be seen resting on top of layers of loosely consolidated stones and boulders. Even this material contains smaller glacial erratics moved by the ice from the coalfield hinterland.

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As the climate warmed towards the end of the last Ice Age, the glacier retreated further and further up the valley. As it did, younger moraine were deposited - one occurs roughly in the vicinity between the area of now Bynea and the old Berthleyd Pub.

Glaciers didn’t directly affect all of the Gower: the cold tundra environment beyond the edges of the glacier produced its own type of deposits and different landscape. For instance, the Ice Age formed the Ilston and Park-le-Broes valleys and the panoramic landscape of Rhossili Bay, all of which I will talk about in my next article.

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The Gower Coastline

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October 2011 | Mumbles

Mumbles Tide Date

Low

High

MUMBLES

Predicted Times Shown in British Summer Time.

Friday 7

-

03:42

09:46

16:11

22:17

Saturday 8

-

04:43

10:40

17:05

23:04

Sunday 9

-

05:30

11:21

17:47

23:41

Monday 10

-

06:08

11:57

18:24

-

Tuesday 11

00:15

06:42

12:29

18:58

-

Wednesday 12

00:44

07:14

12:59

19:29

-

Thursday 13

01:14

07:43

13:28

20:00

-

31

Low

High

Low

Predictions

Tide Predictions: © Crown Copyright and/or database rights. Reproduced by permission of the Controller of Her Majesty’s Stationery Office and the UK Hydrographic Office (www.ukho.gov.uk).

GOWER LABRADORS

A chocolate Labrador living on the Gower peninsula has just given birth to nine black Labrador puppies!

Chocsi: proud mum of nine black Labrador puppies out on LLanmadoc Hill

Chocsiʼs black Labrador Retriever puppies will be ready to go to their new homes from November 2011.

Ava ilab le N

ove m

ber 2

011

• Excellent Pedigree; • Kennel Club Registered; • Male and Female Pups; • Damʼs Hip Score = 2; • Sireʼs Hip Score = 5; • Dam and Sireʼs Eyes = Clear; • Sire prcd-PRA = Unaffected; • 1st Vaccine, Microchipped & Wormed; • KC Registration Documents & Pedigree Certificate Supplied.

www.gower-labradors.co.uk If you would like to buy one of Chocsiʼs puppies and can provide a good home, then please call 07702 832 552 for details.

Puppy Pack Includes: •Kennel Club Registration Documents; •Five Generation Pedigree Certificate; •Free Eukanuba Puppy Pack; •4 Free Weeks Puppy Insurance; •Contract of Sale; and •Breederʼs Puppy Guide.

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CLICK FOR LOCAL ACCOMMODATION

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Biography Ian Ambrose - Editor BA (Hons) FInstAM (Dip) MInstLM

Ian grew up in Swansea and spent much of his summer holidaying around the Gower peninsula.

After leaving school at the age of 16, Ian enlisted into the British Army as a professional musician. On completion of 12 years service in 2003, Ian became Community Manager for The Salvation Army at their Richardson Street Citadel in Swansea, having first gained a Diploma in Administrative Management through the British Army’s resettlement training programme.

In 2007 Ian established Prestige Ironing, a professional collect and return ironing service in Swansea.

As part of his continuing professional development, Ian graduated from Swansea Metropolitan University in 2011 with a First Class Honours in Public Services. Ian is a Fellow of the Institute of Administrative Management and a Member of the Institute of Leadership and Management.

Ian’s interests include: management, leadership, administration, marketing communication, writing, hyper-local blogging and social media. He is married with three children and lives on the Gower peninsula.

Gower News was established by Ian in 2009 - it has continued to develop and grow into Gower’s most up-to-date independent news, events and information service for Gower.

Biography Chris Ridgway - Scientific Editor BSc (Hons)

Chris was born and bred in Gowerton and attended Gowerton Comprehensive between 1987-1994; he subsequently gained a BSc (Hons) in Geology from the University of Wales, Cardiff in 1997.

After graduating, Chris worked as a Geophysicist for an Oil Exploration Company based in Aberdeen, Scotland. He subsequently gained his professional qualifications in Houston, Texas and has performed many exploration surveys across the world from sub-Sahara Africa to former Soviet Republics.

Since returning to his home town of Swansea, Chris has taken the lead role of Environmental Scientist at Tir-John Landfill.

Chris is married with three children and currently lives in the village of Grovesend in the Gower Constituency.

GOWER NEWS www.gowernews.co.uk

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Issue 8 - 07/10/2011 - Copyright 2011 - All Rights Reserved