North Wales Magazine - July 2021

JULY 2021

!

EE FR

MAGAZINE

The language of love

Respecting our Welsh heritage

Game, set & match!

PLAYING TENNIS IN NORTH WALES INSIDE J Walking J Food & Drink J Homes & Property

Celebrating 50 years of the

Offa’s Dyke Path

MAGAZINE We want to hear from you!

DEAR READER OK, so at the time of going to press the heavens might have opened, but the forecast for North Wales this July isn’t too bad at all!

Which is great news, because there is

lessons for beginners through to the more

simply so much to see and do in the great

experienced players among you.

outdoors. The Offa’s Dyke Path National Trail is celebrating its 50th anniversary this

If you’d rather sit back and let nature wash

month, so there has been no better time to

over you however then fear not, because

get your walking boots on and see the this

North Wales has you covered there too. And

177-mile trail for yourself. The good news

if you haven’t got the time or the energy to

is that the trail can be broken down into a

trek to one of our more famous landmarks,

range of much shorter walks, so it offers a

then why not sit back and admire what your

great day out for all of the family.

local park has to offer? As Stephen Gregory says on page 20, our local parks are often

And if you fancy something even more

vastly underestimated…

energetic, then why not let the stars of Wimbledon inspire you to dig out your tennis racket? There are numerous tennis clubs throughout North Wales that offers

Kate Hamilton Founding Editor

J Are you organising or taking part in an event that should be covered in our what’s on listings? Then make sure you tell us! whatson@ northwalesmagazine.co.uk J Keep in touch. Send in your contributions, letters, photos and press releases and become part of the North Wales Magazine family. editorial@ northwalesmagazine.co.uk J Subscribe. If you want to ensure that you receive each and every copy of North Wales Magazine then why not subscribe? All you pay for is the post and packaging. subscribe@ northwalesmagazine.co.uk J Advertise. If you own a business in North Wales and want to get your message in front of 20,000 local readers every month then drop us a line. Prices start from just £75. sales@ northwalesmagazine.co.uk

In this issue:

Front cover image courtesy of Rob Dingle, Offa’s Dyke Path National Trail Officer

J

Crown Copyright / Mothergoose

There are so many things to do this July, so get out and about and enjoy beautiful North Wales in full!

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NWM 2021 Page 5

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Contents

MAGAZINE EDITOR

Kate Hamilton

11

PUBLISHER

Grant Hamilton SALES MANAGER

Scott Lawson ART DIRECTOR

Simon Marriott OFFICE MANAGER

Sian Roberts CONTRIBUTORS

Stephen Gregory Steve Goodier Cai Ross Pete Greensmith Sally Ann Harding Siobhan Watson Meurig Davies Russell Grant Lowri Llewelyn Rob Dingle

08 The Big Picture The absolutely stunning Lake Vyrnwy

11 The Offa’s Dyke Path National Trail

25

Celebrating 50 years

15 You and Your Pet Holidaying at home with your furry friend

16 The Language of Love

30 Homes & Property Get inspired by homes that are currently on

Respecting our Welsh history

the market

20 Park Bench

53 In Business

The ideal spot to watch the world go by

North Wales Business news and advice

23 Heart Rock Live

63 Education

The biggest music event in North Wales

Learning in North Wales

25 Game, Set and Match

67 Health & Wellbeing

Loving the game of tennis

Health and fitness news and advice

29 Food & Drink

71 Community News

The regions wining, dining and culinary

A roundup of regional happenings

scene

81

75 Walking Alyn Waters Country Park

79 Crossword Can you get to grips with our brainteaser?

81 Where to stay The best places to stay in North Wales

82 Horoscopes What does July have in store for you?

CONTACT US editorial@northwalesmagazine.co.uk sales@northwalesmagazine.co.uk subscribe@northwalesmagazine.co.uk whatson@northwalesmagazine.co.uk 01492 472052 2nd Floor, 23A Abergele Road, Colwyn Bay, LL29 7RS North Wales Magazine is an independent, regional monthly magazine produced by KSG Publishing. It is available to pick up from a wide range of independent outlets throughout Conwy, Denbighshire, Flintshire, Wrexham, Gwynedd and the Isle of Anglesey.

Disclaimer: All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part (electronically or in print) without written permission is strictly prohibited. Every attempt has been made to ensure the accuracy of published content, and any views or opinions presented are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of North Wales Magazine.

The publishers assume no responsibility for any damage, loss or injury arising from participation in, or as a result of, any offer, competition, information or advertisement contained within the magazine. North Wales Magazine does not endorse any of the advertisements featured. All words and images remain the property of their respective owners and all copyrights are observed. North Wales Magazine is not associated with any newspaper group.

Privacy Notice. You can read North Wales Magazine’s Privacy Notice in full at www.northwalesmagazine.com

COVID-19 DISCLAIMER North Wales Magazine is produced in advance. While we take every care to ensure that our content is up to date, we cannot guarantee the accuracy of the information in regards to current COVID-19 restrictions. We absolutely do not encourage travel where local rules forbid it, so please check with both your local council, and the council of your destination, before planning any days out in order to ensure that your journey is legal and in line with current guidelines.

NWM 2021 Page 7

the

MAGAZINE

BIG picture

Page 8 NWM 2020

Lake Vyrnwy is nothing short of spectacular at this time of year. The area is an absolute mecca for walkers of any ability, with trails ranging from short circular strolls to hikes up to the Rhiwagor waterfall. However if walking isn’t your thing then fear not, as bikes are available to hire and both canoeing and kayaking are available on the lake itself. Meanwhile the local RSPB reserve, which has been designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) as well as a Natura 2000 site, is home to Peregrine falcons, Redstarts and Wood warblers. But however you spend your day at Lake Vyrnwy, make sure you make time to take in the beautiful view from one of the many picnic spots that are dotted along the lake…

NWM 2020 Page 9

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ON THE RIGHT PATH Rob Dingle celebrates the 50th anniversary of the Offa’s Dyke Path National Trail…

IThe Offa’s Dyke Path National Trail is truly a cross border National Treasure, and it celebrates its 50th anniversary this month.

The path was officially opened in Knighton by Lord Hunt (of Everest fame) on July 10th 1971. Back in the late 1960s and early 1970s, the work of creating and completing the route involved a pioneering partnership effort by government agencies, local authorities and the volunteers of the then newly formed Offa’s Dyke Association.

Today, the care of the path is jointly funded and strategically managed by Natural Resources Wales (NRW) and Natural England (NE) and their local authority and national park partners. Practical management and repair is undertaken by the relevant local authorities, including Denbighshire (Flintshire), Wrexham, Powys, Shropshire, Herefordshire, Brecon Beacons National Park, Monmouthshire and Gloucestershire councils.

One of the big changes you will find while walking the route, that has happened over the past 50 years, is the reduction in stiles. In the late 60s/early 70s when the trail was officially opened, there was rumoured to be over 900 stiles – with many comments from walkers! So, over the past ten years we have worked really hard to change this, and today there are less than 250 stiles left. And every year we are working hard to remove more of these and install more gates.

walking experience which combines spectacular landscapes and wildlife, the extraordinary history of the Welsh Marches

Over the last fifty years, the Offa’s Dyke Path has become

(most obviously represented by the ancient bank and ditch of

one of Britain’s best loved walking routes, and an important

Offa’s Dyke itself), and the warm welcome to be found in the

mainstay of the local tourism economy. During that time,

market towns, villages and rural communities along the route.

hundreds of thousands of visitors have discovered a unique

The Trail is a spectacular path which winds itself through

NWM 2021 Page 11

MAGAZINE

the ‘Breathtaking Borderlands’ of England and Wales for 177

offers yet more breathtaking views into England and Wales.

miles between Sedbury Cliff on the River Severn to Prestatyn on the North Wales coast. Today many of the towns along

A brief detour from the trail brings you onto an alternative

the route are “Walkers are Welcome” towns, which have

route where you also get to experience the miracle of

welcomed trail walkers from all over the world for half a

engineering by Thomas Telford that is Pontcysyllte Aqueduct

century. Prestatyn itself was the first town in Wales to gain

– AKA the ‘waterway in the sky’, and also a World

“Walkers are Welcome” status.

Heritage site.

On its journey from sea to sea, the trail passes through three

On the northern section of the Trail, the Offa’s

Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB ) and a National

Dyke Path runs end-to-end along the spine of the

Park. The Wye Valley AONB, boasts stunning views of the

Clwydian Range and Dee valley AONB, with the

River Wye and the iconic view of Tintern Abbey from Devils

fabulous Chirk Castle at its southern end. One of

Pulpit. Meanwhile the Shropshire Hills AONB – which also

the highlights, and probably the most visited part

happens to be one of the hardest day sections of the route –

of the whole trail, is the summit of Moel Famau

is where you are in the true heartland of the trail following

and Jubilee Tower, with its 360-degree views.

the ‘Switchbacks’ and never far from Offa’s Dyke itself.

Late summer is by far one of the best times to visit this section of the trail, when the heather is

Back in North Wales and the Clwydian Range and Dee Valley

at its best, and the hills have a purple haze.

AONB takes you from Chirk Castle to the sea over numerous heather clad hills and stunning views of the Vale of Clywd.

The Offa’s Dyke Path is an ideal way to access and explore

Further south in the Brecon Beacons National Park, the

the wider area as it links up with many other paths forming

ten-mile traverse of Hatterrall Ridge encounters the highest

great circular walks and linking with local communities, one

point on the trail at a consistent height of around 1,700ft , and

of these being Llandegla and its fabulous community shop –

OVER THE LAST FIFTY YEARS, THE OFFA’S DYKE PATH HAS BECOME ONE OF BRITAIN’S BEST LOVED WALKING ROUTES, AND AN IMPORTANT MAINSTAY OF THE LOCAL TOURISM ECONOMY

Page 12 NWM 2021

THE WHOLE ROUTE CAN BE UNDERTAKEN IN ABOUT 12 DAYS, AS SET OUT IN THE OFFICIAL GUIDE BOOK, BUT IT CAN ALSO BE ENJOYED IN SHORT SECTIONS OR DAY WALKS

© Matt Hoyland

a regular stopping point for trail walkers to replenish their water and have a well-earned coffee and cake.

If you only have a few days to spare, this northern section of the Trail from Chirk Castle to Prestatyn makes a great threeto four-day (45 mile) walk, and would be a great introduction to what the trail has to offer.

As well as Offa’s Dyke itself, after which the trail gets its name, the route passes through or by countless other heritage sites, such as Chepstow Castle, Tintern Abbey, Monnow Bridge, White Castle, Beacon Ring, Dinas Bran and numerous hillforts in the Clwydian Range – the largest being Penycloddiau.

The whole route can be undertaken in about 12 days, as set out in the official guide book, but it can also be enjoyed in short sections or day walks, or incorporated into many circular walks. As the Offa’s Dyke Path national trail officer, I am always asked which is my favourite section of the trail, and for me it is up here in North Wales where the route skirts around the Eglwyseg Mountains, just north of Lllangollen near Castle Dinas Bran. n Images courtesy of Crown Copyright / Mothergoose To find out what’s happening during the 50th Anniversary Year and how you can get involved please visit:

Rob Dingle has been the Offa’s Dyke Path National Trail Officer for 14 years.

He has walked the whole trail ten times, and is responsible for the overall strategic management of the entire trail, working closely with the eight managing authorities who deliver the practical works on the ground.

www.nationaltrail.co.uk/offas-dyke-path

NWM 2021 Page 13

You & Your

Pet

GETTING THE BEST OUT OF HOLIDAYS WITH YOUR PETS As we approach the summer holidays many of you may be

every bag, coat and pocket so you are never caught short and a

hoping to escape the confinement of your homes and go take

First Aid Kit is a worthy addition, especially if you are heading

in another part of the country. This month we have been

somewhere a little more rural.

considering the implications of going away with your pets and how to be a responsible pet parent when holidaying

Kennel or Cattery

with your pets.

Not all holidays will involve your pets, so take your time and do your research. If you are looking at a new kennel/cattery,

Our second podcast episode, released on July 1st, features

your first impression of the location is the one that counts. They

special guests including Jim Jones (Go North Wales), Sarah

need to be asking you questions regarding your pet, making

Holmes (Mochdre Vets) and our very own Laura Jones

sure both you and your pet will be happy with this location, you

(petplace). In this episode of our podcast they discuss the highs

will want your pet to feel like they are on holiday as well.

and potential lows of going on a UK holiday with your pets.

As always, if you have any questions regarding ‘Getting The Be Responsible

Best Out Of Holidays With Your Pets’, don’t hesitate to get in

Do remember to double check the local rules as many of us

touch with a member of our team, you can pop into the store

may have popped down onto the sand at this time of year

or get in touch via any of our social channels or website. And

only to realise that during the summer months there are dog

also be sure to check out our new podcast, search ‘petplace’ on

restrictions on that particular part of the beach. It’s not just

Apple or Spotify to listen to the full discussion about ‘Getting

beaches though, we have some stunning walks around the

The Best Out Of Holidays With Your Pets’.

countryside in the UK, and we need to be aware and respectful of this land. Please do remember to keep your dog on the lead

And, just in case you were wondering, a couple of our favourite

no matter how good you think their recall is and to follow the

places to visit in North Wales during a staycation are:

countryside code.

J Shell Island – Harlech J Talacre Beach – Holyhead

Car Safety Make sure your dog is secure in the car; you can get seat belt

If you have been, or are going to, either of these destinations

harnesses, booster seats, crates and lots of other products

with your best furry friend, be sure to tag us in your images

available that can keep both your pet and you safe while on car

as we would love to see you all out and about enjoying your

journeys. Also remember that travel sickness is not something

staycations. n

that your pet has to live with forever, there are products out there that can elevate the symptoms but it will not be an overnight result.

