West Wales Life&Style May-June 2021

WEST WALES

May 2021

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West Wales Life&Style

The history of Quality Cottages:

The

The

The history

history of

of

of Quality

Quality Cottages:

Cottages:

Celebrating

Celebrating

Celebrating 60

60

60

60 years

years

years

years from

from

from

from 1961–2021

1961–2021

1961–2021

After running a small portfolio -

The history

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a small portfolio Cottages’,

portfolio -

Cottages:

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The history originally after the

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of

small ‘Cerbid Cottages’, Quality hamlet

portfolio Cottages’, -

Cottages:

originally after the called North Pembrokeshire ‘Cerbid Cottages’, hamlet

Celebrating after where the North it all began Pembrokeshire - the portfolio

Celebrating after where the North it all began Pembrokeshire - the portfolio hamlet has

where it all began - 60 hamlet has

where it all began - 60 the portfolio years has from 1961–2021

grown naturally over the decades,

grown spreading

the portfolio years has from 1961–2021

grown naturally naturally out over geographically the over decades, the decades, to all

Looking for an agency that does it all? You found us.


Join our exclusive portfolio of high-class holiday cottages in Wale


Looking for an agency that does it all? You found u

Join our exclusive portfolio of high-class holiday cottages in Wales.

Join our Join exclusive our portfolio of high-class holiday cottages in Wales. in Wa


Looking for for an an agency that that does it it all? all? You You found us. us.


This year, Quality Cottages are

This very This year, proud year, Quality to Quality reach Cottages Cottages a fantastic are are

Join Join our our exclusive portfolio of of high-class holiday cottages in in Wales. Wales.

very milestone This very proud year, proud to as Quality reach to we reach celebrate Cottages a fantastic a fantastic our are

milestone Diamond


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memorable memorable Welsh Welsh holidays holidays



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24 Rock

of Ages

32 Win a night

of luxury

69 Life on

the farm

49 Bloody murder

41 Special brew

8 Designer style

36 He is the walrus

Contents

6 Welcome

8 Heaveny home

The stunning Grade II listed Priory

is a one of west Wales’ finest homes

18 News

20 Reader’s image

Stunning images of West Wales

from the cameras of our readers.

24 Bluestone circle

Professor Mike Parker Pearson

rewrites history with his incredible

discovery in the Preseli Hills.

32 Reader competition

Win a night of luxury at Twr y Felin

hotel in St Davids

36 Here’s Wally

Meet west Wales’ latest – and

largest – celebrity visitor

41 Tea for you

Paul Raven of Carmarthen’s Tea

Traders has been brewing up a

storm with his passion for leaves

44 The great outdoors

We take a look at six beautfil west

Wales beer gardens to visit this

summer

48 Shop of horrors

The 100-year-old unsolved murder

that shocked a nation and stumped

Britain’s top detective

56 What’s in a name?

We take a look at the meaning

behind some of our most common

place names

58 Indoors and out

Discover the endless possibilites of

building a beautiful summerhouse

61 In the garden

Check out our tips to ensure that

spring has sprung in your garden

65 Stepping up

UK fitness champ Joey Bull on the

benefits of slipping off your shoes

and feeling the grass beneath your

feet

69 Farming diary

Debbie James describes the pain

and pleasures of life down on the

farm

77 Tastes of Wales

With spring in the air, what could

be better than a delicious rack of

Welsh lamb with rosemary, lemon

and garlic

75 Wines of the world

Explore the global grape sensation

as Celtic Wines’ Roy Roberts brings

us his A to Z of world wines

78 Motors

The stylish new Mercedes EQB

is the all-electric compact that’s

changing the way we drivefor the

better



5



Welcome/

Croeso

We are delighted to welcome you all

to the third – albeit slightly delayed

– edition of West Wales Life&Style,

the free magazine dedicated to celebrating,

supporting and promoting the three counties

of Pembrokeshire, Carmarthenshire and

Ceredigion.

Firstly, I should explain our recent absence –

even though I’m sure you will all be able to guess

the cause.

We had originally intended to publish an

edition in February, however the continued

national lockdown led us to decide that it would

have been wrong for us to put out a magazine at

that time.

While we had an edition all but ready to hit the

presses, we were uncomfortable with a situation

whereby we were charging advertisers to appear

in a magazine that we knew, due to the closure

of the venues and outlets that stock West Wales

Life&Style, hardly anyone would see.

As the magazine is funded solely through

advertising, it would not have been possible to

print without charging those advertisers, and

while all were happy to go ahead, we felt we

could not, in good conscience, produce a magazine

that failed to provide them with the service for

which they were paying.

With that in mind, we decided to postpone

printing until the lockdown was eased and some

degree of normality returned.

We would like to thank all those advertisers

and subscribers who supported us in making

what was such a difficult decision. Ultimately, we

feel we did the right thing for everyone.

It does now though seem there is an end to

the Covid nightmare in sight: shops, pubs and

restaurants are all starting to re-open.

Throughout the lockdown, we witnessed an

upsurge in the number of people making the

most of the suppliers and services on their

doorsteps, and we hope this continues as

restrictions are lifted.

Our small businesses have struggled during

the past year and it is only through the support

of their customers that they have come through

these darkest of times.

So as the summer sun finally begins to burst

through the Covid clouds, let’s continue to

support them and make sure our rural economies

can thrive going forward.

Welcome back everyone, we’ve missed you.

More Than Just

For Show!

STEVE ADAMS

Editor

MIKE OWEN

Sales director

01437 214667

07920 511360

steve@westwaleslifeandstyle.co.uk

01437 214667

07881 468965

mike@westwaleslifeandstyle.co.uk

Images: Gareth Davies, Aled Hall, Visit Wales, Mike Parker Pearson, A Stanford, Debbie James


West Wales Life&Style is published by West Wales Publishing Ltd

West Wales Publishing Ltd, Castle Green, Pencader,Carmarthenshire, SA39 9BP

@TORCHTHEATRE

TORCHTHEATREPEMBS

@WWLifeandStyle WWLifeandStyle wwlifeandstyle



7



Designer style,

heavenly views

Fabulous six-bedroom

Grade II listed home

overlooking stunning

Saundersfoot bay



9


Pencaer Farmhouse

Lower Freystrop

Guide price: £825,000

‘


The hand-made Barry

Wade fully-fitted kitchen

has cherrywood units,

granite worktops ’

Delightful dressed stone Pembrokeshire

farmhouse dating to circa mid 1800s.

ABITRATION, EXPERT WITNESs

& MEDIATION

The main Farmhouse offers 3 bedroom

accommodation plus X2 one bedroom

For anyone with a yearning for leads through an arched door to a to the left to the library with high

perfect sea views and fresh air vestibule with a stone-tiled floor and ceiling, handmade Barry Wade oak

alongside stunning designer beyond to the reception hall with its cabinets, oak wood flooring and

interconnecting cottages that could

be utilised as further office space/home

gym/gaming or home cinema facility to

fittings and refurbishments plus

a dash of history in sophisticated,

dignified surroundings, then The

Priory in Saundersfoot’s Church

Terrace could well see all their

beautifully impressive oak flooring.

From the hall, a door leads off

feature fireplace with oak surround,

wood burning stove with slate

dreams fulfilled.

the main residence.

And the Grade II listed property

really is the stuff of coastal living

Approx. ¾ acre private, landscaped

dreams.

The six bedroom and five reception

grounds.

room property is believed to date

back to around 1870 and sits in

There is also a large 2 storey 3 bedroom

an elevated position in the village,

enjoying glorious views out over the

bay.

barn conversion adjoining, all set in a

Complete with its own designercreated

picturesque, tranquil setting.

orangery and kitchen,

plus cellar and workshop, The

Priory is one of Saundersfoot’s

Approx. 3 miles from Haverfordwest.

most outstanding properties, and -

after an extensive renovation and

refurbishment - has been used by

the current owners as a delightful

family home as well as a successful

ESTATE & ASsET

LEASE CONSULTANCY PROPERTY VALUATIONS SALES & AUCTIONS

AGRICULTURAL ABITRATION, EXPERT WITNESs COMPULSORY PURCHASE & ESTATE & ASsET


AGRICULTURAL ABITRATION, EXPERT WITNESs COMPULSORY

TENANCIES

& MEDIATION

COMPENSATION

MANAGEMENT

holiday

PURCHASE & ESTATE

let.

& ASsET


AGRICULTURAL ABITRATION, EXPERT WITNESs COMPULSORY PURCHASE & ESTATE & ASsET


MANAGEMENT

TENANCIES

& MEDIATION

COMPENSATION

MANAGEMENT

TENANCIES

& MEDIATION

COMPENSATION

MANAGEMENT

An impressive portico entrance

10

LAND & DEVELOPMENT LEISURE PROPERTY RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY RETAIL, OFfICE & INDUSTRIAL RURAL PROPERTY SUSTAINABLE ENERGY UTILITY INFRASTRUCTURE





11

COMPULSORY PURCHASE &

COMPENSATION

LEISURE PROPERTY RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY RETAIL, OFfICE & INDUSTRIAL RURAL PROPERTY SUSTAINABLE ENERGY UTILITY INFRASTRUCTURE



‘

The David Salisbury designed

orangery is a stunning addition

to the property ’

hearth and marble panels. The large accessible via the French doors.

window to the side offers views A cloakroom also lies off the hall

across the front garden towards the together with access to the cellar.

sea while an archway leads through Across the hall is the impressive

to the dining room where an ornate kitchen breakfast room. The handmade

Barry Wade fully-fitted

Victorian style fireplace enhances

the homely feel. There are garden kitchen has cherrywood units,

and sea views from the windows granite worktops, a Nobel gasfuelled

range, a two-ring Bosch to the side, and the main lawn is

gas

hob with extraction system, and

built-in single and double ovens.

Additionally, there is a Belfast

sink with mixer tap, built in

dishwasher and terracotta tiled

floor. An archway leads through

to the breakfast area with parquet

flooring with a stone surround

fireplace. Off the kitchen breakfast

room is a useful office area, utility

room and workshop.

Another stunning addition to the

house is a David Salisbury designed

and built orangery that has a

double-glazed lantern roof with

temperature sensitive auto opening

skylights. Seven sets of solid

wood, double-glazed French doors

ensure easy access to the granite

tiled terrace outside. The room is

completed by Italian marble tiles

with underfloor heating.

Stairs also rise up from the

reception hall to the first floor

accommodation, passing a delightful

arched sash window with window

seat and views across the valley.

The main bedroom enjoys views

of the beach and sea beyond, and

features hand-made American

cherry fitted wardrobes and chest of

drawers, together with a Victorian

style fireplace. The bedroom also

enjoys an en suite with double

sink unit with marble tops, jacuzzi

corner bath, WC, shower cubicle

with mains shower and a heated

towel rail. There are hand-made

Barry Wade fittings, including a

wardrobe.

Three further bedrooms can

be found on the first floor, one is

a large room that has a feature

fireplace with slate surround, ornate

cornicing, and a window to the rear.

Another, with wash basin, enjoys

lots of natural light from the sash

windows to the front and side. The

last smaller bedroom could be used

as a nursey or additional office.

These three bedrooms share a

family bathroom.

There are two further bedrooms

with built in cupboards and Velux

roof lights on the second floor. These

rooms share the use of a shower

room with wash hand basin and

WC.

The ground and gardens of The

Priory are an absolute delight. A

smart gated entrance leads to an

impressive brick paved circular

forecourt with a stone raised flower

bed in the centre. There is ample

parking area for several cars.



13

The landscaped gardens feature a

generous lawned area, mature trees,

bushes, shrubs, flower borders,

seating areas and a terrace off the

orangery.

As well as The Priory itself,

would-be buyers have the option to

purchase, by separate negotiation,

the adjacent Priory cottage.

This is a charming Grade II listed

period property that has been used

for friends and family in the past

and holiday letting in recent years.

It features a living room with

French doors opening to the

rear garden with decked patio

area, kitchen with door to rear

garden, two bedrooms (one en

suite) bathroom and downstairs

cloakroom. The cottage also has the

benefit of ample private parking on

a brick paved forecourt.

Daniel Rees, property agent for

Savills, has described The Priory

as “one of Pembrokeshire’s finest

houses” and on a perfect summer’s

day, with cloudless skies and

beautiful, calm blue seas glistening

across the bay, it would be

extremely difficult to argue.

