Festivals, Events and Family Days Out this Summer

June, July and August are when most of the countries big outdoor events take place and the Brecon Beacons and surrounding area has many established events and a couple of new ones have come on to the scene this year or last year. I have listed the events with a link to their own websites along with the time taken from Gliffaes to get to them.

Crickhowell Art Trail - May Bank Holiday weekend
Over the three days of the Bank Holiday Weekend many artists in the Black Mountains are opening up their studios to the public for us to come and see and buy their works. This is not just paintings. Art trail maps are available from most tourism outlets in the area or at the visitor information centre in Crickhowell. One could have a lovely day's drive or cycle around these studios as so many are well off the beaten path.

Hay Litrary Festival - 27th May - 6th June (30 minutes from Gliffaes)
The annual book beano in Hay-on-Wye. But it is now so much more than books; farm visits, nature walks, guided tours around ancient monuments, film screenings, concerts and comedy not to mention plenty of events for children on half term. If you can't find one item on their programme that interests you,  must be very, very dull.

How the Light Gets In - The philosophy and music festival at Hay - 28th May - 6th June.
Now in its second year and sited away from the main festival in the Globe Theatre at Hay and in the Globe Fields across the river. The blur describes this year's event as, "....it is only fitting that this year's festival theme is 'Being Human'. What it is to be alive? What is essential to our humanity and what is peripheral? What is truly important?" So if you want to get your head around some of these concepts have a look at their website and book a ticket to an event or two.

International Horse Trials at Glanusk Park - 1st - 4th July (1 mile form Gliffaes, in fact you could walk there.)
A brand new event on the International eventing circuit and a brand new and challenging course for horse and rider alike in the spectacular Glanusk Park. For those in the horse world this is event is replacing the one that used to be held at Chepstow. Fo those not in the horsey world this is great day out for all the family with a shopping village, displays and much more.

International Polo - 17th July at Glanusk Park (1 mile)
After last year's inaugural success this one day of polo and events, including a visit from the Red Devils freefall team, is back bigger and better than last year. England v Wales is the feature match and the idea is to load up your car with a picnic and some friends and spend the day under an oak tree soaking up Pimms and polo.

The Royal Welsh Show - 19th - 22nd July,  Builth Wells (normally about 40 minutes but on show day's allow an hour)
Wales' premier Agricultural Show, and now that the Royal Show has ceased it could well be the UK's major agricultural show, so much going on and its certainly not just for farmers.

The Brecon Jazz Festival - 6th, 7th & 8th August - Brecon (20 minutes)
This enduring festival has had its ups and owns recently but seems to be rising above with new backing. A very impressive line up of jazz greats and rising stars from all over the globe this year.


The Green Man Festival - 21st-23rd August at Glanusk Park
If the names of these bands and musicians ring any bells with you then you will know what this Festival is all about; 'Neon Indians', 'Bear in Heaven', 'Darwin Deez' and the 'Smoke Fairies'.  They don't mean much to me but if you fancy sleeping in a bed rather than in a tent Gliffaes is the closeset hotel to the festival.

Fly Fishing for Beginners at Gliffaes

Fishing is this country's biggest participation sport and this weekend Gliffaes swelled the sports ranks by another 9 new recruits. Over the last three days we have hosted our tenth, 'Fly Fishing for Beginners' course. Gliffaes is the perfect venue to learn to fish, although not an easy one, we don't stock the river so new recruits have to get used to stalking wild brown trout, which are wild in every sense of the word. This is very much akin to learning to swim in the deep end of the pool. The course is run by Bill Price from Builth Wells who is a qualified Advanced Professional Game Angling Instructor (APGAI for short) and Bill brings a lifetime of experience of fishing and guiding on the Usk and Wye to the course. He is very well assisted by his son Tristan.

Starting on Friday morning with an introduction to the sport; the trout and its habitat and equipment needed to get started. The students then moved out onto the lawns to begin learning the techniques of fly casting, something that looks easy but certainly requires careful instruction and plenty of practice. Saturday morning and the students moved from the lawn down to the river and spent the morning getting used to casting and wading in a fast flowing river. By lunch time skills and confidence were higher and students set off in pursuit of the quarry which could be seen rising tantalisingly up and down the river.

It was not until Sunday morning that someone finally hooked a real live trout as opposed to a tree behind them or a stone in the river, young Ben Scott just 12 from Crickhowell, caught his first wild brownie and I think he still has the huge grin on his face today. Buoyed up by this early success everyone carried on valiantly for most of the day but sadly nobody else was able to catch a fish. Almost everyone left Gliffaes with a huge determination to continue proved by the fact that Bill was able to sell six of his rods at the end of the weekend. Although not everyone left with a fresh Usk trout they did leave with a huge appreciation for how absorbing and relaxing being on the river is with the river, birds, fly life and fish all around them. Not forgetting the huge amount they had learnt over the three days.