Be Prepared A bit of forward planning and preparation can go a long way in ensuring that everyone has a fantastic and safe holiday. It is always worth noting the weather before you head out. If it is going to be a particularly hot day, make sure you are kitted out

Meurig Davies is the buyer for the Dog & Cat feed departments at petplace.

He has worked in every part of the company over the last 21 years and has developed a wealth of knowledge. If you have any queries regarding being prepared for Holidays With Your Pets do get in touch with their resident oracle.

with plenty of water for your dog. Keep poo bags in your car,

NWM 2021 Page 15

MAGAZINE

? e m a n

What’s in a

Ynys Llanddwyn

Lowri Llewelyn discusses Welsh place names, and how they are just as vital to our national identity as the places themselves...

I was browsing social media this week when I came

As a first language Welsh speaker, I’d like to explain why

across a photo of Ynys Llanddwyn, so named because of its

this Anglicisation of ancient names hurts my heart.

association with Dwynwen, Welsh patron saint of lovers. The photo had been tagged “Lover’s Island”. When prompted, the

Between the eighteenth and early twentieth centuries,

poster asserted that their version was “more poetic” than the

Welsh school children caught speaking their mother tongue

actual Welsh name.

were physically punished, having already endured the humiliation of wearing a heavy wooden plaque reading “Welsh Not” around their necks.

In 1870, the Education Act stated that children must be taught in English only. In 1847, a school report known today as the “Treachery of the Blue Books” blamed the Welsh language for stupidity, insolence and even sexual promiscuity. In 1536, English was made the only legal language of Wales.

We have been forced to defend our language for many centuries. Though at first glance it may seem like we have finally gained respect, as a Welsh speaker, I feel quite differently. Yes, we have bilingual road signs, but that’s because Cymdeithas yr Iaith Gymraeg (The Welsh Language Society) took it upon themselves to

Porth Trecastell

Page 16 NWM 2021

deface and remove English-only signs.

WHILE SNOWDON REFERS TO THE MOUNTAIN’S SNOWY PEAK, YR WYDDFA MARKS THE GRAVESITE OF THE GIANT RHITA GAWR, SLAIN BY KING ARTHUR. Yr Wyddfa

Llyn Bochlwyd

Yes, we have Welsh-language television channel S4C, but that’s because activist Gwynfor Evans threatened to starve himself to death.

Ynys Llanddwyn isn’t an anomaly. Porth Trecastell on Anglesey is now largely known as Cable Bay, yet in a YouTube video titled “Disappearing Welsh Names”, comedian

Welsh, for the most part, is the way I interact with the world.

Tudur Owen explains that “Porth” translates as “access point”

I speak Welsh with my family, friends and colleagues. I greet

or “gateway” for travel, trade and fishing, while “Trecastell”

my bus conductor in Welsh, I sing my national anthem in

suggests an ancient fort or castle that would have defended

Welsh – I even think in Welsh.

this stretch of coastline.’

So yes, at first glance Lover’s Island may seem like nothing These aren’t just names, but stories.

more than a twee nickname, but when a culture is erased we’re essentially picking and choosing which part of its

Another notable example is that of Llyn Bochlwyd in Eryri

history is convenient to us. Remember that a language’s

(Snowdonia), now known in some guidebooks as Lake

value is not based on the number of people who use it.

Australia. While “Llyn” means “Lake”, “Bochlwyd” actually means “Greycheek”, referencing an old grey stag which

I can’t rewrite history but what I can do is humbly ask that,

plunged headfirst into the lake to evade hunters, cheek

going forward, the native language of my country is treated

bobbing above the surface as it swam to safety. Lake

with respect. Make an effort to use native names – we

Australia represents nothing but the water’s outline.

promise not to laugh if you get them wrong! Make an effort to greet us and thank us in Welsh; yes, we all understand

You might have heard recently of calls to officially refer to

English, but the 279,300 Welsh speakers here in North

Snowdon by its native name Yr Wyddfa. While Snowdon

Wales will genuinely appreciate the gesture.

refers to the mountain’s snowy peak, Yr Wyddfa marks the gravesite of the giant Rhita Gawr, slain by King Arthur.

This disregard of our language is all around us. A Sky News presenter asked on UNESCO’s Mother Language Day whether Welsh is the most “pointless” language, and a Telegraph travel journalist stated that we don’t deserve to reclaim the name of our tallest peak because we had the audacity to build a café on top of it.

Diolch o galon. n

Lowri Llewelyn is a North Wales based journalist who is endlessly curious [read: nosy] and loves everything to do with this beautiful region that she is lucky enough to call home.

NWM 2021 Page 17

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Park Life

Filling a holiday void is no mean feat, but Stephen Gregory has found both solace and inspiration in his local park…

We’re all feeling frustrated by the lockdowns and restrictions

gentleman and gardener we were privileged to know, Mr

and being told to stay at home. We’ve cancelled holidays, or

Ifor Lloyd.

postponed them, maybe once or twice or even three times.

For a few years after his retirement as park superintendent, Of course we’re saving money by having ‘staycations’, instead of

our dear Mr Lloyd worked on my wife’s beautiful garden and

jetting off to see the wonders of Macchu Picchu or the Serengeti

its stand of seven magnificent beeches. He worked with the

or Angkor Wat, and we’re saving the planet too instead of

love and care and tireless, unflappable energy which were his

choking the atmosphere with pollution.

special gifts. It was Mr Lloyd who developed the little park on the edge of Caernarfon, in woodland along the banks of the

And here’s another way of looking at it. Two hundred years ago,

river Seiont.

in the first part of the 19th Century, the poet and philosopher Henry David Thoreau was writing about the special joy of re-

You won’t find it by chance. You might stumble upon it if you

discovering our closest surroundings, the pleasures of being

take a wrong turn as you’re driving south, out of Caernarfon…

intimate with small spaces close to home.

and if you do, you’ll find yourself in a secret world of gentle

Indeed, living in the woodlands of his native Massachusetts,

loveliness, a legacy of Mr Ifor Lloyd’s gentleness and love.

Thoreau discovered that he could survive perfectly comfortably by working hard for just one day a week… leaving himself the

Ifor himself was a special character. When he wasn’t working,

other six days to contemplate what he called ‘the divinity of

or caring for his beloved wife Nell or his prize-winning dahlias,

Nature’.

he was talking and laughing and bantering with his friends and acquaintances in town. Immaculate in a shirt and tie, in

We’re lucky, here in Caernarfon. Of course we have access to the

a tweed jacket and carefully pressed trousers and polished

nearby beaches and mountains… but there’s a gem of a park a

brogues, he was always in robust good humour. If you find

few hundred yards from our house, where Thoreau would have

yourself in the park which he developed, you can stroll around

been in heaven.

the lake he almost single-handedly dug out and then filled by directing the streams into it from the nearby river – and you

Known simply as Parc y Dre, on Seiont Mill Road, it’s hidden

can marvel at the trees he planted.

beneath busy traffic and the archways of the old railway. And it’s a real wonder, a manifestation of the divinity of Nature.

Now fully mature, some of the older Victorian plantings tower hundreds of feet high. There are cedars and Scots pine, there

Having said that, I should explain that its current design and

are oak and ash, artfully contrasting with the copper beech and

development were largely the work of one man, a truly gentle

horse chestnut and sweet chestnut… yes, artfully, where the

Page 20 NWM 2021

graceful, stately swans like themselves.

The same summer, we had a rare and wonderful visitor to the park. One afternoon, for one afternoon only, there was a black swan on the lake.

A black swan, really a native of Australia or New Zealand, not a native of Britain… This silky, velvety black creature hands of a long-sighted man and his forerunners

had probably strayed from a private collection and found its

have inspired Nature itself to produce a living

way to the river Seiont and the tranquil haven afforded by

masterpiece.

Mr Lloyd’s lake. For a short while it graced our secret, special park. It sailed silently on the calm green waters, nibbling at the

Right now, in midsummer, the park is marvellously

weeds below the surface.

shaggy, almost overgrown. The trees are in full summer foliage. Around the edges of the lake, looking perfectly natural

We watched and wondered, grateful for the gift of this visiting

as though we’re in some kind of prehistoric rainforest, there

beauty, and of course we looked on our smartphone to learn

are stands of bamboo and even the gigantic umbrella leaves

a little more about it. Finding its Latin name, cygnus atratus,

of gunnera which Ifor was especially proud of (for he was a

which means a swan which is dressed in mourning clothes,

rhubarb man) a savage and prickly eruption of the rhubarb

we fancifully attributed its unexpected appearance to the other

family, more than six feet tall. In the spring the park was a

swans’ loss of one of their cygnets. A black swan, on the lake in

wonderland of bluebells and garlic… now it’s abloom with

our park, joining its cousins in mourning…

purple rhododendron, wild with foxgloves and fireweed and every kind of native flower.

Meanwhile, while we embrace the philosophy of David Henry Thoreau and savour the loveliness so close to our home, the

And again, thanks to the forethought and sheer hard work

rest of the world goes swishing past. The road going south

of Mr Lloyd, the birds have found themselves a safe and

from Caernarfon is above our heads, heading out of town in the

secret world. There are coots and moorhen on the lake, and of

direction of Porthmadog and Pwllheli… and the drivers of their

course the ubiquitous gulls. The air is filled with the songs of

expensive SUVs and exotic cars, on their way to villas and

blackbird and wren, of the visiting warblers such as chiffchaff

yachts on the Llŷn Peninsula, are oblivious of the little miracle

and blackcap.

just below them.

And the swans – the swans are a special favourite of locals like

The divinity of Nature… with a helping hand from Man, a man

us, who are enjoying the intimacy of this little place. The same

we were blessed to know. n

pair have been nesting there and successfully raising their young for many years now. Swans are monogamous, they bond

With many thanks to Nick Coburn Phillips for supplying

for a whole lifetime, and they have made their home on one of

the images

the islands on Ifor’s lake. They sail forward, flaring their superb white wings, and take the bread we’ve brought them. And their four of five cygnets quickly grow bigger and stronger, their dun-grey fledgling plumage streaking into silver and white.

A couple of year ago, they lost one of their cygnets. There were five and then there were only four. Perhaps a fox had been visiting and found a substantial, succulent meal one night. In any case, the ever-faithful parent birds focused

Stephen Gregory’s first novel, The Cormorant, which he wrote in Snowdonia 35 years ago, has been published several times in both the UK and the USA, and translated into German, Polish and Italian. The new edition, which is available from Parthian Books, is its tenth publication.

their attentions on the remaining four as they grew into

NWM 2021 Page 21

Helping Covid 19 Heroes, and Victims GET OVER BEING UNDER LOCKDOWN GO LIVE are a band of musicians and music therapists, profoundly moved by the pandemic's devastation. We champion the kings and queens of our hearts working in the NHS and give the wings of love to angels isolated in residential and nursing homes and hospices, with songs, dancing and fun bringing families and communities from within the footprint of the Betsi Cadwaladr Health Board together to help Covid 19 Heroes, and Victims GET OVER BEING UNDER LOCKDOWN

Find out more information and how to support and upcoming Heart Rock Live concerts

Golive.org.uk

@GiveNHSLove

All

heart Heart Rock Live is an exciting musical enterprise taking place in Wrexham this summer.

And, what’s even better, is that it’s all in the name of a good cause…

Go Live is a band of musicians and music therapists

Thursday is the night that up and coming bands will

who have been profoundly moved by the pandemic’s

be showcased, including those newly signed to record

devastation. As a result they are launching ‘Heart Rock

labels or who are coming to North Wales with their

Live’ – a social enterprise aimed at entertaining with

national tours.

music in order to help those who need it most get over lockdown.

Every Friday, a rock tribute to heavy metal giants spanning five decades will play, with the UK’s most

Heart Rock will offer the best of both worlds in a

authentic tributes scheduled to appear from ACDC to ZZ

venue accessible to every person, by showcasing the

Top. Upcoming highlights include The Guns N’ Roses

best talent available with cutting edge production in a

Experience, CODA – A Tribute To Led Zeppelin, Ultimate

familiar yet refined setting – but with barriers to entry

Leppard, and Classic Rock Heroes – a supergroup formed

reduced by pricing.

from stand out musicians starring at the Legends of Rock festivals. Each rock night will culminate with an all on

The enterprise will be launching a school of rock for

stage monster jam session.

teenagers, inspiring them to learn instruments and songs and play them in bands on the Heart Rock stage. Heart

Saturday nights will feature mainstream popular music

Rock is also starting a community rock choir bringing

acts with upcoming highlights including Bulsara and His

people of all ages together to make music. Subsequently,

Queenies, headline act of The Official Freddie Mercury

it is introducing rehearsal rooms and recording

Birthday Party in Montreux, Switzerland, for four

studios, as well as video and photo suites, as part of its

consecutive years and The Stars of The Commitments,

commitment to creating a talent pipeline helping young

featuring original cast members from the cult movie.

artists to realise their career potential.

National theatre touring acts The Wild Murphy’s and One Night In Nashville will also make an appearance.

Meanwhile, every Tuesday night, vocalists and singer songwriters will be invited to the stage for open

Every single performance at Heart Rock has a purpose,

mic nights, with the chance to win paid gigs. And,

as they are all being played to support our NHS heroes

on Wednesday’s, there will be jam nights lead by

and care home residents. Heart Rock, which is quickly

professional musicians utilising the professional PA

becoming known as the little club with the big heart, will

system, mixing desk and backline.

open its doors on Eagles Meadow Saturday 20th August.

NWM 2021 Page 23

C

M

Y

CM

MY

CY

Largest bicycle showroom in North Wales.

