Reading Celebrates New Wetland Nature Reserve

Always nice to hear about the opening of a new nature reserve, particularly in an area of the country that has a reputation for having high density housing.

But Reading, Berkshire, has reason to celebrate as the Fobney Island Nature Reserve has just opened.
Former rough grassland in the area has been transformed to attract more wildlife including birds, bats, water voles, and otters. It now offers wetland as well as a wildflower meadow, hay meadow and reed bed habitats, new ponds and river features.

The opening event included guided walks around the reserve, an educational display and face painting.  Former Reading West MP Martin Salter, now a campaigns co-ordinator for the Angling Trust, officially opened the site.

Following the ceremony, children from local schools were the first to be shown round.

Reading Borough councillor Marian Livingston said the new nature reserve would "provide an excellent resource for learning about local nature, as well as providing a tranquil leisure facility for the people of Reading."

The work has been done by the council, Environment Agency, Thames Water and Thames Rivers' Restoration Trust. Berkshire Ornithological Club and Reading and District Angling Association provided specialist advice throughout the project.

                             http://www.berksoc.org.uk/fobney/fobney_island.shtml

Exhibition Opens At £10m "Revealing York Minster" Project

With artefacts and remains dating back as far as the seventh century, there is no doubt that the exhibition that has just opened as part of the Revealing York Minster Project should prove very popular.

The £10m project also goes on to show how the area has changed over the last 2,000 years.. Excavations that were undertaken in the 1970s uncovered the remains of a Roman barracks, an Anglo-Saxon cemetery and the foundations of the original Norman Minster.

The Dean of York said the Minster was a major influence on national history. "York Minster has stood at the heart of the city for centuries, but even before that, this site was instrumental in the growth of York, from a military barracks into a major conurbation," said the Dean of York, the Very    Reverend Vivienne Faull.

"This means that the land upon which the cathedral now stands has been a centre - military, political, social and theological - for that whole time, influencing not only regional but national history.

“This is not just a story about the past, it will provide visitors with an insight into the evolution of the city and York Minster's central role within that, right up to the present day with a glimpse at the people who work behind the scenes."

The exhibition is part of a wider £20m restoration and conservation project of York Minster, which is expected to be completed in 2016. It is being staged in the Minster's underground chambers.

                                              http://www.yorkminsterrevealed.org/home.html

400 Is The Magic Number For Welsh Hill Walkers

A serious challenge is being made to Welsh Hill Walkers by walking enthusiast Myrddyn Phillips of Welshpool, Powys. He has identified what he believes is the definitive list of every hill in Wales that has a height between 400 - 499m (1,312 - 1,637ft). They have been nicknamed “The Pedwars” after the Welsh word for four, and so far it is suggested that only one person has climbed all 447 of them.

Proving that metrication is a blessing after all, Mr. Phillips said, "The list is a tool to get people out into the beautiful and varied wild places in these crowded islands, in all weathers, to encounter fascinating wildlife and stunning views." Such outings lead to memories that last a lifetime."

Giving such peaks nicknames seems to be a national pastime, with Munros in Scotland being mountains with a height of more than 914m (3,000 ft). A Marilyn is a peak that rises above other hillsides around it by at least 150m.

You also have the Hewitts and Nuttalls - peaks that reach 610m (2,000 ft) with relative heights to other summits of at least 30m and 15m, and the Deweys are peaks reaching above 500m (1,600 ft).
"The Pedwars can be seen as a natural extension," suggests Mr Phillips. "Anyone who has climbed all the Pedwars, Deweys and Hewitts in Wales (a very considerable undertaking) will have gained an intimate knowledge of all the upland areas in the country."

Step forward Rob Woodall, who is cited by Mr. Phillips as being the first known person to have completed the Pedwars. Identifying the list of Welsh Pedwars has been a massive undertaking and labour of love, especially as each hill name had to be fully investigated and researched. Early maps and local farmers were prime sources used by Aled Williams who has been the Welsh language and place name adviser.

"Research into the names of the Pedwars proved a great challenge. As well as the 447 hills in the main list, there are another 270 hills in three sub-lists," he explained.  "So with over 700 hill names to research and analyse for their composition, any free time I've had for the last few months has been spent either walking the hills or doing research into their names."

     https://sites.google.com/site/europeaklist/Home/united-kingdom/wales--cymru/the-pedwars

Natural History Museum, Tring, Hertfordshire

A wonderful range of animals that formed the collection of Lionel Walter Rothschild, housed  in a beautiful Victorian Museum. It is home to the world-class research and collections of the Natural History Museum's Bird Group

The remarkable collections in the galleries of the Natural History Museum at Tring were once the private passion of its founder, Lionel Walter, 2nd Baron Rothschild. The family gifted the entire Museum and its collections to the nation in 1937.

The Natural History Museum at Tring welcomed the highest number of visitors in its history in 2012 with a 28% increase on the previous year. ‘It is great to be sharing our fascinating collection with so many more people, ’ says Museum Manager, Paul Kitching.