The Priory

Church Terrace

Saundersfoot

Guide price: £1.5m

Savills

savills.co.uk


‘

One of Pembrokeshire’s

finest houses ’


Follow us on Facebook

@furnituredirectory

A Friendly Welcome Awaits You • Complimentary Hot Drinks

Guaranteed Best Prices • Interior Design Service

OPEN

Tue - Sat

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T: 01437 890390 • furnituredirectory.co.uk



15



Advertisement

Pembrokeshire opticians

upskill for their customers

Three staff members at

Specsavers Haverfordwest

have completed qualifications

to further improve the service they

offer to local residents.

Kate Hooper, Sasha Reed

and Victoria Meades have each

completed a three-year distance

learning degree. Ms Hooper

has qualified as a contact lens

optician following an additional

year of studying, while Ms Reed

and Ms Meades are now qualified

dispensing opticians.

Paul Skoczek, director of the

Bridge Street store, says: “I am

beyond proud of the team at

Haverfordwest for going the extra

mile to provide our local customers

with the best possible service. It’s

something they need now more

than ever, due to the increased

time people are spending looking

at screens during the COVID-19

lockdowns.

“Each member of our team is

passionate about serving the

community and I think the

achievements of our team echo that

message.”

Interest in contact lenses has

soared this year, with an 83 per

cent spike in people searching for

information about contact lenses

on Specsavers’ website (from May

to August 2020), undoubtedly

driven by individuals seeking an

alternative to avoid steamy glasses

caused by wearing a mask.

Mr Skoczek added: “Kate’s

qualification can provide us an extra

three clinics, which means we can

offer up to 45 more appointments

a week for contact lens fitting and

aftercare.”

All members of staff at the store

continue to abide by COVID-19

restrictions by wearing the correct

and full PPE, following infection

protocol and maintaining social

distancing.

Sasha Reed, Paul Skoczek, Kate Hooper and Victoria Meades

The upskilling of staff at

Specsavers Haverfordwest comes at

the same time as a massive offer on

contact lenses. Customers can get 50

per cent off their contact lenses for

the first three months with easycare

(Specsavers monthly direct debit

scheme).

The deal is now live and runs

until 3rd July 2021. Customers can

sign up or get more information at

specsavers.co.uk/offers/easycarefifty-percent-off-contact-lenses.

Here are some of the lifestyle

benefits to wearing contact

lenses:

1. Avoid steamy specs: Wearing

contact lenses means you don’t

have to worry about your glasses

getting steamed up or tangled when

wearing a face mask

2. Sport lifestyle? Contact lenses are

great for sports and other physical

activities as you don’t have to worry

about them falling off

3. No more blurred vision when it

rains! You don’t have to clean your

contacts when it’s raining outside as

the lenses won’t become splattered

4. Carry less when out and about:

You can wear them with sunglasses

and don’t have to switch from one to

the other when going outdoors and

indoors

5. Perfect for fashionistas: You don’t

have to worry about them clashing

with other accessories or make-up

looks

Specsavers Haverfordwest’s

opening hours have recently

been extended. The Bridge

Street store is now open

from 8:30am to 6pm Monday,

Tuesday, Thursday and Friday,

8:30am to 6pm on Wednesdays

and 9am to 5pm on weekends.



17



News / Newyddion

NT Cymru looks to turn social

Bluestone

announces

£15m lodge

expansion

Pembrokeshire’s Bluestone National

Park Resort is to build 80 new

superior lodges, at an investment

of £15m, following approval from

county and national park planning

officials.

The resort currently employs more

than 700 people and welcomed

almost 155,000 visitors through its

gates in 2019.

The proposed development, set

within Bluestone’s 500-acre site,

will build on the existing success of

the resort and offer environmentally

sensitive, self-catered lodges.

Speaking about the plans, Liz

Weedon, head of projects, said: “We

are very excited about the lodge

development.

“We are looking forward to taking

forward our proposals which will

be a very significant investment in

tourism for Pembrokeshire, Wales

and the UK”

William McNamara, chief

executive of Bluestone, added:

“These planning decisions are a

big step forward for the business.

After a very challenging period, it

is positive for everyone connected

with Bluestone – our staff, local

suppliers, and community partners

– to have these state-of-the-art,

environmentally sensitive lodges on

the horizon.”

Bydd Corgi yn rhoi 20% o holl elw’r casgliad o sanau dynion a merched sydd wedi’u hysbrydoli

gan Barc Cenedlaethol Arfordir Penfro i’r Ymddiriedolaeth.

Partneriaeth elusennol

newydd yn camu ymlaen

Mae’n bleser gan Ymddiriedolaeth

Parc Cenedlaethol Arfordir Penfro

gyhoeddi partneriaeth elusennol

newydd gyda Corgi Socks, busnes

teuluol yn Sir Gaerfyrddin sydd

wedi bod yn arbenigo mewn sanau a

dillad gwau moethus wedi’u gwneud

â llaw ers 1892.

Fel rhan o’r bartneriaeth hon,

bydd Corgi yn rhoi 20% o holl elw’r

casgliad o sanau dynion a merched

sydd wedi’u hysbrydoli gan Barc

Cenedlaethol Arfordir Penfro i’r

Ymddiriedolaeth.

Bydd yr arian yn galluogi’r

Ymddiriedolaeth i gefnogi’r gwaith

hanfodol o wella mynediad i’r awyr

agored, rhoi hwb i amrywiaeth a

chadwraeth, hyrwyddo dysgu yn yr

awyr agored a chefnogi swyddi a

sgiliau.

Dywedodd Chris Jones, Prif

Swyddog Gweithredol Corgi: “Mae’r

dirwedd eiconig hardd hon ar garreg

drws ein cwmni yn ein hatgoffa

bob dydd o bwysigrwydd materion

amgylcheddol a chynaliadwyedd.

“Rydyn ni’n falch iawn o gefnogi

elusen sy’n helpu i gadw Parc

Cenedlaethol Arfordir Penfro

yn arbennig nawr, ac ar gyfer

cenedlaethau’r dyfodol.”

Mae Ymddiriedolaeth Parc

Cenedlaethol Arfordir Penfro wedi

ymrwymo i ddiogelu popeth sy’n

arbennig ac yn unigryw am dirwedd

Parc Cenedlaethol Arfordir Penfro i

genedlaethau’r dyfodol ei mwynhau.

Ers sefydlu’r Ymddiriedolaeth

yn 2019, mae wedi codi dros

£100,000 ar gyfer prosiectau yn

y Parc Cenedlaethol sy’n cefnogi

cadwraeth, cymuned, diwylliant ac

Arfordir Penfro.

Mae sanau Corgi sydd wedi’u

hysbrydoli gan Arfordir Penfro ar

gael yn corgisocks.com/collections/

protecting-pembrokeshire-coastnational-park,

ac mae gostyngiad o

10% ar gael dim ond i chi gofrestru i

fod ar restr bostio Corgi.

media pink, white and green

With this spring having been the

most anticipated in living memory,

National Trust Cymru has been

inviting people to emulate Japan’s

Hanami – the ancient tradition of

viewing and celebrating blossom

- with its #GwleddYGwanwyn

#BlossomWatch campaign.

To celebrate #GwleddYGwanwyn

#BlossomWatch, the charity has

started planting 1,000 cherry trees

in parks and schools across Wales as

part of the UK-Japan Sakura Cherry

Tree Project.

Planting began in March and

although many may not bloom this

year, the blossoms are set to become

a fixture in spring and early summer

for years to come.

The charity first piloted its new

#GwleddYGwanwyn #BlossomWatch

last year as the country entered

lockdown. And, with thousands

capturing and sharing images of

trees in bloom across social media

platforms, and four million views

in the first two weeks, the Trust is

now making it an annual tradition,

asking people to share images

of blush-tinted blooms to enable

everyone to celebrate nature.

A growing body of evidence

suggests that moments each day

spent noticing nature are vital for

wellbeing and building a closer

Mae’r ap yn crynhoi sawl carreg filltir

o fewn hanes gwneud ffilmiau yng

Nghymru – a ddisgrifiwyd unwaith

gan yr hanesydd uchel ei barch, Dave

Berry, fel “Yr etifeddiaeth ffrwythlon

honno”. Mae Archif Sgrin a Sain

Cymru Llyfrgell Genedlaethol Cymru

wedi chwarae rhan hollbwysig

yn y gwaith o warchod ffilmiau a

recordiadau sain o Gymru ac mae

nawr yn cefnogi cynnyrch dwyieithog

National Trust Cymru wants everyone to join its #GwleddYGwnawyn #BlossomWatch campaign

connection with nature. Further

evidence suggests that people derive

many of the benefits from online

engagement. Therefore, the Trust is

asking people to ‘turn social media

pink, white and green’ to mark one of

‘nature’s greatest spectacles’.

Justin Albert, director for National

Trust Cymru, said: “Blossom in all

its guises can bring a particular

sense of joy as we emerge from

winter. Clocking these bursts of

colour as they unfurl across our

neighbourhoods as a signal of the

start of spring is truly joyful.”

Patrick Swan, Gardens and

Parklands Consultant, National

Trust Cymru said; “We have already

seen the first sight of cherry blossom

at some sites.”

“Hedgerow blossom typically

sy’n torri’n rhydd o ffiniau llyfr, gan

greu cyfuniad unigryw o eiriau a

delwedd symudol.

Mae’r cyfarwyddwr arobryn Colin

Thomas a’r archifydd ffilm Iola

Baines wedi dewis pump ar hugain

o glipiau ffilm o orffennol ffilmig

Cymru wedi’u cysylltu â thestun i

adrodd stori sy’n mynnu ein sylw.

Cafodd yr e-lyfr hwn ei lunio gan

Thud Media yng Nghaerdydd gyda

kicks off the season with the tiny

white, frothy blackthorn flowers

crisscrossing the countryside before

tree blossom like magnolias start

to unfurl and the many varieties of

delicately coloured fruit tree blossom

take it in turns to bloom – from

plum and damson to cherry and

apple – before the finale of the white

hawthorn coming into flower in May.

“The lingering cool temperatures

will tend to hold back the blossom so

that when it warms up we’re likely to

get an explosion.

To get involved, simply share your

blossom images in social media using

the hashtags #GwleddYGwanwyn or

#BlossomWatch.

The Trust is also launching a

blossom map this year to record

blossom sightings across the country.

Llyfrgell yn lansio Ap sy’n dathlu hanes gwneud ffilmiau yng Nghymru

chefnogaeth Cyngor Llyfrau Cymru a

Hwb Ffilm Cymru.

Meddai Iola Baines, curadur

delweddau symudol: “Bydd Fframio’n

Gorffennol yn dangos bod ffilmiau a

saethwyd yng Nghymru nid yn unig

yn adlewyrchu hanes Cymru ond

eu bod hefyd yn effeithio ar hanes

Cymru – The Citadel gyfrannu at

hyrwyddo’r momentwm tuag at greu

Gwasanaeth Iechyd Gwladol.”



19



Reader’s

snapshot

Aled Hall submitted this stunning

image of a host of bluebells welcoming in

the Welsh spring. To submit your large

size, high resolution images of West

Wales for consideration, email




21


Smart & Sustainable

Creating a Next Generation Home

Whether you are building a new home from the ground up or you’re

improving on an existing property, it’s important to plan for the future

and embrace technologies which can add value to your home whilst also

increasing your comfort and reducing your carbon footprint for a more

sustainable and environmentally friendly way of living.

We spoke to Thermal Earth, one of the UK’s leading renewable energy

suppliers and installers based in Carmarthenshire, to find out the most

sought after home improvements for creating a smarter and more

sustainable home. Here’s what they had to tell us...

02. UNDERFLOOR

HEATING

Underfloor heating (UFH) is a highly effective

and efficient method of central heating which

offers outstanding levels of comfort all year

round. UFH is spread out across the floor,

heating the room evenly from the ground up,

working in harmony with convectional flow.

Each room is individually controlled allowing

you to set a temperature suited to the room

or turn off the heating in rooms that aren’t

being used. UFH works with almost any type

of flooring, meaning that you don’t need to

compromise on the design of your home.

01. HEAT PUMPS

Heating systems are often overlooked, but

they are the beating heart of your home

and can make a significant impact on your

comfort levels.

Heat pumps are the most efficient heating

system available, and they’re environmentally

friendly too. They’re powered by electricity

and work by extracting heat energy from the

ground, air or a water source, producing 4kW

of heat energy for every 1kW of electricity to

achieve efficiency levels of 400% compared

to around 90% for a gas boiler.

