Cymraeg    

Newsletter 15

May 2010

The best laid schemes o' Mice an' Men
Gang aft a-gley,
An' lea'e us nought but grief an' pain,
For promis'd joy!

Well, maybe that is too pessimistic a summing up of progress on the Dolgoch project but there have been moments when...?! However, the 'promis'd joy' is at hand, will appear and soon.

Dolgoch

With this year's AGM fast approaching it would have been appropriate and certainly very satisfying to be able to report completion of all the Phase 2 work at Dolgoch. Initially the aim was to have all ready for Easter visitors but it was not to be. Snow proved the major contributor to delaying work, even holding up site access in mid March. When work continued the cold and damp atmosphere prolonged the drying out process further delaying follow on work and resulting in Trust working parties being cancelled. Certain Trust officers' phones got red hot in endeavouring to progress matters, emails simply failing to cope. Easter, of course, could not be delayed. So Dolgoch opened without running water in the hostel, no usable showers and toilets you flushed by bucket. Yes, we did have a standpipe immediately outside the hostel but almost as importantly, inside was John Finney. John was doing his first ever stint as warden for the Trust and what a wonderful job he made of it, dealing as he did with a virtually full hostel over the weekend. No complaints received so disaster averted. Many thanks John.

In the weeks that followed the situation barely improved but the Trust is truly blessed in its volunteer wardens. Not only did they cope with the besetting problems, exacerbated by having workmen on site during the day, but made their own contribution to improving amenities and décor. The Trustees are immensely grateful for their efforts and support. Then too we had our enthusiastic working parties, Newport Group prominent among them, helping to create order out of chaos before the Easter opening and adding much needed sparkle. Without their help - well who knows what might or might not have happened. Thanks to you all.

All is not doom and gloom. Water (cold) is now available throughout, the solar panels on site and the hot water system is in course of being installed. Everywhere one warms to the fresh paintwork. Hopefully it will be possible to add a progress update before dispatch of this newsletter.

Ty'n Cornel

Whilst Dolgoch has again hogged the headlines, this time not for the happiest of reasons, our jewel in the Doethie Valley sails serenely on with Richard Hollins at the helm. Sometimes the odd ripple breaks the smooth surface as when one or two hostellers recently aroused the ire of the local farmer but steps were quickly taken to pour oil on troubled waters.

Richard's next project for which, as mentioned in Newsletter 14, a grant has been obtained, is to remove the dormitory bunks, treat the floor for woodworm and build new bunks suitably treated.

The work has been scheduled to begin on the 9th October when the hostel will be closed hopefully to reopen at Christmas.

Annual General Meeting

Our 4th AGM is almost upon us, the date Saturday 12th June, 11am at the Memorial Hall, Tregaron. Please attend if you can. Trust officers are always pleased to meet faces old and new. In the afternoon all are invited to Dolgoch to view the many improvements. Refreshments will be provided.

Guided Walk

We are grateful to member Geoff Williams for leading a walk from Dolgoch on the 8th May. The weather was dry and remained so as we crossed the Tywi and then headed north along the open forestry track above it. Turning eastward through the forest we descended to Nantygorlan (where it may be said one of our members in years past spent Christmas enjoying that peace and solitude which only nature can provide having just a small tent for shelter). From there a short sharp ascent took us up to Drum Nantygorlan with its quartz recumbent standing stone (a contradiction in terms if ever there was one). Clearly Sue Brown had far too little in her rucksack as she breasted the summit at a run. There followed a fairly gentle southward stroll to meet the Tywi again just below the Devil's Staircase. Geoff had arranged return transport which with impeccable timing appeared as we emerged from the forest. Well done Geoff and thanks.

A noticeable advantage of walking tufted landscape at this time of year is that the tufts are devoid of Spring growth. So much easier on the shorter and, one might add, older legs. It certainly whetted the appetite for a longer walk. Must have a further look at David Lukes' excellent and carefully compiled series of walks from or near our two hostels.

Challenge Walk

This walk scheduled to take place on the 24th July has had to be cancelled. Because of unexpected commitments organiser Jeffrey very much regrets he is unable to deal with the requisite pre-planning or to be available at the time. However, for those who would like something less strenuous a walk from Ty'n Cornel is planned for that day. If there is a call for a family walk this too can be arranged. Anyone interested should please contact Trust Secretary Janet Hollins. It is important we know beforehand the numbers involved and what beds need to be reserved.

