COMPETITION - Win a Leather Bound Field/Note Book - We Have a Winner!

[Broch]

Win a Leather Bound Field/Note Book

**** And the Winner is nitrambur with 15/19 correct answers ****

OK, I know 3,000 posts is minute by comparison to many (some have ten times that number!) but I haven’t offered a competition and prize before, so I thought I’d take this opportunity to do so

The Competition:
This competition is a virtual treasure hunt around my area of Wales. It gives me the opportunity to introduce you to some of the beautiful countryside and places around here. You can answer the clues by using on-line tools such as Street View and general information searches. So, you can participate from anywhere in the world! You can also use street view to travel some of the roads or, in most places, you can simply jump between the clues; to answer some clues you’ll have to travel some of the roads for a short distance. Although some clues lead to others you do not have to follow them all in order.

The Rules:
There are no rules just guidelines – if you want to discuss the clues on here you can but clearly that will help others. Some of the clues are easy, some of them less so. The winner will be the person who has submitted the most complete set of correctly answered clues by midnight on the 7th June 2020 by PMing me the answers. If there is more than one winner with the same number of correct answers (and I hope you all get them all correct) the names will be put in a hat and the winner will be decided by random draw. Your last sent set of answers will count; any previously sent will be discounted. I will only give additional hints if nobody has found the answer to a specific clue; if anyone declares they have found the answer (without giving it away of course) I will not offer any further hints for that one clue.

The Prize:
The winner will get one of my pocket-sized A6 leather bound and stitched field/notebooks; I’ll post a picture up when it’s finished


The first clues will go up on this thread later today, 13th May – I will get all the clues up by Sunday 17th May.

Have a go; if not many people enter you could win with just one correct answer

 

[Broch]

OK, the first of the clues for those that want to have a go :

We’re going to start our journey in the historic county of Montgomeryshire, now part of the county of Powys. The Welsh name for Montgomeryshire is Sir Drefaldwyn.

1) What does Sir Drefaldwyn mean?

However, we’ll set off from my local village of Meifod in Montgomeryshire. There’s an impressive church for the size of the village: St Tysilio and St Mary’s church. It has some very nice stained glass windows, wooden roof structures and stonework. However, it’s the grounds of the church that are notable.

2) Why are the grounds of St Tysilio and St Mary’s church interesting?

Before you leave the village, take a glance at the lovely Welsh Chapel directly across the road from the church gates with its own impressive windows and stone structure.

We’re going to head down the road with the church on our right and the chapel on our left.

Tie-breaker type question –

3) Why would you be delayed if you were a few minutes later?

About 5km from the church we are taking the turn to Llyn Efrynwy (Lake Vyrnwy) and, about 1.5km up the windy road known as ‘Happy Valley’ (great fun in the Westfield or on the Bonny ) we come to the village of Bwlch y Cibau

4) We will not ‘fall out’ if I give you a drink but what’s my name?

 

[Broch]

Second set of Clues:

Continue up the A490 – classed as a major road around here! 3.5km up the road is a large listed building on the right – not pretty but with a purpose –

5) What was the purpose of the building?


Tie-breaker type question –

6) If you wanted to go ghost hunting how long could you be there?

Continue on to the town of Llanfyllin (pronounced LLan vu llin where the double Ls rolls lightly at the back of your tongue). If you’ve got the time stroll through what was a drover’s town that boasted some 14 pubs when sheep and cattle were driven over from the other side of the Berwyn Mountains to the markets in England. As you leave at the other end consider that this passes as a large town in Montgomeryshire!

1km the other side of Llanfyllin we’re turning left up the B4393 towards Llyn Evrynwy.

7 km along the road we take a right turn but still following the B4393 to the lake (not the B4395). Before you get to the village of Abertridwr, down a steep road, there's a true 180 degree U bend in the road – great to drift around in a rear wheel drive sports car. There’s not much to the village so drive straight through. There’s not a lot to see in Llanwddyn either (LLan oo thin – double D is a th sound as in ‘the’) so carry on to the lake dam.