They say that the best advice will always come from those who have been there. Consider these comments from recent visitors:

“This is brilliant we visit here often because it's free and because the children seem to just love it.”

“We have visited the London NHM and I expected this to be a very scaled down version with very little to see.  How very wrong I was! We were greeted by a very friendly lady and provided us with a map of the museum and no hard sell for guide books. The museum is packed with a huge variety of interesting exhibits. I loved the rows and rows of stuffed animals to look at. In particular we loved the Zebra area!  A lovely day out and I cannot wait to go back.”

“This place has free entry, free parking and excellent collection. What more can you ask? It is good for both adults and children alike. The building is divided into 6-7 galleries. Each one will have some stuffed animals, birds, insects, fishes etc. You can see lions, tigers, zebras, goats, bears, lots of birds, ancient fishes, crocs, mammoths etc. Definitely worth a visit.”

                                             http://www.nhm.ac.uk/tring/index.html

Lottery Money For Dumfries Theatre Royal Project

Well done the Theatre Royal in Dumfries! A bit like the proverbial No. 28 bus, when one financial grant comes along, another comes behind very quickly!

Earlier in the week Dumfries and Galloway Council managed to find £455,000 held in reserves to help fund the £2 million upgrading scheme. Now, The Heritage Lottery Fund  (HLF) has given the project development funding which could pave the way for a grant of more than £280,000.

HLF Scotland's Colin McLean said it was keen to see the "long-standing tradition of live theatre" continue. The announcement of a "first-round pass" for the theatre plans includes development funding of £20,900. That constitutes an "endorsement of outline proposals" and allows a detailed bid for a more substantial sum to be put together.

Mr McLean said the HLF was delighted to give its initial support to the refurbishment. "Sharing its past, which is interwoven with the history and cultural traditions of Dumfries, will inspire and involve people of all ages in memorable and rewarding experiences which will enrich their lives," he said.

Alan Henry, development convenor for the Guild of Players which owns the theatre, said it was another welcome boost."We are delighted that HLF has joined the growing number of organisations and individuals which are supporting the Guild of Players in our project to transform the historic Theatre Royal into a theatre fit for the 21st Century," he said.

"In particular, this grant will allow us to make the theatre's heritage accessible to all. Its significant heritage, as the oldest working theatre in Scotland, relates to Scottish and local social history and in physical terms includes the building, costumes, people, scripts and props."

The HLF is hosting events in Dumfries and Galloway to encourage more heritage projects to come forward for funding. The organisation says that the region has not submitted as many applications as other parts of Scotland so has designated it a priority area. Voluntary organisations and community groups are being invited to attend the funding workshops on 29 May at DG One in Dumfries and on 30 May at Wigtown County Buildings.

Mr McLean said: "There is huge potential to showcase the heritage and culture of Dumfries and Galloway and we are pleased to be working with the council in encouraging local organisations and groups to come up with projects that will involve them in the history of their community. Many people think that heritage is just castles and works of art, but it is so much more. The environment, local industries, communities and traditions, all make us who we are today."

                                                          http://www.theatreroyaldumfries.co.uk/

Threatened British Species Highlighted By Wildlife Stocktake

When an eminent naturalist of the stature of Sir David Attenborough says that a report offers “a stark warning”, then we would be advised to sit up and pay attention.  The report in question is The State Of Nature report, compiled by 25 wildlife organisations, from the RSPB right the way through to the British Lichen Society, and collates assessments of 3,148 species.

Conservationists are hoping that it will offer some clues to the fate of the UK's 59,000 species. The most vulnerable species have proved to be beetles and wild flowers, and  according to the document, reasons for the decline are "many and varied" but include rising temperatures and habitat degradation.
Species requiring specific habitats have fared particularly poorly compared to those that are able to adapt to the country's changing environment.

"This ground-breaking report is a stark warning - but it is also a sign of hope," said naturalist Sir David Attenborough, who launched the report. We have in this country a network of passionate conservation groups supported by millions of people who love wildlife.

"The experts have come together today to highlight the amazing nature we have around us and to ensure that it remains here for generations to come."

Sir David said there appeared to be no single answer to the question of how people could help stem the decline in Britain's wildlife.   But he added: "What you have to do to help bats differs from what you have to do to help frogs or butterflies or pond life. Yet each one of these has an organisation which is knowledgeable and willing to help anybody who wants to know how to support these species that they're concerned about."

The State of Nature report brings together individual reports that have been published in recent years surveying the fortunes of bees, birds, moths and mammals in the UK and analysing material from ongoing studies.  But the data still only covers 5% of the UK's estimated 59,000 native species.

Dr Fiona Burns, a lead author of the report, hopes future editions will involve more experts. The charity Plantlife contributed data on the UK's flora, including rare corn cleavers  "By including those people and including their expertise, even though we've not got as much information about fungi or other groups, we can promote the importance of these groups in UK flora and fauna," she said.

