After our walk on the beach at Nefyn the weather was still good and we weren’t really ready to head back. We decided to carry on up the coast to Nant Gwrtheyrn, one of our favourite spots, where we were hoping to avail ourselves of their cafe.
I feel here like I almost need to say that this post comes with a health warning as, in my opinion, it contains some pretty distressing images … we certainly had a big shock.
One of the big draws to us of Nant Gwrtheyrn is its location. It’s an old quarrymen’s village … rebuilt and repurposed as a Welsh language school. It’s hidden right at the bottom of a very steep road, with a couple of hairpin bends … down through a pine forest. You really have no idea of what you are going to find until you are pretty much at the bottom.
Over the last couple of years we’d noticed lots of the trees had fallen in the heavy storms but we were in no way prepared for what we found on this visit.
As we passed the very top car park we noticed a huge wagon loaded with tree trunks and thought that they must have been clearing some of the deadwood … this turned out to be a bit of an understatement.
As we drove down we were shocked to the core to see the work that was being undertaken. The whole of the pine forest was in the process of being totally stripped out. I can’t really explain how upsetting Martin and I both found this. It totally changed the feel of the drive down and I just had to stop and take a couple of photos …
Once at the bottom we did speak to someone and asked what was going on and why. They confirmed that the trees had been unsafe and about 50 years older than you would normally expect. The plan was to replace with native Welsh woodland and, though this will obviously take years to develop, it was good to hear that the trees were to be replaced.
A quick Google found this article which confirms the long term plans.
Th removal of the trees has not only changed the drive down but the backdrop when looking back up from the bottom …
The next photo was taken in April 2023 .. you can really see how thick the trees were before the felling started …
On the positive side the cafe was open and we did get to sit and enjoy drinks and a slice of bara brith in the warm.
When I texted a friend to let them know about the felling of the trees her first thought was … where will the goats hang out now. That was an easy question to answer …
After our bara brith we headed back up … stopping for lots more photos along the way … it’s fair to say that at the moment the area looks pretty devastated … but still strangely beautiful …
I’m just so glad that we got to see it plenty of times before the trees were felled and I really hope we get to see it once the new woodland is planted and have the chance to watch it develop over the next however many years 😊
Post script … we visited again, over the Easter weekend, at the end of March to find no goats and the last few trees behind the chapel now completely gone …
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Yes, a shock but with the trees being non native - and as the report says, they have been there longer than they should - a good change with plans for a new indigenous species woodland - how beautiful will that be! You'll have to take progress photos, it will be surprising how the now raw edges will soften and then mature x
ReplyDeleteWe are certainly looking forward to seeing how the new woodland develops over time. I will definitely be capturing the progress over the next however many years 😀
DeleteIt will feel strange for a while but non native trees like those at the Nant were planted with the sole purpose to be cut down ,and be reassured that goats will not mind at all ,they survive on very bleak rocky land
ReplyDeleteWe are looking forward to seeing the new woodland be planted and develop over time. It was just a bit of a shock as we had no idea changes were afoot. 😀 Carol
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