Abergavenny Food Festival

FLP had a stall on the Saturday at this year’s event and, armed with our brand new display panels, we attracted a lot of interest with well over a hundred people wanting to know more about what we are doing.  There was considerable interest in the 10 new trails and the forthcoming walking festival ‘Walk the World Heritage Site’.  Over 20 festival goers signed up to receive the e – newsletter and we ran out of volunteer leaflets because of people’s desire to help.  We were so busy we didn’t even get a chance to walk around and taste some of the exciting food and drink on offer….!  Although Lulu(Steve's dog) got a wonderful bone from Edwards the Butchers….!

New signs welcomed by local farmers

New signs have been displayed along Abergavenny Road between Govilon and Blaenavon and in the Blorenge Mountain car parks, to try to prevent speeding, dog attacks, distress to animals and also the feeding of animals which can result in vehicle accidents and injury to animals.

These issues have caused a problem for the commoners who keep their animals on the land. The scenic area attracts dog walkers however the commoners are asking dog owners to keep their dogs under control especially during lambing season. Dog attacks are a serious problem but are relatively rare.　 Most owners are unaware that even by their dog chasing a sheep or getting too close to it whilst it is pregnant can cause the sheep to abort the lamb.

Another issue is members of the public leaving piles of food scraps and vegetable peeling for animals on the side of the road. Food left can attract animals to the busy road leading to animals being knocked over and car accidents.

Alan Stinchcombe who keeps his sheep on the land explained, ‘If a sheep and their lambs get separated after being chased by dogs, it’s difficult for them to find each other which can lead to the lambs not surviving. We lose a sheep or lamb every week either because they’re hit by cars or attacked or scared by dogs.’

Speeding vehicles is a problem along the road. PC Rob Maddocks who works for the Forgotten Landscapes Project covers the area. He explained, ‘The road has a 60mph speed limit but has lots of sharp bends and steep drops. Sheep often walk on the road, attracted by food and we’re urging drivers to use caution and drive carefully.’

All commoners who keep their animals on the land have to be part of the Commoners Association with strict regulations on what animals they can keep and how they can act whilst on the land.

Alan Stinchcombe added, ‘We’re not asking people not to use the area, but this is our living and we’re asking if people can be considerate to our animals.’

Archaeological Treasure Repaired

The unearthing and conservation of the Pwll Du tunnel south portal was one of our most ambitious projects.  It received huge levels of community support and one of our new trails ‘Human Endeavours’ links it with a number of important archaeological sites including the Engine Brake Wheel and Hill’s Pit.  Imagine our shock and disappointment when we discovered this July that the portal had partially collapsed.  A number of experts have since visited the site to try to establish the cause but no definitive conclusion as to the cause of the collapse has been reached.  Possibilities include frost damage, a collision with a large machine or vandalism.

We are delighted to be able to announce that the contractor who conducted the original work, Alun Griffiths, agreed to reinstate the structure and it has now been returned to its full glory.

On the 28^th September Steve, the Scheme Manager, will be leading a volunteer work party.  They will undertake a bit of landscaping work intended to make the repaired feature ‘sit’ more comfortably in the landscape.  This will include back filling the top of the portal wall and covering it with turf.

If you would like to help please contact Sarah the FLP volunteer coordinator.

Learn something new...

Get out and about and discover the remarkable heritage and environment of Blaenavon World Heritage Site by joining one of our FREE lifelong learning courses.

Learn to make sense of clues from the past with ‘Exploring Archaeology’. Get more out of walks in the countryside with ‘Reading Rural landscapes’. And finally consider the best ways to interpret the past with ‘Heritage Storytelling’. All three courses allow participants to get stuck in, with fieldwork, guided walks and visits to a range of local heritage sites, alongside the classroom sessions.

Courses start during the week commencing 25^th September 2012 and typically run for 12 weeks. Frther details are available on our website or contact Blaenavon World Heritage Centre on 01495 742333 or Blaenavon.tic@torfaen.gov.uk for more details or to book yuour place.

Gwent Police work with partner agencies to protect Forgotten Landscapes of Torfaen, Monmouthshire and Blaenau Gwent

Crimes including fly-tipping, the illegal use of off road vehicles, vehicle and scrap metal thefts were targeted during a one day operation in Gwent.

On Sunday 24th June, Gwent Police joined forces with local councils in Blaenau Gwent, Torfaen, Monmouthshire and Rhondda Cynon Taff as well as the Forestry Commission and Brecon Beacons National Park Authority and the Treadlightly Trust to enforce laws that protect the Blaenavon World Heritage Site and its surroundings.

