Retirement – a sense of purpose through an intercultural dialogue

Pyrgos Community Council May 2010 1

The book you have in your hands is a common outcome of the following partner municipalities/community councils of:

Pyrgos – Limassol in Cyprus in Plunge in Breaza in Romania in Wales UK

The five institutions worked together under the Grundtvig project:

RE.S.P.I.D.

Retirement - a sense of purpose through an intercultural dialogue

Many thanks to the coordinators of the partner towns and to those who worked with enthusiasm for this project.

Panayiotis Kyrou Project Coordinator

Pyrgos - Limassol, Cyprus May 2010 2

Partner Towns

PLUNGE

MENAI BRIDGE

BREAZA

SANTA SEVERINA

PYRGOS

A TRIP TO THE FIVE PARTNER TOWNS 3

CYPRUS The island of Aphrodite...

PYRGOS

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Pyrgos, the town of the ancient perfumes…

Pyrgos village is located 13 km east of Limassol, the second biggest city of Cyprus. The village is built at an average altitude of 85 meters. The altitude presents a noticeable increase from the settlement to the north and near its north administrative boundaries it reaches 488 meters. In the south of the settlement the altitude steadily decreases and comes down to about 50 meters. Further south the altitude decreases steadily up to the sea.

History The village existed during the Medieval times under the exact same name. In old maps it is marked under the name Pirgo and Birgo.

The name of the village originated from the fact that there was a tower in the region, apparently one of the Byzantine years. A tower must have existed also during the Frank domination era, in the sense of a central building of a family of nobles, to which the village -as a feud -belonged to. We have no records on which family of nobles it belonged to.

In any case the tower that existed in the village was a common Medieval one. According to a legend "Pyrgos tis Rigainas" (Tower of the Queen), from the floor of which began a tunnel that extended to Amathous. As it often occurs with such traditions that are related to medieval or more ancient structures, the legendary existence of some great treasure is necessary. In the case of Pyrgos, the legendary treasure is a solid gold carriage with which the notorious Rigaina moved around. An old building in the village is known as "rigoudin" and it is believed that its floor is that of the original tower from where the tunnel begun.

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In the region of the village there are at least two archaeological sites from Prehistoric times that prove an older inhabitation of the area. No proper archaeological excavations have been conducted yet. Besides, the village is too close to the ancient city of Amathous, to which its area was included in its administrative range.

Visit the unique archaeological site with the oldest Aromas in the Mediterranean

The research of the Italian Archaeological Mission in Pyrgos, has led to the discovery of the oldest industrial area in the entire Mediterranean basin. This archaeological site comes from 2200 B.C.

It was a Palace in which each room was dedicated to a different type of work. Ancient Cypriot technicians worked on metallurgy, textile, production of wine, olive oil and aromas. Many jars were found in the site revealing just how people, 4000 years ago, produced the famous Cypriot aromas, typically a mix of natural spices and olive oil.

The lab, believed to have been destroyed in an earthquake in antiquity, shows that making perfume was a serious business. Throughout the Bronze Age and into the 1st millennium B.C., Cyprus played a key role in copper and olive oil production and trade. Olive oil was used as a base for medicine, cosmetics and perfume, some of which were exported mainly to Greece.

Agriculture

Citrus, olive and locust trees, cereals, forage plants, various fruit trees, a few grapevines and very few legumes are cultivated in the area. Various types of vegetables and especially tomatoes are also cultivated. Pyrgos is famous for the quality of its tomatoes.

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Tourism in Cyprus

Nice beaches with the award of the Blue flag are located south of the village.

The marina of Saint Raphael, which is considered one of the most fully organised marinas.

Five-star hotels, tourist apartments, nice restaurants welcome you...

Panayia Chrysopirgotissa Church Ryrgos Town Hall

Monument of Andreas Nikolaou 7

ITALY The country of antiques...

SANTA SEVERINA 8

Santa Severina

Santa Severina is a town in the Province of in the region of southern Italy. It rises on a crop of a rock, in a beautiful panoramic position dominating the valley of the river. Today it represents the most important cultural center of the whole Province.

It is 25 Km away from the administrative centre Crotone, 32 Km away from "Pitagora" Airoport of Isola Capo Rizzuto and about 30 Km from Sila Crotonese. It is 100 Km away from Cosenza.