7) Why might the villagers of Llanwddyn dislike Liverpool?

Turn left and cross the dam but pause half way across to look at the view over the lake. If you zoom in you can see the Gothic Straining Tower.

Go over the dam and turn right; we’re going to follow the left bank of the lake. It’s about 19km around the lake but we’re only going as far as the bay at the North West corner and taking the unclassified road to the left (you may want to skip bits here because, although it’s a nice drive/walk/cycle around the lake it all looks a bit the same) – if you’ve reached New Bridge you’ve gone too far – the road over the mountains from there is another classic however.

It’s 6km along this road to the T junction at Bwlch y Groes. This is one of my favourite roads around here so, if you’ve got the time, travel it and pause to look at some of the views along the way. I used to bring the local Westfield club up here for a summer run and we’d have the road to ourselves!

At the T junction we’re turning right but stop and take a look left – it has to be one of the best views around – it may be even worth going that way for a few hundred metres to get a better view.

OK, go back up the road to the top – there’s a car park and another stunning view. This is the second highest mountain pass road in Wales.

8) Why did Bwlch y Groes witness testing times?

 

[Broch]

Penultimate set of clues

From the car park at Bwlch y Groes we’re going to go down the road to another well-known lake in the area, Lyn Tegid (Bala Lake). The moors to the right (part of the Berwyn range) are quite bleak and in places the peat is cut through by water so that you are walking in 2m deep ravines – quite eerie in the mist.

If you have the time, travel the first half of the road but feel free to skip to the bottom when you’ve had enough. When we get to the T junction at the bottom we’re turning right to travel along the East side of the lake.

9) Theoretically, I shouldn’t have driven down that last road in my 110 Defender, why?

There’s a narrow gauge railway running the full length of the lake on this side.

We’ll follow the B4403 all the way to the North East corner.

10) If Looby Loo was here at 14:00, how long would she have to wait to travel to meet Andy (Pandy)?

OK, it’s been too easy so far, so now you’re going to have to find your own way. Our destination is not dark, it’s not bright, it’s a whiter shade and it’s 6km away.

11) When you’ve got here, how many stars can you see?

But we’re not stopping here. Continue down the road to the Bryntirion Inn

12) Why might this be a good place to stop for a drink and continue with the virtual treasure hunt?

 

[Broch]

Last lot (I promise).

When we’ve quenched our thirst, head back up the road we just came down but turn immediately left up a steep bank. This part of our journey was a weekly trip for me at one time visiting my elderly parents in Bryneglwys near Corwen.

Go to the end of the road and turn left at the T junction, then over the cattle grid – we’re heading over the Berwyn via the B4391.

13) At the top, after the sharp ‘S’ bend, with the sun in our eyes, where have we been (leaving) and where are we going (entering)?

Tie-breaker type question –

14) If I tell you that we are heading on a bearing of 150 degrees, what time is it GMT?

We’re going to continue on down the mountain (or what passes as a mountain around here) to the village of Llangynog. But, if you have the time, travel the road for a while and take a look right when it gets steep; at the bottom of this valley are several burnt-out car wrecks that have gone over the edge!

15) In Llangynog there are four places next to each other that support/nurture the spirit but what are their names?

Continue along the B4391 to the village of Penybontfawr (literally Little Bridge Head/End as opposed to Penybont – Bridgend). We’re turning left just after the pub; the bridge goes over the Avon Tanat and this whole area is the Tanat Valley. Travel on to Llanrhaeader-ym-Mochnant, over the bridge (the Avon Rhaeader) and turn left.

Go all the way to the end of the road, about 6km.

16) What is this place best known for and how tall is it?

We now have to double back to the village, when we get there turn left then right onto the B4580. We’re going to move on a pace because it’s getting late and you’re getting tired. So drive down the B4580 then the B4396 to Llangedwyn.

17) Not much here but what is moving two by two?

Turn around, you’ve gone too far, turn left before the school – it’s easy to get lost up here but if you do, we’re heading back to Llanfyllin. When you get there, turn left on the A490.

