Dewstow Gardens

[llywela13.livejournal.com]

I took a trip yesterday with a few members of my family to Dewstow Gardens in Monmouthshire. The gardens at Dewstow were created at the end of the 19th century, but were then filled in during the Second World War, given over to farming and food production to aid the war effort. A few years ago, the new owners started to diversify, setting up a golf course on their land - and in the process of the renovations discovered this incredible Victorian garden full of tunnels and underground grottoes, which they are working hard to restore.

( Dewstow Gardens and Grottoes )

Ping! Llywela

[femsc.livejournal.com]

It really is about time I added you to my friends list! Meanwhile, you wanted to be reminded about the archery happening in St Fagans and elsewhere:

World Field Archery Championships 2008
Monday 1 September - Opening Ceremony, Parc Ynysangharad, Pontypridd
Tuesday 2 Sept - Preliminary round 1 at Glyncornel Archery Centre, Llwynypia, Rhondda (not suitable for spectators)
Wednesday 3 Sept - Preliminary round 2 at Glyncornel Archery Centre, Llwynypia, Rhondda (not suitable for spectators)
Thursday 4 Sept - Elimination round at Glyncornel Archery Centre, Llwynypia, Rhondda (not suitable for spectators)
Friday 5 Sept - Team Finals at St Fagans - shot in and around the museum; spectators welcome and indeed encouraged
Saturday 6 Sept - Individual Finals at St Fagans - shot in and around the museum; spectators welcome and indeed encouraged

Spectators would be welcomed at the Glyncornel ground except that there's nowhere to stand safely away from fast-flying pointy things. The course is in natural woodland, and is likely to be wet, muddy, slippery...  and like most of south Wales it's not what you'd call 'flat'. It's a shame, because the preliminary and elimination rounds will probably be the most interesting, but there'll no access to the course for anyone other than the archers and officials.

I'm probably going to be helping out at the 'Have a Go' area in Parc Ynysangharad and Sain Ffagan, so if you're in the area - or anyone else reading this, come to that - come over and say hello :)

Fran