Category: News
The Trip of a Lifetime? The Galapagos
Inspired by David Attenborough’s 3 part documentary, and the tales of friends who visited 15 years ago, we decided our retirement present would be a trip to the Islands of Tortoises, better known as the Galapagos Islands. Situated in the Pacific Ocean, some 600 miles off the west coast of Ecuador, the Galapagos were, of course, made famous by Charles Darwin who, having visited them, came up with his theory of evolution, “The Origin of the Species”.
We flew to Quito which is situated in the foothills of the Andes. At 9,500 feet, it is the second highest capital in the world (for quiz buffs – La Paz, Bolivia is the highest). The city was founded in the 16th century on the ruins of an Inca city. It has the best preserved, least altered historic centre in Latin America and has been declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. The Spanish colonial buildings dating back some 500 years are impressive but it’s the interior of the Jesuit cathedral of La Compania that sticks in the mind for its gold leaf work, gilded plaster and wood carvings.
It’s just over a 2 hour flight from Quito to the Galapagos Islands and from there we took a short bus and boat ride to our cruise ship which became our home for the next 7 nights.
All 19 islands of the Galapagos are there as a result of repeated volcanic activity – they simply rose up from the seabed. This, and their isolation from the mainland, begs the question as to how they have come to be inhabited by such a variety of plants, animals and birds, some of which are found nowhere else in the world. The theory is that their ancestors were somehow brought here by the sea currents; the islands being located at the confluence of 3 ocean currents. The same theory goes for the birds – though substitute air currents for sea.
In order to survive the inhospitable volcanic terrain the animals and birds learnt to adapt; those that didn’t, so the theory goes, died. Some of the iguanas learnt to swim and forage in the sea for food; the marine iguanas can now drink seawater and snort the excess salt out through their nostrils. The cormorants found that they didn’t need their wings and these shortened over time so that the birds are now flightless. In order to survive the heat the penguins became shorter. And the famous Darwin finches? Well, over time the size and shape of their beaks changed on the different islands, in order toaccess the different types of food available to them.
The isolation of the islands and so few predators means that the wildlife have little fear of humans. Talk about getting up close and personal. We were told to keep at least 8 feet away from the animals – the problem was that no-one tells them that. And sea-lion pups are very inquisitive and very cute; and so your head tells you to back away as they come up to you whilst your heart says other things. I could certainly see from their lack of fear how the dodo came to be extinct in Mauritius. The giant tortoise was lucky not to have suffered a similar fate. Pirates and whalers came to the Galapagos from the 18th century and the tortoises provided them with an easy supply of fresh meat. The guide told us that they were taken back to the ships alive and then stacked upside down for ease of storage. In that cruel state they could survive for up to a year!
Ecuador appreciates the uniqueness of its islands and has got its act together on the ecotourism front. Fifteen of the 19 islands are uninhabited and form the Galapagos National Park, which, in 1979, became the first UNESCO World Heritage Site. Around 30,000 people live on the islands and some 2000,000 tourists visit each year. Tourism is strictly regulated. We went everywhere with guides who were born in the Galapagos, had been educated to university standard and really knew their stuff. They were very friendly and so obviously enjoyed sharing their knowledge of the islands with us. Having said that anyone who strayed off the path or lagged behind to take that extra photograph, my husband included, was suitably chastised!
We saw so many wonderful things. The highlights for me on land were spotting our first blue footed booby and seeing an albatross nesting with its egg. In the ocean it was snorkelling with sea turtles and watching a marine iguana feed off the seabed. The sea was beautifully clear but freezing, even with a wetsuit. With minimum light pollution the night sky was also something special. We stared open-mouthed up at a very bright and sparkling Milky Way.
Well – was it a trip of a lifetime? Only time will tell of course …. but it will take some beating. Our next trip? Well that’s slightly closer to home. We’re off to beautiful West Wales – fingers crossed on the weather front and spotting a dolphin.
Cycling In Wales
Cycling has hit the headlines in the last weeks because of the fantastic success of the GB cycling team in the Olympics in Rio. With Welsh wizards like Geraint Thomas, Becky James, Owain Doull and Elinor Barker cycling in Wales is gaining a very high profile. Watching the Olympics on television has been exciting and dramatic and it will probably result in an upsurge of interest in cycling in the months to come.