Huge range of Electric Bikes from world leading brands covering all disciplines Our large range of children and adult bikes be them Electric, Folding, Hybrids, BMX, Hardtails, Full-Suspension, Gravel, Cyclocross, or Road means that we will undoubtedly have a bike to suit every need.

Clothing for all disciplines, huge stock of components both current and historical, bike racks, lights and all other accessories to meet any riding need.

CMY

K

NI YW FFIT CONWY WE ARE FFIT CONWY Aelodaeth yn cynnwys:

Membership includes:

• 7 Campfa • 4 Pwll Nofio • Dros 120 o Ddosbarthiadau yr wythnos • Stiwdios Dosbarthiadau Rhithiol • Trac Athletau a Chyrtiau Tennis • Dim Ffi Ymuno

• 7 Gyms • 4 Swimming Pools • 120+ Classes a Week • Virtual Class Studios • Athletics Track & Tennis Courts • No Joining Fee

FFITCONWY.CO.UK 01492 593811 sales@wecycle.co.uk

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LCT Tennis Summer Camp 2021

#FFITCONWY

Prestatyn Tennis Club Club Sessions, turn up and play Open to all abilities Family, Adult, and Junior Memberships Available Half Price if you book this month

Rhos-on-Sea Tennis Club

Starting Thursday 22nd July to 26th August Members £20 a day/ £70 a week Non Members £25 a day/£85 a week Lots of fun team challenges Fun games and competitions Make new friends and join a fun vibrant club Rackets provided email: markltc15@gmail.com tel: 07921 153786 Join the club: clubspark.lta.org.uk/RhosOnSeaLTC/Membership/Join

@prestatyntennisclub Secretary@prestatyntennisclub.co.uk

www.prestatyntennisclub.co.uk

Anyone for

tennis?

With the Wimbledon finals due to hit our screens this month, there is no better time to get out and try the sport for yourself…

Prestatyn Tennis Club

The James Alexander Barr Tennis Centre in Colwyn Bay

If you have been inspired to pick up your racket and give tennis a go this summer then there are plenty of local clubs where you can practise – or even learn the sport from scratch.

Rhos-On-Sea Tennis Club has three all-weather hard courts and three astroturf courts. All courts are playable throughout the year, with four of the six courts floodlit.

Rhos-On-Sea Tennis Club

Rhos-On-Sea LTC has summer camps for children that provide lots of fun team challenges, games and competitions,

months the centre has indoor floodlights.

where players can be a part of a vibrant and busy club. Its camps cover all performance factors of tennis players: mental,

Outside and the centre has four full-size outdoor courts. All

physical, technical and tactical.

of JAB’s outdoor tennis courts feature a concrete surface and floodlights, and are surrounded by a high fence enabling play

This summer the camps run from 22nd July to 26th August

even on a windy day.

and cost £20 per day (or £70 per week) for members and £25 a day (or £85 a week) for non members. Rackets are provided,

A bit further down the coast and Prestatyn Tennis Club is

and the camps are a great way for kids to make new friends.

a family-friendly tennis club that is open to all abilities and expectations. It offers fun club sessions for members where

Meanwhile the James Alexander Barr Tennis Centre in

you can turn up and play, and both adult and junior tennis

Colwyn Bay is in the process of starting new coached tennis

coaching is also available.

sessions. These programmes include cardio tennis, adult pay and play, disabled sessions and group sessions for children

Prestatyn Tennis Club has a very active membership, with

called ‘mini reds’.

teams in the North Wales Tennis Summer and Winter

The JAB Tennis Centre provides two full-size indoor tennis

Leagues. And, whether you are joining as a family or

courts, both featuring tournament standard, acrylic flooring

individually, you will find the club very welcoming.

– making them suitable for competitive and high-class play.

Lighting is provided by the sun during the day via the semi-

So, if anyone fancies picking up a racket and giving tennis a

transparent roof, and during the evenings and darker winter

go, the ball is in your court… n

NWM 2021 Page 25

THE BMW 2 SERIES.

Your key to everyday freedom, the BMW 2 Series available on Motability.

Introducing the first ever BMW 2 Series Gran Coupé. With its aggressive front, iconic shark-nose design, frameless doors and impressive rear it catches the eye from every angle. The BMW 2 Series Gran Coupé delivers a perfect balance of athleticism and refinement with every detail is geared towards maximising the driving experience. The BMW 2 Series Gran Coupé is available on the Motability scheme at Halliwell Jones.

Interested? Search Halliwell Jones and speak to one of our Motability specialists today.

Halliwell Jones North Wales BMW Ffordd Maelgwyn, Tremarl Industrial Estate, Llandudno Junction, LL31 9PL Tel: 01492 562 400 www.halliwelljones.co.uk

Range figures and CO2 results for the BMW 2 series Gran Coupé (I/100km): Combined 5.4 to 5.7 CO2 emissions: 123-131g/km.

Figures are for comparison purposes and may not reflect real-life driving results, which depend on a number of factors including the accessories fitted (post-registration), variations in weather, driving styles and vehicle load. All figures were determined according to a new test (WLTP). The CO2 figures were translated back to the outgoing test (NEDC) and will be used to calculate vehicle tax on first registration. Only compare fuel consumption and CO2 figures with other cars tested to the same technical procedure.

FEEL MINI ELECTRIC. The Thenew newMINI MINIElectric Electricdelivers deliversthe thefeel-good feel-goodjoy joyof ofthe theHatch’s Hatch’siconic iconicdesign designand andtrademark trademarkgo-kart go-kart handling, with a range of up to 145† miles from a single charge.

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Search SearchHalliwell HalliwellJones Jonesto tofind findout outmore moreand andto tospeak speakto toone oneof ofour ourMotability Motabilityexperts. experts.

Halliwell HalliwellJones JonesNorth NorthWales WalesMINI MINI Tremarl TremarlIndustrial IndustrialEstate, Estate, Ffordd Maelgwyn Ffordd Maelgwyn LLandudno LLandudnoJunction Junction LL31 9PL LL31 9PL Tel: Tel:01492 01492562 562444 444 www.halliwelljones.co.uk www.halliwelljones.co.uk

Range Rangefigures figuresand andCO2 CO2results resultsfor forthe thenew newMINI MINIElectric.

Electric.KWH KWH(KWH/100km) (KWH/100km): :Combined Combined15.2 15.2toto15.9.

15.9.CO2emissions: CO2emissions:00g/km. g/km.

Figures Figuresare arefor forcomparison comparisonpurposes purposesand andmay maynot notreflect reflectreal-life real-lifedriving drivingresults, results,which whichdepend dependonona anumber numberofoffactors factorsincluding includingthe theaccessories accessoriesfitted fitted(post-registration), (post-registration),variations variationsininweather, weather,driving drivingstyles stylesand andvehicle vehicleload. load.

All Allfigures figureswere weredetermined determinedaccording accordingtotoa anew newtest test(WLTP).

(WLTP).The TheCO2 CO2figures figureswere weretranslated translatedback backtotothe theoutgoing outgoingtest test(NEDC) (NEDC)and andwill willbebeused usedtotocalculate calculatevehicle vehicletax taxononfirst firstregistration. registration.Only Onlycompare comparefuel fuelconsumption consumption and andCO2 CO2figures figureswith withother othercars carstested testedtotothe thesame sametechnical technicalprocedure. procedure.

FOOD & DRINK INSIDE: wine recipes cocktail of the month

NWM 2020 Page 29

Online

A collection of beautiful home accessories & gifts.

Plastic-Free Store

Eco-friendly makeup • skincare • haircare • homeware Celebrate Plastic-Free July with our simple eco swaps All plastic-free • vegan • cruelty-free Colwyn Bay, Conwy, Wales, United Kingdom admin@stanleyandlottie.com You can also find us on Facebook: facebook.com/Stanley & Lottie Instagram: @stanley_and_lottie

www.stanleyandlottie.com

Making sustainable living easy 100s of products to choose from, best plastic-free brands

www.dancing-barefoot.com

The main entrance

Exhibition Area

The Bar

Aged to

perfection

Penderyn recently opened its new Llandudno Lloyd St distillery, and the shop is now open for business seven days a week. Tours began on the 1st June and can be booked via Penderyn’s website, along with whiskey masterclasses.

The Llandudno distillery, which can be found in a 19th Century former Grade II listed boarding school, will not only serve as a new working facility but, given its location as a seaside resort town, as a centre for tourism.

“Strategically as a business, we wanted to have a presence in North Wales, we have always had fantastic support from people in North Wales, we are a Welsh brand, we’re not seen as north or south, so we wanted to have a presence more

LEFT TO RIGHT: Dafydd Pesic-Smith - Site Manager, Bethan Morgans - Commissioning Distiller and Neil Quigley - Penderyn Director who oversaw the project

locally here,” commented Stephen Davies, Penderyn’s CEO. “And we’re very excited because at Llandudno we will use peated barley, which is a first for Penderyn. However, we have commissioned one of our unique Faraday stills, which produce

an alcohol at an industry high of 92%, meaning these whiskies will continue the Penderyn tradition of being light, fruity and flavoursome.”

Penderyn is now exported to over 42 countries, and has put Wales very much on the international whisky map. n For further information on Penderyn, and to book tours and masterclasses, please visit: penderyn.wales

The Shop

NWM 2021 Page 31

Lle i Ddarganfod … o adref!

A Place to Discover … from home!

Ewch i’n gwefan llyfrgell.cymru a chwilio neu bori ein casgliadau ar-lein helaeth ac amrywiol:

Visit our website library.wales and search or browse our numerous and varied online collections:

• Llyfrau • Papurau Newydd • Llawysgrifau • Archifau

• Mapiau • Darluniau • Ffotograffau • Ffilm

Beth bynnag eich diddordebau – hanes teulu, gwaith academaidd neu bori trwy weithiau celf hardd, mae digonedd i ddysgu a difyrru.

• Books • Newspapers • Manuscripts • Archives

• Maps • Pictures • Photographs • Film

Whatever your interests - family history, academic work or simply just browsing through beautiful artworks, there’s plenty to inform and entertain. www.llyfrgell.cymru | www.library.wales | gofyn@llgc.org.uk | enquire@llgc.org.uk

@NLWales | @LLGCymru

llgcymrunlwales

@librarywales

OF THE

Month Mai Tai

Don’t panic about not being able to go on an exotic holiday this July, as you can always bring a slice of the exotic to North Wales with a delicious Mai Tai! The Mai Tai is a cocktail based on rum, Curaçao liqueur, orgeat syrup and lime juice, and it is one of the most famous Tiki drinks in the world. The name Mai Tai was allegedly taken from “maita’i”, the Tahitian word for “good” or “excellence” – but we’ll let you be the judge of that once you’ve sampled it for yourself…

INGREDIENTS

INSTRUCTIONS

2 oz. dark rum

Shake the ingredients with cracked

1 oz. lime juice

ice in a chilled cocktail shaker. Then

1/2 oz. orange curaçao

pour unstrained into a highball glass

1/2 oz. orgeat syrup

or tiki mug. Garnish with half a lime

1/8 oz. rock candy syrup

shell and a sprig of mint. Enjoy in the exotic Welsh sunshine (optional).

IN THE MIX

Of course, if you’d rather sit back and relax while somebody mixed your ideal cocktail for you, then why not visit Sheldon’s in Colwyn Bay? From a Margarita to a Mojito, it has quite the cocktail selection and is quickly becoming the place to go for cocktails in North Wales.

01492 339821 www.sheldonsbar.co.uk

NWM 2020 Page 33

GET READY FOR A SMOKIN’ SUMMER….

HICKORY’S RHOS-ON-SEA Nothing quite say’s ‘summer’ more than authentic BBQ food, hot sauces, cold beer, homemade milkshakes and the talented team’s signature cocktails!

We might not be able to promise you Texas temperatures but the guys at Hickory’s are determined to make most of the summer months – from al fresco dining in the garden, get togethers with friends and family to long lingering summer evenings sippin’ cocktails on the terrace. All you need to do is book yourself a table, decide what you’re going for, then, kick-back, relax, enjoy some great BBQ & let the Hickory’s crew take care of you! www.hickorys.co.uk HICKORY’S AT HOME For those days when you’ve got friends and family round, or you can’t get to the restaurant – why not bring the smokehouse to your house? The Hickory’s pitmasters have created a menu that’s packed with all the smokehouse classics all smoked low ‘n’ slow in the Ole Hickory smokers, then chilled and packed ready to be delivered to your door for you to heat and eat at home.

Hickory’s without some popcorn, so that’s in there too! www.hickorysathome.co.uk

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The UK’s leading Mobility Retailer, offering an extensive range of products to enrich independent living.

Plus, many more ranges available in store & online!

Llandudno (01492) 338549 16 Mostyn Broadway, Llandudno, LL30 1YL Rhyl (01745) 336843 1 Westbourne Avenue, Rhyl, LL18 1EE Wrexham (01978) 358588 17 St George's Crescent, Wrexham, LL13 8DA www.ableworld.co.uk

rs oote Sc

Raise a glass to Independents July, a month of sunshine, BBQ’s, holidays, good times, relaxation and US Independence Day! Normally I would sit down and write an article linking back to USA in some tenuous way and talk about US vineyards (if you’re interested Bogle and Kendal Jackson are American, amazing and often on our shelves).

But, as this year is different, I want to talk about Independent’s day. We have written many words on these pages in the last 15 months about how life has changed for independents. Changes that

boundaries and make it easy for you to comfortably and

have been made just so that independently owned small

safely try new things. It is why we have the tasting

businesses can survive. I, Pete, am a massive supporter of

counter – it allows you to try something without having

independent businesses. I was before making the move up

to buy a bottle. Our shelves are a mix of wines from long

here, and it was a factor in the decision to move our lives here.

established wineries, through to young vibrant newcomers.