(I hope to be running another course next May but need to find another instructor as Bill can't help next year. If you would like to be kept informed of any future fishing courses please get in touch with me or drop me an email.)

Grannom & Stonefly on the Usk

As I look back over the last two weeks I cannot remember a year in the last fifteen that has produced such dense hatches of grannom, and, in addition, that huge fly that literally crawls out of the river, ‘the stonefly’ has been in evidence. The water has been relatively cold and the result has been of a lack of rising trout for two reasons. One, trout like stonefly, and a stonefly represents breakfast, lunch and tea all in one so collecting the groceries while it is around for eating is dead simple and the old trout takes a rest in between. Secondly because the grannom are being taken under the surface just deep enough not to show. Feeding on grannom as stonefly hatches dwindle is the next dish on offer.

There was a great article in the Trout & Salmon (March) by Louis Noble featuring the grannom and he concludes that the most successful patterns are the ones devised by Dave Collins – the Shuttlecock Suspender and Parachute Emerger. I have friends who have successfully used them, I have not but will make certain I am properly prepared next time.

With the big Dark Olives and March Browns over what is on the menu next. The sort of armory one needs are Light Olives, Iron Blues, Blue Upright  and Usk Naylor and as May progresses Blue and Evening Dun, Ginger Quill, Alder and Pheasant Tail.

We could really do with a top up on the rain front though the river is a delight to be on with all the wonderful wildlife busily building, sitting or feeding. Swallows, house and sand martins, and sandpipers are all in evidence not to mention the wagtails.

Nick Brabner

You might find this post about fishing with grannom on a fishing forum of interest.

A Walk around Cwm Mawr ( The Big Valley)

My wife suffers from what she calls, "ridge envy" and the condition is brought on by gazing up to the top of any stunning ridge, plenty of them in the Black Mountains around Gliffaes, and on spotting a tiny speck of a walker or two, she immediately turns green and wants to swop places with them. The treatment is swift and pretty tiring - you have to climb the ridge. Saturday morning and a beautiful spring day, perfect conditions for a bout of ridge envy. We had to get her to the top.

Where the lane leading up to the hotel meets the main road (A40) you pause for a second to look left and right for traffic but your eyes are always drawn upwards to the magnificent ridge that runs between Pen Cerrigcalch to Pen Alt-mawr, and at 650 meters high that was our target. With two old friends of Gliffaes staying at the hotel we set off at around 10am for this 5 mile circuit of Cwm Mawr (the big valley). A 5 minute drive from Gliffaes finds you at the parking spot somewhere in the region of 203 213 (OS map 13) this has the advantage of a height gain of some 250 meters, every little helps.

The route is a simple one. Straight up hill for about 1 mile following the ridge towards Pen Cerrig-calch (217 225), no need to climb right to the top, when you see the flat saddle on your left, between the two high spots, head left along the ridge towards Pen Gloch-y-pibwr (203 233) before descending the opposite ridge you went up. These two ridges frame a perfect, steep sided bowl shaped valley. This area was once used for grouse shooting and the old grouse bouts are very much in evidence. We saw no grouse but did see plenty of sky larks and welsh mountain ponies. It was a perfect day and we had stunning views all the way across to Pen y Fan.  At the bottom of the ridge you meet the mountain wall and the Beacons Way path, turn left for the short stroll back to your car. One case of ridge envy dealt with.

Notes: Do this walk before the bracken gets too high, so avoid late summer and autumn. I will be happy to mark up your map and give detailed instructions to any guest wanting to go on this walk. It can be very windy on top and I have been snowed on here in June.

Waterfalls Walk

 Guests often ask us where they can walk and see waterfalls and with all the rain we have had lately I decided to take a wander up Blaen-y glyn and the Caerfanell river, the stream that feeds the large Talybont Resivoir. This stream runs down hill through quite a steep gorge and over a series of about eight waterfalls varying in size from about two meters to about 15 meters. A walk of about an hour takes you to the most upstream waterfall from where you can either re-trace your steps back down stream or strike on into the Brecon beacons.

From Gliffaes, drive through Llangynidr and on to the village of Talybont, turn left over the canal, signed Talybont Reservoir and carry on right to the far end of the reservoir where, after crossing a small bridge, you will see a car park sign saying, 'Waterfalls'. (map reference SO 065 171). Park here and go back on to the lane, cross the bridge and begin walking up stream on the obvious path, it won't be long before you get to your first waterfall. There are several good picnic spots and for the more daring a swimming hole. I think the last  fall is the best and from the top of the gorge you get good views of the central Beacons, which yesterday were covered in snow.

If you want to make a circular walk back to your car, carry on upstream to what was once a small building at map reference SO 059 186, cross the stream (so you are now on the west bank) and head up hill till you get to the path running through the tussock grass under the steep slope of Craig y Fan Ddu. Follow the path south towards the forestry, over the stile into the woods and keep going south. The track will bring you out at a another car park above the one you left your car at. Just before the gate on to the main road pick up the path downhill throught the woods to return you to your car.