From 2025, gas boilers can no longer be

installed in new build properties and heat

pumps will become the new standard. To

encourage adoption of heat pump technology

sooner, the UK Government offers a scheme

called the Renewable Heat Incentive which

can offer you quarterly payments based

on how much renewable energy your

home produces for 7 years after the date

of installation. In most cases you’ll get a

complete return on investment.

03. SOLAR THERMAL

SYSTEMS

Solar Thermal can add value to your home

by improving its sustainability and lowering

your utility bills by harnessing free energy

from the sun to generate hot water.

Using a control panel you can optimise

efficient use of your solar panels to ensure

hot water is available when you need it.

05. EV CHARGING

The sale of new diesel and petrol cars will be banned in

2030, making way for electric vehicles. Whilst you might

not have an electric vehicle just yet, if you are currently

building a new home or renovating one, you may want

to factor in an accessible area for charging an electric

vehicle in future. Charging ports can be installed in a

garage or even outside thanks to weatherproof casings

which protect the port from wet weather conditions.

EV ports are available from many different brands and

as a result you can choose from a great variety of styles

to compliment the design of your home.

If you have a question about installing any of these technologies

in your home, get in touch with Thermal Earth today for a free, no

obligation quote:

01269 833 100

THERMALEARTH.CO.UK

INFO@THERMALEARTH.CO.UK

Unit 1B Industrial Park, Capel Hendre, Ammanford, SA18 3SJ


04. ENERGY STORAGE

BATTERIES

Energy storage batteries are a smart investment for

your home, enabling you to use energy more efficiently

and also when it costs less. If you’re using a smart tariff

where the price of your electricity changes throughout

the day, you can charge your battery with electric during

off-peak times when it costs less and then use this

stored energy during peak times, when the price goes

up. You can use batteries like the Tesla PowerWall with

Solar PV and Sunamp Batteries with Solar Thermal to

store excess energy which your home produces so that

your property uses more clean energy and becomes

more self-sufficient. Energy storage batteries also work

effectively in the event of a power cut and can enable

your property to run as normal for hours after the

national grid supply fails.

06. SMART METERS AND

TARIFFS

Smart Meters will tell you when you are using energy, how

you are using it and how much you’re using. They are a

small and low-cost improvement but can have a big impact

on your home and how efficiently you use your energy.

Once you are set up with a smart meter, consider switching

to a tariff like Octopus Agile which uses half-hourly prices

as the cost of electricity changes throughout the day. By

publishing these prices and giving you access to them you

can then see when it will cost less to charge your electric

vehicle or storage battery.

For heat pump installations we always recommend

installing a smart meter and switching to Octopus Agile as

this smart system will run your heat pump when electricity

costs less, considering your preferred temperatures,

weather conditions and the time it takes for your home to

heat up and cool down.



23



The ring

of truth

Incredible new research proves

Stonehenge bluestones were a

giant stone circle in Preseli Hills

Anyone with even a passing interest in the

history of west Wales will be aware of

the links between the Preseli Hills and

Stonehenge, the giant Stone Age monument that

dominates both the Salisbury Plain of southern

England and the entire history of the British Isles.

For more than a century it has been acknowledged

that the so-called bluestones - spotted dolerites - of

Stonehenge were originally quarried from rocky

outcrops in the north Pembrokeshire hills around

5,000 years ago.

That discovery has left archaeologists and



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Professor Mike Parker Pearson has spent ten years excavating sites in the Preseli Hills to solve the mystery of the Stonehenge bluestones

historians questioning why

ancient builders would have gone

to the trouble of transporting so

many giant stones, each weighing

between 1.2 and three tonnes, some

200 miles across the pre-historic

British landscape. The question

is all the more perplexing because

Stonehenge’s giant sarsen stones

were quarried within a few miles of

iconic monument.

What then could be the relevance

of the Preseli bluestones?

Writing almost 900

years ago in around 1136,

‘

the monk Geoffrey of

Monmouth claimed that

Stonehenge was built from

an already ancient stone

circle located in the far

west of Britain or Ireland.

According to Geoffrey,

the wizard Merlin had

magically transported

the stones to Salisbury

as the spoils of war. The

story, much like the rest

of the tales of Merlin and

King Arthur, was fantastical and

absurd, and ignored by all serious

Stonehenge theorists.

The questioned remained though:

why were those stones transported

all the way from west Wales to

Wiltshire. The only plausible

answer was that the stones were

considered somehow unique by the

builders of Stonehenge, but what

made them so special?

Now, archaeologist Mike Parker

Pearson, professor of British

Prehistory at University College

London, has unearthed the true

story of the bluestones and in so

doing has rewritten the history of

both Stonehenge and the British

Isles.

“I’ve been researching Stonehenge

for 20 years now and this really is

the most exciting thing we’ve ever

I’ve been researching

Stonehenge for 20

years now and this

really is the most

exciting thing we’ve

ever found

’

found,” said Mike.

Even when he began working

at Stonehenge it had long

been accepted that the current

configuration was not the original

and the layout had changed a

number of times in the long distant

past.

“We know that the current layout

dates to around 2,500BC but the

original configuration dates to

3,000BC,” he explained.

“We always thought that the

original Stonehenge was just a

monument made of earth – a ditch

and bank, but we discovered that

in fact it had always been a stone

monument.

Mike’s excavations revealed that

the original Stonehenge circle

was much larger than the current

monument, some 110 metres in

diameter – and made

up solely of Preseli

bluestones.

“This was a major

surprise,” he said.

Further revelations

came when Mike was

joined at his Stonehenge

excavations by a Malagasy

colleague he had worked

with on previous digs in

Madagascar.

“While we were chatting

one day, he made the

casual observation that

Stonehenge was a place

built to honour the ancestors. He

said that in the Malagasy culture,

stones represent the ancestors,” he

said.

“We already knew that Stonehenge

is the largest Neolithic burial site in

Britain and so if he was right that

the stones represented the builders’

ancestors then it makes sense that

their place of origin really matters.

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“It became clear that to

understand Stonehenge, the secret

is in the bluestones.”

So Mike and his team began to

consider the possible reasons for

transporting the stones more than

160 miles.

“It made us think “Good

heavens, there must

be something really

important in the Preseli

area”. That’s what started

the whole journey. What

my friend said gave me a

hypothesis to test.”

Mike realised that it

was not enough to accept

that the bluestones had come from

the Preseli Hills, but he needed to

identify the specific outcrop of rock

where they had been quarried.

“I wanted to find out exactly where

they came from and why,” he said.

By analysing the outcrops and the

Stonehenge bluestones, geologist

Professor Richard Bevins, based at

the National Museum of Wales, was

able to locate the exact Stone Age

quarries that produced the stones,

and in so doing, shifted their point


of origin from the traditionally

accepted southern slopes of the

Preselis to outcrops further north.

This discovery would prove

fundamental to Mike’s theory.

“In 2010, Richard was able

to pinpoint one of the outcrops

‘

To understand

Stonehenge, the secret

is in the bluestones

’

that had been the source of the

bluestones at Craig Rhos y Felin,”

said Mike. “It proved that up until

then, archaeologists had been

looking at the wrong outcrops.”

For the next five years, Mike and

his team excavated Craig Rhos

y Felin – and another outcrop at

nearby Carn Goedog, which also

showed the unique geological

“fingerprints” found in Stonehenge

bluestones.

“We discovered that the quarry at

Carn Goedog, even in the Neolithic

age, was being operated on an

industrial scale, and we were able

to show that it is the original site

for the majority of the bluestones at

Stonehenge.

“At both sites we found the

facilities – levers, pivot

points and a specially

constructed platform

and loading bay – to

both quarry the stone

and enable them to be

taken from the site. We

even found a sledge route

leading out of the quarry

at Carn Goedog and away

down to a dry riverbed.

“The other great moment was

finding the tools they had used.

We had thought it would be

hammerstones, but actually the

main tools they were using were

wedges – it was blinding obvious

once we had found them, but we’d

never really considered it before.

“We have even found the marks

where they were jammed into the

fissures in the rock.”

But the truly amazing discovery

was still to come.

The remnants of a handful

of charred hazelnut shells –

presumably tossed into the fire

while a Stone Age quarryman ate

his lunch – has enabled Mike and

his team to completely rewrite

history.

“We were able to carbon date the

hazelnuts,” explained Mike, “and

they told us that the stones at

Carn Goedog were quarried around

3,400BC – more than 400 years

before the first monument was built

at Stonehenge.

“The thinking had always been

that the stones had been taken

straight to Stonehenge after

quarrying, but that had always

seemed to me to be unlikely – why

would they want to quarry stones

from a very particular outcrop on a

specific hill in the west of Wales just

to take them all the way to build

Stonehenge. It just didn’t add up.

“Once we had those new dates,

everything began to fall into place.

“It seemed far more likely that the

stones had already been erected into

a circle and it was that circle itself

that was taken. It meant that it was

the circle rather than the stones

that was the important thing.”

Although Mike had previously

considered the possibility of there

being an earlier stone

circle somewhere in the

Preseli Hills, the theory

had been suggested

and dismissed almost a

century earlier.

“I can’t claim credit for

the idea,” said Mike. “It

was first proposed by

the Welsh archaeologist

Herbert Thomas in 1923 – he

described it as a venerated stone

circle, but the theory had been just

about forgotten.”

The problem, Mike explained, was

the stones.

“People were too busy thinking

about the stones – there were all

sorts of theories about why they

might have been so special: some

people thought that maybe the spots

in the dolerites were like the stars

in the night sky; another was that

the unique geology of the stones

meant that if you tapped them in a

certain way it made a specific noise

and the stones were some kind of

giant musical instrument.

‘


The original bluestone circle at Waun Mawn in the Preseli Hills

“All the emphasis was being placed

on the fact the stones were these

spotted dolerites. Everyone thought

it was the stones that were moved

rather than an actual stone circle.

“Everybody was thinking about

it the wrong way round and had

forgotten the words of Herbert

Thomas.”

And so, after searching for a needle

in a haystack to find the actual

quarries, Mike led his team on an

even more impossible quest: to find

an ancient stone circle that had not

We even found a

previously unknown

Roman villa

’

existed for more than five millennia.

“What we were looking for

were the holes in the ground left

after a stone was removed 5,000

years ago,” said dig supervisor

Dave Shaw, summing up the

team’s predicament on the BBC

documentary Stonehenge: The Lost

Circle Revealed.

Even Mike thought the challenge

would be too much.

“For a long time I thought ‘what

are the chances of finding it?’”

admitted Mike.

However, thanks to cutting-edge

science, the team was able to draw

up with a list of potential sites all

within a few miles of the quarries.

“There were lots of interesting

circular monuments that had never

been investigated and we realised

that we had to work through them

one at a time,” said Mike. “Each

of them looked really promising to

begin with.”

That early promise began to

evaporate as one by one the sites

were excavated and eliminated.

“Although it was disappointing, we

did manage to flesh out the history

and archaeology of Preseli. It is a

wonderful place with a rich history.”

Mike’s team unearthed

Bronze and Iron Age forts

plus a wealth of other

surprising discoveries.

“We even found a

previously unknown

Roman villa,” he laughed.

Despite the incredible

finds they were making,

the original home of

Stonehenge managed to evade them.

“It was tremendous archaeology,”

said Dave, “but it wasn’t what we

were looking for.”

With time and options running

out, they were left with one last

possibility.

Waun Mawn had been flagged

as a potential site in the early

days of the investigation thanks

to four bluestones similar to those

at Stonehenge remaining in situ,

although only one remains standing.

However, geophysical and magnetic

surveys had shown nothing to

indicate any additional workings

and the site had been dismissed.

“We turned to Waun Mawn as



29


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we had nowhere else left to go,”

said Mike. “It’s a wild place and

excavating up there was going to be

far from easy.”

Nevertheless, Dave and his team

of diggers began work on the rainlashed,

wind-swept peak.

Much to everyone’s surprise they

unearthed what appeared to be

ancient stone hole in the ground,

long since filled in by the passing

of time. Then they found another

and another and another until they

revealed part of a circle made up of

as many as 50 standing stones.

What proved all the more exciting

was that the diameter of the circle

was 110 metres – exactly the

same as the original Stonehenge

bluestone circle.

In an astounding meeting of

modern techniques and traditional

digging, one unusual pentagonalshaped

hole was excavated which

matched exactly the shape and

dimensions of one specific stone still

standing at Stonehenge today.

Yet more science – measuring

traces of ancient sunlight in the soil

- confirmed that the stones had been

placed at Waun Mawn in 3,300BC

– exactly the time they had been

extracted from the Carn Goedog

quarry.

