FFOREST FAWR fforest fawr GEOPARK geopark news Festival Fun! Last year’s European Geoparks Fortnight has become the Fforest Fawr Geopark Festival in 2009. The festival celebrates the diversity of Fforest Fawr Geopark – its people, its rocks, its history and its wildlife. With 20 events across the western half of the National Park, there should be something to interest everyone – visitor or resident. This year sees walks arranged by the National Trust and Brecknock Wildlife Trust on the northern slopes of the central Beacons and in the Taff valley. Groups who have been involved previously such as the Brecon Beacons Park Society, Cymdeithas Edward Llwyd and Cardiff and Swansea Universities are busy again and of course National Park wardens and volunteers will again be delivering a range of high quality interpretive walks throughout the Geopark. Highlights of this year’s programme include the exhibition ‘Space to Place’ by environmental artist Sandra Masterson, at Brecknock Museum and Art Gallery and a talk by Cambridge academic Peter Raby at Theatr Brycheiniog on the life of that ‘other Darwin’ and locally born giant of Victorian science - Alfred Russel Wallace. Check out the ‘What’s on’ section of the website at www.fforestfawrgeopark.org.uk/ for details of these and other events, pick up an events brochure or phone 01874 623366. The Festival runs from Saturday 23rd May to Sunday 7th June. fforest fawr geopark news issue five summer 2009 Explosive times! Bags for Bugs There is no shortage of teenagers visiting Down at Pontneddfechan, the National Waterfall Country, however the majority Park Authority’s education team have come to climb, cave and gorge-walk on developed Geo-rucksacks that can be organised adventurous activities. This age hired from the Waterfalls Centre to group can sometimes miss out on encourage families and school groups to fascinating stories if the literature available explore the is aimed at adults so the National Park Geopark. Authority set out to engage with them. A focus group with the target audience The sacks, helped shape the product which is which are targeted at 14-16 year olds. small enough to be carried The result was ‘Explosive Times’ - an by a young innovative new graphic novel which child, contain aims to make the disused buildings of ID charts, the Gunpowder Works near binoculars, Pontneddfechan cool. It is equally bug magnifiers intended to be an educational and other resource to support Industrial and child friendly equipment to discover Social History within the Welsh what plants and animals live in the Curriculum. woodland gorges surrounding the The publication features Manga style A ‘Black Mountain Map’ was drawn which brought together waterfalls. An explorer activity booklet illustrations and provides an insight into many of the local places and stories which the community valued. containing games and activities for the process of gunpowder making Image by Alice Farnworth of Creu-ad. families and school groups will also be whilst conveying a sense of what it Dig up the Black Mountain available, free of charge. would have been like to work there in The gorges carved out in this area by the 1880’s. Water safety was also March saw the Black Mountain Centre in Brynaman packed with local people, Mess-up-the-Mess performed a spoken piece, both focussing on the Lady the Mellte, Hepste and Nedd Fechan incorporated – a key message for this each of whom had come to ‘dig up the Black Mountain’. This was the name of of the Lake story. Pleasingly, there were also impromptu singing and rivers are all protected as ‘Special age group. a whole day given over to delving into the area’s history. With experts on hand poetry recitals from members of the audience. The RSPB were in Areas for Conservation’ on account to assist, people swapped stories about the mining heritage of the area and attendance whilst the Friends of Ynys Dawela Nature Reserve provided a of their lichens, mosses and liverworts Pick up a copy for free from any of the brought in artefacts ranging from old photos to - rather older - rocks. small display on the wildlife interest of this site just to the west of Brynaman. which thrive in the damp conditions National Park Information centres within provided by the thick cover of sessile Members of local history society, Treftadaeth Brynaman Heritage were Speaking of the event, Colin Jones, chairman of Treftadeth Brynaman the area. oak trees. There is in turn a rich insect kept busy scanning various items that had been brought in whilst staff from Heritage commented that ‘It was a good day for the Black Mountain and life lurking amongst the ferns and both Trysor and Dyfed Archaeological Trust talked about the extraordinary all who live and work within its shadow’. Shelagh Hourahane of Creu-ad, wood fescue. wealth of monuments which decorate the landscapes of the Black the heritage interpretation consultants engaged to put