18) I need to repair the rendering on some of the stonework on the barn; where do I need to go?

Carry on down the A490 – we’re heading back to Bwlch y Cibau. We're only a mile and a half from the Barn (our house) here

OK, last clue –

19) In the village how many guardians are facing North?

I’ll let you find your way home now

Good luck!

I'll post a photo of the prize tomorrow.

 

[John Fenna]

Nice comp!
Good luck folks

 

[Broch]

Just made a quick correction between clues 15 and 16 - so if you're eager and working on them just check

 

[Broch]

This is the leather notebook cover I am giving away to the winner. It's got a badger and bramble theme, hand stitched, waxed and with a new A6 notebook and pencil

 

[Broch]

Only 1 week to folks - but plenty of time to solve the clues if you haven't already.

Go on, have a go

 

[Broch]

Three more days to get your entries in

The winner will be announced on Monday the 8th

 

[Broch]

24 Hours to go - still plenty of time

Have a go!

 

[Broch]

Time to get your answers in - even if you've only got a few of them you stand a chance

 

[Broch]

The Winner is nitrambur - with 15/19 correct answers

Full answers below:

 

[Broch]

Answers:

1) What does Sir Drefaldwyn mean? The Shire of Baldwin's town
2) Why are the grounds of St Tysilio and St Mary’s church interesting? The largest churchyard in the country
3) Why would you be delayed if you were a few minutes later? The cows will be crossing the road to be milked
4) We will not ‘fall out’ if I give you a drink but what’s my name? The Pub is called The Stumble Inn
5) What was the purpose of the building? It was a Workhouse
6) If you wanted to go ghost hunting how long could you be there? 8 hours, 7pm to 3am
7) Why might the villagers of Llanwddyn dislike Liverpool? The valley and village was flooded to provide water for Liverpool in the 1880s
8) Why did Bwlch y Groes witness testing times? 3 reasons – vehicle testing by Austin and Triumph, motor cycle trials and a pilgrim’s route – any or all answers accepted
9) Theoretically, I shouldn’t have driven down that last road in my 110 Defender, why? 2T weight limit
10) If Looby Loo was here at 14:00, how long would she have to wait to travel to meet Andy (Pandy)? 1 hour, the next train to Pandy station is at 15:00
11) OK, when you’ve got here (Pale Hotel), how many stars can you see? 4 on each pillar – so 8 (4 or 8 accepted) – however, the web site says they have 5 stars, so I’d accept that as well!
12) Why might this be a good place to stop for a drink and continue with the virtual treasure hunt? Free WiFi
13) At the top, after the sharp ‘S’ bend, with the sun in our eyes, where have we been (leaving) and where are we going (entering)? Leaving Denbighshire (Sir Ddinbych), entering Powys, Montgomeryshire (Sir Drefaldwyn)
14) If I tell you that we are heading on a bearing of 150 degrees, what time is it GMT? Around 11:00 AM (sun is about another 15 degrees West and sits half way between South and the time if we point 12:00 South using our watch)
15) In Llangynog there are four places next to each other that support/nurture the spirit but what are their names? Tannat Valley Inn, The New Inn, St Cynog’s Church, Carmel Chapel
16) What is this place best known for and how tall is it? The Waterfall, tallest single drop in UK (? - there's some argument about that), 240ft 80m
17) Not much here but what is moving two by two? School children!
18) I need to repair the rendering on some of the stonework on the barn; where do I need to go? W. Jones and Son
19) In the village how many guardians are facing North? 4 lions outside the cottage called “North Face”

 

[John Fenna]

Well done Nitrambur! A great comp there - with a great prize!

 

[SaraR]

Congratulations!

 

[nitrambur]

Thanks, I enjoyed that

 

[petrochemicals]

Good competition, alot of work there in, and a good prize. I would have got the llanwyddyn one and hells pass, quite a nice spot !

 

[Nice65]

If Carlsberg did BCUK comps...

That was impressive.

 

[nitrambur]

Notebook arrived this morning, it's even nicer in person

Thanks again