The layout of the stones also

Mike Parker Pearson explores the quarry at Carn Goedog, the origin of the Stonehenge bluestones

precisely matched the alignment

of the rising sun on the winter and

summer solstices at the time of the

Preseli circle’s construction – as

does Stonehenge.

The discoveries were conclusive.

Mike and his team had proved that

the bluestones which were used to

build the first Stonehenge had, for

almost 500 years, stood as a giant

stone circle monument in the Preseli

Hills prior to it being dismantled

and transported to Salisbury Plain.

“It has taken us a long time to get

there, but we finally understand the

true origin of Stonehenge and the

importance of the bluestones,” said

Mike.

“Stonehenge really does belong to

Pembrokeshire after all.”

An irregular shaped stonehall identical to the dimensions of a bluestone now at Stonehenge

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Twr y Felin, is a former windmill

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33




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Life&Style

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73

W

hen it comes to food, there

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Preparation time: 25 minutes

Cooking time: 20 minutes

Serves five or more

Ingredients

225g boneless PGI Welsh Lamb

leg steaks (1 large or 2 small leg

steaks)

Prepared fresh ready rolled

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1 tbsp oil

1 aubergine, sliced lengthways

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150g feta cheese, crumbled

1 pomegranate, seeds only

100g reduced fat prepared green

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Handful of rocket leaves

For the dressing:

1 lemon, zest and juice

50ml extra virgin olive oil

1 clove garlic, crushed or finely

chopped

1. Heat the oven to 220°C / 200°C fan / Gas 7.

2. Line a large baking tray with baking parchment.

3. On a floured surface roll out the dough into a thin rough

oval shape, and place on the tray. Leave to stand for few

minutes.

4. Heat a non-stick griddle or frying pan until hot and brush

with oil. Lightly char the courgette and aubergine slices on

both sides for a few minutes.

5. Spread the pesto over the dough. Top with slices of

courgette and aubergine.

6. Place in the oven and cook for 15-20 minutes until base is

crisp.

7. While pizza in oven cook the lamb steak. Drizzle a little oil

over the steak on both sides and cook for 4-5 minutes on each

side, season and allow to rest for a few minutes, then cut into

slices.

8. In a small bowl mix the dressing ingredients together and

set aside.

9. When pizza cooked, top with the feta, pomegranate seeds,

rocket leaves and sliced lamb.

10. Drizzle with the lemon dressing and serve immediately.

Tip: to save time try ready-to-use chilled pizza dough or you

can make your own dough or use a dough mix, where you

just add water and follow instructions on the pack. We’ve

topped our pizza with sliced cooked lamb leg steak but you

could use leftover roast lamb if you prefer.

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West Wales is renowned

throughout the world for

its hospitality.

The steady stream of tourists

who make their way to the three

counties has long been part and

parcel of daily life for the locals, and

we welcome visitors with open arms.

Our stunning beaches and

beautiful countryside are even

known to encourage the rich and

famous to venture out west, but it

is quite rare for a guest to become

a celebrity purely because of their

visit.

However, the most recent arrival

to our shores has certainly made

something of a name for itself,

thanks mainly to their trip and the

length of their stay.

That name, which has been

making headlines around the world

for the past few weeks, is Wally.

And it belongs to a giant Arctic

walrus.

Wally was first spotted basking

on rocks at Broad Haven on March

19 before appearing at Tenby the

following day.

Since then, Wally has become

something of a regular fixture at the

popular resort and has often been

spotted lounging on the lifeboat

station slipway.

The giant mammal, roughly the

size of an adult cow, is believed to

be about three years old, but while

some experts have claimed Wally is

actually a girl it is proving difficult

to be sure of his or her gender as

both males and females have tusks.

Although apparently enjoying its

time in west Wales, Wally would be

more at home swimming in the icy

waters of the Arctic Ocean around

the North Pole.

His natural home is most likely

to be somewhere off the coast of

northern Canada and Greenland,

so the question of how he came to

arrive off the Pembrokeshire coast

has left wildlife experts scratching

their heads.

It is thought that the giant beast

might have become lost after

nodding off on an iceberg that had

drifted much further south than

Wally had realised.

Another theory is that Wally might

have moved into lower latitudes

while hunting for food or possibly

became disorientated after being

disturbed by loud noises, perhaps

made by deep-sea fishing trawlers

or other some other large-scale

vessels at sea.

Whatever the reasons behind

Wally’s arrival in Wales, he or she

has certainly been breaking new

ground – the RSPCA believes this

to be the most southerly sighting of

the species ever.

Geoff Edmond, RSPCA national

A giant Arctic walrus has been enjoying life and

entertaining visitors on the Pembrokeshire coast

wildlife coordinator, said, “This was

a landmark for the RSPCA’s wildlife

team.

“While we’ve been rescuing

animals and responding to welfare

Hello,

Wally!

Wally the Walrus relaxing on Tenby’s lifeboat slipway



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calls for almost 200 years, I believe this is our first

ever walrus call!”

Terry Leadbetter, from the Welsh Marine Life

Rescue, thought someone was pulling his leg when he

was first contacted with a Wally sighting.

“We thought it was a spoof call because we don’t get

walruses down here,” said Mr Leadbetter.

“But shortly after that we had another report from

somebody sounding quite sensible saying it was

definitely a walrus so we went out and sure enough it

was.”

Wally first appeared off the coast of Ireland in mid-

March but less than a week later was spotted relaxing

on Pembrokeshire’s coast.

Posting on social media, The Irish Whale and

Dolphin Group, said: “The white blotch on the left

fore-flipper and similar tusk length confirm the

walrus is the same individual.

“This is an impressive distance of circa 250-plus

miles travelled over a six-day period, which is

well within the capabilities of such a large marine

mammal who can maintain average swim speeds of

four mph.

“Walruses, despite their bulky frame and clumsy


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‘

The RSPCA

believes this to be

the most southerly

sighting of a

walrus ever

’

appearance on land, are surprisingly strong and agile

swimmers capable of long ocean swims.”

Despite disappearing for a few days over Easter –

possibly after being disturbed by all the sightseers

flocking to the area in the hope of sighting the

unlikely visitor, Wally appears to be enjoying his newfound

celebrity status.

He or she has been seen playfully capsizing

inflatable dinghies and attempting to climb onboard a

fishing boat.

Wally was even recently spotted balancing a starfish

on its nose by Amy Compton, a volunteer for the

Welsh Marine Life Rescue.

“I couldn’t believe it when it popped up with a

starfish on its face, it was so funny and something you

just didn’t expect to see,” said Amy.

“It’s an incredible experience to monitor such a

beautiful and amazing creature, it’s such a character.”

However, while a glimpse of Wally has become a

highlight for two-legged visitors to Pembrokeshire,

people are being urged to stay a safe distance away

and not disturb the animal – or face the possibility of

a criminal record.

Wally – and animals like him or her – are protected

by the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 and anyone

caught disturbing them may be fined or even face a

six-month prison sentence.

In a joint statement with Dyfed-

Powys Police, RSPCA

inspector Keith Hogben said:

“People need to enjoy him

from afar, avoid potentially

spooking the animal and allow

him to rest and conserve his

energy.

“We’ve all got used to social

distance over the last year -

and that’s something we now

need to practice with this

walrus.”

The appeal follows reports jet

skiers, surfers and paddle boarders

disturbing the walrus by getting too

close.

‘

People need to

enjoy him from afar

- or face a fine or

possible jail

’

PC Kate Allen, of the Dyfed-Powys

Police rural crime team, said:

“Recent posts have been seen on

social media regarding members of

the public approaching Wally from

the water and disturbing

him, however we have had no

reports directly to us.

“We ask that in the event

that this occurs, these matters

are reported to the rural

crime team and/or the RSPCA

rather than posted on social

media.”

She added: “We don’t know

if Wally will settle here or

decide to move on from the area, but

we ask while he is here that he is

enjoyed from a distance.”



39



Tea Traders Paul Raven and Nick Lee are determined

to expand our horizons – one perfect cuppa at a time

Brewing up

a storm

Everybody loves a good cuppa,

but when it comes to having

a real passion for tea there

are few who can compete with Paul

Raven.

Paul and partner Nick Lee run

Tea Traders, a speciality teashop

located in Carmarthen’s town centre

where customers can enjoy a cup

of their favourite brew or explore a

staggering range of teas specially

chosen from around the globe.

Boasting around 100 different

varieties – all individually selected

by Paul – and including a number

of bespoke in-house blends to suit

almost any taste or occasion, Tea

Traders elevates tea-making into

something closer to an artform:

every pot brought to a thirsty

customer comes with an individual

timer and advice on how long to let

it brew depending on the drinker’s

preference.

Situated in Guildhall Square, Tea

Traders offers customers – whether

long-term tea lovers or those

dipping a first toe into a surprising

new world – a unique experience

where you can sit and enjoy a cup

of the traditional blends familiar to

us all or explore unknown delights

under Paul’s expert guidance.

All of Tea Traders range is also

available to take away in a lovingly

designed packaging to enjoy in the

comfort of your own home.

“I do consider myself a tea

connoisseur,” said Paul with a

laugh.

“I’m certainly not a tea snob, but

I don’t ever drink coffee,” he adds

emphatically.

“Tea-drinking is all about personal

preference: you can have it however

you like it. If you want it with

milk and ten sugars, then that is

fine because it is all down to your

personal choice.”

Individual taste might well be

what matters most when it comes

to the perfect cuppa, but running

a successful teashop with such a

vast range on offer is a complicated

business.

“There is a lot more to it than just

simply brewing and serving tea,”

Paul Raven of Carmarthen’s Tea Traders

laughs Paul.

“I’m constantly learning and

seeking out new teas to try and to

experiment with.

“I have completed a training course

with the UK Tea Academy and I’m

already a qualified tea champion,

but this is the sort or industry

where you have to constantly

educate yourself – it never stops.

“It really is a passion.”

And it is a passion that he delights

in sharing as he seeks to educate



41

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and engage customers in the pleasures of his favourite

drink.

“There’s definitely a lot more to Tea Traders than

simply “come and get some fancy tea”,” he says.

“We want to help customers discover teas they might

never heard of before let alone tried.

“I enjoy helping our customers explore what’s

available.

“We offer what we call a tea experience where you

can come in and try a range of different teas to find

out what suits your taste.”

Opening a specialist teashop in a small west Wales

town was a radical break for both Paul and Nick.

“We worked in further education in north Wales

for 20 years but threw everything up in the air in

2017 and moved to south Wales because we knew we

wanted to start a business,” said Paul.

‘

We want customers to

discover teas they’ve

never tried before ’

“We want to create something comparable to the

modern coffeeshops that have sprung up everywhere,

but we wanted to do it with tea.

“We wanted to create something exciting and

interesting, but we didn’t want to be a specialist shop

just for those who already knew about tea: we wanted

to make sure we catered for everybody.

“We looked all over south and west Wales for the

perfect venue until we eventually found the shop in

Carmarthen.”

And while the people of Carmarthen and beyond

have since taken them to their hearts, the early days

underlined the fact that they were breaking new

ground.

“There is nothing comparable to Tea Traders

anywhere in the area – there are some places similar

in Cardiff, Bristol, London and other big cities, but

there really is nothing like us anywhere in west

Wales,” explains Paul.

“When we first opened, customers would come into

the shop and stare at all the different varieties on the

shelves in complete shock.

“There was a definitely an element of curiosity value

in those early days.”

But Carmarthen’s tea lovers soon began flocking

to the shop, whether they wanted tried and test

traditional favourites or to explore the wider world of

tea.

“If you want a normal, traditional cup of tea you can

have it. We have all the usual teas you would expect:

Earl Grey, breakfast teas, Lapsang Souchong, etc

– all the normal, traditional teas that people know,

but equally we offer a whole range of different and

specialist teas many of which our customers have

never heard of before.”

Some of Tea Traders most popular blends are those

that they have created in-house, ensuring a totally

unique offering for their dedicated consumers.

“As well as our imported range, we

blend our own teas,” said Paul.

“One of the most popular sellers is

our unique Brecwast Cymreig/Welsh

Breakfast tea.

“Another favourite we call Leigh’s

Blend. Leigh is a actually customer

who came in one day with a recipe

handed down from his grandmother.

We made it especially for him and

realised how it good it is so asked if

he would be happy for us to sell it –

our customers really enjoy it.

“We have also created Blend 1176

– a lovely blend made specifically for

the restaurant at Cardigan Castle.”

Tea Traders even offers a

“Discovery Box” made up of a

variety of teas from all over the

globe for customers to either take

away to enjoy at their leisure or

pass on as a gift box. The Discovery

Box is also available through the

Tea Traders website.