Documentation of the 5th century BC. already shows that the town known with the Greek name of Siberene a town in Enotria. It is not known, however, when the place changes its name.

There are two hypotheses: the name is Latinized into Sevriana/Severina, with the appellation of Saint added by the Byzantines, after the town is re-conquered in 886. Or a Saint Severina was already venerated by the Byzantines and to whom they dedicated their new homeland.

The Church of Saint Filomena, an interesting example of Byzantine-Norman architecture, is an 11th century construction formed by two chapels placed on top of a rectangular floor plan, with a small dome decorated with little columns (a typical pattern in Armenian buildings) and two Norman ogival portals. What was once the Church of the Pozzoleo has been restored, and today holds the crypt of Saint 9

Filomena. It once held a beautiful holy-water font made of Parian marble, now in the Diocesan Museum.

The majestic, imposing Castle was built by the Normans in 1076 on the remains of the previous Byzantine fortification. The spirit of Roberto il Guiscardo was cancelled in 1496 when Andrea Carafa decided to enlarge, and in part rebuild the manor-house, which underwent further restoration at the hands of the noble families living there, the Ruffo, Sculco and Gruthers. In 1905 the Castle was purchased by the Municipality who recently returned it to its ancient splendour. One of the most complex and beautiful military buildings in Calabria, it consists of a fifteenth century square watch tower, with four angular towers on four protruding buttresses.

Surrounded by strong, crenellated walls with a moat on three sides, it contains intricate, underground labyrinths and stables with the remains of mediaeval frescoes. Magnificent stucco decorations and Baroque paintings by Francesco Giordano ornate the large living rooms of the fortress.

In comparison with the Castle, one can admire the Santa Anastasia Cathedral (1274- 95). Of the original structure there remains the portal, whereas an epigraph on the façade is a reminder of restoration begun in 1705 by the archbishop Berlingieri. A further inscription dedicates the church to Saint Anastasia, patron saint of the town.

The Baptistry is adjacent to it (VIII-IX century), with its 13th century portal; one of the oldest 10

monuments of Calabria.

Among the other noteworthy religious buildings, we would like to point out: the Santa Filomena Church (XI-XII century) and the Addolorata Church, which encompasses architectonic elements from the ancient Cathedral (1036) of Santa Severina.

The Cathedral to the north and the Norman Castle to the south are the two important buildings in the “Field”, the name given by the inhabitants of Santa Severina to their square in memory of its military use as a square for arms. Separated from the Castle by a deep moat, two rocky crags form a belvedere overlooking an impressive panorama that sweeps from Mount Sila to the Ionian Sea.

Laleo University An intensive course lasting three months or one month(usually during summer). All courses will end with a final exam. The upper couse last six months.

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LITHUANIA The country of amber...

PLUNGE

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Plunge History of Plungė Town and District Everything has its own history and roots. The town of Plungė is not an exception. It seems so small but has what to be proud of. The amazing Gandinga is the headwaters of Plungė town which was formed as a township at the eve of Lithuanian statehood settlement and is mentioned in the written sources even earlier than Vilnius. Until the 15th c. Gandinga was the centre of the district municipality and Plungė belonged to it. In the 17th c. after the Swedish desolated Gandinga, the district municipality was transferred to Plungė. Since then the quickly growing town was granted the rights of Magdeburg on 13th January, 1972. During the growth of the town in 1797 a wooden Saint John the Baptist church was build. The parish of Plungė was one of the richest Samogitians in the bishopric. From 1806 Plungė belonged to the graphs Zubovas. Zubovas constructed a stone belfry in Plungė, equipped a large All Saints chapel, where noble people used to be buried in its cellars. He built a small castle in the park of Plungė – a clock-house which was an imitation of the palace built by Vecchio in Florence in the 14th century.