Cycling has long been popular in South Wales as there are many miles of very suitable roads as well as off-road routes which often run along disused rail lines such as parts of the Taff Trail from Cardiff to Merthyr Tydfil. In Wales generally and whether you are an experienced cyclist, a family with children, or thinking about becoming a cycle commuter, the National Cycle Network offers many opportunities for travel, and discovery. There are over 1,200 miles of National Cycle Network in Wales alone, which carry 29 million cycling trips a year. Whatever your age or fitness, getting out on the Network is a great way to keep healthy, save money, and – most importantly – have fun! The National Cycle Network (NCN) is the national cycling route network of the United Kingdom, which was established to encourage cycling throughout Britain, as well as for the purposes of bicycle touring. It was created by the charity Sustrans who were aided by a £42.5 million National Lottery grant. The 14,000 mile network has recorded over 230 million trips a year. The Sustrans website is www.sustrans.org.uk
Road cycling and racing is particularly popular and here in Wenvoe we are fortunate to have the Wenvoe Wheelers. The Wenvoe Wheelers were established earlier this year and the Club has answered the need for a riding club for people living in the Eastern end of the Vale as well as the West end of Cardiff. It was developed from an idea by 4 friends riding in Mallorca in early April 2016. Wenvoe Wheelers now has approximately 60 regular riding members who ride out from Wenvoe every Tuesday evening and Saturday morning. In addition they run rides on Sunday's which go further. They are a very mixed bunch in terms of experience and offer beginner rides once a month, and have an intermediate pace ride and steady paced rides. Wenvoe Wheelers now have their own distinct cycling kit now supplied by Pactimo. The Club has an equal number of men and women so this shows that the group is open to all and they are always happy to take in new or experienced riders. For further information please contact: Rob Harrison the social and membership secretary by email wenvoewheelers@gmail.com
Wenvoe Wheelers recommend Gerard Davies for servicing and parts, he runs Stone House Bikes in Barry. To buy a bike the following shops in Cardiff are recommended Cyclopaedia, Tredz and Sunset Cycles. Halfords is also good for Cycle to Work schemes, and many independent bike shops now accept Halfords Cycle to Work vouchers so the customer has a massive choice of makes and types of bikes. When it comes to refreshment Wenvoe Wheelers use the following coffee stops in the Vale – Cafe Velo in Llantwit, The Pottery Cafe in Ewenny, Hilary and Iain by sea in Ogmore, cafe Nero in Cowbridge and Porthkerry park cafe.
Riders who like to really get off road can take advantage of the excellent Mountain Bike Centres in Wales. These provide exhilarating trails and stunning scenery, and with easy access they have made Mountain Biking in Wales one of the best adventure sports available in the country. Many of the trails start at a Mountain Biking Centre; a purpose built centre is a dedicated single site Mountain Biking location, with a visitor centre and MTB facilities serving multiple way marked trails of varying difficulty. Here in South Wales we have mountain bike centres at Cwmcarn, Afan Forest Park and Bike Park Wales at Abercanaid near Merthyr Tydfil.
London Trip – Final Notice
IN THE ARENA
A Free Curry Night for Men!
Wenvoe Arms – 7.30pm Thursday July 21st
Blokes are invited for a curry and what’s better is Vale Village Church are going to pay for it! In The Arena is a chance to get together with your mates, meet new ones, eat food, have a drink and listen to an incredible speaker. Gerrit Bantjes is a brilliant communicator. He has been a paratrooper in the British Army and fitness coach to Cardiff Rugby Club, as well as being a loving husband and dad. But most importantly for this event, he brings not just compelling wisdom and stories – but also compassion and an understanding that whether we are young or old, single or married, fulfilled in life or desperate for change – we can gain practical help on our journey together.
Come along and hear his inspirational story. Tickets are free but book in advance so we can ensure there is enough curry and poppadoms!
Call Gary Smith or email him on gary@igniteme.org
The Village Show 2016
Entry for the Wenvoe Village Show are limited to residents of the Wenvoe Community (Wenvoe, Parc y Gwenfo, Twyn-y-Odyn, St Lythans, Dyffryn) and children who attend the village school. Anyone who has regular connections with a village organisation but resides outside the community boundary and would like to submit an entry should contact the organisers. Contact via wenvoescoutgroup@googlemail.com or any of the section leaders.
The maximum number of entries per person in any one category is two. Previously entered items are acceptable if they failed to win a prize previously. Full details will be published in the September ‘What’s On’ 2016 Categories