"The knowledge gaps highlight that there are big biases in what we study, what we monitor. If we want to get an idea of the health of the eco-systems and our biodiversity we need to redress that balance."

Conservationists say that a definitive list of the UK's most endangered species is hard to provide because of the difficulties involved in comparing such different species - each with particular needs and issues. But stand out facts are that hedgehogs have declined by about a third since the year 2000, harbour seals have declined by about 31% in Scottish waters since 1996,  and the small tortoise shell butterfly has declined by 77% in the last ten years.

                       http://www.rspb.org.uk/ourwork/science/stateofnature/foreword.aspx

£4 million Olympic Torch Relay Boost For Cornish Economy

Even now, the best part of twelve months later, more news of the positive impact of the 2012 Olympics comes to light, as yet another part of the country reports glad tidings.

As English counties go, Cornwall was about as far from the London Olympic Stadium as you could wish to be, but it still produced a whacking £4 million boost to its economy from the path of the Olympic Torch alone. With an outlay of a mere £120,000 in expenses, that sounds like a pretty shrewd piece of business.

With an estimated billion people watching, the council said the media coverage "equated to a public relations value in excess of £17m".

Plymouth, Torbay and Devon councils also spent a total of £120,000. Plymouth City Council said it spent nearly £99,000, Torbay spent about £11,000 and Devon County Council said its costs were £10,000.

The start of the relay from Lands End was a masterful piece of public relations, as Ben Ainslie was the first torch bearer. The man who was to end the Games as one of the greatest of all British Olympians learned to sail in Cornwall,

The 70-day relay, which set of on 19 May 2012, covered 8,000 miles and involved 8,000 runners, finishing in London on 27 July with the lighting of the Olympic flame.

The organisation of the whole procession was favourable to Cornwall, and Cornwall Council said the Duchy had been "extremely lucky" to be chosen to host the arrival of the Olympic flame into the UK from Greece and start the relay.

"This provided a unique opportunity to showcase what Cornwall has to offer to a national audience and, indeed, across Europe and worldwide," a spokesperson said.

Figures recently released to the Press Association under the Freedom of Information Act, suggest that local authorities in England paid an average of about £40,000 to host the torch.

                       http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2012_Summer_Olympics_torch_relay

You Too Will Have A “Favourable Opinion” Of Pitlochry

The Victorians were the first great generation of tourists, and once the railways began to open up the British Isles, many more places became increasingly popular.  Coastal resorts in particular received increased patronage, and if royalty was involved, then it really put these places on the map.

Prince Albert was a driving force during his lifetime, and it was his decision to built a home on the Isle of Wight for the Queen that laid the foundations for the popularity of the island. Queen Victoria remarked that “it was impossible to imagine a prettier spot”, although she had already had many happy holidays on the island, and the area was well known to her. 

The coastal resorts were not the only beneficiaries of this increased popularity, and there were places further inland that also gained a new found popularity.  Church Stretton found itself nicknamed “Little Switzerland”, and the Georgian spa towns became increasingly prosperous as Victorians “took the waters”.

Pitlochry in Perth and Kinross, was one such place that was really put on the tourism map, particularly as a result of events in 1842 and 1863. On the first date, Queen Victoria paid a visit when she was in the early part of her time on the throne.

The country was experiencing the growth engendered by the first part of the Industrial Revolution. This would lead to the beginning of a golden era for Britain, and the young monarch’s “Grand Tours” were to be part of Victorian social life.  After her 1842 visit, she was said to hold a “favourable opinion” of Pitlochery, and that really ensured that the town was put firmly on the tourism launch pad.

The arrival of the railway in 1863 truly opened the flood gates, and from that time onwards Pitlochry has had a tourism industry that has punched above its weight. 

You can still find fine examples of the original expansion in places such as the Atholl Palace Hotel and the Knockendarroch House Hotel, both of which will give you an idea of what accommodation was favoured by your average upper class Victorian tourist.

Pitlochry occupies a delightful place alongside the River Tummel, a tributary of the River Tay. Queen Victoria was obviously back again in 1866,  because she had another “favourable opinion”, this time of Loch Tummel. There is a view that is known as “The Queen's View” which was a favourite of hers.

Not a place to stand still, Pitlochry became a burgh in 1947, and at that time they started construction of the Tummel Hydro-Electric power scheme. As a consequence of this, the town gained another interesting attraction, namely the dam and the fish ladder. 1951 saw the advent of the Festival Theatre, albeit initially in a tent. It celebrated its 60th anniversary a couple of years ago and the cleverly promoted, “Stay Six Days, See Six Plays” is tremendously popular, leading to upwards of  60,000 visitors every summer.

Give Pitlochery a chance to win your heart as it once did with one of our greatest monarchs. This is an area of great walking, cycling, fishing, water sports and golf.  Attractions such as Rannoch Moor, Blair Castle, Queen's View, and the Explorer's Garden as well as the Highland Fling Bungee jump will fill your holiday calendar, and you will undoubtedly leave the area with a “favourable opinion” of Pitlochry!

