Conwy Feast

    

Yet again The Conwy Food festival has proved to be a huge success.

                            Highlights of this year’s Feast included:

   Blinc: Wales' first digital arts festival

   Celebrity chefs                                        Four Food Halls            

   Three Kitchen Theatres                        Tea Dance       

    Beer Tent                                                  30 Mile Menu Cafe                       

    Historical Re-enactments                    Trees, Birds and Bees

   Two music and entertainment stages and buskers

    Free entry to Conwy RSPB Reserve  & half price entry to Conwy Castle

As ever there was a multitude of food and drink stalls providing plenty of samples for people to taste, cookery demonsonstrations and entertainment. New this year was the addition of a Tea Dance venue in the Civic Hall
On Saturday night an estimated 5,000 people  watched the Blinc Digital Arts Festival light up Conwy Castle with a breathtaking display. Check out this amazing show caught on video on http://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news//tm_headline=conwy-food-festival-serves-up-a-feast%26method=full%26objectid=29647628%26siteid=55578-name_page.html  It was the first such light festival held in Europe, say the organisers.

Bumper year for apples

We have a lovely old apple tree in the back garden. Last year we had about 12 apples but this year the tree was absolutely laden. I was convinced most of the apples wouldn't make it to maturity but they did. At first we didn't know what to do with all  the windfallen and bird pecked apples so initially I was putting them in the food recycling bin but thought it would be so much better if they could get fed to local pigs. I always remember my dad saying how the pigs were sent in to the orchard to eat the fallen apples and that the resulting bacon had a fine flavour! In the end we found a willing eater........ my hairdresser's horse. We sent bags and bags over. I think they'll be getting withdrawl symptoms now as the last of the apples have now been picked. Apparently they used to queue up to be fed.

I'm not sure what kind of apples they are but they are certainly very tasty. I've made some lovely apple crumbles with them, just adding a small amount of honey. I spent a whole evening peeling, chopping and and stewing so we have a good supply of crumble base in the freezer. This coming weekend is the Conwy Feast, one of the biggest food festivals in Wales and there is usually an apple tent, so I might well take an apple to be identified. It's well worth checking out this festival http://www.conwyfeast.co.uk/  Hopefully I will get there so I'll add some more info and photos

A visit to the dentist..........spectacular views en route.


On Wednesday I had an appointment at the dentist.....this isn't my favourite pastime but I have to say that the walk there is fabulous and I wanted to share some of the views. The weather, fortunately had reverted to being warm although very blustery so I was able to put shorts back on (probably for the last time this year!!)


 

7 minutes walk from Lymehurst B&B and this is the view from West Shore across to the mountains

 
The coastal foot / cycle path starts here and you can walk all the way to Conwy with it's  impressive castle and walled town

 The beach en route to Deganwy where the dental surgery is situated.



 As I rounded a bend in the river I spotted three small boats bobbing around. These are the mussel men from Conwy out raking the mussel beds to collect the  famous Conwy Mussels. There are now only 6 regular mussel men and they use the very traditional method of collecting the mussels. It looks really tough work as they basically use really long wide rakes to rake up the mussels from the mussel beds. When Michael Portilo visited the area while making a TV programme, he went out with them and discovered just how strenuous it is!!.

Conwy mussel man using long rake to rake up mussels

This photo gives more idea of the amazing surroundings they work in. Conwy Mountain is in the background.

This is the view looking towards the  mouth of the estuary. It is not every day you can see such a sight as  mussels being harvested in such a traditional way, which probably has not changed in centuries.

Good job I'd left myself plenty of time to get to Deganwy as I'd got so distracted with photographing the Mussel Men. This view from the beach is of the main street with the Vardra in the background and the level crossing  and station signal box in the centre. Deganwy Station has to be in one of the most picturesque settings.

Looking back , a view towards Deganwy Marina

I survived the dentist having nothing more than a clean and polish (the best kind of visit!!!) So then it was just to make my way home.

Heading towards West Shore with the impressive Great Orme  dominating the sky line. So can anybody beat that as a route to the dentist's??

A walk to the dentist's.....with amazing views! Can anybody beat this?

Last Wednesday the weather changed yet again to warm but windy and once again it was back into shorts. I had an appointment at the dentist. This is never my favourite past time but I think it must be one of the most scenic routes to a dentist. So I thought I'd share some of the spectacular views.

Having crossed the cricket ground you come to West Shore and the start of the coastal foot/ cycle path with views to the mountains.

The beach  with Conwy Mountain in the background.

As I was approaching Deganwy I spotted the local Conwy mussel men out in their boats gathing  mussels in the traditional manner.