Larger estates to smaller family set ups. The majority are

We are so incredibly lucky to have so many amazing

small independents, some of them are larger and more

independents right on our doorstep – food, drink and

established multiples. We support them all as the one thing

hospitality. Breweries, vineyards, cheesemongers, fruit and

they all have in common is quality.

veg, takeaways, wine shops, clothing, dance, beauty, vegan So this July, as well as booking seats to come join us again in

products, florists, jewellery, the list goes on and on.

the evenings for by the glass, please search out and support It has been so very tough for these businesses to survive,

an independent retailer that you haven’t used before or

but many have done not just that, but managed to thrive in

haven’t used for a while. You will make new friends, and

what have been difficult times for us all, with all of our habits

put money into businesses who care about the area – not to

changed, not through any choice of our own.

mention the local people.

The vibrant Conwy feast showcased a lot of these local

Support families, support independents, support local

producers, and included one of my favourites, Gwinllan Conwy.

businesses and we all reap the benefits within our wider

We are proud to have stocked their amazing, award winning,

community.

wines in the shop for a long time now. It has been a great journey to be a part of and their wines improve year-on-year.

Iechyd da

Part of our ethos at The Grape to Glass is to push

Pete, Tim, Mark, Ant, Huw & Blu n

The Grape to Glass Wine Shop and Tasting Room

Tim Watson and his team run the Grape to Glass

8b Rhos Parade, Penrhyn Avenue, Rhos-on-Sea, LL29 7RE

Wine Shop and Tasting Room in Rhos-on-Sea which,

Tel: 01492 545934

as well as offering wine from far reaching lands, also

www.thegrapetoglass.co.uk

stocks locally produced beers, wines and spirits

NWM NWM 2019 2020 Page Page 35 35

LOVE WHERE YOU LIVE

WOOD, GAS & ELECTRIC STOVES

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01745 582254 rnwilliams.co.uk Chester Street, St Asaph, LL17 0RE

MAGAZINE

Food for thought

RECIPES Apart from food, the other big passion in my

life is films. It’s the first thing I can remember

PORK SALTIMBOCCA Serves 4

becoming completely obsessed with. It wasn’t

J 1 free range pork fillet

cinema. Perhaps it was because I grew up in

J 8 slices Parma ham

just the films, but where I saw them: the

the early 1980s in the middle of nowhere, but

the prospect of going to the cinema was about as exciting as for me as a trip to Alton Towers would be for a kid today

J 1 bunch of sage leaves J 1 tbsp olive oil J 1 tbsp plain flour J 100ml Madeira wine J 75ml hot chicken stock J Lemon juice J 10g butter Divide the pork into four equal-sized pieces. Place the

PARMESAN ASPARAGUS

pieces between sheets of cling film and hammer them until

Serves 2

they become medallions (about 2cm thick). Season them all generously with black pepper. Lay sage leaves on one side of

J bunch asparagus (the thicker

the pork medallion then wrap with a slice of Parma ham. Do the

version rather than the thin)

same with the other three. Heat the olive oil in a pan. Dust the

J 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

pork parcels with a little flour then add them, sage side down.

J 1 garlic clove finely chopped

Cook for 1 minute per side then reduce the heat to low and

J 3 tbsp freshly grated Parmesan

keep cooking for another five minutes, turning occasionally

cheese

until the Parma ham is lovely and crispy.

J Salt and freshly ground black J pepper

Take out the pork and keep somewhere warm. Add some more

J Lemon juice

sage leaves to the pan and cook them for about a minute until they are crispy. Take them out and keep with the pork. Add the

Preheat the oven to 180˚C (FAN). First, cut off the

Madeira wine to the pan and scrape up all the lovely burnt bits.

woody ends at the base of the asparagus stalks. Try

When the Madeira has reduced by half, add the chicken stock

if you can to achieve something close to a uniform

and let that reduce until it thickens. Finally, stir in the butter

length. Lay the asparagus on a roasting tray. Drizzle

and a little lemon juice and drizzle it over the pork. Saltimbocca

olive oil over them, then turn them so they are all

means ‘Jump in the mouth,’ which is excellent advice. Some

coated in the stuff. Then sprinkle over the salt,

simple sautéed potatoes would suit this down to the ground –

pepper and garlic. Finally scatter the Parmesan over

along with a bottle of something light, red and Italian.

them and turn once again, so all the asparagus are coated in Parmesan. Put in the oven for 15 minutes.

Cai Ross is co-owner and Maitre d’ of

Drizzle the lemon juice over before serving.

the award-winning Paysanne Bistro The lovely thing about this is you can enjoy them

in Deganwy, which has been serving

just like that, in my view with all the best elements

French country-style food to the fine

of the asparagus brought out by this preparation.

people of North Wales since 1988. He

Or, you can use the asparagus as a base and

also writes for Calibre Magazine, BBC

scatter things like Bayonne ham, chopped eggs,

Good Food, HeyUGuys.com and The

watercress, Mozzarella, whatever you like and make

North Wales Weekly News

a handsome salad out of it.

Don’t fancy cooking?

01492 582079 @PaysanneDeganwy

NWM 2021 Page 37 NWM 2021 Page 37

CALL TODAY TO GET YOUR FREE QUOTE

01492 550120

info@cvw.wales | www.conwyvalleywindows.co.uk The Roundabout, Glan Y Mor Road, Penrhyn Bay, Llandudno, LL30 3NL

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“ A big thank you to you all, from measuring the windows to completion, (sadly delayed through Covid-19) the whole experience has been great, very friendly and professional survey and measurement, price just as we expected. The two fitters today were great to have around, have worked really hard and left inside and out spotless, absolutely no tidying up to do.

Many, many thanks. ” - L. Dale

“We are more than happy to continue to work with Conwy Valley because the support was honest, authentic and the price was so fair, and to top if off the quality of the work was absolutely superb.”

- I. Urbat

“Provided sound, practical and budget-friendly advice on the best ways to double glaze. The fitters were polite, knowledgeable & experienced. The windows & doors are of excellent quality, and heating bills have reduced since fitting. Sound-proofing is top notch. Finally, this was an on-going project over 18 months; we used Conwy Valley Windows for all the work as we were confident and happy they would provide the best service.

- S. Gow

HOMES & INTERIORS

NWM 2020 Page 41

Parc y Coed Now Released Old Colwyn Conwy

@castlegreenhomes

www.castlegreenhomes.uk

01492 556 050

parcycoed@castlegreenhomes.uk

New Home

News

cloakroom have become an essential part of our life. I can’t imagine not having them now!”

Family of five kick off new life in Llay

Another notable difference was the amount of space between the homes.

When ex-professional rugby player Phil Joseph and his family needed a home with room for them to grow into, they

“We don’t feel overlooked in the garden at all and it just

chose Anwyl’s Maes-y-Rhedyn development in Llay.

makes such a difference having that significant bit of space between us and our neighbours.”

The 36-year-old former Wales international, his wife Sophia, and their three children – Reggie, five, Ezra, two, and Celie,

Maes-y-Rhedyn is located in the semi-rural village of Llay,

one – had previously lived nearby in Wrexham but needed

around five miles from Wrexham and 10 miles from Chester,

to upsize to a home that better suited their needs.

which each boast a range of high street shops, bars and well-regarded restaurants. Llay itself offers a scenic

“We wanted to stay relatively close to where we previously

location, surrounded by open countryside yet it is close to

lived because it’s so easy for us to get to Wrexham and

the A483, A55, M53 and M56 for easy travel to the rest of

Chester,” said Sophia, who is an aesthetic practitioner and

North Wales, Liverpool and Manchester.

owns a clinic in Chester. “Our eldest child’s school and the younger children’s nursery is down the road too so the

There is green space to enjoy at nearby Alyn Waters

location of Maes-y-Rhedyn was perfect.”

Country Park with its wooded walks, open grassland, riverside trails and adventure playground, while good

The couple chose a Kingsley style home, a four-bedroom

local schools include Park Community Primary School and

detached house that also comes with an additional room

Castell Alun High School.

downstairs that they have made into a playroom for the children, but could equally be used as a home office.

Prices of homes currently available at Maes-y-Rhedyn start from £229,995 for a three-bedroom Chester design, up to

“The house really stood out to us for a number of reasons,”

£269,995 for the four-bedroom detached Farndon model. n

continues Sophia. “We loved the high ceilings – I think finding a new-build home with high ceilings and character

The sales centre at Maes-y-Rhedyn is currently open for

is actually quite rare, so this was a huge selling point. We

pre-arranged viewings and virtual appointments. For more

also love the open plan kitchen and dining area, and having

information call 01878 808090 or visit

three kids means that the utility room and downstairs

www.anwylhomes.co.uk/maes-y-rhedyn

2020 Page 43 NWM 2021

MAGAZINE

The Selling & Letting Agents

Sales / Lettings - 3 Lancaster Square, Conwy LL32 8HT • Tel: 01492 583100 Sales - 1a Penrhyn Avenue, Rhos-on-Sea LL28 4PS • Tel: 01492 549178 email: conwy@fletcherpoole.com

email: rhos@fletcherpoole.com

website: www.fletcherpoole.com

UPPER COLWYN BAY

UPPER COLWYN BAY £479,950

£895,000

• Impressive Four Bedroom Detached House • Enjoys Far Reaching Countryside, Sea, & Coastline Views • Beautifully Landscaped Garden • Situated In A Much Sought After Area

• Impressive Five Bedroom Detached House • Enjoys Far Reaching Countryside, Sea, & Coastline Views • Triple Garage With Potential To Develop Into Accommodation

EPC

F

RHOS ON SEA

COLWYN BAY £99,950

£249,995 VIEWINGS SATURDAY JULY 10TH 11AM - 2PM BY APPOINTMENT ONLY • Six x 2 Bedroom Apartments & One 2 Bedroom Town House With Garden • Situated In a Beautiful Conservation Area Close To Rydal School

• One Bedroom Third Floor Retirement Apartment • Superbly Located For Rhos On Sea Village • Re-Carpeted & Redecorated Throughout • Beautifully Maintained Complex

OPENING HOURS: MONDAY – FRIDAY 9.00-5.30 SATURDAY 9.30-4.00

INDEPENDENT ESTATE AGENTS

Page 44 NWM 2020

VALUATION - If you are thinking of moving at anytime in the near future please do not hesitate to ask for a FREE SALES VALUATION www.fletcherpoole.com

The Selling & Letting Agents

Sales / Lettings - 3 Lancaster Square, Conwy LL32 8HT • Tel: 01492 583100 Sales - 1a Penrhyn Avenue, Rhos-on-Sea LL28 4PS • Tel: 01492 549178 email: conwy@fletcherpoole.com

email: rhos@fletcherpoole.com

website: www.fletcherpoole.com

HENRYD, CONWY

TYN Y GROES £550,000

• A superb example of one of the renowned and highly celebrated architect Herbert Luck North properties • Grade 2 listed Arts and Crafts home • Unique Chevron patterned tiled roof with bell turret rooftop • Many pleasing character features

EPC

£750,000

• A truly unique opportunity to acquire a stone built barn conversion situated on the outskirts of Conwy town • Breathtaking views over the Conwy estuary and countryside.

• The property offers versatile accommodation • Occupying a large plot with gardens which extend to approximately one acre

F

BRYN PYDEW

CONWY £845,000

£375,000 • A unique opportunity to acquire a detached two bedroom cottage • Situated just outside the Conwy castle walls, enjoying views of the castle walls.

• Well planned accommodation • Ample driveway parking, detached garage & good size garden with further development potential.

• Beautifully presented and exceptionally maintained 4/5 bedroom architect designed detached home • Highly sought after location, stunning far reaching views • Spacious and well proportioned accommodation • Beautiful landscaped gardens and grounds

OPENING HOURS: MONDAY – FRIDAY 9.00-5.30 SATURDAY 9.30-4.00

INDEPENDENT ESTATE AGENTS VALUATION - If you are thinking of moving at anytime in the near future please do not hesitate to ask for a FREE SALES VALUATION www.fletcherpoole.com

NWM 2020 Page 45

Abergele

Ref: WP8399

£890,000 Bodelwyddan

£585,000

Ref: WR10795

• Seven bedroom detached house

• Three reception rooms

• Well-maintained and landscaped gardens

• Sought after location

• Five/Six bedroom mews house • • Four reception rooms

• Fitted kitchen and utility room • Gardens to front and rear

• Stunning panoramic views

• Semi-rural hamlet of Moelfre

• Ample parking with two garages

• Outskirts of Bodelwyddan

• Driveway with ample parking

• EPC Rating D-62

• Close to A55 Expressway

• EPC Rating D-63

£420,000

Denbigh Ref: WM876 • Three storey Georgian town house

• Four bedrooms, each with en-suite

• Characterful kitchen with pantry

• Sun room overlooking the garden

• Planning permission on outbuilding

• Large cellar with power and lighting

• Town centre location

• EPC Rating TBC

£545,000

Pantymwyn Ref: RH1605

Bryn Goodman Ref: RN1901

£750,000

• Large detached character property

• Retaining many original features

• Exceptional detached period house

• Plenty of character feautres

• Four double bedrooms

• Dating back to 1840

• Set In mature, manicured gardens

• Sought after village location

• Further two bedroom annexe

• Principal bedroom with en-suite and dressing area • EPC Rating C-74

• Country style garden with parking

• EPC Rating G-6

• Three further double bedrooms

• Three reception rooms and conservatory

• Ample off-road parking and large garage

N keti ow n g O Su pe it n e

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ar

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Inside

Out

North Wales Magazine brings you the latest products from the world of interiors

Perfect paws There aren’t many downsides to owning a dog, but mud and sand are probably the two biggest complaints! In response to this, bathroom manufacturer hansgrohe has become the first tap and shower specialist to work with vets, psychologists, dog groomers and pet owners to develop and handheld shower specifically designed for your furry

A place for everything

friend. The hansgrohe dog shower has been created with three spray modes and silicone

Rhos-on-Sea home accessories company, Stanley & Lottie, has a range of

nozzles, which enable water to reach dirt in

products that are of excellent quality, a little bit different and, most importantly,

even the most awkward of places – including

affordable. So, if you’re looking for new kitchen accessories then look no

deep down into the undercoat. The dog shower

further! Storage solutions are huge at the moment, and Stanley & Lottie’s glass

is available in four different finishes; pink,

storage jars are just perfect for keeping everything in their place – while

black, white and blue and prices start from

looking extremely stylish to boot..