Prize for Chairman

Steve Griffith recently won 3rd prize in the Rough Stuff Fellowship magazine competition for best article of 2009. The piece entitled The Delightful Doethie was a paean of praise to some of the finest scenery in Mid Wales which is located on Ty'n Cornel's doorstep! RSF magazines are available at both hostels and regularly feature articles about the Elenydd.

Painting Day

No not another working party. A much more interesting exercise in this art form. Swansea artist Mary Hayman will on the 18th September give aspiring students the benefit of her expertise. A modest charge will be made. Unless intending participants already have their own materials Mary will provide all that is necessary. Full details from Marilyn Barrack.

Bringing the Doethie back to Life

Trustee and Volunteer Warden Bill Hine shares with us some of those encounters which make spending a week at Ty'n Cornel such an absorbing and satisfying experience...

One morning recently I got chatting to two men laden with nets and tubs and other gear as they were about to set out from where they had parked at the hostel. They were off to take nine samples from the Doethie and Pysgotwr rivers, they said. The acidification caused by the forestry has had a disastrous effect on the fish and invertebrate life in the rivers. Ironically this can be made worse after felling. Their organisation had finally got funding to put lime into these rivers to combat the acid and bring them back to life.

This use of 'lime sand' (2mm particles) has been successful in the US and in Sweden and they had carried out pilot schemes on the Camddwr and Tywi. Now the men were establishing a 'base line' before the lime-sanding began. They would go back to their nine sites four times a year in order to monitor any improvement - necessary when you are spending public money, they emphasised. The lime sand will be piped into the rivers at a number of points - one being the bridge over the Doethie Fawr just up the road from Ty'n Cornel.

So would the river be teeming with fish as in the days when the young Will Lewis used to take his sack down to the ford, as he told me once? Maybe in twenty years' time, they said. They certainly were not trying to encourage fishing in the near future - give the fish a break after their arduous and exhausting journey upstream, they said.

Later in the week I spent a pleasant evening with a couple who were camping at the hostel and who both worked for the Environment Agency in South Wales. After bringing me up to date on events in the previous day's general election, they were able to tell me more about lime-sanding. The sand lies on the river-bed until the river goes into spate. It is then that you get an 'acid flush' which can damage or kill the fish and invertebrates. The idea is that the lime will be stirred up by the turbulence and act to neutralise the acid. The scheme was concentrating on the Doethie / Pysgotwr river system as it is in a direct line from the sea via the Afon Tywi for the spawning fish. The other mountain rivers go into Llyn Brianne reservoir and the fish lift over the dam has not been receiving enough fish and is no longer used.

The lime-sanding procedure is not entirely uncontroversial - the CCW have reservations about the effect on biodiversity at the dumping sites. Others argue that the natural lime content of the land has been depleted, the rivers have been dying and these measures are now necessary.

Ty'n Cornel is a peaceful place but it is surprising how eventful it can be - like the road menders in their truck turning up. I said I thought they would be able to turn round near the ford. Half an hour later they arrived back (quite cheerfully) in reverse! Then there was the cutting down of the old hawthorn which marked the cross tracks just beyond the Doethie Fach. A reduction of access to familiar stamping ground was also noticed... but that is another story.

(Editors note: May we hear more of this Bill please?)

Ty'n Cornel in the 1970's

Peter Natt was warden of Ty'n Cornel over Easter and Summer of 1974 and 1975 and stewarded the hostel from March 1976 to January 1979. He has written some notes describing some of his experiences, the first part of this appears below...

I saw the job for a temporary Easter and Summer Warden advertised in the YHA magazine and so I applied for it. I was particularly interested in it as it was branded 'The Most Isolated Youth Hostel in England and Wales'. The interviews were held in Sutton Coldfield by Christine and David Robinson the then current Stewards of Ty'n Cornel. They had short-listed 6 people from the 150 that had applied for the job. The previous Summer Warden could not cope with the isolation of Ty'n Cornel and had left without warning anyone, so this time they wanted someone that could cope with living in the middle of nowhere by themselves. I was living in London at the time but fortunately listened to The Archers, so when farming questions were asked at the interview I was able to confidently reply to them. I even mentioned that the hill sheep lambed far later than the sheep in the valleys. I was appointed Easter and Summer Warden at a salary of £6.50 per week. I took my bicycle up there but soon found that because of the stony tracks this was not an ideal form of transport. I shortly met Will Lewis the local farmer and warden who used to live at Blaendoethie but had moved to Prysg in Llanddewi Brefi so Blaendoethie was now empty. He told me I was now the only person living in the valley and that Ty'n Cornel meant 'House Round the Corner'. Dave Matthews from Cardiff YHA was in charge of the small simple YHA hostels at the time and would visit me occasionally.