                                                                  http://www.pitlochry.org/

Visit Cadhay To Appreciate True Elizabethan Splendour

If you ran an attraction that had been nominated as one of the “ top ten manor houses in the country’ by no finer authority than “Country Life”, you would consider that you had a real job on your hands living up to the high level of expectation.

Not so at Cadhay House and Gardens located ten miles east of Exeter in Devon, and only five miles from coastal Sidmouth.

Dating back to the year 1550, Cadhay was constructed by John Haydon who married into the de Cadhay family. Having been built on the site of an earlier property, the Great Hall from that building, which dates back to 1420, was retained.  Haydon's nephew Robert subsequently added a long gallery, a feature of late 16th century house building, closing in the south side of the house to form a courtyard.

Cadhay is constructed around its central Court of the Sovereigns, overlooked by four carved images of the Tudor monarchs. Further alterations have been made over subsequent years, chief amongst which are the Georgian dining room which was created in 1739 by inserting a lower ceiling in the Great Hall.

Upstairs, the Long Gallery, was an addition dating from the reign of Elizabeth I, and is a notable feature, offering itself  today as something of a family museum. The Roof Chamber, with its feature beamed ceiling, is a splendid venue for civic marriage ceremonies.

Alterations continued during the 18th and 19th centuries, although there were times when Cadhay was in a poor state of repair. Dampier Whetham came into ownership in 1910 , and it was he who uncovered the old Tudor hearths and put the house into sound structural condition. Having rented the property from the 1920’s,  the William-Powlett family then purchased Cadhay in 1935, with continual family occupation since then.

There is some justice in this as the William-Powletts are descendants of Amias Paulet, who was an ancestor of the de Cadhays.

The present owner is Rupert Thistlethwayte, and he has spent most of the last decade in undertaking a restoration of Cadhay taking it back to its original splendour while at the same time introducing modern comforts such as heating, additional bathrooms, as well as contemporary furniture of his own design.

Cadhay now offers itself, amongst other things as a wedding venue, a wonderful place to stay, as well as accommodation in the grounds. 

The gardens, together with the house, are open to the public on Fridays between 2pm and 5.30pm (last tour 4pm) from May to September, and during late May and summer Bank Holidays. A Tea Room is open, serving  home baked cakes and light refreshments.

http://www.cadhay.org.uk/housegardens.html

Castle Lodge, Ludlow

When planning a visit to Ludlow, the market town in Shropshire, that is close to the Welsh Border in what is known as the Welsh Marches, you are bound to make a bee-line for the top attractions such as  the thirteenth century castle, the wide range of “foodie” establishments, as well as nearby Stokesay Castle.

What might slip through your tourism net however, are the delights of Castle Lodge in Castle Square. It would be a shame if you visited Ludlow and didn’t find time to visit Castle Lodge, as it is an undoubted gem of the town.

It has Tudor and Elizabethan origins, dating from the early 13th century, and has some of the largest collection of oak panelling in England.  It was rebuilt in 1580, and during its Tudor history,  it was the home of Elizabeth I's Master of Requests, also having been used as a prison.

Castle Lodge, Ludlow

Castle Lodge along with the castle itself was the residence of  Catherine of Aragon  while she was married to Prince Arthur, the elder brother of Henry VIII.

It has been in private hands throughout its long history and was a hotel up until the Second World War.  The Lodge was finally re-opened to the public in 1999. It has been used as a film set, notably as the setting for the 1965 film version of Moll Flanders starring Richard Johnson and Kim Novak.

It is said to be haunted, as people visiting say the apparition of a 15 to 16 year old girl who appears to be wearing Tudor costume and who likes to walk the attic corridors as well as visit the nursery room.

The spirit is believed to be that of Catherine of Aragon who has returned to Castle Lodge where she was once happy.

Wales Coastal Path Celebrates First Birthday With Further £1.15m Cash Injection

Undoubtedly one of the success stories for British tourism is the completion of the Wales Coastal Path, now celebrating its first birthday.  It appears to be doing everything that it says on the tin, with up to 2.8 million people having walked various stretches of the path, resulting in an estimated boost of about £16 million to the Welsh economy.

Figures also suggest that a considerable number of visitors to the path also stayed the night in one of the many guesthouses, b&bs and hotels located along the way.

Now further good news that the Welsh Government is investing a further  £1.15 million in 2013/14 to ensure the Wales Coast Path remains of a consistently high quality. Development of the path is managed on behalf of the Welsh Government by Natural Resources Wales.

Since 2007, the Welsh Government has invested up to £2m a year into the creation of the path that has been supplemented by £4m from the European Regional Development Fund over four years.
The Minister for Culture and Sport, John Griffiths, recently walked part of the path at Kidwelly in West Wales and said, “We are blessed with wonderful coastline and the development of the Wales Coast Path, which is the first of its kind in the world, has brought significant benefits to Wales.  The path is already providing a boost to local economies around our coastline and is attracting thousands of visitors to Wales.