£88.33.

www.stanleyandlottie.com

Crystal clear Anyone who has moved to North Wales from other parts of the country will testify that our tap water is as good as it gets – no limescale for us! But if you want the peace of mind of filtering your tap water just to be on the safe side, then Zerowater claims that their water filters are twice as good as Brita. Zerowater removes as much as 99.6% of all toxins, solids, and contaminants, such as lead, chlorine, mercury, aluminium and plastic particle.

It is so good it makes tap water the closest thing to pure H20, and can even turn red wine into pure water! https://zerowater.co.uk

NWM 2021 Page 49

Making property dreams come true throughout North Wales Conwy based Mainly Money Matters can help with: First Time Buyers | Home Movers | Remortgages | Help to Buy | Buy to let | Let to Buy | Right to Buy | Holiday Lets

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A family affair

Over the last year the headlines have been full of news about rising house prices and the challenges faced by first-time buyers. If you are a parent or grandparent you may be looking for ways to help your family members onto the property ladder. There are several options available and, in this article, we’ll explore some of them.

Saving for a deposit is one of the biggest obstacles for first

jointly with a family member then this has an impact on the

time buyers even with the return of low deposit mortgages

stamp duty which would need to be paid and can increase the

but you may be able to help a loved one with this challenge.

stamp duty bill considerably. Therefore, a specialist mortgage product called “Joint Borrower, Sole Proprietor” has been

If you can then the simplest way to help is to give a cash gift

introduced which works differently.

towards their house deposit, this is known as a gifted deposit.

This means you are giving either the full deposit amount or

A Joint Borrower, Sole Proprietor mortgage allows multiple

giving money towards the deposit amount. It is important to

family members to be on the mortgage but they do not all

note that this is not a loan and that you would not have any

need to be named on the deeds. For example, a couple could

stake in the property your family member is buying. During

be on the mortgage and be named on the property deeds, and

the purchase process you will be required to prove that the

one set of their parents could join them on the mortgage but

money is a gift, without the expectation of repayment, usually

not be named on the property deeds. This could help with

this condition is met by a “Gifted Deposit Letter”.

borrowing power by using the combined income of all the family members on the mortgage application.

When you are gifting a deposit, you need to be aware of a potential inheritance tax liability. If you pass away within

Before moving forward with any of the above routes you

seven years of the gift, then the recipient may need to pay

should think carefully about whether you can really afford to

inheritance tax on the amount given to them. We recommend

help, both now and into the future. It is also important that you

that you seek advice around this from a tax specialist.

seek professional advice and discuss the options available with a mortgage advisor. n

Another challenge facing first-time buyers and those looking to move on to their next home might be that they can’t get the mortgage amount they need based on their own income to purchase a property in the area they would like to. If your loved one is in this position you may be considering helping them by joining them on the mortgage to increase the amount they can borrow.

If you are a homeowner yourself and you also buy a property

Siobhan Watson is the North Wales based mortgage and protection advisor for Mainly Money Matters, a whole-ofmarket mortgage advice firm specialising in residential, buyto-let and holiday-let mortgages.

NWM 2021 Page 51

CYFREITHWYR•SOLICITORS

Ein Pobl, Eich Tîm Our People, Your Team Yma i helpu…

Here to Help…

Mae ein swyddfeydd agor ar gyfer cyfarfodydd sydd wedi eu trefnu o flaen llaw ac er mwyn gollwng dogfennau. Rydym eisoes yn cynnig cyfarfodydd dros y ffôn a thrwy fideo.

Our offices are open for pre-arranged appointments and to drop off documents, we continue to offer meetings via telephone and video.

Rydym ni’n cynnig ystod eang o wasanaethau cyfreithiol, sy’n cynnwys:

Offering a wide range of legal services including:

• • • • • • • • •

• • • • • • • • •

Eiddo Masnachol a Phreswyl Amaethyddiaeth Ewyllysiau, Ymddiriedolaethau a Phrofiant Cyfraith Teulu Cyflogaeth Corfforaethol a Masnachol Anghydfodau Troseddau Moduro Niwed Personol ac Esgeulustod Meddygol

Commercial & Residential Property Agriculture Wills, Trusts & Probate Family Law Employment Corporate & Commercial Disputes Motoring Offences Personal Injury & Medical Negligence

Swyddfa Conwy Office 1 & 2 Connaught House, Riverside Business Park, Benarth Road, Conwy LL32 8UB

01492 557070 info@lblaw.co.uk www.lblaw.co.uk Yr Amwythig • Bromyard • Conwy • Henffordd • Llwydlo • Croesoswallt • Telford Shrewsbury • Bromyard • Conwy • Hereford • Ludlow • Oswestry • Telford

NWM 2021 Page 53

MAGAZINE

Co me an d s ay he llo...

T o y ou r l o ca l i n su ra n c e b ro k e rs !

W e a re b a ck in t he o f f ic e a n d re a dy t o get y o u g r e a t c o v e r a t th e r i g ht p ri c e.

Yo u c an alw ays c all us i f t ha t fe e l s mo r e c o mf ort able .

10% OF F

AL L N EW I NSU RA NC E P OL I CI E S*

C OL W Y N B A Y B RA D Y & J O N E S

03 3 3 2 0 26 4 73 C AE RN A R FO N B RU C E E D W A R D S, J O NE S

03 3 3 4 0 0 8 7 55

DENBIGH GEORGE WILLIAMS

01 74 5 6 0 7 4 71

W RE X H A M IN S U RA N C E

01 9 78 4 47 8 0 3

* Cal l y ou r l oca l br an c h & q uo t e “ 1 0 % O F F” p r i o r t o qu o t a t io n. O nl y v a l id o n p o l ic y p r e m i um s b e t we e n £ 2 0 0 - £7 5 0 . 1 0 % d is c oun t app li ed to pr e m iu m . A u th o r i se d an d r e g u l a t e d by t h e Fi n a nc ia l C o n d u c t A ut ho r it y ( 3 0 5 56 0 ) . R e g i s t e r e d in E ng l a nd & W a l e s ( No. 4 7 8 7 9 41 ) . R e g i st e r e d o f f i c e : 7 t h F l o o r , C o rn E xc ha n g e , 55 M a rk L a n e , L o n d o n , E C 3 R 7 N E

Page 54 NWM 2021

Business NEWS Welsh Water to deliver net zero carbon emissions by 2040 Welsh Government and its goal to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2050. Welsh Water, which serves over three million people across most of Wales and some adjoining parts of England, relies heavily on energy to deliver its essential services. It currently generates 23% of its own energy needs through wind, hydro, solar and advance anaerobic digestion (AAD) with the rest procured from 100% renewable energy resources. The company plans to be 35% energy self-sufficient by 2025 and will invest a further £21 million to achieve this over the current regulatory investment period to 2025, ultimately becoming 100% energy self-sufficient – or energy neutral – by 2050. “As a company owned on behalf of our customers, we are rooted in the communities we serve,” commented Welsh Water chief Alongside its annual results for 2020-21, Dŵr Cymru

executive, Peter Perry. “Our not-for-profit operating model

Welsh Water, the first, and still the only, not-for-profit

continues to benefit our customers and communities and we

utility company in Wales and England has announced that

are proud to announce our ambitious environmental plans to

it plans to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2040.

ensure that we can continue to provide an effective, resilient

As one of Wales’ highest energy users with an annual

and affordable service for decades to come.”

energy bill of £46 million, the commitment will play a key role in combating the climate change crisis declared by

www.dwrcymru.com

Self-storage firm doubles size of Wrexham site Business is booming for a fast-growing self-storage company which has just re-opened one of its Wrexham storage parks after a £150,000 refurbishment. That included an extension to their Whitegates facility, on the town’s Queensway, by Lock Stock Self-Storage which has more than doubled its capacity to 130 units with a quarter of a million cubic metres of storage space. “This was one of the company’s first sites and opened in 2003 and we added a second site on Ruabon Road four years ago and

and add another 70 units. It has meant new fencing and

its 180 storage units are now full,” commented North East

electronically-operated gates which means our customers

Wales sites manager Mike Trow (pictured). “We wanted to

can access their units 24/7 and we have used computer

refurbish this site and we have also managed to acquire

software to create a new, more efficient layout.”

an adjoining site which meant we could move our existing tenants and 62 units there to minimise disruption to them

https://lockstock.biz

NWM 2021 Page 55

MAGAZINE

HR Anchor to sponsor Abersoch 10k Organisers have announced that HR Anchor will be the new title sponsor of the Abersoch 10k race on 2nd October.

HR Anchor is one of the fastest growing businesses in Wales, providing clients with a complete range of HR and employment law services. The company was recently selected to be part of Business Wales’ Accelerated Growth Programme, which recognises the businesses with the biggest growth potential in the country. Elissa Thursfield, one of HR Anchor’s directors, lives in Abersoch and has seen the race go from strength to strength. Elissa, along with some of her colleagues, will be taking part in the race. “We are delighted to come on board as the title sponsor of the Abersoch 10k,” said Elissa who, along with some of her colleagues, will be taking part in the race. “It always generates a fantastic atmosphere and camaraderie and, after the events of the last year, getting outside and exercising has never been more important for our health and wellbeing. The event is also a great way for competitors and spectators to come out in force and show their support for the local business community.” www.hranchor.co.uk

Cheese factory set for expansion

Two new appointments help bolster law firm’s team A North Wales law firm is “investing in its people” with the recruitment of two individuals to help develop its team.

Lanyon Bowdler, which has offices in Conwy as well as across

A £20 million project will create 100 jobs on Anglesey

Shropshire, has appointed a learning and development

thanks to Welsh Government funding. The £3m grant

manager in a newly-created role, along with an IT training

from the Business Innovation and Tourism Escalator

specialist, as part of a growing team to support the firm’s staff.

Scheme (BITES) will see the Mona Island Dairy factory

Emma Harrison said she was looking forward to building on

become the most sustainable in Europe, running solely

Lanyon Bowdler’s reputation as an award-winning training legal

on renewable electricity. The funding will support

practice. “Lanyon Bowdler is well known for its commitment

production of Welsh and continental cheeses at the

to its training programme, and has an enviable reputation for

25,000 sq ft facility, based on Mona Industrial Park,

being an outstanding firm for trainee solicitors,” she said. “I

Holyhead. Additional money in the form of loans and

am really excited to be here and look forward to working with

equity will contribute to the £20m site conversion,

our trainees, and indeed all of our staff to help them develop

which is due for completion this September. When

their skills.” Meanwhile Cliff Parker said his job was to make

finished, the factory will be the most modern anywhere

people’s lives easier by helping them to understand the firm’s

on the continent, capable of producing 7,000 tons of

IT systems. “I’ve worked in IT most of my life and worked in the

cheese a year. Managing director Ronald Akkerman

legal industry, both purely in IT technical support and then as

says the move will see turnover rise to £25m by 2022

a trainer, for some 13 years,” he explained. “I’m responsible for

and set new standards for the industry, as they look

taking people through their IT inductions when they join the

to blend innovative and traditional methods to create

firm, and I help new starters with the daunting challenges of

Cheddar, Gouda, Edam and a range of artisan cheeses

learning new IT systems. I really enjoy the challenges of working

using milk from local farms, overseen by chairman

in IT, helping staff with their queries, and trying to make their

David Wynne-Finch.

lives that little bit easier in using IT systems.”

www.monadairy.com

www.lblaw.co.uk

Page 56 NWM 2021

Help save water Helpwch arbed dŵr Take a shorter shower Cymrwch gawod byrrach

Turn the tap off while brushing your teeth Caewch y tap wrth frwsio dannedd

Only fill the kettle with what you need Peidiwch â berwi mwy o ddŵr na’r angen

For water saving tips visit / Am gynghorion arbed dŵr ewch i: www.dwrcymru.com/savewater

My Conwy Career Looking for a job in tourism and hospitality? Our “My Conwy Career – Get a taste for hospitality” campaign showcases what it’s like working for this industry in Conwy County. There are currently a variety of roles available - from seasonal jobs to more permanent positions. Would you like to work for a priority sector in Conwy County?

There are many reasons to work in this sector: • Develop globally recognised skills enabling you to work anywhere in the world • Become part of a close-knit team and work with amazing people • Enjoy a varied work style as no two days are the same • Benefit from fantastic career prospects Don’t just take our word for it! Our campaign uses real-life examples to showcase the benefits of working in the industry: "My job offers a wide variety of opportunities, which brings about varied, interesting and challenging projects…One of the reasons I stayed in the industry was the flexibility the hours gave me…the benefits of being able to schedule work around life rather than being stuck in an office all day really suited my lifestyle. I could go out with the dogs in the morning and have plenty of time to get to work for midday."