The hostel had water that came from a spring on the hillside about a quarter of a mile away and ran into a concrete collection tank at the rear of the hostel. The gas for cooking, lighting (gas mantles) and hot water in the kitchen came from two large Calor gas cylinders at the rear of the hostel. There was no electricity or telephone at the hostel or anywhere nearby. (Mobile phones did not exist and even shortwave radio hams had to go to the top of the hill to get reception.) My nearest neighbours were at Maes Glas across the hills towards the isolated telephone box on the Abergwesyn Mountain Road. Maes Glas at that time was a pony trekking Centre run by Pat Con. Pat Con moved some years later down to Tregaron and is well known these days in equestrian circles for organising and running the Red Dragon Endurance Horse Ride.

I used to keep the hostel clean and tidy, book in and out hostellers, take booking forms and stamp their YHA cards when they left. I also had to keep the hostel store stocked with milk, bread, cereals and baked beans. Quite a lot of my time was spent keeping the water pipe flowing as enthusiastic frogs would get stuck in the end of the pipe, die, rot and poison the water. I suffered some bad food poisoning as a result of drinking unboiled water from the tap. The rest of the time was mine to do as I wished so I used to help Will Lewis round up the sheep for dipping and shearing. I mentioned to him that my bicycle was of no use and could I have a pony? One day after finishing off the dipping of the sheep Will appeared with a grey (white) 12.2 Welsh Mountain pony called Farewell. He told me if I could ride it I could use him. He forgot to tell me that Farewell had not been ridden for a long time and as soon as I jumped on (bale twine for reins and no saddle) Farewell shot off. However I stayed on and he was mine to ride. I was provided with a shoe brush to groom him and that was that. Farewell became my safe form of conveyance. The advantage being I could ride in any direction. Farewell knew where the marshes were so I was safe. I even used to ride him to Lampeter to bank the takings at the National Westminster Bank. At that time there were stables at the back of the Follett Arms pub in Llanddewi Brefi where I could put him while I went shopping at the Post office or go for a drink in the pub. Everything I ordered at the Post office which included items for the hostel store would be brought up to the hostel next day by the postman. Llanddewi Brefi was very much Welsh speaking at that time.

On occasions I used to visit Will Lewis at his house, Prysg, in Llanddewi Brefi. He had a very territorial cockerel that guarded the door to the house, which would attack anyone attempting to get in to the house. I can remember my first visit there when all of a sudden there was a flapping of wings and the cockerel tried to peck at me. On one occasion Will Lewis had to knock it out with a shovel to gain entrance to his own house!

More of Peter's jottings will follow in a later issue. If the David and Christine Robinson referred to by Peter or their family are known to anyone Peter would be delighted to have news of them.

Souvenir of the Elenydd

Attractive bone china mugs priced at £7 depicting our hostels will be on sale at the AGM and during the Open Afternoon at Dolgoch.

Hostel needs

Dolgoch requires single fitted sheets for its mattresses. Any colours acceptable. We can also make use of a couple of double fitted sheets. If direct delivery to the hostel can be made that would be appreciated, if not contact Marilyn Barrack.

Dates for your diary

Sat 12 Jun 2010 (1100 hrs), AGM (Tregaron Memorial Hall)
Sat 12 Jun 2010 (1330 hrs), Dolgoch Open Afternoon
Sun 13 Jun 2010 (1000 hrs), Open Meeting (Dolgoch)
Sat 24 Jul 2010, Guided Adventure Walk from Ty'n Cornel
Sun 25 Jul 2010 (1000 hrs), Open Meeting (Ty'n Cornel)
Sat 18 Sep 2010, Painting Course (Dolgoch)
Sun 10 Oct 2010 (1000 hrs), Open Meeting (Dolgoch)
Sat/Sun 13/14 Nov 2010, Wardens' Information + Training Weekend

Contacts

Previous newsletters

English    

Cylchlythyr 15

Mai 2010

Dolgoch

Yn anffodus, nid oedd Rhan 2 o'r gwaith ar Ddolgoch wedi ei gwblhau cyn y Pasg oherwydd y tywydd anffafriol dros y gaeaf. Serch hynny, agorwyd yr hostel dros benwythnos y Pasg - heb ddwr tu mewn, cawodydd na thoiledau oedd yn gweithio'n gywir - diolch i John Finney, Warden Gwirfoddol ar ei ddyletswydd cyntaf!! Er bod yr hostel yn llawn, ni chafwyd cwynion, felly diolch yn fawr John.