In 1873 duke Mykolas Oginskis bought the estate from the descendants of Platonas Zubovas. The duke actively carried out cultural, educational and public work. By initiative of the duke a stone church of Plungė was started to be built instead of the wooden church. Oginskis took care of railway lying through Plungė. In Plungė he built residential palace of the estate of neo-renaissance and neo-gothic style and arranged an amazing park of Plungė. There was a rich library and sets of artworks in the palace. At the beginning of the 19th century agricultural exhibitions were organized in the estate. Now a Samogitian art museum is established here. By the World War II the markets of Plungė were very famous. They were huge and pretty rich. Great clogmakers lived in the town and its neighbourhood that were able to make not only comfortable clogs, but also decorate them with various carvings and dyenicely. It is assumed that Plungė is one of the locations in where the Jews settled at the earliest. A long stone building stood in the marketplace, it was Jewish cromes, and a Jewish sinagogue was constructed in the town. Unfortunately, there were sorrowful losses in the history of Plungė. The Jewishholocaust carried out during the World War II did not overpass Plungė – a large Jewish community of the 13

town that lived here for more than fi ve hundred years was destroyed. The people of Plungė town have preserved a large cultural heritage until today. We can here the Samogitian dialect here, to visit the estates, old cemeteries remained, to enjoy the natural landscape, to listen to the Samogitian folk music, to familiarize with live folk art traditions.

Cognitive tourism objects in Plungė District Plungė District is located in the Northern West, in Telšiai Region to which the major part of Samogitian ethnographic region belongs. Not somewhere else, but exactly in Plungė District the biggest Samogitian land miracles – Samogitian meccas - Plateliai and Žemaičių Kalvarija are present. The beautiful Minija, Varduva, wind their way through Plungė. The legendary Gandinga mound is close to Plungė. And in the very heart of the town one of the best preserved estate complexes in Lithuania – the palace of the dukes Oginskis attracts the attention of every visitor.

Town of Plunge The town is located on both sides of Babrungas. It´s name – Plungėnai – was legally registered in 1570. In 1792 by the letter of Žygimantas Augustas, Plungė was granted the rights of Magdeburg and the herb. The structure of Plungė Town is radial. There is a rectangular square in the centre from which the streets go in fi ve directions. The famous markets of Plungė used to take place here by the World War II. Today Plungė occupies 1142,4 ha and more than 24 thousand people live here.

Dukes’ Oginskis manor. Samogitian Art Museum Magnificent and wonderful ensemble of duke’s Michael Oginskis Manor and mysterious park surrounding it is a special place where the time has preserved not only tangible but spiritual heritage as well. The ensemble of the manor consists of Neo-Renaissance style palace, Neo- Gothic stable, two outbuildings, a clock-room – 14

a greenhouse, the park gates and a guard’s house, household gates and a pheasant breeder’s house, a laundry house and a wooden house of the duke’s barrister. A mixed type park of the XVIII–XIX centuries was established in the place of Samogitians’ sacred forest – Alka. 7 cascade ponds connected by stone bridges – sluices were dug. Presently there is a Samogitian Art Museum. Works of Samogitian region artists and collections compound the majority part of the funds of the museum. The museum is enormously proud by its library with valuable books from the collections of historian Every four years he World’s Samogitian Art Exhibitions are held there. International festivals of Michael Oginskis are organized. Parko str. 1, Plungė Tel.: +370 448 57643; +370 448 71256 E-mail: [email protected] , www.oginski.lt

Šv. Jono Krikštytojo (Saint John the Baptist) Church building complex The buildings of the Saint John the Baptist Church is the main accent of Plungė old town, creating a large added value to town and district. The church is neoromantic, of Latin cross plan, two-tower. The fence of church yard is made of brick stone. The predecessor of the present church was a wooden St. John the Baptist Church build in 1797. From 1806 Plungė belonged to the graph Zubovas. In 1850 in Plungė the graph Zubovas built a stone belfry and in 1858 equipped an All Saints chapel in the cemetery. In 1933 the construction of the new stone church was fi nished. In 1934 the old wooden church was demolishes which stood for 136 years. Vytauto str. 32, Plungė Tel. +370 448 79079 15

Žemaitija (Samogitia) National Park Samogitia National Park (SNP) was established in 1991 in order to preserve, manage and use naturally and culturally most valuable Samogitian territories. SNP – a preserved territory at the European level – is “Natura 2000” is meant for bird and natural habitation protection. In 2008 Plateliai (Samogitia National Park) became the winner of the project “The Most Attractive European Tourism Location” in Lithuania. The management of the Samogitia National Park was established in the town of Plateliai, Plungė District, around 22 km North from Plungė (road Plunge–Mažeikiai ).