“For us, it’s about finding teas

from around the world that our

customers can discover and enjoy,”

said Paul.

“The Discovery Box is a selection

of teas from our range. We have


Tea Traders boasts a range of around 100 different teas from around the world

different versions for the beginner,

the expert and for specific and

specialist tastes.”

While the majority of business

comes from regular customers

calling in to the shop, the entire Tea

Traders range is also available to

purchase online from the teatraders.

co.uk website.

“We do actually do fair amount of

our business online now,” said Paul.

“We might be a small independent

business in a little market town in

west Wales, but we are happy that

we sell our tea all across the UK.”

“For us, it is all about sharing our

knowledge and love of tea with as

many people as possible.”



43



Gardens of

earthly delight

There are few things better in life than enjoying a

drink or food with friends and loved ones in the great

outdoors on a fine summer’s evening.

West Wales is lucky to have a wealth of pubs with

stunning outside areas for eating and drinking and with

the days and nights starting to warm up – and in keeping

with the ongoing Government restrictions on indoor

gatherings – it would be crazy not to make the most of it.

In fact, it would be fair to say that the vast majority

of pubs and bars in Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion and

Pembrokeshire can boast beer gardens and outside eating

areas that are well worth a visit.

And with stunning countryside and seascapes on display

all over west Wales, it is all too obvious why.

We decided to draw up a list of some of our favourite

beer gardens where the view only adds to the perfect

atmosphere.

There are plenty more to explore around the three

counties, but here are some we thoroughly recommend.



45



The Plough, Rhosmaen,

Carmarthenshire

The Plough, Rhosmaen, is a

charming four-star boutique hotel

and award-winning restaurant set

in Carmarthenshiire’s beautiful

Towy Valley.

With undercover patio seating

as well as tables set out across the

beautiful, landscaped gardens, there

are few better places to enjoy the

peace and tranquillity of a glorious

Welsh summer evening than the

Plough.

ploughrhosmaen.com

Tel: 01558 823 431

The Black Lion Hotel, New

Quay, Ceredigion

The Black Lion boasts sensational

views across Cardigan Bay and can,

on occasion, even offer lucky visitors

the sight of dolphins playing in the

waters. On a clear day you can even

see as far as the Llyn Peninsula and

Yr Wyddfa (Snowdon).

The outdoor areas are a real treat

and the perfect spot to enjoy warm

summer days and evenings – though

heaters are on hand should the

temperature drop.

It’s little wonder that Dylan

Thomas sought inspiration for

Under Milk Wood in New Quay and

quenched his thirst on visits to the

Black Lion.

blacklionnewquay.co.uk

Tel: 01545 560 122

The Castle, Little Haven,

Pembrokeshire

The Castle is a gorgeous little pub in

the Little Haven on Pembrokeshire’s

stunning west coast. With plenty of

outdoor seating and a breath-taking

view over St Bride’s Bay, there are

few better places to enjoy the best of

the county’s coastline with friends.

The food is fabulous and the beers

and wines a delight, but the sunset

is simply out of this world.

Tel: 01437 781 445

The Dragon Inn, Narberth,

Pembrokeshire

Situated in the lovely little town

of Narberth, the Dragons Inn is an

absolute treat.

It is great little pub with a perfect

beer garden, with its own outdoor

bar, to the rear

The garden and terrace offer

plenty of undercover seating plus

lots of individual tables spread out

across the gardens for cosy chats

and heated debates before a trip to

the theatre.

Tel: 01834 860 257

The Ship Inn, Tresaith,

Ceredigion

The Ship Inn is an absolute mustvisit

on a warm summer evening.

This pub sits in a beautifully

sheltered sandy bay and offers

glorious views out across the sea.

The heated terrace and beer

garden offer plenty of space and

there are few better spots to enjoy

an afternoon or evening.

sabrainpubs.com

Tel: 01239 758446

The Ferry Inn, St Dogmaels,

Pembrokeshire

Situated on the banks of the River

Teifi, the Ferry Inn offers its

outdoor guests some absolutely

stunning views over the estuary and

surrounding countryside.

Boasting a number of terraces

and an adapted cabin – all of which

have their own heating – there are

always plenty of options for those

wishing to take in the sights.

The Ferry Inn is a great spot to

enjoy a meal or a drink in the great

outdoors, and can even boast a jetty

for anyone arriving by boat.

theferryinn.co.uk

Tel: 01239 615 172



47



The Star Supply Stores in Garnant, Carmarthenshire,

where shopkeeper Thomas Thomas was brutally

murdered 100 years ago.

Broomsticks,

bacon and

bloody murder

Steve Adams describes how a chance discovery saw

him identify the killer of a century-old unsolved crime

Shopkeeper Thomas Thomas (centre) was stabbed,

beaten and had his throat cut on February 12, 1921.

His murder remains unsolved.

most foul”

screamed the front

“Murder

page of the Amman

Valley Chronicle in letters three

inches high.

The shocking discovery of the

body of shopkeeper Thomas

Thomas in the Carmarthenshire

mining village of Garnant exactly

100 years ago rocked west Wales,

and the newspaper’s decision to

take headline inspiration from

Shakespeare was understandable:

the Bible-quoting store manager

had been stabbed repeatedly,

suffered numerous skull fractures

after being beaten around the head

with a broomstick, and had had his

throat slit. In a final macabre insult,

the killer had shoved in large lump

of cheese in the victim’s mouth.

The killing at Star Stores - and

theft of more than £100 from the

shop safe - shortly after 10.15pm

of Saturday, February 12, 1921,

remains one of the west Wales’ few

unsolved murders.

The case was largely forgotten

until then newspaper reporter – and

now editor of West Wales Life&Style

– Steve Adams came across the

briefest mention of it more than 95

years later.



49

“While I was working as a reporter

on the South Wales¬¬ Guardian –

the weekly newspaper that boughtout

the Amman Valley Chronicle in

the 1950s – I was looking through

some back issues and came across

a small bereavement notice on the

death of the former village bobby,”

said Steve.

“The reporter was full of praise

for Sergeant Thomas Richards and

catalogued his career highlights,

but in the final, pointed sentence he

noted that for all his fine work, Sgt

Richards had been unable to catch

the killer of Thomas Thomas at Star

Stores some 40-odd years earlier.

“I was stunned. I’d always had an

interest in true crime, particularly

anything committed in west Wales,

so I was amazed to read of an

unsolved murder I knew

nothing about and decided

to do some digging.”

Steve was astounded by

the story he unearthed,

which included Britain’s

most famous detective, an

Army deserter, midnight

bonfires, explosives hidden in

hedgerows and even links to the


PC David Thomas with the knife used to stab shopkeeper Thomas Thomas

author of the Sherlock Holmes

stories.

Little had been written about the

murder, but Steve eventually came

‘

The man who caught the

man who broke the bank

at Monte Carlo ’

across an article in an academic

journal by the globally-respected

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expert in international relations,

Owen Harries, who had been born

in Garnant a few years after the

crime.

Although the article

was primarily about the

industrial decline of the

south Wales coalfields,

Steve was intrigued by the

reference it made to the

murder and the claim that

the killer’s identity was

known.

According to Owen, a man named

Mountstephens had killed Thomas

Thomas. The shopkeeper had rented

a room in the Mountstephens

family home and when Thomas

Thomas failed to come home that

night, Mountstephens’ failure to

investigate was seen as proof that

he had played some part in the

crime. The fact that the murder

weapons – a bloodstained broom

handle and a knife taken from the

shop - were discovered near a path

that led towards Mountstephen’s

house further cemented the popular

belief of his guilt.

Steve, however, was unconvinced.

“It all seemed far too vague and

circumstantial,” he said. “Witnesses

had heard Thomas Thomas tell

Mountstephens that he planned to

work late that night and although

the knife and broomstick were

found on a path that went towards

Mountstephens’ house, there were

lots of junctions off it leading

elsewhere too. It was in the fact

the most likely escape route for

the killer wherever he or she was

heading.

“The most telling aspect though

was the fact that the police soon

dismissed Mountstephens as a

suspect.”

And the policeman summoned to

investigate the case was not your

average village bobby.


Inside the Garnant branch of Star Stores (above) where Thomas Thomas was murdered a century ago. The safe in the office behind the shop (below)

was left open after the killer made off with a little over £100 pounds.



51

Detective Inspector George

Nicholls of Scotland Yard was sent

to Garnant to lead the investigation.

Nicholls was renowned throughout

the land as the man who caught

Charles Wells, himself made famous

by the popular music hall song, The

Man Who Broke the Bank at Monte

Carlo.

Nicholls was Britain’s leading

spy-catcher during the First World

War and went on to play a key role

in creating what would eventually

become Interpol, the international

police force.

“Nicholls was an incredible man,”

said Steve. “He was probably the

most feared and famous detective of

his day, but even he faced massive

problems when it came to solving

the murder at the Star.”

When he arrived in

Carmarthenshire, Nicholls

discovered that the God-fearing

ladies of Garnant had deemed it

blasphemous to leave the shop

stained with blood and had forced

their way past the young constable

left guarding the scene to scrub the

place from top to bottom, removing

all evidence as they went.

“When Nicholls arrived, the

scene was all but spotless,” said

Steve. “The chief constable of

Carmarthenshire summed the

situation up when he later wrote

that Nicholls has been left with

‘nothing so much as a clue’.”

Despite the complete absence of

evidence, Nicholls continued his

investigation for the best part of

a month, interviewing and reinterviewing

potential witnesses

and possible suspects.

“It’s clear from his notes that

Nicholls suspected a man

named Tom Morgan, a

shadowy figure with a

history of petty crime who

moved to Garnant during

the war years,” said Steve.

Llandovery-born Morgan

had spent time in one of the

first institutions for young offenders

after being found guilty of a series

of thefts and break-ins that began

when he was eight or nine.

“The more I looked into him, the

more convinced I was that Nicholls’

suspicions about Morgan had been

correct,” said Steve.

“When he moved to Garnant

he claimed to be a former soldier


The scene of the crime: Thomas Thomas’ body was discovered behind the grocery counter. On

the floor can be seen the head of the broomstick which snapped off during the brutal assault that

left the shopkeeper dead. Blood can be seen smeared on the crate in the foreground.

invalided out of the Army, which

was only partly true.

“He had been blacklisted from

working at any Carmarthenshire

coalmine due to his habit of

claiming the work – and wages – of

other men as his own. He was also

suspected of numerous petty crimes

up and down the valley - from cash

thefts to stealing chickens - but had

‘

A bonfire in the killer’s

garden just hours after the

murder ’

thus far avoided arrest.

“I discovered that he had joined

the Army after being released from

the young offenders institute in

1912 but deserted when it became

clear his regiment would be sent to

France when war broke out.

“Cunningly, he re-enlisted with a

different regiment only a week or

two after deserting but mysteriously

– in the few days between signing

up at the recruitment office and his

medical – he suffered a serious foot

injury that meant he was deemed

unfit for service.

“Even though the injury left

him with a life-long limp, there is

no doubt in my mind that it was

self-inflicted. It fitted with what I

discovered about him.

“I spoke to some of his

surviving relatives who

described how older family

members had refused to

even mention his name.”

But when it came to the

murder at Star Stores,

Morgan, it seemed, was in

the clear.

Following the discovery of the

murder, village GP Dr George

Evan Jones carried out both the

initial examination of the body

and subsequent post-mortem. Dr

Evan Jones was a hugely respected

figure and had studied medicine in

Edinburgh alongside the creator of

Sherlock Holmes.

And in a twist more fitting of a

Conan Doyle story, it was the doctor

who ensured Tom Morgan was

beyond suspicion.

“According to Dr Evan Jones,

the crime could only have been

committed by a right-handed

man,” said Steve. “That meant it

would have been impossible for

Morgan to have been the killer as

just a few months earlier, he had

lost almost all the fingers on his

right hand in seemingly incredible

circumstances.”

Morgan claimed that he had

been out walking one day when he

had spotted smoke coming from a

hedgerow. At the precise moment he

reached into the bushes to find out

what was the cause, there was an

explosion which completely severed

the fingers on his right hand.

Despite his horrendous injuries,

Morgan had not sought medical

attention or reported the incident

to the police. When later questioned

by police, he said he could not

remember exactly where or when

the explosion had occurred.

“The doctor’s testimony was crucial

in saving Morgan from a date with

www.mmwindows.co.uk


Face of a killer: Tom Morgam,

the man Steve is convinced committed the

murder at Star Stores.

the hangman,” said Steve.