“I’m confident that new technology, such as the Real Food Wales app, will  encourage more people to experience what the Wales Coast Path has to offer which will in turn provide a welcome boost to the local economy. Walking parts of the path is a free and enjoyable way of increasing physical activity and maintaining a healthier lifestyle.

“ I’d like to wish the Wales Coast Path a very happy first birthday and would urge everybody to get out and explore their local coastline and take advantage of what’s on our doorstep!”

In 2012 the Lonely Planet recommended the Welsh coastline as the no.1 region in the world to visit

http://www.walescoastpath.gov.uk/default.aspx

“Unforgettable” Holidays May Not Be What We Want!

Being promised an unforgettable holiday experience may not be what we holidaymakers are looking for, according a recent survey that has been commissioned by Travel Supermarket.  The survey found that it is likely that a lot of us will have already visited the place that we will always remember, particularly places that we went to as children.

 Almost half those who were questioned were happy to say that they had revisited childhood haunts, with one in four admitting that they had returned within the last two years.

Happy memories certainly played a big part in holiday decisions. Researchers used the term “inherited holiday” to describe people who were reliving happy holiday times gone by, and some 51 percent of those questioned said that they went on inherited holidays because the trip has stood the test of time and provided good value for money.

Bob Atkinson, a representative of Travel Supermarket, said, “Our family holidays give us memories that last a lifetime, so it’s little wonder that they are so important to us – especially as the current economic climate is putting pressure on families to get the best value from their holiday”

Tributes Paid To The Architect Of A Yorkshire Film Classic

The entertainment industry has recently been paying tribute to the well known film director, producer, actor and novelist, Bryan Forbes who died on the 8th May.

Residents of Yorkshire have particular reason to harbour fond memories of him, because, although it seems that he never visited the county, he was responsible for the running of the company that resulted in one of the most iconic films made in the area.

The Railway Children was written in 1905

The film in question was “The Railway Children” adapted in 1970 from E. Nesbit’s classic children’s story written in 1905 about the Waterburys, a well to-do family who fell on hard times.

The film was made by Lionel Jeffries who was a successful actor before he turned to film directing. He had despaired of finding the £350,000 funding to make the film until Bryan Forbes, in his capacity as manager of Associated British at Elstree Film Studios decided to back him.

Forbes had rather fallen into things at Elstree,  ostensibly attending a  meeting about a three-picture deal for the studio just after it had been taken over by Lord Delfont and EMI. “Many conversations later,” recalled Forbes, “he offered me the running of the whole thing.”

The studio was in crisis, along with the majority of the British film industry, and although Forbes signed an initial three year deal to run Associated British, he left after only two years following a tremendous (and mean-spirited) mauling by the Press and industry observers who accused him of meddling when he should have been managing.

Whatever the rights or wrongs of what happened, we are left with his legacy, namely one of the greatest children’s films ever made. The endearing story of the Edwardian Waterbury family is one whose happiness is shattered when their father leaves their home one night accompanied by two mysterious strangers.  When penury forces them to relocate to rural Yorkshire the three children, Roberta, Phyllis and Peter become fascinated by the nearby railway.

Part of the success is down to the strong cast that was assembled including. Jenny Agutter, Sally Thomsett, Gary Warren, Dinah Sheridan, Bernard Cribbins and William Mervyn. But the undoubted star is the wonderful Yorkshire backdrop.

The 80-strong cast and crew of the film began work on Sunday, May 10, 1970 at Oakworth Station under the keen eye of Bob Cryer, the chairman and a founder member of the Keighley & Worth Valley Railway Preservation Society and later the Labour MP for Keighley.

Bryan Forbes  bravely created a set of circumstances in which a fledgling director with a vision was given free rein to make the film he wanted. That film was The Railway Children.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Railway_Children_%28film%29

Tattershall Castle, Lincolnshire

www.nationaltrust.org.uk/tattershall-castle

Getting its name from Robert de Tattershall who constructed the first structure in about 1231, the red brick building that we see today was started by Ralph, 3^rd Lord Cromwell between 1430 and 1450.   

 He was at the time the Lord Treasurer of England. Its brick appearance has earned it the title "the finest piece of medieval brick-work in England", and such a construction was normally completed for aesthetic reasons, or because of fashionable ideas at the time. Cromwell must have chosen the design for one of these two reasons as there appears to have been plenty of stone around as an alternative and more common building material.

The castle had a chequered history of seizure and forfeiture, as well as a period of about 140 years prior to 1693 when it was in the ownership of the Earls of Lincoln. It passed to the Fortesque family but then fell into neglect.

The National Trust manages Tattershall Castle

There were large medieval fireplaces in situ when the property was sold to an American in 1910, and these were in the process of being removed and packaged for shipping, when Lord Curzon of Kedleston stepped in to buy the castle, and eventually track the fireplaces down to London. 