the day together Mountain. Dr Tony Ramsay, scientific director of the Geopark revealed expressed her pleasure at working with such a vibrant community. For more information contact the Centre on 01639 721795. a long-standing interest of his as he explored before an audience the The day whilst successful in its own right is the start of a process and not the legend of Culhwch and Olwen, its local relevance and its European end. The National Park Authority and local community hope to be able to connections. develop Geopark walks and displays based around what came out of Rock & Pop-ups Lynne Denman who sings with Ffynnon, sang a traditional song ‘digging up the Black Mountain’. accompanied by Jason Lawday on flute whilst local youth theatre group The Geopark has recently ExploreEExplo Fforest Fawr lore FfFforeest FFawwr GeoparkGGeopparkk DarganfyddwchDar y gaanfydddwch y GeoparcGGeoparrc acquired a new New look website Ten years of Beacons Bus FforeFforestest Fawrr ‘So‘So manyma ways to enjoy spectacular set of ‘pop-up’ any ways too enjoy speectacular mountains,mountaains waterfalls and caves’ , waterrfalls and cavesc ’ Beacons Bus is with us again for the summer. ‘Gymaint‘GymaiGymaint o ffyrddffyrdd i fwynhau mynyddoedd, d i fwynhauu mynyddooedd displays for Geopark rhaeadraurhaeaddrau ac ogogofau gwych’ , gofau gwyych’ Running every Sunday and bank holiday Monday from 24th May through to the 27th September, there are promoting The Geopark website has recently been several services which operate across the Geopark. Not the least of these is the B13 Geopark Circular which Fforest Fawr. redesigned. It now sports a new, fresher runs from Brecon via Craig-y-nos Country Park, the Waterfalls Centre at Pontneddfechan, Penderyn, Storey These are look and some additional content with Arms and the National Park Visitor Centre at Libanus. available for more to come. Take a look at www.travelbreconbeacons.info, ring 01873 853254 or pick up a brochure to find out more. exhibitions, fairs Visit the new Geopark pages on-line and other public at www.fforestfawrgeopark.org.uk and occasions. see for yourself. There are sections on Other events Please contact places to visit, events in the Geopark, There are opportunities for the public to get to grips with the Geopark throughout the year. AlaA lalandscapeandscap pe TirweddTirweddd aa lun luniwydlunniwydiwyd Alan Bowring, geology and wildlife, history and shapeshapeded by rocrock The National Park Authority publishes a ‘Visitor Guide’ each year which includes details of events taking place ck gan y graig Geopark archaeology. Phase 2 of the re-design both within the Geopark and elsewhere, many of which have a geological, archaeological, cultural or natural Development later in 2009 will bring in interactive history content. Just look up ‘guided walks’ on the Authority’s website at www.breconbeacons.org Officer on 01874 620415 if you think you mapping with downloadable walks could use them at your event. amongst other exciting new features. fforest fawr geopark news issue five summer 2009 fforest fawr geopark news issue five summer 2009 Here Be Goblins! What is a Geopark? A Geopark has Waterfall Country is very popular with keen walkers and outdoor pursuit a rich geological providers but can be a challenging place to visit, especially for those with heritage, a local young families or mobility impairments. community With these visitors in mind the National which values that Park Authority has developed heritage and a two audio trails which follow strategy to make the old tramway to Sgwd the most of it, for Gwladus waterfall discovering example through the fascinating geology and developing industrial heritage along the sustainable way. There is one trail for tourism. adults and another, guided Fforest Fawr met all those criteria in 2005 by the forgetful goblin and so was accepted into both the Euro- Gwladus, specifically pean and Global Geoparks Networks over designed for children. Visitors three years ago. Comprising the western wanting to find out about the half of the Brecon Beacons National Park, it wildlife and the area’s is the first such area to be designated in conservation designations Wales. There are currently 34 Geoparks in can download a podcast. Europe and numerous others across the Titled ‘Waterfalls and Wildlife’, world from China to Brazil. Fforest Fawr is it gives a useful introduction truly world-class! to the area. Visit www.europeangeoparks.org These are the first downloadable audio trails for the Geopark and indeed for the whole National Park. You’ll find them, in English and Welsh, on the Welcome to the web at www.breconbeacons.org Isle of Anglesey Exploring with ease Fforest Fawr Geopark extends a big welcome Recent visitors to the five main car parks in Waterfalls Country will have to Geo Mon – Wales’ second Geopark. Geo come across brand new ‘Welcome Mon became a member of the European and Point’ panels.