Fire Safety Consultant's Visit.

Today the weather has yet again turned out to be much better than expected and so mild. This is really so peculiar to have such mild weather this late in the year.
This morning I stayed in as I was due to have a Fire Safety Consultant do an inspection. I've had to bite the bullet and get a professional in to write our Fire Risk Assessment as I have been left in confusion about what is actually required! Due to changes in the law, as a provider of overnight  accommodation the onus is now on the owner to produce  a Fire Risk Assessment and from that ensure that all necessary precautions are taken so that the property is as safe as possible for paying guests. Due to having been given confusing advice from  the fire service!! the work that I'd had done was not fully compliant with the rules and my Risk Assessment was considered to be insufficient. Initially when the audit was done back in January I actually considered giving up the idea of doing B&B as the cost of installing a new fire detection system, installing emergency lighting etc in what is after all our home just seemed to be totally out of proportion and extremely expensive. The main reason for  more demands being made on me is that I'm right on the border line of when a more complex system is required . Even though we can only accommodate up to 6 guests and usually it's more likely to be 2-4 guests because the 2nd room is above the 1st floor level that is what makes the big difference. After having had further discussions with the Fire Service they relented on some of their demands but then made others so in the end I thought it best to get an  opinion from a  professional Fire Safety Consultant .
After the survey, thankfully he agreed with me that we do not require the emergency lighting and do not need a new detection system but can add to the hard wired smoke alarms we already have. Let's hope that this now means it is all sorted. The joke is that these new regulations are an  EU directive.............do you think accommodation owners in Greece and Spain adhere to these rules and regulations...I don't think so!
Now I need some therapy.....I think a good bracing walk will fit the bill.

Wales Rally GB part 2 in Conwy

While the rally cars were busy doing their next race Conwy was was getting all prepared to welcome them. On the quayside entertainment and a hogroast were awaiting all the visitors that were pouring into this wonderful old walled town.Shops cafes and restaurants were all open giving the place a real continental feel. The weather forecast had been for miserable, rainy weather but conditions couldn't have been more different. The sun had been shining all day and now as evening approached a  fabulous scene was  being created with  a  full moon in a clear sky,  shining down on all the spectators and the building anticipation of the arrival of the rally leader's car.

Hogroast

A spectator tucking into  a hogroast sandwich with crackling ,stuffing and apple sauce. Full moon in the background

Good old fashioned entertainment

Roasted chestnut stall

Adding atmosphere to the ancient town, people in traditional costume

As  the rrally cars approached  the quayside fireworks were set off from the castle ramparts

The fire works being set off from the castle

The rally cars drove down on to the quay where they spent about 15 minutes in front of spectators and then headed up through a narrow archway in the town walls to then drive along the main road.
The street became so crowded that the rally drivers had to be really careful turning on to the main road. As you can see everybody was busy taking photos.


On route back to the car the scene by the castle walls was just amazing. Times like that make you wish you had a better camera in order to really capture the scene.

Wales Rally GB

 There has certainly been a lot of hype about this Rally so I thought I'd better see what it was all about.
 In the afternoon before all the cars came on to the main street in Llandudno they went through a thorough  checking procedure

 

then  as they paraded in front of the crowds lining Mostyn Street drivers were interviewed by  radio and TV reporters before setting off around the Great Orme.

As an added attraction there were some old vehicles  to view. 

Traction engine pulling an old carriage

..................and several people were wandering around in traditional costumes.

Some people dressed up in traditional  costumes.

Once the cars were ready to set off I dashed back to Lymehurst B&B, got on my bike and cycled to West Shore hoping that I would be in time to see the cars  finishing their circuit of the Great Orme. The toll road round the Orme is narrow and twisty with sheer drops down in to the sea in places, so definitely a testing place to drive. There weren't as many people at West Shore so plenty of space  for me to park my bike and await the Rally cars.

Toll House with The Great Orme in the background

 The wonderful view the Rally Drivers  ( if only they had time!!)  were faced with  as they raced down the last  down hill section of The Orme

At this point the drivers are returning to the start point

. .

 After finishing the circuits of the Orme there was no rest for the drivers, they then headed off to  race round yet another course before returning to Conwy. More detailed and technically correct information and results can be found on http://www.walesrallygb.comwill/ continue with that tomorrow.

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.