They were returned and Lord Curzon then set about restoring the castle, between 1911 and 1914.

It was passed to the National Trust in 1925 upon his death, and experts say that it remains “one of the three most important surviving brick castles of the mid-fifteenth century”. Of Cromwell’s original, only the moat and Great Tower remain, but it is still a most impressive sight.

/www.nationaltrust.org.uk/tattershall-castle/

The Moles are Welcome in This Particular Camp

It has always been assumed that if you had “moles in the camp” it was a bad thing. Well, that is certainly not the case at the  Roman fort of Epiacum on the Northumbria/Cumbria border in Northern England.
Epiacum – or Whitley Castle – is an isolated Roman fort near Slaggyford, about four miles north of Alston,  and being designated as a Scheduled Ancient Monument, means that it can’t  be excavated by humans.

However, colonies of moles have been hard at work on the 1,000-acre site, going where mankind is not allowed. They have dug up numerous artefacts, which can be carefully collected and stored.  Over two days last week, a team of 47 volunteers checked on the hundreds of molehills left by nature’s subterranean diggers.

This is the third annual molehill survey and up to 200 possible Roman items have been uncovered. The site at Epiacumis part of Castle Nook Farm and is owned by John and Elaine Edgar. Elaine, a former teacher, has put all her energies into developing the site as a historic tourist attraction, following the award of a £49,200 heritage lottery grant in April 2012.

Epiacum is on the Northumbria and Cumbria border

Elaine said: “Many of the items we have gathered in these two days may only be stones, but they have been taken away for examination. However, we know for certain that some of the pieces are Roman pottery, including rare Samian ware, and a really nice nail, as well as glass.”

It has been revealed that a near-intact piece of Samian ware pottery had been found ahead of the surveys, which Elaine said was one of the finest pieces to have been uncovered. “And the moles have certainly attracted attention again,” she smiled. “Following local press coverage, we had BBC World Service and Radio 4 on the telephone.

“They sent a taxi before 7am on Thursday to take us to the Carlisle studio to do a live piece for the Today programme. There is huge interest in the site and the volunteers on the molehill survey have been really enthusiastic.”

The unearthed pieces are now in the eager hands of Paul Frodsham, the North Pennines AONB Partnership Historic Environment Officer, and are being subject to detailed inspection.

Mr Frodsham said: “We have a large range of different kinds of pottery, glass beads – we even found a ladies’ glass bead in the men’s barracks block, and wondered what it might have been doing there! This year we were late because of the bad winter weather. We had to postpone the survey in mid-March and some of the molehills had been flattened by the snow and frost. But, overall, we have a really good collection of finds.”

Epiacum stands 12 miles south of the main Roman Wall and is believed to have been built by the Romans 2,000 years ago near the ancient silver and lead workings.

http://www.epiacumheritage.org/

Painswick – The Queen of the Cotswolds

With a title like that, Painswick in Gloucestershire has a lot to live up to, after all, the Cotswolds is widely recognised as one of the most beautiful parts of England. Yet live up to the title it most certainly does, featuring the wonderful Cotswold stone that would have been quarried from nearby Painswick Beacon.

The atmospheric winding streets would have been built up on the fortunes gained by the buoyant cloth and wool trade, and prominent (but perhaps inappropriately named!) New Street was constructed in about 1428 probably with money earned exactly in that manner. This street is home to the oldest building in England to hold a Post Office, the town’s only example of exposed timber framing.

Painswick in the Cotswolds

Other architectural highlights include Beacon House with its wonderful Georgian frontage and the famous Falcon Hotel with what is said to be the oldest bowling green in England.
Look out for the Church of St. Mary, in truth it is hard to miss! With its Norman origins and its exterior peppered with shot from the Civil War, it will be a highlight of your visit. There are 99 yew trees in the peaceful churchyard, with a popular legend saying that it is proving impossible to grow number 100! Try and be in the town during the September “clypping ceremony” – nothing to do with pruning yew trees!

There are rare 17th century spectacle stocks near the court house. 14th century houses in Bisley Street include two original Donkey doors, wide enough for panniered donkeys who carried the wool from the numerous mills along the local valleys.

Take in the atmosphere with a browse around the range of small shops and galleries as well as a chance to dally in pubs, restaurants and tea shops that serve good food. Painswick is a Fair Trade town.

In early July Painswick puts on the Art couture festival (www.acpfestival.co.uk ), this year it is on the 14th July There are colourful costumes paraded and stalls in the narrow streets.
The Gloucestershire Guild of Craftsmen has its own exhibition every August and shows the variety and excellence of their workmanship. Painswick Centre Art Studios are in the Painswick Centre. (Check for opening times).