Plateliai Plateliai town is mentioned in the historical sources from the 15th century. The town was then settled on the peninsula of Šventorkalnis which was connected with the Pilis Island of Plateliai Lake and its castled by a wooden bridge. From the end of the 17th c. the town of Plateliai starts settling in a new, current location. Review site is in the North Eastern side of the town. A famous Plateliai lake famous for islands and peninsulas and the spaces decorated in Plokštinė forests. Plateliai Lake is the deepest and largest in Samogitia (area – 1200 ha, the deepest area – around 47 m). In the centre of Plateliai there is an antique square common to Samogitian towns from which the roads wave their way to all four directions. The chapel post of St. Florian is erected, the monuments for the commemoration of the decade of the Lithuanian Independence (1918–1928), Lithuanian freedom army (1941–1953) and for the remembrance of Rainiai martyr Balys Korza are constructed in the square. Already in 1744 constructed wooden log church is the adornment of Plateliai. A belfry (1905) stays nearby. To the South behind the church there is a park of Plateliai estate with the remaining buildings of the 19th c. estate.

The Park of the Estate is in the Southern part of the town. The estate buildings remained here and a mature park sighs. Old limes, maples, ashes, oaks, decorative 16

bushes and natural monuments grow here: the ash of Ragana. In the estate park one can see an exposition of Shrove Tuesday masks, archaeological findings from Šventorkalnis, Pilis Island, old tools and domestic articles. Expositions are constantly open in the Exposition halls. Beržoras is an old street style village mentioned from the 15th century. The township of Beržoras is located in the northern part of Beržoras Lake. Many Samogitians believe that these places are miraculous. A story remained explaining the name origin of the township and the appearance of the first church. According to the story, once a shepherd looking after the herd saw a picture of St. Mary on the crown of the birch. The rector of the Plateliai church took the picture to the Church of Plateliai, however this picture soon disappeared and was found again on the crown of the birch. Then the people cut the birch and a wooden chapel was constructed in its place and the picture was placed there. Soon a church was built close to the chapel and a township started to form around and it was called Beržoras by the name of that birch (birch in Lithuanian means “Beržas”). The church and chapel of Beržoras built in 1746 are one of the oldest wooden sacral architectural buildings in Lithuania. It is especially interesting that the walls of Beržoras church are made without using a saw. Firry logs are processed only in an axe. Inside the church there are four altars.

Plokštinė Exposition of MilitarismPlokštine, Plunge district This exposition situates in Plokštinė forest, in the former thermonuclear rocket launching underground site of the Soviet Army. Many years it was a secret military object, veiled in contradictory stories and legends. Only few soldiers that had served in this base agreed to tell about it, and even while talking they did it very carefully and not much. The construction of this military base started in 1960. It was built by 10 000 soldiers – constructors. In 1962 this construction was fi nished. R-12 thermonuclear rockets, each 23 metres high including the head, were placed into 4 silos. In this exposition visitors may examine the 27 metre depth silo and other equipments, to see some attribute of the Soviet Army. 17

ROMANIA The country of culture...

BREAZA

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Breaza General Information

Breaza is the entrance gate in the picturesque Prahova Valley, only 10-15 Km far from Bucegi-Baiu mountain, completing the climate resorts series placed at the foot of the mountain or along the valley. The locality is situated in the North west of Prahova county, and most of its surface is placed on the terrace-s bridge situated at the right of Prahova river, at 500-550 m altitude,45 Km far from Ploieşti city, 100 km far from Bucharest and 70 Km from Braşov, on the old road which connects Transilvania and Bucharest. This road is used today by the railway artery no. 3 and the international road E60.

Natural environment The biggest part of the locality is covered by arborescent vegetation (orchards and forests), fact that determines a pleasant climate, with clean air and sufficient humidity. The human influence on the vegetation made the locality to become an orchard-city. The vegetation is represented by culture plants, especially fruit trees, parks and ornamental gardens. Due to the city’s position, the climate is temperate-continental, a gentile climate, without buzzards or extreme cold temperatures, with moderate humidity, which represent an important potential for the development of climatotherapy and tourism. “Breaza air”is often compared with the air from Davos. From Swiss Alps, and usually solves, specialists say, what medicines cannot solve when it comes for respiratory system’s diseases. The mineral water springs discovered from ancient time, received in 1873, at “Vienna Exhibition” the Honor Diploma for the special therapeutic qualities.