The operation covered a large area of countryside from Brynmawr down to Abertillery and Cwmtillery over into Monmouthshire around Clydach and right down to the Blaenavon and Pontypool areas of Torfaen.

PC Rob Maddocks who organised the operation, is seconded as Landscapes Crime Officer to specifically tackle problems in the project area following concerns raised by local residents and walkers about the illegal use of off road vehicles, fly tipping and grass fires.

He explained, 'My role is to raise awareness of landscape crime as well as tackling offenders. Many members of the public don't fully understand the law in relation to off road vehicles.  The operation on Sunday was to educate members of public about the law and give them a chance to change their actions. Anyone found driving illegally in these areas in the future will be dealt with.'

On Sunday the operation had the following results;

• 6 Section 59 warnings - this means that if anyone is found riding or driving illegally again in the next 12 months, their vehicle will be seized
• 42 verbal warnings and educational leaflets given out
• 24 new fly tipping sites were identified and referred for clean up operations

PC Maddocks added, 'We will continue to carry out operations such as this on a regular basis to bring offenders to justice and improve the local area for residents and visitors to this beautiful part of the world.'

Duncan Green, Chairman of The Treadlightly Trust says, 'Multi agency working is key to reducing illegal off - road vehicles and helping people understand how and where they can use their vehicles responsibly.'

The Treadlightly Trust is a charity that sets out to protect motorised recreational access opportunities through education, partnership working and conservation initiatives. For more information on the work of the charity, visit http://www.treadlightly-uk.org/

Volunteer Rangers 'Dig' Archaeology

A successful archaeological training/work day was held on 18^th June at the Hills Pit Chimney site.  Most of you will remember that one of the first projects in the FLP scheme was to make improvements to the chimney and to part of the retaining wall around the adjacent cottages.  Dr Amelia Pannett from Archaeology Wales talked us through the monitoring form to be used to keep a watchful eye on archaeological sites and oversaw us as we uncovered the rubble from the cottages.

Through the day we made contact with archaeologist Natalie Ward and Community Development Officer Hugh Price from the Brecon Beacons National Park Authority. 

Amongst volunteers it was nice to be joined by some new faces – Elaine and David Savage (Wye Valley AONB volunteers) as well as Joyce Compton (a retired archaeologist) and Dorothy Astbury (organiser of Caerleon Young Archaeologists) who have been attending an FLP lifelong learning class.  Keith, Michael, Jeff and Marilyn also did a sterling job!

The fine weather made a big difference while everybody got stuck into the task.  It was a real team effort to make headway on defining the walls of the cottages and collecting the original stones together.  It is hoped that these stones will be used to rebuild the retaining wall behind the cottages.  However there are a few more days of clearance to make it more worthwhile – so more chances for others to get involved! To get involved contact Volunteer Co-ordinator Sarah at sarah.lewis@torfaen.gov.uk

Pupils Give Canal Workshops Top Marks

Pupils from nine primary schools in Monmouthshire, Newport and Torfaen have been enjoying a range of outdoor educational activities centred on the Monmouthshire and Brecon canal.

Woodland walks, narrow boat trips and a variety of science-based experiments were rounded off with a picnic lunch on the canal bank at Goytre Wharf.

The special workshops, which ran for three days, were organised jointly by the Forgotten Landscapes Partnership and the Fourteen Locks Canal Centre as part of an on-going programme of events marking the canal’s 200^th anniversary.

The Canal and River Trust (formerly British Waterways)) laid on a bridge-building exercise and a study of water-loving invertebrates while Keep Wales Tidy challenged pupils to consider the impact of litter on the environment.

Monmouthshire County Council’s countryside team and the Forestry Commission focused on wildlife habitats as part of an hour-long woodland walk and volunteers from Monmouthshire and Brecon Canal Trust provided information about the canal, past and present, on boat trips in the ‘Edith-Elizabeth’.

“It’s a very special experience to move silently and slowly along a canal on the same eye-level as the ducks! “ said one Trust member.

Forgotten Landscapes Education and Interpretation Officer Ceri Cadwallader said: ‘We’ve had great feedback from both the children and their teachers. It’s great to see so many children enjoying the waterway during its anniversary year.’

There were divided opinions, of course, on the best activity of the day. Seven-year-old Carys from Llanfair Kilgeddin insisted it was ‘building a home for a hedgehog,’ while schoolmate Max thought it was definitely the boat trip – his first.

“It’s been a wonderful opportunity for all of them,” said teacher Mrs Sara Scriven. “They’ve learnt about everything from animal habitats and safety issues to how boats float!”

The activity days were possible thanks to all of the organisations who gave up their time to get involved, and also thanks to support from the Heritage Lottery Fund.