Like so many of the beautiful Cotswold tourist towns, Painswick is undoubtedly a place for any time of the year, whatever the weather. For weekend breaks or longer stays, you can look forward to a cosy log fire set in an original hearth in the winter or a delicious cream tea in the summer.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Painswick

Merchant’s House, Plymouth

For a city that was severely damaged by bombing in the Second World War because of its importance as a sea port, Plymouth is lucky that the German bombers were slightly wayward with their aim as it has meant the survival of one of the most striking buildings in the area, and a prime example of an early 16th century private residence.  The Merchant’s House in St. Andrews Street (PL1 2AX) has a well documented history and unsurprisingly its owners over the years have included some of the great and good of Plymouth society.

Merchant's House in Plymouth

The first recorded owner was William Parker, an Elizabethan privateer and merchant. He was Mayor of Plymouth from 1601 to 1602 and it is known that he was certainly living in the house in 1608, although the style and standard of construction suggest that it was around some while before that.

Merchants, more Lord Mayors, and master carpenters, all have lived here, and the names of the families are a roll call of Plymouth history, such as the Parkers, the Rowes, Beales, Martyns and Symonds.

In later years it has suffered the occasional change of fortune, having been used as a shop, lodging house and even (good heavens above!) as a taxi office. It was rescued from decay by Plymouth City Council in 1970, and with the help of the Department of the Environment, many of the original features were kept and made good. Two steel joists, fire precautions and some modern partitions were also added. Work was completed in 1976 and the house was opened as a branch museum, showing different aspects of Plymouth life, in 1977.

http://www.plymouth.gov.uk/homepage/creativityandculture/museums/museummerchantshouse.htm

http://www.plymouth.gov.uk/homepage/creativityandculture/museums/museummerchantshouse/museummerchantshistory.htm

Croft Castle is Worth a Visit!

You should never be at a loose end when exploring the border county of Herefordshire, but here’s one to add to your list, that offers something of interest to all age groups.  Croft Castle and Parkland is in the care of the National Trust and can be found at Yarpole, about four miles north-west of Leominster. For all you sat-nav buffs the post code is HR6 9PW.

Croft Castle is under National Trust management

There has been a building of some sort on the plot since the 11th century and it has from this time been the home of the Croft family. There were close connections between the Crofts and their neighbours, the Mortimer family of Wigmore. The present building originated as a castle in the 14th century and has been much altered since.

Being Welsh border country, it is not surprising that the famous Owain Glyndwr would have a connection with the property, and apparently one of his daughters married John Croft. The adoption of the Welsh Wyvern crest is seen as a nod to the Glyndwr heritage. Restoration has taken place as a result of damage caused by slighting during the civil war.

What exists today is effectively a manor house with round towers at each corner. Members of the Croft family still live at the property. The parkland has chestnut, oak and beech trees, numbering some three hundred, with many being of some antiquity, as well as an iron age hill fort at Croft Ambrey. You can also visit the nearby church of St. Michael.

For further information and opening times, please consult the relevant National Trust web page.

http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/croft-castle/

£1.6 million Boost for Pembrokeshire Tidal Energy Scheme

With wind turbines and wind farms in general receiving a rather “up and down” press, it is interesting to report that another form of renewable energy is quietly going about its business. A pioneering tidal energy project to be found off the Pembrokeshire coast has been given a £1.6m boost from the European Union.

Subject to suitable harbour trials, the DeltaStream device will be placed on the seabed in Ramsey Sound in 2014. To prove its worth, the generator will supply homes in the St David's area with power during a 12-month trial.

Welsh First Minister Carwyn Jones was the one to bear the good tidings at the RenewableUK Conference in Cardiff, and the award follows the already granted £6.4m given by the EU in 2011. The money will help Cardiff-based Tidal Energy Ltd further develop its DeltaStream generator.  The device is designed to generate energy from tidal currents on the seabed.

Mr Jones pointed out that the Welsh government was backing a number of initiatives to support renewable industries, and that close collaboration with partners was a vital part of driving the sector forward.

Pembrokeshire will soon benefit from this tidal energy project

“I am delighted to announce £1.6m EU funds to support the DeltaStream project which will help increase Wales' presence in the tidal sector," he told the conference on Wednesday. "So that we continue to deliver our low carbon ambitions, I will be chairing and hosting a strategic delivery group to ensure strong engagement with stakeholders to enable collaboration and remove any barriers to achieving our vision."

Tidal Energy Ltd is working with renewable energy company Eco2 Ltd which has developed projects in biomass, wind and landfill gas.  Martin Murphy, managing director of the company said: "This is a really exciting time for us.  We have all the necessary operating consents, have completed the grid work for the project, and are now preparing for our first at-sea tests."

Its chief executive David Williams said: "When we have completed our demonstration device testing of the DeltaStream unit in Ramsey Sound, we have plans to install a 10MW array off St David's Head in Pembrokeshire.  "Our aim is to achieve a major market share of installed marine renewable capacity in the UK by 2020."