“I honestly believe that his initial

assessment was wrong. After

analysing details of the injuries,

the angle of the blows and the

layout of the shop, I’m convinced

that the crime could only have been

committed by someone who was

left-handed – or rather, by someone

wielding the weapons in their left

hand.

“Once that seems the most likely

scenario, the pieces fall into place

and it only leaves one plausible

suspect – Tom Morgan, but at the

WINDOWS

DOORS

inquest, Dr Evan Jones maintained

that the killer had to be righthanded

and so Morgan was in the

clear.

“I’m actually convinced that the

explosion that cost Tom Morgan his

fingers was a trial run to blow open

the Star Stores safe, and to make

matters worse, I now know of a

witness who saw a bonfire burning

in Morgan’s garden just hours after

the murder – presumably he was

destroying his bloodstained clothes,

but they didn’t tell the police.”

Without such key evidence,

Nicholls eventually returned to

London with the murder unsolved.

“I am absolutely convinced that

Tom Morgan committed the murder

at the Star,” said Steve, “and I fully

believe that if it wasn’t for Dr Evan

Jones, George Nicholls would have

got his man.”

Murder at the Star: Who killed

Thomas Thomas, published by

Seren Books, is available as an

ebook. Signed print editions of the

book are also available to purchase

by contacting Steve directly at


We specialise in:

PORCHES

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☎ 01834 860 807

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Unit 9, Narberth Bridge Business Park

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53



YDYCH CHI'N GYMWYS I GAEL CYLLID?

ARE YOU ELIGIBLE FOR FUNDING?

www.colegsirgar.ac.uk www.ceredigion.ac.uk

Fully funded training for

individuals and businesses

A

new initiative called a Personal

Learning Account (PLA) has

been developed by the Welsh

Government to address barriers to adult

learning and the rising skills shortages.

Colleges and training providers,

including Coleg Ceredigion and Coleg

Sir Gâr are supporting the initiative by

delivering flexible and funded learning plans

for individuals and businesses.

Many adults are discouraged to undertake a learning

programme due to a lack of time or money but this

initiative aims to remove those barriers by providing

flexible and funded training within priority sectors.

Businesses are also encouraged to get involved to access

upskilling programmes for their workforce to help with

skills shortages.

The scheme is also designed to help

40%

provide a route for those who are

looking for progression, providing a

route out of in-work poverty.

Anyone over 19 years old, earning

less than £26,000 a year and in

employment, is eligible for the scheme.

Jemma Parsons, business development

officer at Coleg Ceredigion and Coleg Sir

Gâr said: “The PLA scheme aims to offer

eligible individuals the chance to gain the skills and

qualifications that employers within priority sectors,

need to fill current and future skills shortages.

“Accessing free, part-time training to fit around people’s

of people in

Wales living in

poverty are stuck

in a career with

little or no future

progression

44%

of employees

believe that

learning a new skill

would enhance

their earning

potential

commitments and lifestyles, will help them

gain qualifications and progress their career.

“It also includes exciting industries such

as creative industries which include

media, music and performance.”

Employees who are furloughed can also

apply for the scheme regardless of salary.

Priority sector training includes long and

short courses which are delivered in the South

West and Mid Wales:

Advanced Materials, Manufacturing and Engineering

Construction

Creative Industries

Digital and Technology

Financial and Professional

Food and Landbased

•

Health, Social and Childcare

Hospitality, Retail, Leisure and Tourism

The individual remains in their current employment

while they complete their training. Once you have

completed your course or training, you will be equipped

with the skills and qualifications needed to improve

career prospects and apply for new

opportunities.

How do I find out more?

76% of

Whether you are an individual

employees

looking for career progression or

look for

a career change, or a business

opportunities

looking to upskill your staff, visit

for career

the employer section on colegsirgar.

growth

ac.uk to find out more.



55



In the latest in regular series, we examine the meaning

of some of the place-names found across Ceredigion,

Pembrokeshire and Carmarthenshire, and ask...

What’s in

a name?

As we have previously discussed, Welsh placenames

often include references to the natural

geography. This is again the case when it

comes to places which begin with the prefix Aber.

Aber is an extremely common place-name prefix

throughout Wales, particularly – but not always –

in towns and villages along the coast, and for good

reason.

At its most straightforward, Aber translates as

mouth. However, unlike its English counterpart,

Aber refers specifically to the mouth of a river – the

Welsh word for the mouth on your face is ceg.

It should as no surprise then that many – if not

most – of the names of Welsh towns and villages

that sprang up where a river meets the sea begin

with the Aber prefix and end with the name of the

river in question.

Obvious examples of this include both Aberystwyth

and nearby Aberaeron in Ceredigion – Mouth of the

Ystwyth and Mouth of the Aeron, respectively.

Even seaside towns and villages that have

become better known by an English name often

maintain the Aber prefix in their Welsh names –

Pembrokeshire’s Fishguard and Milford Haven are

two of the best-known examples and are known,

respectively, in Welsh as Abergwaun – Mouth

of the Gwaun – and Aberdaugleddau – Mouth

of the two Cleddaus (The River Cleddau which

meats the sea at Milford Haven is formed by the

meeting of the Eastern and Western Cleddau

rivers a few miles upstream).

But it is not just on the coast where you might

find place-names beginning with Aber.

In Carmarthenshire, villages such as

Abergorlech, Aberarad and Abergwili, much

like Ceredigion’s Abermeurig and Aberffrwd,

are considerable distances from the sea. In the

case of these inland examples, Aber refers to the

point at which a tributary joins a larger river – at

Abergorlech, the River Gorlech joins the larger

River Cothi; at Abergwili, the Gwili merges with the

mighty Towy; at Aberarad, the smaller river flows

into the magnificent River Teifi.

There are a few cases where the prefix Aber

is followed by landscape feature rather than a

reference to a specific river, albeit usually one

related to a nearby river or rivers.

One such example would be Ceredigion’s

Aberporth, where porth refers to the natural

harbour created by the smaller Nant Gilwen and

Nant Howni reaching the sea. Nant being the

Welsh word for stream.



57

Homes



Homes

Summerhouses:

expand your options

The rise in popularity of the garden summerhouse

proves they offer plenty of potential all year round

The image of a garden

summerhouse has changed

dramatically in just a few

short years.

As recently as 20 or 30 years ago,

mention of a summerhouse would

have conjured images of well-to-do

Victorian or Edwardian properties

with a team of gardeners labouring

over manicured flower borders

while the ladies and gentlemen of

the house invited their visitors to

an afternoon gin and tonic in the

garden.

For the less well off, the only

structure likely to be found in the

garden was a rickety old shed, filled

with rakes, spades, buckets and

cobwebs.

But no longer.

Nowadays, more and more people

are coming to see the benefits of

a garden summerhouse – with

many viewing the addition to their

property as something closer to an

extension, or at the very least as

extra roofed space where they can

relax and enjoy the fruits of their

labours in a relaxing, informal

setting one step closer to nature.

Even in relatively recent times,

summerhouses were seen as

a simple wooden structure,

often without heating, water or

insulation, used primarily – if not

entirely – to while away a few hours

in the shade on a hot summer’s

afternoon.

However, thanks to a surge in

popularity, contemporary wooden

summerhouses have introduced a

whole host of new features to make

them true all-year spaces suitable

for all manner of uses, including

everything from garden offices and

children’s playrooms to spas and

saunas, garden lounges and even

additional sleeping accommodation

for guests.

Modern summerhouses have

become a haven to read, write,

dine, entertain, escape and relax.

But whether it becomes a place for

work, play, or relaxation, the welldesigned

summerhouse can provide

a lifetime of pleasure while being

a fantastic enhancement to the

garden.

What’s more, it has been

recognised that a summerhouse –

despite being relatively inexpensive

– can significantly increase the

value of the main property.

We take a look at just some of the

benefits a summerhouse can offer:

1. Extend your living space

A summerhouse can be close to

your home, or at the bottom of the

garden. Either way, it can be an

extension of your current living

space and provide masses of extra

room and with the option of a fully

insulated building with electrical

connections, you can use it all year

round.

2. Create a garden office

A summerhouse can be used as

a garden office, allowing you

considerable time to work from

home and avoid long and costly

commutes to business.

3. Garden pleasure in all

weathers

A well-designed summerhouse

becomes an extension of your home

while allowing you to enjoy the

beauty of an outdoor garden without

being affected by inclement weather.

You can sit undercover in the warm

and dry and enjoy the beauty of

your garden and the wildlife that

visits.

4. An outdoor family room

A summerhouse can be a room

for all the family where you can

enjoy time together away from the

television.

5. A secret retreat

Escape from the pressures of

everyday life to your own garden

haven retreat, sit in style and enjoy

life’s labours at your leisure. A great

place for you to hide from the family

when you simply need space!

6. An outdoor gamesroom

Your garden summerhouse can

provide an excellent place for all

games and toys for children of all

ages, and the added benefit is that

when dinner is ready they don’t

have to tidy up but can close the

door on their mess.

7. A place to take up a hobby

A summerhouse can be the perfect

place to develop a favourite hobby

away from the hubbub of the house

and family. Whether it is knitting,

reading or writing, yoga or exercise,

or building a model train set, a

summerhouse is the ideal place to

‘

explore some me time.

8. Guest accommodation

Renovating your house can be very

expensive and lengthy process.

Rather than disturb the structure of

your home, a summerhouse can be a

very cost effective and non-invasive

way to add extra accommodation

to your property and give your

guests some privacy by having a

summerhouse that sits separately

from your home.

9. A more attractive shed

Although a summerhouse is

intended to be far more than a

traditional garden shed, it remains

a great place to store all the tools

used in the garden. It also looks

much, much better than a simple

shed.

True all-year spaces

suitable for all

manner of uses ’

10. Boosting the value of your

property

With the erection of a wooden

summer house, your property

will get an immediate boost on

the housing market. Additional

structures on a property indicate

full development with extra

functions. Experience shows that

wooden summer houses make

properties much more attractive on

the market.

11. An eco-friendly option

Summerhouses are usually made

from a renewable, sustainable

timber. Not only is their energy –

and carbon footprint very small,

they also offer a natural, healthy,

comfortable, and cosy living

atmosphere.



59



Gardening

CELEBRATING

10

YEARS

IN BUSINESS

Gardening guru Sara Milne with the tricks and tips

to make the most of a woodland garden

Spring into

summer

May is a great gardening

month and probably

the last month you

can plan for your summer

colour in the garden. For those

with limited space, bedding

plants will give you maximum

effect and can really make a

statement. If you are taking a

long-term view then a garden

full of reliable flowering shrubs

is also an option.

Whatever garden you have,

watering and weeding are

the key watchwords for May.

It’s essential to water newly

planted fruit trees, roses and

shrubs regularly to help their

root systems get established.

It’s also the time of year when

many plants’ demand for water

increases as they start their

major growth period. Top

watering tips include – every



61

Gardening



time you plant something water it

in well, make a moat of soil round

newly planted plants so that water

doesn’t run off and goes to the roots,

water pots and containers so that

water appears right to the top of

the pot and get a water butt. If you

have a drainpipe you have a natural

water supply so a simple garden

solution for May is to ensure that

you have adequate water storage.

If you buy and fit a water butt it

will provide you with water for

the garden in an environmentally

friendly way and on a regular basis.

Annual weeds will be popping

up now, so weeding borders once

a week to prevent weed seedlings

establishing is a good idea. The

problem with the most common

weeds such as nettles, dandelions

and bindweed is that they are very,

very tough. They can continue to

grow in conditions that make most

garden plants simply fade away –

and they do that, in part, by using

the moisture, nutrients and light of

the plants around them.

Keeping on top of garden maintenance is crucial in May. The

garden is coming alive so there is plenty to keep you busy. Here

are some jobs you should be thinking about this month from

the RHS (Royal Horticultural Society)...

Plant out seedlings and young plants

Watering and weeding

Start spraying roses to stop black spot and mildew

Fast growing hedges will need a trim

Plant hanging baskets and containers

Plant salad leaves seeds

Tie up climbers

Feed spring bulbs for next year

•

Plant out tomatoes

Mow the lawn

A great plant to get you into

the summer gardening spirit is

the pretty Petunia.– perfect for

containers and hanging baskets

and a great choice for instant

colour. It can flower all summer

long, providing you deadhead

regularly, and comes in a variety of

colours to suit any garden palette.

Petunias are also available in

Open Mar-end Oct

different blooms including single,

double, ruffled or smooth petals.

