Water buffalos – the latest in Welsh wildlife management
Wales has always been known as a wildlife haven but on the Teifi Marshes an altogether different type of animal can be seen. The Wildlife Trust for South and West Wales has enlisted the help of some special land managers - water buffalo! The buffalo now live on the Teifi Marshes and use their horns to tear at bramble, nettle and young blackthorn which threaten to encroach upon the marsh, whilst their wide hooves and bulk trample and suppress bracken, which usually makes these areas inaccessible for other animals. They also keep pools and streams open, essential not only for resident and migratory birds, but also amphibians such as frogs and toads, and the huge population of damsel and dragonflies. Visitors can walk the marshes on specially constructed boardwalks to view all this beautiful wildlife, including the buffalo, as they work away at keeping the marsh in good shape for everyone. www.welshwildlife.org
Kate Humble opens café and shop in Monmouthshire, South Wales
TV presenter Kate Humble has opened a new café and shop at her Monmouthshire farm, Humble by Nature, which opened in 2012. The farm runs specialist courses in animal husbandry, rural skills and cookery, hosts food events, and also offers country stays in a range of self-catering accommodation. The new café, open on Fridays and weekends, will be stocked with local produce including jams and marmalades made by the Preservation Society and will also sell cakes created by pupils at Trellech Primary School after its pupils won a Humble by Nature baking contest. www.humblebynature.com
New stops on Back-Roads Touring’s ‘Wonders of Wales’ Tour
Small group tour specialist Back-Roads Touring has announced four new stops on its 2015 ‘Wonders of Wales’ Tour - Aberaeron, Castewll Henllys, St Davids and Tenby. With maximum groups of just 18 people, Back-Roads Touring take its guests off the beaten track along hidden, back roads to the medieval villages and the smallest town squares full of stories and character. The seven day tour of Wales allows guests to learn the ancient Welsh language, listen to the dulcet tones of a Welsh male voice choir and explore many historic Welsh attractions. The Wonder of Wales 2015 tour costs £1,395 per person and includes transportation, accommodation, daily full Welsh breakfast, three evening meals, entrance fees to attractions and multiple activities. www.backroadstouring.com
Wales Millennium Centre celebrates 10 years of success with an ambitious powerhouse vision
The Wales Millennium Centre, the national centre for the performing arts, has announced the first elements of its 10th anniversary celebratory programme. Graeme Farrow – the man behind the hugely successful Derry-Londonderry City of Culture programme – has been appointed as the Centre’s Artistic Director and his vision is to develop the Centre into an international cultural powerhouse sitting alongside other globally significant arts centres. The Centre has also announced an extensive partnership with Lloyds Bank, which will support a rich and diverse mix of productions including return visits from Matthew Bourne and the Mariinsky Opera. Since its opening in 2004, the Wales Millennium Centre has welcomed over 13.5m visitors and has grown to become Wales’ most popular attraction and one of the most visited cultural destinations outside London. www.wmc.org.uk
Celtic Manor unveils convention centre plans
The Celtic Manor Resort, following its successful hosting of the September 2014 NATO conference, has confirmed plans for a new International Convention Centre. Designed to attract major events from across the world, the state-of-the-art auditorium, exhibition hall and associated facilities will have capacity for around 4,000 delegates, making it the largest facility of its kind in Wales and the south west of England. A further 15 meeting rooms will cater for all sizes and types of meetings and events, and will complement the existing convention centre facilities at Celtic Manor, which have already made it the Best UK Hotel at the Meetings and Incentive Travel Awards for the past four years running. www.celtic-manor.com
The Dylan Thomas Festival: 27 October – 9 November 2014
The centenary of the birth of infamous Welsh poet Dylan Thomas has been celebrated throughout 2014, culminating in the Dylan Thomas Festival which opens on 27 October, Dylan Thomas’ actual birthday. Now in its 17th year, the festival, which takes place in Dylan’s birthplace of Swansea, will take on special significance, featuring an eclectic mixture of events and very special guests. Events will include talks, workshops, exhibitions and performances – including Bob Kingdom’s acclaimed Return Journey –and a weekend festival focusing on war poetry, marking the centenary of WW1. The Festival also celebrates the opening night of the new Dylan Thomas Exhibition at the Dylan Thomas Centre in Swansea. www.dylanthomas.com
Dylan Thomas in Fitzrovia: 25-26 October 2014
On his centenary weekend, a special festival will take place in Dylan Thomas’ London stomping ground, Fitzrovia. A series of performances, concerts, dance, interactive walks, readings, film showings, exhibitions and installations will all be taking place in the Fitzrovia area. The festivities kick off at the start of the week when Laugharne comes to London in the shape of the pop-up Dylan’s Writing Shed which will be journeying from Carmarthenshire to Store Street, accompanied by an exhibition specifically created to go alongside it at the nearby Buildings Centre. In the iconic Saatchi Building, one of the most famous series of photos of Dylan and his wife Caitlin will be displayed alongside never before seen images of Dylan. The Enitharmon Gallery will also present Sir Peter Blake’s illustration and vision of Under Milk Wood. Honorary patrons of the event include Griff Rhys Jones, Sian Phillips CBE, Jonathan Pryce CBE, Owen Sheers and Sir Patrick Stewart.
For further information, visit www.visitwales.co.uk