Sian Humpherson

Group Business Development Manager Royal Oak Hotels Ltd

Fy Ngyrfa yng Nghonwy Blas ar Letygarwch

Ydych chi’n chwilio am swydd yn y maes twristiaeth neu letygarwch? Mae’n ymgyrch “Fy Ngyrfa yng Nghonwy – Blas o letygarwch” yn dangos sut brofiad yw gweithio i’r diwydiant hwn yn Sir Conwy. Ar hyn o bryd mae amrywiaeth o rolau ar gael – o swyddi tymhorol i swyddi mwy parhaol. Hoffech chi weithio i sector flaenoriaeth yn Sir Conwy?

Mae nifer o resymau dros weithio yn y sector hon: • Datblygu sgiliau a gydnabyddir yn fyd-eang fydd yn eich galluogi i weithio yn unrhyw le yn y byd • Dod yn rhan o dîm agos a gweithio gyda phobl anhygoel • Mwynhau dull amrywiol o weithio gan fod pob diwrnod yn wahanol • Manteisio o gyfleoedd gyrfaol gwych Nid ni yn unig sy’n dweud hyn! Mae’n ymgyrch yn defnyddio enghreifftiau go iawn er mwyn dangos y manteision o weithio yn y diwydiant: “Mae fy swydd yn cynnig amrywiaeth eang o gyfleoedd, sy’n cynnig prosiectau amrywiol, diddorol a heriol... Un o’r rhesymau roeddwn am aros yn y diwydiant oedd yr hyblygrwydd sydd i’w gael gan yr oriau.... roedd y manteision o allu trefnu gwaith o amgylch fy mywyd yn hytrach na bod yn sownd mewn swyddfa drwy’r dydd yn siwtio fy ffordd o fyw yn dda. Gallwn fynd allan gyda’r cŵn yn y bore a chael digon o amser i gyrraedd y gwaith erbyn hanner dydd.”

Sian Humpherson

Rheolwr Datblygu Busnes Grŵp Royal Oak Hotels Ltd

If you’re interested, then get in touch!

We can match your requirements to available roles within the sector.

Call: 01492 577202 Email: communitiesforwork@conwy.gov.uk Website: www.visitconwy.org.uk/myconwycareer #MyConwyCareer #GetATasteForHospitality Os oes gennych ddiddordeb, yna cysylltwch!

Gallwn baru eich gofynion â rolau sydd ar gael o fewn y sector.

Ffoniwch: 01492 577202 e-bost: communitiesforwork@conwy.gov.uk Gwefan: www.visitconwy.org.uk/myconwycareer #FyNgyrfaYngNghonwy #BlasArLetygarwch Page 58 NWM 2021

Get a taste for hospitality Are you or any of your family and friends looking for a job in the tourism and hospitality industry? Conwy Council is running the “My Conwy Career – Get a taste for hospitality” campaign to showcase what it’s like working for this industry in Conwy County. There are currently a variety of roles available including front of house staff, room attendants, kitchen chefs and even managerial positions. From seasonal jobs to more permanent positions, there is a role to suit anyone looking for a career in this industry. So the question is, would you like to work for one of the priority sectors in Conwy County?

According to the 2019 STEAM report, 9.79 million people visited Conwy County which brought over £990 million to the local economy. This highlights how important tourism is for the county. Approximately 12,000 full time jobs in Conwy County are supported by tourism. An increase in tourism related jobs was seen in various sectors including the food and drink industry. Now is your chance to work for this exciting sector in Conwy. There are so many reasons to work in the tourism and hospitality industry:

J Develop globally recognised skills enabling you to work anywhere in the world J Become part of a close-knit team and work with amazing people J Enjoy a varied work style as no two days are the same J Benefit from fantastic career prospects and opportunities J Enjoy flexible working hours and the ability to explore our beautiful coast and countryside before or after your shift We believe that living and working in Conwy County is second to none. After work you can enjoy seaside strolls or try a taste of the finest Welsh produce in our pubs and restaurants.

Perhaps you’ll even discover your new favourite Welsh tipple. Go exploring in your spare time, from surf lagoons to cable cars, and discover a wealth of walks through our spectacular mountain ranges and landscape. Enjoy a picturesque commute to and from work, past our stunning coastline and countryside.

There are now lots of tourism and hospitality businesses looking for employees who love working with people and providing great service.

Could you be their next employee?

If you or anyone you know is interested in working for our tourism and hospitality businesses, then get in touch with Conwy Council, as they can match your job requirements to the available roles within the sector.

Further information: 01492 577202 communitiesforwork@conwy.gov.uk

www.visitconwy.org.uk/myconwycareer #MyConwyCareer #GetATasteForHospitality

NWM 2021 Page 59

Expert Focus Abigail Schwarz is a senior lecturer in education at Wrexham Glyndŵr University. Here she explains the key skills that the course teaches the teachers of tomorrow…

What do you specialise in?

and is central to all our programmes. It is the core element

I specialise in primary education on the QTS (Initial Teacher

and includes everything to do with teaching outside subject

Education). Here at Glyndŵr we offer undergraduate Primary

knowledge. We explore areas such as behaviour management,

Education BA and Post Graduate Primary Education PGCE. I

creating classroom environments and supporting learners with

lecture across both programmes and I specialise in primary

different needs. We want to develop teachers as a whole, not

mathematics.

just in specialised subjects. One of the most important things for trainees is giving them strategies to stay in the career

How did you get into this career?

long term and develop their wellbeing. We consider theories

I’ve taught in primary schools in both Chester and Shropshire

of education, approaches to learning, teaching strategies

and worked as an assistant headteacher. I absolutely loved

and practical resources that can be used in the classroom.

primary teaching and being in the primary classroom, and I

We not only support students in building their own subject

realised that the part of my job that I also rally enjoyed the was

knowledge but explore how they can apply that knowledge in

the professional development, especially with trainee teachers

a classroom context to support learners in an engaging way.

and newly qualified teachers starting their careers. Personally,

We give students the opportunity to consider learning from

I found maths tricky at school and I didn’t enjoy it, so I wanted

the children’s perspective including developing planning

to understand how to engage children in maths and make it

and assessment strategies through micro-teaching. To get

more accessible. Many teachers are anxious about teaching

Qualified Teacher Status, trainees need to spend at least 120

maths and I wanted to give them the confidence to not only

days in primary school placements. They begin by teaching

teach the subject, but to enjoy teaching it. The more I explored

groups of children before progressing to having responsibility

the teaching of maths the more it interested me, my research

of teaching a full class, as they would in their first year as a

confirmed maths isn’t about right or wrong answers but is

qualified teacher.

integral to all areas in life and we use it every day whether it be driving, cooking or timekeeping. The first thing I try to do with

What career opportunities can it lead to?

trainees is to challenge what they perceive maths to be and

Our course is primary education with QTS. If they successfully

where there is a negative perception try and change it.

complete the programme they will be qualified to teach in primary schools. From teaching in a classroom they can further

What’s required to get on the course?

develop subject leadership to lead subjects in schools or onto

With both BA and PGCE Primary Education, a C grade is

roles within the school such as assistant head or headteacher.

required in maths, English and science. Applicants shouldn’t

The course opens doors to other careers within primary

be put off if they don’t have C grades because they can do an

education. Here at Glyndŵr we cover both the English and

equivalency test. The main thing we look for in applicants is

Welsh curriculums so students can go onto teach in England

an eagerness for learning and teaching, as well as a desire to

or Wales. This is supported through teaching placements in

work with children and shape the education workplace for

both England and Wales, resulting in graduates having more

the future. We have a mix of students; those who are coming

choice of where they want to teach and is unique to Glyndŵr’s

straight from school to university as well as those retraining

location. Our trainees also do something called an enhancement

or changing careers. Not all our applicants come through

placement which is separate from their school experience;

traditional routes straight from sixth form. We look at many

they can choose to go somewhere different to get experience.

aspects of a possible applicant; their UCAS points, if they have transferrable skills that can apply to the course, and their

Why should people choose Wrexham Glyndŵr University?

passion. In addition, we run a foundation year for those who

We have a great team of lecturers who have come from the

don’t feel ready to start their BA, especially if they haven’t had

profession and have a huge passion for the learning and

any academic experience past their GCSEs.

teaching. We’ve got great links with schools around us. We offer our students many opportunities for a real, practical

What does the course entail?

approach to learning and teaching along with the desire to

Both programmes are all about the learning and teaching of

ensure our trainees are ready to be practitioners for the future.

children, we cover the core subjects of maths, English and science, and also foundation subjects such as art, PE and music.

For further information on Wrexham Glyndŵr’s education

Professional Studies is the backbone to teaching and learning

courses, please visit www.glyndwr.ac.uk

NWM 2021 Page 61

MAGAZINE

Page 62 NWM 2020

Learning by heart Every school works hard to be the best they can be, but Rydal

When this is combined with implementing modern-day

Penrhos goes one step further; it strives to make sure that

educational methods, it’s not hard to see why examination

every pupil is the best they can be also.

results remain at an exceptional level, value-added scores are way above the national average and pupils are thriving across

Although there has been a period of significant adjustment

all areas of school life.

over the last 12 months, both in education and day-to-day life, Rydal Penrhos continues to go from strength to strength

The school certainly inspires a love of learning and I know

thanks to recent plans implemented by senior leadership,

that it still has that special blend of academic rigour alongside

coupled with exceptional teaching and a supportive parent

excellent individual pastoral care.

body that enables pupils through the whole school to achieve,

Our children are an important part of us, we love them and

or even exceed, their respective targets.

want the best for them – and we want them to be loved by school and given as many opportunities as possible.

This has resulted in a surge of interest from prospective pupils and their families and rapid growth in pupil numbers

The last 15 months have been difficult for pupils young and

over the last year.

old, and there promises to be more challenges ahead before things can finally get back to normal. However, one thing that

Such has been the level of interest, the school is appointing

has really stood out to me over this time is just how resilient

more teaching staff to cope with the growing demand for

and adaptable children are.

places.

It’s been awe-inspiring to see. Focusing on the individual has It is no secret that the school’s recent success comes from a

been almost a necessity during the coronavirus pandemic,

strong focus on its pupils with a child-centred approach that

although there is nothing quite like group discussions in a

has proven highly beneficial. Something it is keen to continue

face-to-face setting.

and grow long into the future. The school makes sure that every pupil counts, and looks forward to working in a true

Learning to adjust is the biggest COVID-19 takeaway. Rising

partnership with parents and carers to ensure that every

to the occasion is something everybody – whether in school,

pupil gets the opportunities they need and deserve in order to

higher education or the working world – has done in one way

truly love learning.

or another.

Smaller classes, specialist teachers and a wide range of

And everybody can be proud of that. n

curricular and extra-curricular activities ensure that learning is dynamic, individualised and child-centred. Rydal wants its pupils to be confident, kind, resilient and curious; it wants them to be happy learners who know how to learn, and who want to learn new things every day.

All staff at the school are made fully aware of Rydal Penrhos’

Sally Ann Harding is Senior School Head of Rydal Penrhos. She is about to embark on her 28th year at the school and her 40th in the teaching profession

rich and proud history and its importance to the community.

NWM 2021 Page 63

dewch o hyd i’ch lle. dechreuwch eich dyfodol.

MAGAZINE

Ymunwch â ni ym mis Medi.

find your place. start your future.

Join us in September.

Lleoedd ar gael.

wgu.ac.uk/clirio Places available.

wgu.ac.uk/clearing

Page 64 NWM 2021

EDUCATION NEWS St Davids College promotes the importance of pastoral care St David’s College has always placed enormous value on excellent pastoral care. Programmes are put in place that consider many different elements of a child’s life in the school. Physical activity, social inclusion, emotional support, and intellectual development are all key to the happiness of any child in an independent school. Happy, content children with a positive attitude approach their studies with focus and a willingness to learn. Genuinely exceptional pastoral care is constant, it permeates throughout the child’s educational experience. It can be in the classroom or part of extra-curricular activities.

Continued support and guidance prepares children for the world after they leave the school; providing opportunities to grow, work as a team, develop resilience and leadership skills, and most importantly the will to never give up will help to carry each child throughout their life. The shift to online learning meant Pastoral Care provision had to adapt to digital platforms, but when every child feels safe in the knowledge that they are a valued member of the community, that is where their true gifts can be found, nurtured, and given the freedom to flourish. www.stdavidscollege.co.uk

Studying at Glyndwr broadens photographer’s horizons A photographer has told how studying at Wrexham Glyndwr University has opened her eyes to new possibilities on the way to international award success. Katie McCormick, 37, impressed the judges in two categories at the Glow

Competition success for Rydal Penrhos pupils Rydal Penrhos pupils are given the freedom to thrive within a strong, thought-provoking curriculum that is engaging, challenging and supported by a dedicated staff team who work exceptionally hard to ensure that all goals are met.

An impressive success to add to the school’s rich history of achievements recently came from Daniel McLaughlin, Shruthi Ganapathi and Suhas Shekar, Year 12 pupils who formed the Rydal Penrhos team that took part in the Royal Society of Chemistry‘s Analytical Division North West regional competition. The Schools’ Analyst competition enables pupils to demonstrate and expand on their existing chemistry knowledge, skills and aptitude for analytical science through practical analytical experiments based on relevant societal or industrial problems. After the scores were tallied up, Daniel, Shruthi and Suhas – Rydal Penrhos Team 2 – had the highest marks in the region to scoop the coveted prize. An RSC spokesperson commended the pupils for their high standard of entry during what was a “very tight” competition. They also encouraged them to put this achievement into upcoming university applications to further strengthen their chances of securing a place at their first-choice university. rydalpenrhos.com

International Photography Awards with some striking black and white images. “Joining uni and opening my mind to new things actually helped create those images,” she said.