Fruit & Vegetable – best examples of,
1. Apples – 3 cookers
2. Apples – 3 eaters,
3. Tomatoes (standard size)- 3 same type
4. Tomatoes (cherry) – 3 same type
5. Other fruit – minimum of 5
6. Beetroot – three
7. Carrots – three
8. Onions – three
9. Potatoes – three
10. Runner bean – three
11. Shallots – three
12. Chillies – three
13. Any other vegetable – One (unless smaller than a medium sized onion then 3 items should be submitted for judging)
Vegetables – whoppers
14. Runner bean – longest
15. Cucumber – longest
16. Marrow – biggest
17. Onion – largest
18 Potato – largest
19. Misshapen vegetable – funniest shape- a caption must also be provided.
Culinary
20. 4 Scones
21. 6 Welsh cakes
22. Fruit Cake (own recipe)
23. Quiche – own choice
24. Victoria jam sponge
25. Lemon Drizzle Cake
26. Men Only – Plain vanilla fudge, 8 cubes
27. Bread (Handmade)
28. Bread (Machine made)
29. Fruit Jam – sweet
30. Fruit jam – bitter
31. Jelly Preserve
32. Marmalade
33. Chutney (any type)
34. Eggs (home produced) – 3 matched
35. Homemade drink. Soft or alcoholic – beer, wine etc.
Craft
36. Tied bunch of flowers from your garden
37. Best house plant
38. Handwriting (adult) – 1 to 35 of the Village Show categories
39. Needlepoint/cross-stitch etc
40. Knitted or cross stitch item
41. Painting/Drawing
42. A wooden craft item.
43 Any other craft item.
Photography – unmounted and no larger than 7” x 5”. Do not write on reverse side please.
44. Tree or trees
45. A four legged friend
46. Water
47. Family
48. Circular
Children’s Section – all items MUST be produced by the child
49. Home baked – favourite cake.
50. Home baked – favourite biscuits.
51. Drawing or painting of an animal.
52. Handwriting – an extract from my favourite story book (about 25 words).
53. Craft – junk model.
54. Photographs – "My best picture taken in the last year". (The picture must have been taken by the child.)
55. Pre-school child – Piece of art or craft.
Limerick
56. The limerick – first line must be:- ‘The was an old dog ……..
Gardens in South Wales well worth a summer visit
In summer everyone enjoys a colourful garden and the bigger the better. Wenvoe What’s On has in the past covered the joys of the National Garden Scheme which covers private gardens, fine as they are, which are open only a limited basis. This article is about three large gardens which are open to the public for much of the year. They are all within an hour’s drive of Wenvoe and each one has a café to revive weary visitors.
Aberglasney was made famous by the BBC television series “A Garden Lost in Time”. Today it is quite simply one of Wales’ finest gardens. A renowned plantsman’s paradise with a unique Elizabethan cloister garden at its heart, Aberglasney offers the opportunity to explore more than 10 acres of magnificent gardens, along with the fully restored ground floor of Aberglasney’s grade II* listed mansion.
The house and gardens have had a chequered life. Uninhabited, neglected and vandalised over the years, Aberglasney was on the brink of collapse when it was rescued from oblivion in 1995. The house and gardens were bought by the Aberglasney Restoration Trust and thanks to the generosity of individual donors, trust funds, charitable donations and grant money from many statutory bodies a tremendous amount of work was done in a very short time.
Aberglasney finally opened to the public on the 4th of July 1999. Aberglasney is located near Llangathen in Carmarthenshire’s beautiful Tywi Valley. You will find it just off the A40, 15 minutes from the county town of Carmarthen and 5 minutes from the market town of Llandeilo. Further information is at the website http://aberglasney.org/.
The National Botanic Garden of Wales is set in the beautiful Carmarthenshire countryside, the Garden is a fascinating blend of the modern and historic. Here you’ll find an inspiring range of themed gardens, the magnificent glasshouse, play areas and a national nature reserve, all set in a Regency landscape which provides the stage for a packed programme of events and courses throughout the year.
This very large garden offers a wide range of visitor amenities with a very good shop, café and restaurant. It has good disabled access and mobility scooters are available for hire. The huge glasshouse is the largest single-span great glasshouse in the world and houses the largest collection of Mediterranean plants in the Northern Hemisphere.
The Garden is situated 10 minutes from the M4 and 2 minutes from the A48 in Carmarthenshire, mid-way between Cross Hands and Carmarthen. For Satnav users the postcode is SA32 8HN. It takes just under an hour to drive there from Wenvoe. More details are available at https:// botanicgarden.wales/
Dewstow hidden gardens and grottoes are rather closer to Wenvoe and it takes only about half an hour to drive there. These wonderful gardens, and their unlikely grottoes, are one of the most exciting horticultural finds of recent years. In 1893 Henry Oakley bought the estate with house and gardens.
He was a rich bachelor and set about creating a glorious garden which, after his death, fell into decline. It has recently been restored and now offers visitors three main attractions. There is a very large rock garden with a wide variety of plants and shrubs, underneath that there is an extensive labyrinth of grottoes with ferns, flowers, waterfalls and fountains.