The Pembrokeshire tidal project is one of a number of similar schemes on the drawing board in Wales. In February, Wales' first commercial tidal energy farm that is planned off the coast of Anglesey recently won Welsh government approval. The £70m Skerries Tidal Stream Array is also being backed by £10m in UK government funding.  Meanwhile, a £650m tidal lagoon is proposed for Swansea Bay, which it is claimed could generate enough power to supply 107,000 homes.

http://www.tidalenergyltd.com/

New Hope for the 1200 Year Old Pontfadog Oak

One of the saddest stories over the last fortnight must surely be the toppling of the 1,200 year old Pontfadog Oak which was to be found not far from Chirk in the County of Wrexham.  The tree was reputed to be one of the UK's oldest and largest oaks, and fell victim to strong winds.   It is likely that the saturated ground did not provide a sufficient anchor for the root system.

Good news has arrived however, as attempts are now being made to clone the tree. Some of its buds and twigs have been removed in an attempt to try to create a genetic match. They have been sent to organisations, including the Royal Botanic Gardens in Kew, which will attempt to extract its DNA. If the DNA process works, the cloned tree could return to its original plot.

The tree had everything that you would expect of such a venerable specimen, including a girth of 42ft 5in (12.9m) with a huge hollow trunk big enough to seat six people at a table. It has been said that it was a gathering point for Welsh princes such as Owain Gwynedd, who is said to have met his troops under it in the 12th Century before defeating English king Henry II in battle.

The Pontfadog Oak was 1,200 years old

But the sessile oak, which was still popular with walkers and visitors, was felled by gusts of up to 60mph overnight on 18 April after standing since 802.

Driving force behind this attempt is Wrexham council tree officer Moray Simpson, who decided to take samples from the tree in the hope it could be cloned. He said that its DNA was important not only because the tree was so significant culturally and historically, but also to preserve the "good genetics" of an ancient oak at a time when many trees were succumbing to disease.

Difficulties lie ahead, but if the process is successful, it would be like "a phoenix rising from the ashes". "Wouldn't it be fantastic if in another 1,200 years time, the tree will still be stood there?" he added.

Mr Simpson has sent the twigs and buds to Kew, along with the Windsor Great Park estate, the National Trust and a tree expert in Cambridgeshire. They will all put their heads together to try to graft the buds and twigs from the Pontfadog Oak onto the root stocks of other young oak trees. It is then hoped that there is a chance that the trees will then fuse together and the Pontfadog Oak section of the tree will grow. The Royal Botanical Gardens Kew could then take the new Pontfadog growth and try to get the exact genetic match of the tree - a process known as micro-propagation.

"If they do manage it, it would be the exact same genetics of the Pontfadog Oak," said Mr Simpson. "The tree will be lost but the genetics won't be. The first cloned tree would hopefully go back to where the original one grew and we could put others around the Wrexham area."

However, he warned that there was a long, uncertain road ahead. "It will be at least a year before we know if the tree has grafted and that's before the micro-propagation," he said. "I'm aware the whole process for oaks is very difficult and it's very late in the season to do it, but I couldn't just stand by and see its genetics lost. It was the most iconic tree in Wales. It was one of the oldest trees in Europe, which means one of the oldest in the world."

Sperm Whales Sighted in the Firth of Forth

A pod of fourteen sperm whales has been sighted from the air, heading from the island of Fidra to the Lamb, just a mile offshore at North Berwick in East Lothian. This represents the largest group of whales thought to have been seen travelling together at any given time in or near the Firth of Forth. The sighting was made by microlight pilots who saw them from a height of 500ft, and they then contacted the Scottish Seabird Centre.

They were then spotted by other researchers, including Scottish Natural Heritage staff, who were on the Isle of May and were able to identify the whales' tail flukes, dorsal fins and plumes of spray.

Erich Hoyt, North Berwick-based marine conservationist and author, said: "Sperm whales are rarely seen in the Firth of Forth, and to see 14 of them travelling together is very special. The previous close sighting of sperm whales in North Berwick was exactly 10 years ago this month when a large sperm whale landed on the beach at Canty Bay, but this is certainly the largest group of living whales we've seen travelling together in or near the Firth of Forth. Sperm whales are usually residents of deeper waters off the north and west of Scotland where they hunt squid."

Sperm whales have been sighted in the Firth of Forth

He added: "The images confirm that they are sperm whales, including a few that are either immature males or females. Sperm whales in groups are usually either all males or females with juveniles and calves, so given the absence of calves and the location this is most probably a group of young males. The one tail that is visible is consistent with a sperm whale tail fluke."

David Pickett, Scottish Natural Heritage's National Nature Reserve Manager on the Isle of May, said: "This was a thrilling experience. We were able to get distant views of two pods of sperm whales, distinguished by the flattened dorsal fin, the way the plume of spray went forward rather than up, and their enormous size."

Tom Brock, CEO of the Scottish Seabird Centre, said: "This sighting is truly wonderful news and helps to highlight some of the amazing wildlife that can be spotted right here on our doorstep. It's thrilling that such a large pod of whales were seen so close to the Seabird Centre."