Ugly House Beautiful Benches

The walk around the woodlands is a twisted maze of narrow paths, bluebells pushing through and late February snowdrops in bloom. Birds aplenty, not yet competing for nests. Freshly coppiced hazel has made way for more sunlight and opened up the views; the old walls of a terraced garden now plain to see but who built them and when?

Bob the Bench Builder

So much to soak up it’s best to dawdle, no need to close your eyes to think you’re in heaven. And it’s just got better - now you can dawdle on a seat.

Bob 'the Bench Builder' Cole, former chair of the Snowdonia Society, treated us to a woodfest of green bench-making. Using bits of trees from recent thinning and pruning, all part of a Better Woodlands Wales scheme, a series of benches has been built with the help of volunteers.

Tim the tearoom laid on a special lunch for the Friends of Tŷ Hyll (the volunteers) – real tea leaves needed the tea strainer and the home baked cream-jammed scones hit the spot. If you’re a member of the Snowdonia Society you get a 20% discount at this woodland oasis. You also get a generous 20% discount at Cotswold Outdoors. It pays to join the Snowdonia Society!