Then in front of the house there is an area of ponds and walkways and a further grotto. Dewstow has a splendid, if small, café which offers a good range of sweet and savoury foods. To find Dewstow gardens drive to Caerwent and then, from the middle of town, follow the signs to the garden. Further details can be found at the Dewstow website www.dewstowgardens.co.uk
Parish News
ST. MARY’S PARISH CHURCH NEWS
CHURCH HALL FOR SALE IN THE NEAR FUTURE.
A recent special meeting of the PCC was convened to discuss how St. Mary’s church could be made to fit the changing nature of the church. How we use it for worship and to what other uses the building could accommodate church activities in the future. Over a hundred years ago, the building we use today was greatly changed, and has been a wonderful resource in the village for so many memorable events. The Church Hall or the Reading Room, as so many of the older village people will recall was originally set up by the Jenner family to help with the education of the men folk in the village. It was used in the evenings as a recreational room with a piano and games etc. Then gradually the building became known as the Church Hall and was eventually gifted to St Mary’s Church for our use. Over the years, much has been done to improve the building, including a disabled toilet and a new kitchen and heating system, but now it needs more work and under the guidance of Jon, our priest, it was felt that the time was ripe to sell the building for residential use and use the proceeds of the sale to build an extension to the west end of the church, where we could bring the “Pebbles “ group into the church. Other plans will include toilets, kitchen and a meeting room together with much needed accessible storage space within the tower. These are the plans for the future, and much discussion will take place before we see any definite plans of what is possible when considering any alternation to our 12th century listed building.
Messy Church turned out to Messy Sports in the grounds of the village school on Saturday July 2nd The weather was wet in the morning but cleared up in the afternoon when some 70 mums, dads and their children turned up to a programme of outdoor activities including a water game with plenty of water and liquid soap. The afternoon closed with hotdogs etc around the camp fire, prayers and singing. A great occasion, well planned and thanks go to all who organised this time of fun with parents and others who have the welfare and care of the children at heart.
The Church in Wales has recently produced a document called the Church in Wales Safeguarding Policy and this has been on the agenda of a recent PCC meeting. It was wholeheartedly adopted and Mrs Jen Ford is our safeguarding officer for the parish. This policy sets out the way forward to keep our young children, teenagers and all vulnerable people safe when faced with any abuse in their lives, and can only be commended for all who call themselves Christians.
The Parish Magazine is being relaunched as from September. Our present editor Mr Byron Williams feels it is time he gave up the responsibility of the quarterly magazine, so it has been decided that we take this opportunity to combine our magazine with the Parish of Sully. It will now become a monthly magazine and will be on sale in our two churches on the first Sunday of each month at a price of 50p per copy. This is another way of bringing the activities of all our parishes together so that we can be more aware of what is going on within our part of the Ministry Area. I have agreed to be the co-ordinator of the Wenvoe contribution and if we are to establish a meaningful Wenvoe connection I will need to have contributions from our different sections within St Mary’s and to publicise the events we are planning during the year. It remains the intention of the PCC to circularise the whole of the parish at Christmas and Easter, details of our services to celebrate these great events in the life of the church in Wenvoe and St. Lythan’s
The Scarecrow Festival is planned for the weekend of the 24th September, which will also be our Harvest Festival. Last year’s event was a great success with many amusing entries to be seen and judged. This year we want it to be bigger and better, so thinking caps on and bring your entry along, and join in the fun. It is not the winning but entering that matters. Good luck.
The Barn Dance planned for the Autumn has been postponed to the Spring of 2017 due to a number of reasons. However, we look forward to this fund raising family event, the proceeds being split between the fund for Romeo and St.Mary’s Building fund.
Lastly our “Pebbles Group” enjoyed a super picnic and sports at Porthkerry Park on Sunday the 17th July as they wrapped up a terrific year’s activities, Sunday by Sunday in term time. The group has seen a steady growth in Mums and Dads bringing their children to take part in craft activities featuring the gospel message for the day. Once again many thanks go to their organiser Mrs Alison Williams for the time she and her helpers put in to bring our children too knowledge of all the Bible stories and prayers and songs.
With every blessing Parry Edwards
Send us your story
Could you write an article for the What’s On magazine?
We can only fill the pages by you, the readers, giving us material to include. What have you done in the last month? Been on holiday, attended a meeting, done something new, visited an interesting location etc why not tell others.
To include an item in the magazine just send it to a member of the production team or if you have not got computer access you can put it in the Whats On box in Springfield Store and we will aim to get it typed.
We look forward in anticipation.
Wenvoe Website
The site has been down for a few weeks but hopefully by publication date it will be up and running again. The site has been looked after by Len Jones since it was built.
Following Len’s death we now have anybody to look after the day to day running of the site. The builder of the web page, Phil, is prepared to train a new local site operator.
If you would be prepared to manage this community facility please contact Ian Moody (see the Wenvoe Directory) or contact the Clerk to the Council.