All in all about 2 hours walk at a very reasonable pace.

Crickhowell Walking Festival

It's Wednesday and it is smack in the middle of the Crickhowell Walking Festival - a ten day long event of daily walks guided by locals around the Black Mountains and Brecon Beacons. This is the third year of the Festival and it gets bigger all the time with over 60 walks this year. It is a community event put on by local volunteers. The idea is to bring people into the area at a quite time of the year, trouble is the locals enjoy it so much not a lot of outsiders get a look in.

Susie and I are leading four walks between us, the first was today, a circuit of Tor y Foel, a distance of around 10 miles. We each had a group of about 15 walkers with us and set off with a 15 minute interval between the groups. This is a great walk to do right from the hotel's front door and has a good mix of terrain and nice steady climb to the top of Tor Y Foel from which you get wonderful views of the Beacons and the Usk Valley. It was chilly but clear on top with ice on the puddles. Home via the Brecon Canal in time for tea by the fire, about 10 miles in total. In fact, the walk works as a marketing exercise as well. We get everyone to meet at Gliffaes, so they get a look at the place and we time the walk to finish just as we are serving afternoon tea! It is well worth thinking about for next year if you are keen walker. If you give us enough notice Susie or I would be happy to take you out into the hills around Gliffaes.

Useful links:
Crickhowell Walking Festival 

A Day Out with The Lords' of The Marches

A visit to three Castles; Grosmont, Skenfrith and White Castle.

Almost a thousand years ago the border between England and Wales was definitely view by the English as the ‘Wild West’. The Celts were unruly and dangerous and the border lands, known as the Marches, had to be defended against the Welsh.  Around 1100 the Normans built a series of small castles to defend the lands that they had won control of in what is now Monmouthshire. 

With snow on the ground but a weak winter sun I decided to visit all three castles by bike but this trip can be more easily made by car. There is a 19 mile cross country footpath which connects all three but that was more than I had time for.  You can see all three thousand year old castles in a morning, travel on some very pretty rural lanes and enjoy coffee or lunch in a couple of fantastic local restaurants.

I started in Abergavenny, which is about 10 miles east of Gliffaes. I headed north to Grosmont Castle first, about 15 miles from Abergavenny.  Grosmont is a small place but amazingly still boasts a Tea Room, a pub and village shop come Post Office in the pretty centre of the village. Opposite the shop you will find the footpath to Grosmont Castle.

Having just read the 14th Centaury tale of chivalry and courtly love, ‘Sir Garwain & The Green Knight’, I could very much picture the feasting and revelry that took place in the Great Hall, the walls of which are still up to roof height.  I could also feel for the poor fellows on guard and how downright cold and miserable it would have been standing on the battlements in the middle of winter as I contemplated the snowy countryside. There is a good deal of the castle intact and the information boards dotted around give you enough of a feel to know how the castle expanded over the centuries before falling into disuse. The castle is maintained by CADW, the Welsh heritage body.

The 5 miles from Grosmont to Skenfrith along the B4347 make for perfect cycling. A mile or so steady climbing, pass the Pant-y-Seal Tea Room and Gardens before a sweeping descent down towards Skenfrith. Here you are welcomed by the happy sight of, ‘The Bell at Skenfrith’ right next to the bridge over the river Monow. I had a truly excellent coffee here but I also know from past experience that you can have a delicious lunch. The wine list is masterpiece, William Hutchings, who helps his wife in the running of The Bell, is passionate about wine and this come through in his award winning wine list.

Skenfrith Castle was clearly sited to overlook the ford on the River Monnow and is in much the same state as Grosmont Castle but larger. Opposite the castle and built at around the same time by the same man; Hubert du Burgh, is St Bridget’s Church.  This is an unusual church in that it has a small wooden bell tower, I didn’t go in but the Church’s website makes it clear that there are interesting things to see inside.

Fortified by my coffee and a banana I set off on the road back to Abergavenny. It was here that my resolve to visit all three castles failed me. Having cycled nearly 30 miles by the time I got to the turning to White Castle I bottled out as I was now keen to get home.  All I can tell you is that it is about 1 mile off the main road!

With the Skirrid Mountain in my sights, the final climb took me past the famous, ‘Walnut Tree’ restaurant. Run by chef and owner, Shaun Hill. Mr Hill has just earned a Michelin Star at the Walnut Tree and having had a wonderful birthday dinner there a couple of weeks ago this would be my lunch stop of choice after visiting all three castles.

35 miles later I was back in Abergavenny, not too much of a strain by bike and if you had driven my route from Gliffaes it would be around 55 miles. This could work out as a very pleasant morning’s drive followed by an excellent lunch before heading back to the hotel.