Cymdeithas Parc Bannau Brycheiniog
Brecon Beacons Park Society
www.breconbeaconsparksociety.org

NEWS ARCHIVE

2007

Annual General Meeting 2007

The 15^th Annual General Meeting of the Brecon Beacons Park Society will start at 11.30 a.m. on Saturday 2^nd June 2007 in the study room of the National Park’s visitor centre at the Craig-y-nos Country Park.  This is by the A4067 at GR SN 840155.  There is a car park at the visitor centre for which the half day charge is £1.50; if this is full, there will be overflow parking nearby. 

 Before the Meeting tour of Craig-y-nos Castle at 10.30 a.m.
We have been able to arrange for Park Society members and their guests to be taken on a short tour of Craig-y-nos Castle before the AGM, meeting at the entrance, five minutes walk down the road from the Visitor Centre, at 10.30 a.m.   The castle has a fascinating story and is well known as the former home of Adelina Patti, the opera singer.  If you would like to take part in this tour, there is a small charge of £2.00 per person, payable in advance.

Lunch at Pen-y-Cae Inn at 1.00 p.m.
We have arranged to have a buffet lunch at Pen-y-Cae Inn which is a mile and a half down the A4067, southwards from Craig-y-nos, on the right hand side.  The Inn has recently been refurbished and we shall have either a room or a marquee for our own use.  Parking (without charge!) is up the drive immediately before the Inn.  Lunch will cost £10.00 per person, payable in advance.

After-Lunch Walks from Pen-y-Cae Inn at 2.00 p.m.
We have a choice of two after-lunch walks, both aiming to leave Pen-y-Cae Inn at 2.00 p.m.  For a gentle stroll, join Nigel Phillips on “So what is a sheep walk?”  For a more vigorous afternoon, join Clive Eiles on “Adelina Patti’s Road and John Christie’s Tram”.  Details of both walks are shown in the June Guided Walks Programme.

After-Walk Teas at Pen-y-Cae Inn about 4.30 p.m.
Tea and cakes will be waiting to refresh us when we get back to Pen-y-Cae Inn.  Pay as you go for this.

More details about the AGM from Roger White, Hon. Secretary rogerwhiteuk@hotmail.com 

A Memorial to John Sansom

John Sansom, who died on 24th June 2006, was a founder member of the Park Society and Hon. Secretary for many years.
To commemorate his immense contribution to the development of the Society, there will be a weekend of special events in April 2007.
Details as follows: 

Friday 13th April: 
2.00pm - 5.00pm, a guided walk, starting from the public car park opposite Llangynidr village hall looking at a drystone-walling project that John was very much involved with, led by Ken Young.
7.00pm - 9.00pm, A 'Tribute to John' evening in the snooker room at the Castle Hotel, Brecon. Speakers will include William Gibbs, who will illustrate John's involvement with, and enthusiasm for, drystone-walling around Llangynidr and the prestigious 'Beacons Art Project', and Nigel Phillips on John's immense efforts in creating 'The Beacons Way' long distance walk across the National Park.

Saturday 14th April:
12.00pm - 4.00pm, a guided walk (meet at the public car park opposite Llangynidr village hall) along part of 'The Beacons Way' to find the recently installed memorial (by Panico Theodosiou) to John Sansom. John's wife will scatter his ashes nearby and the party will return to the Bear Hotel.
4.00pm - 6.30pm, afternoon tea will be served in the function room of the Bear Hotel, followed by a short ceremony marking John's life and times and a chance to see pictures (by Chris Barber) of the memorial stone and its location in the Cwm-gu valley. Speakers will include: Mary Taylor, Chair of the Brecon Beacons National Park Authority, Robert King, former Society Treasurer and Haydn Williams and Frank Cook, former Society Chairmen. Transport back to Llangynidr village hall will be provided at 6.30pm.

Sunday 15th April:
9.30am - 6.00pm, a guided walk, led by Charles and Helen Henderson, meeting at Crickhowell High School car park, along one of John's favourite sections of 'The Beacons Way': Day Two, Llanthony Priory to Crickhowell, 20.5km (12.7 miles) 961 metres of ascent (3152ft) Strenuous

All members are welcome to attend any of the events but will need to book with Clive Eiles (01550 740188) for the 'Tribute to John' evening at the Castle Hotel, with Nigel Phillips (01639 730179) to register for transport for the Saturday events, and with Jim Wilson (01291 691184) to reserve a place on the minibuses which will be required for the Sunday linear walk.

2006

Devastation on Mynydd Bach Trecastell

On 13th October 2006, Park Society member Mary Lewis, who attended the  National Grid presentation of 7th October (see below) was walking on Mynydd Bach Trecastell when she noticed large areas of damage obviously caused by 4 wheel drive vehicles. She returned, with others, on 17th October and was amazed to find that the damage was being caused by vehicles driven by National Grid's Archaeological Contractors who were marking-out locations for the digging of trial pits, in advance of pipeline laying operations. Mary immediately reported her observations to Park Society Executive members who, in turn, alerted National Park Wardens and RSK ENSR Environment Ltd, who are the main National Grid Contractors for the western part of the Felindre to Tirley Pipeline.
National Grid have since stopped all further work in the area whilst an investigation is carried out and the Park Society Executive have written to Alistair Darling, MP, Secretary of State for Trade and Industry and Carwyn Jones, Minister for Environment Planning and Countryside at the Welsh Assembly Government, asking for the whole pipeline project to be reconsidered.
The Park Society have also issued a Press Release on this matter.

You can view the full text of the letter to Alistair Darling, together with pictures of the damage caused and a complete version of the Park Society's responses to the various National Grid consultation documents by clicking below: 

National Grid Presents Pipeline Plans 

On 7th October 2006, representatives from National Grid and their Contractors gathered at the Community Centre in Trecastle to explain their plans for a huge 1220mm diameter Natural Gas Pipeline, part of which will be buried under the environmentally sensitive areas of Mynydd Myddfai and Mynydd Bach Trecastell, within the Brecon Beacons National Park.
The presentation was arranged by Clive Eiles for members of the Park Society and their friends, including representatives from the Brecknock Wildlife Trust and local Community groups.
The Park Society has consistently opposed routing of the pipeline through the National Park and is anxious to ensure that, should the installation happen, that National Grid will make every effort to return this wild and beautiful area to its natural condition.
After two hours of explanation, questions and visual presentations covering strategic issues, environmental, ecological and archaeological concerns, National Grid transported members of the audience up to the mountain to view and walk part of the proposed route of the Pipeline.
This was the first of a series of visits which are planned to the area, the next one being during the construction phase and subsequent visits will look at the effectiveness of the attempted regeneration process. 

More details about subsequent visits from: Clive Eiles, Brecon Beacons Park Society Special Events Secretary 
telephone: 01550 740188 e-mail: clive.eiles@ukgateway.net