Dros yr wythnosau cyn ac ar ol y Pasg, gweithiodd nifer o bobl (Wardeiniaid Gwirfoddol, Grwp YHA Casnewydd yn arbennig) yn galed iawn i osod trefn ar y lle a maes o law ymddangosodd dwr, paneli haul, a sawl cot o baent.

Ty'n Cornel

Y gwaith nesaf yw tynnu allan y gwelyau i ddifa'r wermod (a'r llawr hefyd) a'u hail osod. Gobeithia Richard gychwyn ar Hydref 9fed ac ail agor am y Nadolig.

Cyfarfod Cyffredinol

Mehefin 12 yn Neuadd Goffa Tregaron, ac wedyn i Ddolgoch i weld y gwelliannau.

Tro Cerdded

Diolch i Geoff Williams am arwain taith o amgylch yr ardal, yn cynnwys copa Nantygorlan. Ceir mwy o syniadau am deithiau ger y 2 hostel yn llyfr David Lukes.

Taith sialens - Gorffennaf 24

Rhaid oedd ei ohirio oherwydd prysurdeb gwaith Jeffrey. Gobeithiwn drefnu tro o Ddolgoch ar y diwrnod hwnnw, serch hynny - cysylltwch a Janet Hollins i ddangos diddordeb/trefnu gwely.

Gwobr i'r Cadeirydd

Llongyfarchiadau i Steve Griffiths am ennill 3ydd wobr yng nghystadleuaeth 'Rough Stuff Fellowship'. Ei bwnc oedd 'The Delightful Doethie' - ar garreg ein drws.

Diwrnod Peintio

Ar Fedi 18fed. Bydd Mary Hayman, artist o Abertaw,e yn rhannu ei sgiliau. Dewch ag offer eich hunan neu prynnwch oddiwrth Mary. Bydd tal rhesymol am y diwrnod. Manylion oddiwrth Marilyn Barrack.

Adfywio'r Doethie

Mae Bill Hines yn treulio llawer o amser yn Ty'n Cornel ac yn cwrdd a nifer o bobl gwahanol. Yn ddiweddar, daeth 2 ddyn heibio ar ei ffordd i gymryd siamplau dwr o'r afonydd Doethie a Physgotwr gyda'r bwriad o ychwanegu calch. Y bwriad fyddai i niwtraleiddio'r asid a gwneud y dwr yn fwy ffafriol i bysgod. Am yr hanes llawn (a pheth gwrthwynebiad), gweler y fersiwn Saesneg.

Ty'n Cornel yn y 70au

Roedd Peter Natt yn Warden dros Basg a Haf 1974/75 ac yn llywio'r hostel rhwng Mawrth 1976 a Ionawr 1979. Ysgrifennodd nodiadau am ei brofiadau (Gweler y fersiwn Saesneg). Cyfeiriodd at David a Christine Robinson, y wardeiniad blaenorol - os oes gan unrhywun wybodaeth amdanynt heddiw, rhowch wybod. Dywedodd bod Llanddewi Brefi yn bentref Cymreigaidd iawn pryd hynny.

Rhywbeth i gofio'r Elenydd

Mygiau tseina deiniadol am ££7.

Yn Eisiau

Lliain gwely seng a dwbl ogydda. Unrhyw liw. Cysylltwch a Marilyn Barrack.

Dyddiadau i'w Cofio

Sad 12 Mehefin 2010 (1100hrs), Cyfarfod Cyffredinol (Neuadd Goffa Tregaron)
Sat 12 Mehefin 2010 (1330hrs), Prynhawn Agored (Dolgoch)
Sul 13 Mehefin 2010 (1000hrs), Cyfarfod Agored (Dolgoch)
Sad 24 Gorffennaf 2010, Tro Cerdded Antur (Ty'n Cornel)
Sul 25 Gorffennaf 2010 (1000hrs), Cyfarfod Agored (Ty'n Cornel)
Sad 18 Medi 2010, Cwrs Peintio (Dolgoch)
Sul 10 Hydref 2010 (1000hrs), Cyfarfod Agored (Dolgoch)
Sad/Sul 13/14 Tachwedd 2010, Cwrs Gwybodaeth i Wardeiniaid (Dolgoch)

Cysylltiadau

Cylchlythyrau blaenorol