Clare: May 2010 Archives

The Welsh Highland Heritage Railway is a bit different...... Your journey takes about an hour, but you won't be on the train for most of the time! We'll take you on a short train ride, then stop at the Engine Sheds where you get to climb into the cabs of the locomotives and see how things work. Find out about the narrow gauge railways of Porthmadog and how they became famous around the world with your free visitor guide.

Your entry into this old but important slate mine is through the main tunnel, under the twin arches of the crypt and into the lofty, spectacular, cathedral cavern. The mine's tunnels and caverns are all man made and over a century old. It's famous slate, found in long veins between layers of pre-Cambrian rocks, is amongst the oldest in the world.  Many houses and factories in the industrial towns of Britain and Ireland have roofs made from hard wearing Llanfair slate.

Descend Jacob's Ladder to wander through the tunnels and chambers and look for the old drilling holes. See if you can spot the likeness of a human face in the mighty Number 6 Cavern! As you emerge from the caverns, you face the breathtaking view of Cardigan Bay from the Preseli Mountains in the south to the Lleyn Peninsular in the north.

From the mine's entrance you can look down at Shell Island and the Artro Estuary. At low tide the entire fourteen mile length of St Patrick's Causeway can be seen.

A directory of travel and heritage information for England, Scotland and Wales.

Britain Express was started in 1996 as a labour of love by committed anglophile David Ross, aided by enthusiastic volunteer assistance. Somewhat like Dr. Frankenstein's little experiment, things grew and took on a life of their own until today, when, to the best of our knowledge, Britain Express is one of the largest non-governmental sources of information about the UK. Though we're often flattered to be mistaken for an official tourist board, Britain Express receives no government funding whatsoever and has no relation with any tourism body.

Britain Express - UK travel and heritage guide.

This part of Wales has a long, rich and interesting history stretching all the way back to the Neolithic Period. You can visit numerous tombs, stone circles, castles and ancient monuments - all within a short distance of the farm.

Dyffryn Burial Chambers

Dyffryn Ardudwy, only four miles from Gwynfryn Farm, has an extraordinary history and is the site of four neolithic burial chambers or 'portal dolmens'. The first, known as 'Coetan Arthur' dates to around 3500BC and contains two dissimilar burial chambers originally covered by a cairn. Like many similar structures in Wales and Ireland the openings of both chambers face east.  The remains of a later cremation burial have been detected in the eastern chamber. These tombs are thought to be the earliest in Wales and possibly even the British Isles. Research on these burial chambers has contributed a great deal to the dating of other portal dolmens in England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland.

In the summer of 2007 Harlech's beautiful beach gave up one of its secrets, an American P38 Lightning which had been hidden beneath the sand since it crashed on a training exercise during the Second World War.

Local aviation historian Matt Rimmer and the International Group for Historic Aircraft Recovery (TIGHAR) are fighting to preserve the wreck, having christened her the 'Maid of Harlech'. They're seeking donations to raise the grounded plane next year.

Due to the aircraft's historical significance as the oldest surviving Eighth Air Force combat veteran and the fact that it's covered by the Military Remains Act we can't tell you exactly where it is, but we're looking forward to seeing this wonderful piece of local history preserved for Wales.

You can find more information about the plane and donating to the project at the TIGAR website.