The culture In the cultural and historical patrimony of the city there is Tomna Cantacuzino manor house ,situated within the city’s park ,a building founded by the great sword bearer Toma Cantacuzino in the XVII-th century, with the help of some local craftmen, 5 churches out of which 3 are architectural monuments : the St Nicholas Church founded in 1777 by the ruler prince Alexander Ipsilanti ,the St. George Church build 19

in 1830 ,the ,,Transfiguration ‘’ (schimbarea la Fata ) ,ortodox church build in 1892 , the Heroes ‘ Cross from Gurga hills-an imposing cross of 11 m height ,built in 1930 in the commemoration of the solidiers killed in the World War I the Heroes ‘ Monument (an eagle obelisk ) from Breaza de jos ,the tryptich ‘’ Honor the ancestors’ memory from Breaza de sus and Capu Campului , over 100 years old houses which preserved the original Wallachian style ,the Barascu painting collection

Tourism The tourism is favored by the climatotherapy conditions, the pleasant landscape and the geographic position.

The accommodation capacity encompasses 127 places in 5 hotels and a motel ,and approximately 349 accommodation places in the 28 pensions and villas which offer excellent conditions of accommodation, alimentation and recreation time.

Tip toe is the representative of the symbol Breaza-Heroes Cross Monument in existence. We have indication that by the end of XIX century, the height was known as the Gruia Peak. Making use of philological explanations, meet the notion of 'tit'' as the top of a hill or a mountain, from the Latin ''gurgulio''. Certainly the name has its origins in the tit said, finding no other explanations.

Heroes Cross monument on the hill toe is representative for the locality and was raised in honour of the 365 heroes sacrifice, sons of the Breaza town, who fought in the War of Independence (1877-1878) and the First World War from 1914 to 1918. The Heroes Cross Monument has an impressive 11 meters and was built in 1930 on tit Hill. The Monument entitled, ''In honor of our forerunners' memory''. The Gurga Peak is 743m tall and offers splendid panoramic view of the Prahova Valley – 1 hour itinerary starting from the town center. 20

Club golf ‘’Lake Green'' Each of us need from time to time to escape, a place where we can relax and revitalize, away from the daily turmoil, just an hour away from Bucharest and 20 minutes of Sinaia, golf club "Lac de Verde is considered a pearl of Prahova, a resort that attracts every year more and more tourists.

So was born the Green Lake Golf Club, a green island of 24 hectares of pine forest, over 10,000 roses, botanical garden, a full color that delight the soul and eyes of those with us.

They can see during the spring and summer, but winter is nice because the relief of the hill, laden with snow.

The club is situated at an altitude of 700 meters Breaza climatic spa resort, known as the city with most sunny days of the year, and most clean and ionized air, compared with the Swiss resort of Davos.

Club features a golf course of 9 cups, training spaces (indoor and outdoor driving range), putting land, resort hotel with 20 rooms, conference rooms, reception salon, spa, fitness, restaurant.

It is the ideal place for anyone who wants to escape from time to time in a green haven to relax and revitalize. Located just one hour drive from Bucharest, in a natural setting, golf club "green lake" offers the highest quality services. 21

WALES (UK) Menai Bridge, the ’s cosmopolitan town

MENAI BRIDGE

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Menai Bridge

In the early 19 th Century ferries sailed across the treacherous Menai Straits connecting the Isle of Anglesey with the Welsh mainland, but the need to improve the link between Britain and Ireland posed one of the greatest engineering challenges of the age. When Thomas Telford completed his 7–year task of building the Menai Suspension Bridge in 1826 his magnificent achievement was celebrated throughout the land. A small town sprang up on the Anglesey shore. Livestock markets were held and wharves were busy with the sounds and smells of timber, fish and grain being unloaded.

Soon pleasure steamers were bringing the tourists to enjoy the sights of the little Welsh town, and to take refreshment in one of its many inns and teahouses. Of course, today Menai Bridge continues to welcome visitors from across the world. The Welsh name for Menai Bridge is Porthaethwy – the original name of the settlement before the Suspension Bridge was built. Porth is a ferry or crossing place whilst Aethwy was the name of the Celtic clan which once inhabited these parts. Possibly the best view of the Town is from the mainland where the port can be seen rising from the waterfront, backed by the larger houses of the ship-owners. This is the view that returning 18 th Century sailors would have been welcomed with.