They can be striped, veined or solid

in colour and most sold today are

hybrids developed for specific design

purposes such as fragrance. They

need full sun and can’t tolerate frost

but can grow in a wide range of soils

and thrive in multipurpose compost

when planted in containers.

NEW SHOWROOM COMING SOON!

Vine Road. Johnston. Haverfordwest. Pembrokeshire SA62 3NZ



63



Health and Fitness

Four-time UK fitness champion,

ballet dancer, mountaineer,

GB Adventure Racer and

mum of seven, Joey Bull offers

tips and advice on all things

health and fitness.

Coming back to earth

If I ask you to picture exercise, I

am pretty sure you will bring to

mind something energetic and

vigorous. I can be equally sure that

walking has not entered your mind’s

eye. However walking is not only

the most accessible activity for all

those who are able, it is a genuinely

great exercise.

It has been shown that the benefits

of walking in nature are felt for up

to seven hours afterwards. These

benefits straddle the emotional

and physical. Studies have shown

that it elevates positivity and

actually counters what is known

as the ‘broodiness state’. This has

nothing to do with babies but is

actually about the cycle of dwelling

on negative thoughts. Walking

has been shown to fix that broken

record.

A good outdoor walk boosts energy

levels, it stimulates the brain,

forcing it to constantly engage

with your surroundings for every

single step, making a thousand

subconscious calculations and

decisions a second.

Trees naturally release something

called phytoncides which have a

beneficial effect on our nervous

system, and the whole process

can do wonders for a calming,

reflective process as well as boosting

creativity. How many times do you

have a great idea, or think of that

perfect line or paragraph to write

when you are out dog walking and

have no way of noting it down? It

happens to me often!

The Japanese practice something

called Shinrin-Yoku, or you

may have heard of it as ‘Forest

Bathing’ (it has been referenced

a few times on BBC’s Autumn

and Winterwatch). These are all

about gentle walks of 2-4 hours

of sensual immersion in a wooded

environment. It has shown results

in preventative healthcare and in

combating mental health issues.

And the benefits even extend

beyond shoes! Kick off your trainers,

walking shoes, hiking boots or

whatever you might strap on and

get natural. Bear with me here,

I’m not going all Woodstock and

ethereal on you, there really are

wonderful positive effects!

Of course walking barefoot in the

modern world has largely been

consigned to ancient history as a

result of almost infinite footwear

options. But should we ignore it

entirely on the grounds of ‘comfort’.

Increasing numbers of studies

suggest not.

The mechanics of the foot and our

gait are intricate and we all adopt

our own swagger, but they do have

a huge bearing on our movement.

Thanks to footwear we have become

so used to support that certain

muscles under-function and once we

start out barefoot, the distribution

of pressure across the foot is even

said to change our biomechanics.

I accept that walking on hard,

man-made surfaces might well have

it’s issues, but what if we just kick

off our shoes and go barefoot more



65


‘

Kick off your

trainers and get

natural. There

really are wonderful

positive effects! ’


this before presenting them for

controlled studies. Suspicious of

the implications of always being

insulated from the earth, He

literally placed metal duck tape on

his bed, clipped it to a wire that

he dropped out the window and

attached it to a metal stake in the

ground. Having needed medication

to help him sleep, he found there

was something in this grounding,

as he slept so well and noticed less

pain.

With a group of 60 people

he found remarkable visual

difference in scans before and after

grounding. And the participants

said that PMS, inflammation

and pain had greatly improved

or even gone. Then he attracted

the attention of scientists and

physicians and the effects of

grounding became apparent in

larger studies.

You can make the most of your

walking by playing around with

speeds, using the hills to march,

the flats to do some walking

lunges. Then take off your shoes

where you can and feel the

spread of the toes, the tripod like

balance between the heel and big

and small toe and plug yourself

into earth. Results have also

revealed that grounding influences

physiologic processes, induces

relaxation and stabilises circadian

rhythms; our response to light and

dark.

We are blessed to live in a

stunning part of the UK that is

absolutely prime walking territory.

As we ease our way back towards

a few more freedoms, more

activities, more social interaction

– walking is the perfect activity

to stretch our legs, get air in our

lungs, get the heart rate up, work

those legs and not only connect

with friends, but connect with the

Earth!

You can find Joey’s walking

video online at youtu.be/

s1F3D72nTwU or visit joeybull.

com for a range of workouts

and health and fitness advice.

The winners of our Winter Joey

Bull competition were: Julia

Norton, Kristiina Castren and

Netta Stephens

often? Walking barefoot activates

something called ‘grounding’,

which is believed to do us all sorts

of favours.

Walking with contact is believed

to reduce stress levels. It is even

considered to support organ

systems down to the tissues and

the cellular function. But how?

Grounding allows your body to

absorb negative electrons, through

the earth, which helps to stabilize

daily stress rhythms – that’s

cortisol – and create a balanced

internal bioelectrical environment.

So if we insulate ourselves from

this, as we have by wearing

rubber soled shoes, we will have

the opposite effect. So Instead of

having thin blood which is less

likely to clot we will have thick

blood and inflammation potential.

Inflammation is produced by

the body’s white blood cells. If

you have an injury you have a

damaged cell and the white blood

cells come in and encapsulate

the damage and release reactive

oxygen species which rip electrons

from the damaged cells and that

then destroys the damaged cell.

If there are not enough free

electrons there to reduce the

remaining radical, it steals from

another healthy cell and damages

that cell – and then you’ve got a

chain reaction of damage, sending

a message to the immune system.

So with the earth endowed with

electrons, grounding has been

found to stop inflammation and

pain. This is because the force

holding the heart, the lungs, the

brain, is electrical equipment. We

are electrical beings. ATP is the

energy currency for the cell, that

is how we run our body’s systems

by generating a bio electrical

transfer. And when we connect to

a conductor server in some way,

there’s a transfer of electrons that

are slowly going into our body.

It was an electrician Clint Gober

who started his own trials on



67



Farming diary

Debbie James lives on a coastal farm in

south Pembrokeshire where her family

produces milk from a herd of New

Zealand Friesians. The grass-based dairy

farm is also home to a beef enterprise

with animals reared on pasture.

Direct Nursing Services is a highly respected and wellestablished

nursing Agency that has over 21 years’

experience. We support more than 250 clients across

Wales & have over 800 Members: Qualified nurses and

Health Care Support workers.

We are proud to be contracted supplier of the NHS.

Office in Tenby & Neath

(Local Nursing Agency employing local People to local assignments)

This farming

wife

Pembrokeshire farmer Debbie James knows all about

the highs and lows of a life spent working on the land

THANK YOU

NHS and all Carers & Key workers

from all at Direct Nursing Services Ltd

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01792 512 222 / 01834 218 020

info@directnursingservices.biz

www.directnursingservices.net

Say what you like about farmers

but we are a practical bunch and

have some pretty useful machines at

our disposal.

That, and our farm’s close

proximity to a road, makes us a

magnet for those unfortunate souls

in need of a tow when their car

breaks down or, worse still, get

stuck in a ditch.

Always, without fail, the SOS at

the door comes when we are trying

to grab a bite to eat.

Last week it was a parcel delivery

driver who came knocking. By

religiously following the guidance

on his sat nav, his van ground to a

halt in a ford at the bottom of the

farm track that runs alongside our

farmstead.

The sheer number of gates he had

to open to get there and the rutted

track should have served as red

flags but let’s not dwell on those.

The poor man was distraught

because, as we all know, delivery

Debbie’s son George has now joined the

family business – much to mum’s delight.

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Nursing Services & Direct Nursing Services The Hub…


69

drivers are under pressure to meet

targets and veering off the beaten

track had already put him behind

his tight schedule.

Cue my husband with a tractor

and a heavy duty tow chain and he

was soon back on the road.

He offered to cross Chris’ palm

with silver but the man’s gratitude

was enough on that day.

I can’t attest to the view of farming

being an isolating and lonely

profession because of

our steady stream of

‘

beleaguered callers.

Our most famous

was the actor Keith

Allen but I must

confess that his fame

passed me. I didn’t

know him from

Adam, even when

he was standing in our kitchen and

using our phone to call the AA while

Chris furnished me with details of

his identity.

“Lily Allen’s father,’’ he loudly

whispered as he struggled to rein

in his excitement. Ahh, now the

penny dropped as I happen to know

who she is but as someone who is

completely unfazed by celebrity I

did what any farmer’s wife would

have done in the circumstances and


sustained our Keith with a couple

slices of fruit cake until the recovery

vehicle arrived.

He kindly returned the

compliment by calling with a bottle

of good wine later that week as he

was holidaying in the area.

Bizarrely, thereafter he seemed to

pop up endlessly in the television

dramas I watched, having not been

aware of him beforehand.

When our tractors have not been

Farmer bashers are

given so much airtime

that it can at times feel

like it is against the world

’

in use as recovery vehicles, they

have been notching up the miles

this spring cultivating some of our

more unproductive fields.

Anxious weeks of weather

watching have followed as

the exceptionally cold and dry

conditions have delayed seed

germination.

Obsessively following the forecasts

have made little difference as have

making all those secret pacts to be

a better person, if only it would rain

or warm up.

One of the reseeds is on a hill

overlooking the farm and the field

is a troubling reminder of the late

spring as it remains steadfastly

brown as we wait for the green

shoots to appear.

Farming requires nerves of steel

because so much of what we do is

weather dependant but at times

of worry I have to gently remind

myself that it mostly

always works out in

the end.

Surprisingly the

farm is just about

growing enough

grass to feed the cows

without too much

supplementary feed.

This week I spent

a very happy morning measuring

grass with George, our middle son,

who has joined us in the business.

We were collecting the data we need

to calculate our grass supply and to

work out if we have enough to meet

feed demand without supplementing

the cows’ diet.

Earlier, we had turned some of

our calves out to graze for the first

time. While frolicking lambs are a

cliché for the arrival of spring in the

countryside, it is playful calves that

are the backdrop to our spring.

We calve the entire herd in the

spring and produce most of our milk

from grass. When the cows are at

grass, it is not long before the calves

follow. It is a truly uplifting sight,

to watch them learning to graze. It

has to be one of the most effective

antidotes to some of the negativity

doled out by those who seek to

discredit farmers.

Farmer bashers are given so much

airtime by the BBC and other news

channels that it can at times feel

like it is us against the rest of the

world but fortunately most people

use their own good sense as a

barometer of what is right and what

is wrong.

With a footpath leading to a

beautiful beach running through

the farm it is Open Farm Sunday

here every day on high days and

holidays.

The public can see how naturally

we produce our milk, how happy

and well looked after our cows are

grazing in the fields and that is good

enough for us. We count ourselves

lucky to be farming.

01239 621225


T Samways is committed to

providing locally sourced produce

Tom Samways started butchery at the age of 14 and has a passion for the

butchery trade. The original shop had been trading for 40 years and Tom had

been an employee for 18 years. Tom took the shop over in 2018 and since

then has expanded the business and the customer base. Tom prides himself on

sourcing the highest quality locally selected meats and poultry. T Samways is

dedicated to supporting local farmers and producers.

We’re

currently

looking for

new

suppliers.

Quality Meat

car Local Delivery

Original Recipies

Bradford House, 53A Pendre, Cardigan SA43 1JR

www.tsamwaysbutcher.co.uk



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73


Tastes of

Wales


Food

With spring well and truly sprung, our thoughts are already turning towards lighter, fresher

meals to eat during the warmer weather. Welsh lamb with green salad and new potatoes

is the perfect dish to welcome in the summer.

Welsh lamb has achieved PGI status – Protected Geographical Indication – the much sought-after

marque that guarantees that you are buying a premium quality product with special characteristics

that cannot be replicated anywhere else in the world.

For a delicious, nutritious yet light main meal to welcome in the summer, try out this fabulous

recipe for racks of Welsh lamb with rosemary, lemon and garlic. Add some new potatoes and green

saldIt really is the perfect warm weather dish, whether eaten inside or out.

Welsh lamb provides a true taste of Wales – and there really is nothing quite like.

Preparation time: 15 minutes

Cooking time: 1 hours

Serves five or more

Ingredients

2 lean racks of PGI Welsh Lamb

2 large sprigs of fresh rosemary, finely chopped

1 lemon, rind removed and juice

3 garlic cloves, finely chopped

2 tbsp olive oil

Black pepper

Preheat the oven to 180°C / 160°C fan / Gas 4-5.

Take the two lean racks of lamb and calculate the

cooking time: medium – 25 minutes per 450g/0.5kg

plus 25 minutes; well done – 30 minutes per

450g/0.5kg plus 30 minutes.