“Because I’ve been doing photography for eight years, I’d kind of got myself in a place where I wasn’t moving, wasn’t doing anything new, nothing was exciting.

Uni has opened my eyes to a different way of seeing things and shooting things. It’s really pushing my boundaries and pushing myself to be better.” Katie, runs a photography business in Mold, won a Silver award for a portrait of her 12 year-old son Alfie that she was inspired to create after experimenting painting with light during her studies at Wrexham Glyndwr. www.glyndwr.ac.uk

NWM 2020 Page 65

FROM URINARY INCONTINENCE 3

A WOMAN WITH DECREASED INTIMATE SATISFACTION

Aspire North Wales Clinic is delighted to introduce the BTL EMSELLA Chair for Stress Urinary Incontinence and Female and male Health treatments to their clients. Featured across the UK and international media and notably at Sir Alan Sugar and Dr Leah’s London Clinics, EMSELLA is revolutionising the way incontinence is treated, and even helps with your sex life!

Did you know?

• An estimated 14 million people in the UK have bladder control problems. That means roughly 20% of the UK’s 68 million population have a bladder control problem, or put another way, two in every 10 people*. (Nursing Times 2021) • A study in 2002 found that 32% of women in the UK had symptoms of urinary incontinence in the previous 30 days**.

(Hunskaar, S., Lose, et al. (2003) Prevalence of Stress Urinary Incontinence in Women in Four European Countries, 2002.

ICS: UK) Aspire North Wales Clinic is the first location in the whole of Wales to offer the BTL EMSELLA treatment to help women and men of any age who desire a non-invasive solution for urinary incontinence and improvement in their quality of life.

BTL EMSELLA is a non-invasive, comfortable and FDA cleared treatment to strengthen the pelvic floor and greatly improve the inconvenience and embarrassment caused by unwanted urinary leakage.

BTL EMSELLA uses electromagnetic energy to cause deep pelvic floor muscle stimulation without you getting undressed!

A single EMSELLA session brings thousands of Kegel-like contractions which help you train your muscles without any effort. A course of 6 treatments are required. EMSELLA is the

SAY NO TO INCONTINENCE

SAY NO TO INCONTINENCE

wn that 95% 01492 534533 d significant ty of life.* beauty@aspirehealthandbeauty.co.uk

13 Princes Drive, Colwyn Bay LL29 8HT

first device of its kind and is FDA-cleared for treating urinary incontinence women.

Scientific 95% of TAKEinA SEAT ONresearch THE shows BTLthat EMSELLA treated patients have reported significant improvement in their quality of life.

Incontinent patients reported PATIENT TESTIMONIALS significant improvement Patient testimonial #1 in day-to-day life.* I don’t know how it works… but it does. I don’t have dribbles anymore and when you are out in public I can make it to the bathroom without dribbles.

Improvement in overall intimate

Patient testimonial #2 satisfaction.* Before, I was getting up 4 - 5 times a night to go to a bathroom.

It seems like it´s still improving. Even in past few weeks some nights I have not had to get up at all. It’s awesome.

ARE YOU THE RIGHT CANDIDATE FOR EMSELLA? 1 Do you leak urine when you cough, sneeze or engage in sports activities? on file.

2 Do*Data you need to go to the bathroom often?

3 Have you refrained from intimate contact recently for fear of accidental leakage?

If you answered “yes”, you are probably suffering from urinary incontinence and EMSELLA could help you. Contact Aspire Clinic for more details and book your first treatment today.

Finance options are available, ask for more details when you call.

SAY NO TO INCONTINENCE

www.aspirenorthwalesclinic.co.uk

Health & Wellbeing

News

Colwyn Bay clinic offers relief to the women of North Wales Aspire North Wales

Clinic is has introduced the BTL EMSELLA Chair for Stress Urinary Incontinence and Female Health treatments to its clients. Featured across the UK and international media, and notably at Dr Leah’s London Clinic, EMsella is revolutionising the way incontinence is treated – and even helps with your sex life! Aspire North Wales Clinic is the first location in Wales to offer the BTL EMSELLA treatment to help women of any age who desire a non-invasive solution for urinary incontinence and improvement in their quality

Pampering without the plastic

of life. EMSELLA is a non-invasive, comfortable and FDA cleared treatment to strengthen the pelvic floor and greatly

Treating yourself doesn’t have to cost the earth, as local

improve the inconvenience and embarrassment caused

firm Dancing Barefoot knows only too well. This new,

by unwanted urinary leakage. If you leak urine when

plastic-free online shop is aiming to make sustainable

you cough, sneeze or engage in sports activities, need to

living both easy and affordable, so that everyone can

go to the bathroom often or have recently refrained from

help make a change. Dancing Barefoot offers a wide

intimate contact for fear of accidental leakage then you

selection of eco-friendly skincare, makeup, hair care

are probably suffering from urinary incontinence. BTL

and homeware. And, with prices starting at £2.50 for a

EMSELLA is the first device of its kind and is FDA-cleared

handmade soap, it has got lots of affordable sustainable

for treating urinary incontinence in women. BTL EMSELLA

swaps. Everything in the online store has no plastic

uses electromagnetic energy to cause deep pelvic floor

packaging or ingredients, and all of the products are also

muscle stimulation without getting undressed! A single

vegan and cruelty-free, with many refill options available.

BTL EMSELLA session brings thousands of Kegel-like

The range of natural skincare includes face creams,

contractions which help you train your muscles without

natural deodorants, body butters, hand creams and foot

any effort. Scientific research shows that 95% of treated

balms, while solid shampoo and conditioner bars, starting

patients have reported significant improvement in their

from just £3.50, can help declutter the bathroom of plastic

quality of life. In addition, BTL EMSELLA is a non-invasive

bottles. And if you fancy giving yourself a bit of a treat,

procedure with no recovery time, and patients remain

then Dancing Barefoot has a variety of items that offer

fully clothed during the comfortable 28-minute treatment.

pampering from head to toe! Upcircle body lotion, organic

Many patients observe improvement after a single session,

body oils, exfoliating body scrub, body butter bars and

and results will typically continue improving over the next

natural salt foot scrub hearts are all currently available

few weeks. Aspire recommends a total of six sessions,

from its website – so you can treat yourself while

scheduled twice per week, in order to restore bladder and

respecting the planet to boot.

pelvic muscle control without time-consuming exercises.

www.dancing-barefoot.com

aspirenorthwalesclinic.co.uk

NWM 2021 Page 67

10%

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Oxygen Therapy

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Contact me to find out more about the treatments I offer, or to book an appointment.

Flourish Wellness Pod: 175 Conway Road, Llandudno Junction, LL31 9EG

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sweat on!

Let’s get a

Most of us think of being sweaty as an inconvenience. Usually because it happens when you’re feeling nervous, stressed, anxious or ill. But it can be a good thing, as sweat plays a really important role in how we eliminate toxins from our body.

So much so, we’re always coming up with new ways to make ourselves sweat on purpose – think hot yoga. Utilising sweat in this way is not new though. Humans have been taking advantage of this detox method since the Ancient Greeks.

Can sweat really detox the body?

The simple answer is yes. While our liver and kidneys are the main ways our body detoxes, there’s only so much they can handle. When they get too overwhelmed, our skin and pores take over.

Sweating is thought to help eliminate phthalates and BPA (which are used in a heap of household products including toys, utensils, cosmetics, electronics, receipts and paint), as well as heavy metals.

A study found that the concentration levels of these compounds was far higher in sweat than in urine and blood, indicating that perspiration could help rid the body of these compounds.

Does anyone really enjoy sweating?

Yes! We all know that sweat can make you feel hot and bothered, but with the right conditions, it can be a wonderful experience… Forget rushing around in your office gear on a sweltering summer’s day and think more relaxing in a sauna in your bikini. Saunas work by raising your body temperature to the point that it tries to cool itself down by sweating.

The infrared also penetrates up to three inches deeper, helping to mobilise and burn fat. This increases the

Studies show that saunas not only have an incredible effect

detoxification effect as many of the toxins in our bodies are

on stress relief, but also increase our endorphin levels, blood

surrounded and trapped by fat. It’s not just detoxing they aid

flow and boost our immune system.

with either, infrared saunas are also thought to provide relief from joint pain, improve circulation, aid weight loss, improve

What’s the best way to work up a sweat?

sleep quality, reduce blood pressure and more. n

While all saunas will make you sweat, an infrared sauna offers more benefits over its traditional counterpart. Rather

Flourish Wellness Pod has recently opened in Llandudno

than the air in the sauna being heated up, the infrared light

Junction and offers a range of health and wellness treatments,

directly heats your body, causing you to sweat at a lower

including colonic hydrotherapy, oxygen therapy, infrared

temperature.

sauna, aesthetics and massage.

NWM 2021 Page 69

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Community

News

Caravan park passes to new ownership after 40 years A couple are looking forward to retirement after selling their caravan park which has been part of their family for more than 40 years. Glyn and Marian Roberts ran Pentre Ucha Caravan Park,

Artists visit Afonwen

in Penybontfawr, near to the Snowdonia National

Afonwen Craft & Antique Centre is pleased to be welcoming

1970s. The couple took on the ownership in 2003,

visiting craft artists back this July. On the 3rd and 4th Lisa from

before which it was operated by Glyn’s brother after

Angel Wings Holistic Gifts will be available to chat about the

their father passed away in 1983. Stewart Smith,

health benefits of many different stones. The 8th and 9th will

a commercial property lawyer at Lanyon Bowdler,

see Jackie at Jewels (pictured) making her handmade jewellery,

which has offices in Conwy and works with clients

while local artist Thelma Evans will be in residence on the 10th

across North and Mid Wales, said the caravan park

and 11th. Sandra Roberts from Eco Silver Jewellery will be at

had been a labour of love for the Roberts family.

Afonwen on the 15th and 16th, closely followed by Marie from

“Glyn’s father created the caravan park in the late

Earth Deva on the 17th and 18th. Wednesday 21st and Thursday

1970s and it has been owned and operated by the

22nd will see Elaine from Cherry Bea and Liz visit the centre

Roberts family ever since,” he explained. “Mr and

– Elaine makes beautiful jewellery, and knits cute little outfits

Mrs Roberts decided to sell the site as they were

for teddy bears, while Liz makes lovely bags, aprons, and peg

keen to enjoy their well-earned retirement, and

bags, plus some fabric covered organisers and sewing kits. Both

it has been taken on by Davies Homes & Leisure

ladies are able to take commissions, or chat about any of your

Ltd, owned by Steven Davies, who actually lives in

own ideas. Memory Bears by Margaret Sutherland & Marie Peck

Llanfyllin, the same town as Mr and Mrs Roberts. It

will be there on the 23rd, and on the 24th and 25th Liz from

is very much intended that the caravan park will

Femme Fatale will be making her wonderful bags in the new

remain as an independent, family-run business,

seasons colours and fabrics. The Crafty Sisters return with their

and we would like to wish them every success in

fabulous handmade jewellery, tote bags, and handmade cards on

the future.” Pentre Ucha Caravan Park includes 67

Thursday 29th, while Debbie from Styler Art and Crafts will be

static caravan pitches along with a three-bedroom

there on the 31st and 1st August.

holiday cottage next to the site.

afonwen.co.uk

www.lblaw.co.uk

Park, which was created by Glyn’s father in the late

NWM 2021 Page 71

MAGAZINE

Welsh Water joins in school careers day

Dwr Cymru Welsh Water, the not for profit utility company, are always proud to promote the vast range of job opportunities available within the business. Assistant dam safety engineer, Gemma Morris (pictured) was therefore only too pleased to take up the invitation to join Ysgol John Bright in Llandudno for its virtual career opportunities event recently.

