Blaenau Ffestiniog walk 16/8/2014

Monica led a group of 15 (16 including her) on this 5 mile urban stroll around the town of Blaenau taking in, not just the landscape, but also covering the history of the development of the slate mines and reminiscences of life in the town.  Some of the drawings of Falcon Hildred were used during the walk to highlight both past and present features of Blaenau – some of the buildings drawn by Falcon have now either been demolished or are used for different purposes.  During the early afternoon a visit was made to Falcon’s mill at Pant-yr-Ynn which everyone found fascinating.  As the journey started at the station the Old Man of the Moelwyn was not wearing his hat and the weather was fine but towards the end he put his hat on but just a few spots of rain appeared.  The group were able to see a few of the works of the sculptor David Nash through the windows of his studio in Rhiw.  Thanks go to Fr Deiniol who happened to be outside his Welsh Orthodox church in Manod as the group passed by and invited everyone in to look around.  He even put on his vestment for Russ to take some photographs.  There follows the answers to the quiz sheet that was distributed at the end of the walk:
1. Wynnes of Peniarth, Oakley, Lord Newborough
2. Rhiwbryfdir, Maenofferen, Cwmbowydd, Penrhosbach, or Gelli
3. 1836
4. 1863
5. About 4000
6. Typhoid
7. Ffestiniog, LNWR, GWR
8. Oakley
9. Tŷ Uncorn (One chimney house)
10. Cocoa Rooms
11. David Lloyd George
12. Guest House, sculptor’s studio, monumental mason
13. Fulling mill
14. 3 – Empire, Forum, Park
15. About 40 say
16. Pant-yr-ynn