Walking off the Suspension Bridge, a right turn towards leads the visitor down to the Victorian town centre, past the Victoria Hotel (1852). The English Presbyterian Church was built in 1888, its spire looking rather like a minaret of a mosque. In the centre of the Town long-established shops which have supplied the community since Victorian times cluster around Uxbridge Square, with narrow streets leading down to the waterfront. Until the Bridge was completed in 1826, ferries operated from here to the mainland. In Victorian times the wharves in front of the Liverpool Arms were owned by the Davies family of Treborth whose ships exported slates and carried emigrants away from the poverty of Wales; timber provided ballast for the return voyages. More recently paddle steamers laden with visitors from 23

Liverpool berthed at St George’s Pier. This is now the berth of Bangor University’s marine science research vessel – Prince Madog.

Today the Great Strait Raft Run is an eagerly-awaited annual event at the end of May. All manner of outlandish home-made rafts race under the two bridges to the finishing line on the Town’s waterfront. Traditional regattas, including the Round the Island Race , are also sailed on the during July and August. However, the Town’s longest-standing annual event dates back to 1691, well before the Suspension Bridge was built, when a pony fair was moved to Porthaethwy (as Menai Bridge was known then) from the mainland shore. Anglesey farmers were relieved not to have to risk their profits by swimming their animals across the turbulent waters of the Strait before a sale. Menai Bridge Fair ( Ffair y Borth ) became famous for its merrymaking and sideshows, and this continues to this day. Livestock are no longer sold, but a lively market and funfair keeps alive this 300 year old tradition, taking over the whole town on 24 October annually.

On crossing the Suspension Bridge, visitors arriving by car will catch a glimpse to the left of swirling waters, a wooded headland and an old church on a small island. Once on Anglesey, the road ahead passes the Anglesey Arms Hotel (1830) and a supermarket which stands on the site of the former livestock market. St Mary’s Church (1858) stands on a grassy hillock opposite. A former school room adjacent to the church now houses the Thomas Telford Bridges & Heritage Exhibition.

A recommended gentle walk (45 minutes) Make your way to the car park past the supermarket on the left and walk through Coed Cyrnol along good paths with plenty of picnic places to Church Island through the tall Scots pine trees …. you may see red squirrels nibbling the cones. St Tysilio founded a religious cell on Church Island in 630 AD, and the present church was built over 600 years ago. Steps to the highest point of Church Island lead to the Town’s War Memorial. From here is the best view of the Britannia Bridge carrying the 24

A55 expressway and the railway to the port of , and thence to Ireland. Take the oak-fringed path that follows the seashore – known as the Belgian Promenade - and walk under Telford’s Suspension Bridge, past anglers fishing for bass in the whirlpools. Belgian Promenade was constructed by First World War refugees from Belgium as a mark of gratitude to the people of Menai Bridge. Where this Promenade joins Beach Road is a secluded shingle beach once popular with Victorian bathers. A kiln behind the beach supplied lime during the construction of the Suspension Bridge.

Pass under the Bridge and continue along Beach Road, past the Town’s picturesque bowling green from which can be seen the eastern mouth of the Menai Strait, and into the Town Centre. Turn right at the Liverpool Arms pub and though the gateway to Menai Bridge Pier. The gardens above the Pier provide another vantage point to appreciate the Town’s fine setting. Menai Bridge Town invites exploration of its peaceful Victorian streets. Picturesque cottages and neat terraced houses take their places side by side with fine chapels, pubs and tearooms. The High Street shops offer a remarkable diversity of quality goods and services for the visitor and resident alike.

Return to Coed Cyrnol Car Park from Uxbridge Square - a 7 minute walk – along the main road, passing the Victoria Hotel, the English Presbyterian Church and the Anglesey Arms Hotel.

Further information about Menai Bridge may be found on the Town website – www.menaibridge.org or from the Town Clerk (Mrs Linda Fraser-Williams) at the Town Council Office in Wood Street (telephone 00 44 1248 716959).