Mix together the rosemary, lemon rind and juice,

garlic, olive oil and seasoning, and rub into the

racks.

Cook on a preheated barbecue with a lid or place

onto a rack in a roasting tray and oven roast for the

calculated cooking time.

Serve the lamb with new potatoes and a green

salad.



75



Wine

Roy guides you from

decanters to dessert

Welcome again to the West Wales Life&Style

guide to wine with Roy Roberts of Celtic

Wines.

Roy will be continuing to guide our regular readers

through his A to Z of wine, this time covering D.

Dornfelder is a dark-skinned increasingly appreciated

variety of grape of German origin used for red wine.

Bred in 1956 by August Herold, it owes its name to the

19th century founder of the Wurttemberg viticulture

school. It incorporates every important red wine vine

grown in Germany somewhere in its genealogy.

The best bottles of this variety, usually sold as a

varietal rather than blended, demonstrate the point of

vine breeding.

D is also for Dão, one of the oldest established wine

regions of Portugal, located just south of the famous

Douro Valley with the reputation of producing some of

the country’s best red wines. Locked in on three sides

by high, granite mountains and sheltered from the

Atlantic, the region benefits from long, warm summers.

The mountainous region is home to Touriga Nacional,

the principal variety of port wine.

D is also for Decanters, essentially the process of

pouring (decanting) the contents from one vessel

(typically a bottle) into another vessel (typically a

decanter). Usually, the wine is then served from the

decanter, but sometimes in a restaurant it is decanted

back into the original bottle for service.

Slowly and carefully decanting the wine ensures that

the sediment stays in the bottle and you get a nice clear

wine in the decanter, and subsequently in your glass.

D is for Discorgement, a critical point in the life of

Champagne wine, the grand finale after many months

and sometimes years of peaceful maturation on lees.

The purpose of disgorgement is to eliminate the deposit

that has collected in the neck of the bottle as a result of

the remuage process.

D is for Demi Sec, a French term meaning medium



77

Wine



dry. In practice, it designates a dosage level that yields 32 to 50 g/l of

residual sugar. In Champagne, the scale from driest to sweetest is:

Brut Nature, Extra Brut, Brut, Extra-Dry (or Extra-Sec), Dry (or Sec),

Demi-Sec and Doux.

D is also for DOC, which stands for Denominazione di Origine

Controllata and is a designation for wines that was introduced in the

early 1960s. It equates more or less to the French AOC/AC system.

The regulations for each DOC wine delimit the production area,

wine colour, permitted grape varieties and max/min proportions,

styles of wine, max/min alcohol levels as well as permitted

or mandated viticultural, vinification and maturation

techniques.

There are 330 DOC wines in Italy today.

DOCG, wine designation was created in 1980 to

differentiate the top Italian wines, as there was a

general feeling that the DOC status was graded too

liberally.

The regulations for DOCG wines are tighter and

more restrictive. For example, maximum permitted

grape yields are lower. Also, each wine must pass an

in-depth technical analysis and tasting to receive the

official DOCG seal of approval from the Ministry of

Agriculture.

DO is another classification standing for

Denominación de Origen. Some wines will have DO

labelled after the name of the region, meaning that

this is a quality-controlled appellation that has been

awarded a higher status of winemaking.

You can also spot a DO wine by the black label on

the back, known as the contraetiqueta.

D is for Dessert Wines, produced with extra-sweet

wine grapes.

The grapes used to produce dessert wines have

a higher sugar content than regular wine grapes,

yielding a sweeter, richer wine.

These high sugar levels are usually achieved by

leaving the grapes on the vine for longer than the

equivalent dry wines.

D is also for Dole, a red wine made from mainly

Pinot Noir with Gamay grapes grown in the Valais

of Switzerland. A high proportion of Dole lacks real

interest and concentration, but exceptions exist.

Dole Blanche is lightly pressed, pale pink version.

D is for Domaine, the French word for an estate - it

typically refers ti vine-growing and wine-making

estates in Burgundy.

D is for Dow, important port shipper.

And finally D is Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust,

a charity we work with that aims for more diverse,

beautiful and resilient natural landscapes in which

species can thrive and people can enjoy a deeper

connection with nature.

Their strategy concentrates on the rewilding

of animals, the rewilding of ecosystems and the

rewilding of people. The Society of Vintners directly

supports the trust with every sale made. Please

visitdurrell.org for more information

After having missed so many opportunities for Concerts,

Weddings, Family Events, not to mention Hugs and seeing Old

Friends things are finally easing up and we may soon have the

opportunity to say Hello to you again here at Rhosygilwen!

We have Catrin Finch, Llyr Williams, Martin and Eliza Carthy,

David Tress, Yoga with Hilary, Our Wednesday Art group,

Trystan Llyr Griffiths, Weddings and Parties, The Rhosygilwen

Proms, Treasure Island, Young Musician of Dyfed,

Rhosygilwen Dinners and many other things going on to whet

your appetite!

We look forward to seeing you here at Rhosygilwen very soon!

rhosygilwen.co.uk



79



Mercedes EQB:

An all-electric SUV to

Whether a large nuclear family or a

small extended family: as a sevenseater,

the new Mercedes EQB allelectric

compact SUV offers space for many

family constellations and a wide variety of

transport needs.

This gives it an exceptional position not

only in the compact segment, but especially

among electric cars. The two seats in the

third row can be used by people up to 5ft

4inches tall, and child seats can also be fitted

there.

The new EQB is the second fully electric

compact car from Mercedes-EQ. The

powerful and efficient electric drive,

clever recuperation and predictive

Navigation with Electric Intelligence

are just some of the features that

link it to the EQA.

The electric offensive from

Mercedes-Benz Cars is not

only picking up speed, it is

accelerating with as much kick

as the Mercedes-EQ vehicles

themselves. The design of the

new all-electric compact SUV

interprets the progressive

luxury of Mercedes-EQ in an

edgy and characterful way.

“With the all new EQB we have

created an iconic electric SUV

that takes the heritage of our boxy

off-road vehicles and transforms

this into the future. We combine

the significant boxy silhouette with

futuristic elements such as the black-panel

front to create the extraordinary look of the

vehicle”, says Gorden Wagener, chief design

officer of Daimler Group.

Customers will have the choice between

several models with front-wheel and allwheel

drive and various power levels, some

rated at over 200 kW. The usable capacity

of the batteries in Europe is 66.5 kWh.

A particularly long-range version is also

planned.

Generous space and variable, level boot

The new EQB enriches Mercedes’ successful

compact car family and is closely related to

two models in particular: to the EQA, whose

advanced drive technology it shares, and to

the GLB compact SUV. This is where the long

wheelbase, the spacious and variable interior

and the third row of seats with two additional

individual seats come from.

The amount of space is generous: the

headroom and knee space in the rear of the

get the family buzzing

five-seater reaches a comfortable level. The

boot is level and spacious: The load volume

of 495 to 1710 or 465 to 1620 litres (figures

for five- and seven-seaters respectively) has

the qualities of a compact estate car. The

inclination of the backrests in the second row

can be adjusted in several stages as standard,

and as an option it features longitudinally

adjustment of 140 millimetres. This enables

the boot to be enlarged by up to 190 litres and

put to versatile use.

As an option, the EQB has a third row of

seats with two additional individual seats.

Extensive safety features include extractable

head restraints, seat belts with belt tensioners

and force limiters on all outer seats and a



81



side windowbag that also covers

passengers in the third row. Four

child seats can be fitted in rows

two and three, plus one more in the

front passenger seat.

To increase luggage

‘

space, the third row

seats can be lowered

into the load floor.

Electro design

aesthetics with

corners and edges

The EQB interprets

Mercedes-EQ’s

Progressive Luxury in an edgy and

characterful way. It features the

typical Mercedes-EQ black panel

grille with central star. A further

distinctive design feature is the

continuous light strip at front and

rear. A horizontal fibre-optic strip

connects the daytime running lights

of the full-LED headlamps, ensuring

a high level of recognisability in

daylight and at night. The inside

of the headlamps is finished to a

high level of quality and precision.

Blue colour highlights within the

headlamp reinforce the signature

Mercedes-EQ appearance.

The function-oriented greenhouse

TENBY

TAXIS

Competitively priced transfers to all

major UK airports, seaports, sporting

events and popular destinations.

with upright windscreen makes the

comfortable interior possible. The

muscular and sensuously modelled

vehicle shoulder dominates the side

An iconic electric SUV

that takes heritage and

transforms it into the

future

’

AIRPORT TRANSFERS

CELEBRATING

40

YEARS

IN BUSINESS

car LOCAL TAXI

ship FERRY PORTS

STATIONS

01834 843678 / 842371

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view, which is further enhanced by

the rise of the beltline. Outwardly

positioned wheels give the EQB a

powerful character and confident

stance on the road. Exclusive to this

model are light-alloy wheels in a bior

tri-colour design, up to 20 inches

in size, in some cases with rosé goldcoloured

or blue decorative trim.

The LED tail lamps merge

seamlessly into the tapered LED

light strip. This underlines the

horizontal sense of width of the

EQB in the rear view. In addition,

the number plate is placed on

the bumper, which allows for a

beautifully sculpted tailgate. The

studded roof rails underline the

high utility value of the new EQB.

The large body of the dashboard

has a cut-out in the driver and

passenger area.

The driver faces a

Widescreen Cockpit,

with control and

display via MBUX

(Mercedes-Benz

User Experience).

The robust character

of the interior is

underlined by tubular

elements in an aluminium look.

They sit as handles in the doors, in

the centre console and instrument

panel on the passenger side.

Efficient driving pleasure

and Navigation with Electric

Intelligence

ECO Assist offers a recuperation

process optimised to the particular

situation. It incorporates navigation

data, traffic sign recognition and

information from the vehicle

sensors into its efficiency strategy.

Anticipatory driving saves power,

thereby extending the range.

The standard Navigation with

Electric Intelligence also contributes

Glass • Mirror • Soffit

Double Glazed Units • Fascias

Guttering • Window Trims

Sealants • Fixings

to the effortless handling of the

EQB in everyday life. It calculates

the fastest route to the destination,

including any necessary charging

stops. On the basis of continual

range simulations, the system

makes allowance for any necessary

charging stops as well as for

numerous other factors, such as

the topography and the weather. It

is also able to react dynamically to

changes, for instance in the traffic

situation or personal driving style.

In addition, the Navigation with

Electric Intelligence ensures that

the high-voltage battery is brought

to an optimal charging temperature

before a planned charging stop, if

needed.

Sophisticated charging

technology and green power

At home or at public charging

stations, the EQB can be charged

at up to 11 kW with alternating

current (AC) using the onboard

charger. The charging time for

a full charge depends on the

available infrastructure and vehicle

equipment. Charging at a Mercedes-

Benz Wallbox is considerably faster

than at a household socket.

And it is of course even faster at

direct current (DC) fast-charging

stations.

Depending on the SoC (State of

Charge) and the temperature of

the high-voltage battery, the EQB

charges at a corresponding charging

station with a maximum power of

up to 100kW. The charging time is

then just over 30 minutes from 10-

80 percent SoC.

Cooperative support for the

driver and high level of crash

safety

The EQB features intelligent

driving assistance systems with

cooperative support for the driver.

Active Lane Keeping Assist and

Active Brake Assist are fitted

as standard. In many critical

situations, the latter has the ability

to prevent a collision or reduce its

severity with autonomous braking.

The system is also able to brake for

stationary vehicles and crossing

pedestrians at typical city speeds.

The enhanced functions of the

Driving Assistance Package include,

for example, the turning manoeuvre

function, the emergency corridor

function, the exit warning function

alerting the driver to approaching

‘ character

A powerful

with a

confident

stance on

the road

’

cyclists or vehicles, and a warning

when pedestrians are detected near

zebra crossings.

The EQB is also a true Mercedes

when it comes to passive safety.

Building on the robust bodyshell

structure of the GLB, the body of

the EQB was adapted to the special

requirements of an electric car. The

battery sits within a frame made

out of extruded sections. This takes

on a structural function which until

now was maintained by the cross

members in the underfloor. A guard

in the front area of the battery is

able to prevent the energy storage

unit from being pierced by foreign

objects.

Thanks to a perfect blending of

safety, design, performance and

green credentials, the new Mercedes

EQB is a compact SUV that while

have the whole family cheering.



83


Fishguard Road, Haverfordwest • 01437 768014 • www.vincentdavies.co.uk

Free Parking • For opening times visit www.vincentdavies.co.uk


West Wales Life&Style May-June 2021

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