Over 70 sixth form students dialled in to hear about Gemma’s career journey and find out from Becky Watkins, talent attraction manager, some of the opportunities the company has to offer. The company has a very attractive Graduate and Apprenticeship programme which has been running for several years, Peter Perry the company’s CEO joined as an apprentice over 30 years ago. Civil and environmental engineer Gemma wants to encourage everyone to consider studying engineering and told the students how varied her job is. https://contact.dwrcymru.com/en/careers

New exhibition at MOSTYN Llandudno’s MOSTYN Gallery is please to welcome “Mobile Feminist Library: In Words, In Action, In Connection” from 3rd July to 19th September. In this the thirtieth anniversary of the establishment of the Greenham Common Peace Camp, this display explores historical and contemporary feminist activism in Wales. Also explored is the way that printed materials support protest movements concerned with diverse issues and how these issues often overlap. www.mostyn.org

New paddleboard shop opens in Colwyn Bay

Llandudno KIA to open on the 12th July The fast-growing KIA brand is expanding with a new showroom in the heart of Llandudno. The

MÔR officially opened

showroom will be located at the former Peugeot

its doors to the public

premises on Argyll Road, opposite Parc Llandudno.

on Sunday 29th May

“The Covid pandemic hit the overall motor trade

2021 in Porth Eirias,

extremely hard, with new car sales in 2020,

Colwyn Bay. Selling a

680,000 down on the previous years’ sales,”

range of paddleboards,

commented David Paveley, managing director of

from top brands such

North Wales Honda, the family business he started

as JOBE, ANOMY,

nine and a half years ago. “I saw this as a great

SHARK SUP and AQUA

opportunity to push in the opposite direction and

MARINA, MÔR also

grow our business with a broader offering of

stocks paddleboard

products to adjust to the changing needs of our

essentials, such as

customers. There is a necessity to stay relevant

lifejackets, buoyancy

with a wide range of Hybrid and Electric cars,

aids, wetsuits,

while also catering for customers who don’t feel

changing robes, changing towels, paddles and accessories; as well

the need to embrace the new technologies just

as swim floats, swim shorts, childrens’ beach hats and even suntan

yet. Kia offers a different price point and a range

lotion. The new brand also has its own range of organic cotton

of cars that will allow us to build a business

clothing, and all products in its organic range are 100% organic

sustainable for the town, our growing number of

cotton, sustainably made and printed in the UK. A range of vintage

staff and meet car buyers needs in Conwy and the

clothing is also available in store.

surrounding areas.”

www.morsups.com

www.nwmco.co.uk

Page 72 NWM 2021

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Walking

world

ALYN WATERS COUNTRY PARK

Alyn Waters Country Park is an oasis of peace and tranquillity set amidst a fairly built up area in the suburbs of Wrexham. It is located about three miles north of Wrexham itself and found between

THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW

Gwersyllt, Bradley and Llay. Alyn Waters is the largest country

J Distance 2.2 miles/3.54 kilometres J Time: Allow 1.5 - 2 hours J Start: Use the car park by the large

park in the whole of the Wrexham area and offers a combination of surfaced and grassy paths (some of which are marked trails) and this month’s walk uses a combination of these to provide a pleasant

children’s play area to the south of Llay

circular route in mainly level terrain passing through wooded areas

off New Llay Road. There is a small fee for

and more open spaces so you get to see as much as possible of this exceptional location. The park also offers riverside walking but we don’t take any of this in on our route. Alyn Waters Country Park is currently a Green Flag accredited site and is situated in the stunning Alyn Valley. The River Alyn effectively splits the country park into two separate sections and our walk today takes in the Llay side of

parking

J Grid Ref: SJ 332549 J Nearest postcode: LL12 0PW J Ordnance Survey Map: Ordnance Survey Explorer 256 – Wrexham and Llangollen

J What to expect: A mostly flat and easy

the park which also has a large children’s play area and local nature

walk using surfaced paths and tracks

reserve. The Gwersyllt side of the park has a visitor centre (with a

with a few unsurfaced ones. The

fully equipped conference and meeting area), a café and a gift shop.

going is easy and is through trees and

The visitor centre also has an exhibition on the history and wildlife

open spaces. The route is suitable for

of Alyn Waters Country Park. During the 16th Century the park

pushchairs

formed part of a large country estate that surrounded Gwersyllt Hall.

The hall was demolished in 1910 due to mining subsidence and in 1953 MacAlpines bought the land to open quarries on it. Wrexham Maelor Borough Council purchased the land in 1988 and it was

J Suitable for: Walkers of all ages and abilities.

J Dogs: OK on leads J Refreshments: Llay and Bradley have

designated a country park in 1989. As well as walking trails and a

pubs and shops and Wrexham is about

sculpture trail the park has designated cycling routes in some areas

three miles away

and is very popular with locals and visitors alike and is especially loved by dog walkers. Today’s walk is pushchair friendly.

NWM 2021 Page 75

MAGAZINE

WALK DETAILS START Exit the car park back up the approach road passing the children’s play area. When you reach the disabled parking area cut back left to pass through a barrier to a wooden sign for the country park. Go right in front of the sign towards houses to curve left following the surfaced path by a hedge. Continue by the hedge to pass a gap right and a bench. Continue to a path junction by a substation building.

4

2 3

5

START/ FINISH

Points of interest on this section

J The Aberglaslyn Pass is a narrow gorge of stunning beauty following the course of the River Glaslyn

2 Go left into trees to rise gently on the path and continue along it as it levels. Continue to a path ‘T’ junction with the purple/red route.

3 Here go right following the purple/red route. Follow the surfaced path into trees passing a bench to curve left. Stay ahead at a junction that forks back right then stay ahead at a junction left near a bin. Continue on the path as it curves left (still in trees) to reach a crossroad of paths just before a

ps://openstreetmap.org/copyright https://openstreetmap.org barrier. pyright OpenStreetMap and contributors, under an open licence

4 Go left following the purple route to follow the path as it curves right through trees. The path is rougher here and continues through trees. At the next sign for the purple route go right rising slightly to continue straight across a crossroad Llandu

of paths following the purple/red route. At a junction right

dno Ca

ble Ca

r

curve left on the purple/red route. At the next junction, just before an open green, go right on the purple/red route and at the next junction go right again. Follow the path through trees to curve left at an open area to reach a sculpture by two benches, a bin and a path junction.

5 Go left on the purple/red route continuing through trees to pass a junction right and enter an open green area by a bench.

Go left on the red route. At the next junction by a bench and sculpture go right. Continue on the path to go right at the next junction. Wind a way downhill through bushes to curve left back into the carpark and the start.

Points of interest on this section

J Wrexham Maelor Borough Council purchased the land you have just walked through in 1988 and it was designated a country park in 1989

Page 76 NWM 2021

A WORD OF CAUTION Walking in the outdoors can be a strenuous activity and it is up to you to ensure that you are fit and healthy enough to undertake the route described and to approach the venture with caution and care. You should wear appropriate footwear and suitable clothing, take along food and drink plus carry the relevant map and a compass and be able to use it. The details given here are believed to be correct at the time of going to press. However, neither North Wales Magazine nor the author can accept responsibility for inaccuracies encountered.

You also must ensure that travelling to any location does not breach any current lockdown restrictions.

Ein Canolfannau Chweched Dosbarth: Our Sixth Form centres:

Y dewis A* ar gyfer llwyddiant Safon Uwch

The A* choice for A-levels success

Mae ein canolfannau Chweched Dosbarth yn gam nesaf delfrydol i chi os ydych yn gobeithio mynd ymlaen i brifysgol neu i waith ar ôl dilyn eich cyrsiau Lefel A. Our Sixth Form centres are the perfect next-step if you are hoping to progress on to university or employment after studying your A Levels.

generalenquiries@gllm.ac.uk

gllm.ac.uk

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Puzzle corner

Across: 1 Nappy, 4 Fantastic, 10 Scouse, 11 Saucepan, 12 Whispered, 13 Amber, 15 Old hat, 17 Shepherd, 19 Scissors, 21 Expose, 22 Carry, 24 Hungarian, 27 Scabbard, 28 Ninety, 29 Hailstorm, 30 Swede.

Down 2 Boozy (9) 3 Saint -----, London cathedral (5) 5 Ulcer (7) 6 Tense (4) 7 Old liner, perhaps (9) 8 Icon (5) 9 Depression (9) 14 Cleansing agent (9) 16 Brother of Hannibal (9) 18 Got going again (9) 20 Tremble (7) 23 Capital of Ghana (5) 25 Regenerate (5) 26 Agreement (4)

Down: 2 Alcoholic, 3 Paul’s, 5 Abscess, 6 Taut, 7 Steamship, 8 Image, 9 Dejection, 14 Detergent, 16 Hasdrubal, 18 Restarted, 20 Shudder, 23 Accra, 25 Renew, 26 Pact.

Across 1 Baby’s garment (5) 4 Bizarre (9) 10 Liverpudlian (6) 11 Cooking pot (8) 12 Spoke quietly (9) 13 Yellowish brown colour (5) 15 Dated (3,3) 17 Flock supervisor (8) 19 Paper-cutting instrument (8) 21 Uncover (6) 22 Transport (5) 24 Magyar (9) 27 Sheath for a sword (8) 28 Degrees in a right angle (6) 29 Hard water fall, maybe (9) 30 Root vegetable (5)

NWM 2021 Page 79

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MAGAZINE

If you’re reading this magazine then so are your customers – so make sure you keep them informed of what products or services you are currently offering.

North Wales Magazine is the only monthly publication for the region so, with advertising campaigns starting from just £75 + VAT per month, can you afford not to be seen?

For more information email: sales@northwalesmagazine.co.uk

s e l a W th r o N Where to stay in

The best for wining and dining With excellent restaurants nearby, this three-bedroom elevated cottage enjoys a private setting with Snowdonia views, log burner and even a giant chess board! Granar

The best for days out

Y Goedwig farm cottage is located just one mile from

Pennant Cottage is the ideal location for a countryside

Llandrillo village which is known for its excellent

holiday with the family. In a pretty village in the Conwy

restaurants, including Tyddyn Llan and Berwyn Restaurant,

Valley, this two-storey cottage is just a short drive from

as well as nearby Palé Hall. The village also features

Adventure Parc Snowdonia, Conwy Castle, Llandudno

a pub and shop within walking distance. For the more

and Betws Y Coed. This lovely property boasts two

adventurous guests there are many activities on the

bedrooms (sleeping five people), an outdoor seating

doorstep, including a walk up to Moel Ucha stone circle,

area and parking for one car. One well-behaved dog

high in the fields above the cottage and the Berwyn

is also welcome! The interior has a contemporary feel

mountains beyond. And after a busy day exploring you can

yet boasts plenty of character and, if you’re lucky, you

relax in the cottage’s large enclosed garden and enjoy the

may even get to meet one of the beautiful pigs that lives

far-reaching views of the Snowdonia mountain range and

down the lane!

beautiful countryside.

www.northwalesholidaycottages.co.uk

www.bestofwales.co.uk

NWM 2021 Page 81

MAGAZINE

IN THE

STARS...

While everyone remembers Russell Grant from his Breakfast TV appearances in the 1980’s, most people don’t realise that Russell was the first astrologer in over 300 years to present a horoscope forecast to a member of the Royal Family (HRH Queen Mother). Now dubbed the “Royal Astrologer” Russell has appeared on numerous television shows, including Strictly Come Dancing. He divides his time between London and his North Wales home near Portmeirion. www.russellgrant.com

July’s horoscopes brought to you by Russell Grant ARIES (March 21st – April 20th) Finding time to kick back and relax will be difficult in the opening days of July, due to social and financial commitments. Breaking promises for the sake of fun could come back to haunt on you. The New Moon on the 10th favours family time. If you can’t meet with your nearest and dearest, schedule a video conference. Mid-July brings a welcome opportunity to enjoy romance.

TAURUS (April 21st – May 21st) Family responsibilities could get on your nerves in the opening days of the month. No matter what you do, it may not be enough for a demanding relative. The New Moon on the 10th brings a welcome opportunity to realise a cherished goal; expressing your artistic side will be very rewarding. Mid-July is ideal for taking up a course of study.

GEMINI (May 22nd – June 21st) Finding a job that is worthy of your experience will be challenging at the start of July. On the 10th, the New Moon could deliver a lucrative work opportunity that has lots of career potential. You could be attending lots of brainstorming sessions in the middle of the month, either online or with a small group. A legal matter will come to a satisfying conclusion near the 24th.

CANCER (June 22nd – July 23rd) Money could be scarce at the start of July, so budget accordingly. Don’t worry, your luck will shoot through the stratosphere when the New Moon rises on the 10th. This is an ideal time to treat yourself to a makeover, experiment with a new image, or change your name. An exciting chance to share your expertise with an appreciative audience could arrive in mid-July.

LIBRA (September 24th – October 23rd) Friends may not be sympathetic to your desire for private time in early July. While you long to pour your energy into a creative project, they demand your company. Try striking a healthy balance between your public and personal lives. On the 10th, the New Moon could drop a marvellous career opportunity into your lap. Not only will your duties be engrossing, but the perks will be considerable.

SCORPIO (October 24th – November 22nd) An overbearing person will drive you to distraction at the opening of the month.

Resist the temptation to quit a good job over a temporary power struggle. The New Moon on the 10th invites you to expand your horizons in some exciting ways. It’s a great time to plan a trip, enrol in an online course, or start a writing project. Resist the temptation to heap scorn on a so-called expert.

SAGITTARIUS (November 23rd – December 21st) The New Moon on the 10th sends bolts of electricity through your love life; this is a wonderful time to get lost in your partner’s arms. If you’re single, you could meet someone special via an online dating site. Having fun sending flirtatious messages back and forth until you’re finally able to meet in person. The middle of the month could find you enjoying more domestic pursuits.

CAPRICORN (December 22nd – January 20th) Instead of focusing on your struggles, cultivate feelings of abundance. By focusing on what you have, you’ll attract even more blessings. This will become obvious on the 10th, thanks to a highly romantic New Moon. If you’re single, you could meet someone special through a mutual friend; let this relationship start slowly with some flirtatious texts.

LEO (July 24th – August 23rd) Pushing too hard towards a goal could backfire in the opening days of the month. Instead of working around the clock, take a relaxing break and assume that what you want will arrive. The New Moon on the 10th finds you devoting more time to spiritual pursuits. Detaching from the material world can be as simple as taking nature walks, listening to music, or gazing at a body of water.

AQUARIUS (January 21st – February 19th) The New Moon on the 10th could attract a wonderful job that draws on your imagination. Not only will this position be creative fulfilling, but it will be financially rewarding as well. Intense romantic encounters could characterise the middle of the month; have fun flirting with the object of your desire. On the 24th, the Full Moon fulfils a personal wish.

VIRGO (August 24th – September 23rd) Beating yourself up can drive opportunity from your door in early July.

Replace all self-criticism with lavish praise, even if it feels awkward at first. The New Moon on the 10th could find you joining a group or organisation devoted to your favourite cause. Even if you can’t meet in person, you’ll enjoy some lively conversations online.

PISCES (February 20th – March 20th) It might feel like someone is trying to sabotage you at work at the start of July. Stay out of danger by remaining calm and refusing to get defensive about your contributions. Once the New Moon rises on the 10th, you will be so wrapped up in romantic pursuits that job matters will seem like minor annoyances. Mid-July is ideal for meeting someone special.

Page 82 NWM 2020

The Balmoral Llanfair DC & Denbigh

Quality homes built with you in mind! www.pure-Homes.uk sales@pure-homes.uk

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All images used for illustrative purposes

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