Snowdonia Residential
Back in November, SUCV visited Snowdonia for a weekend residential. You can read the blog below...
Armed to the teeth with two heavily armoured Fiat 500xes, chairperson Kat and task organiser Mollie took to the M60 in the bitter November cold, bound for the Hendre Isaf National Trust bunkhouse in Snowdonia National Park. Accompanied by seven eager volunteers and one large human-shaped board game bundle (props to Rob, our fun officer!), our two drivers cruised to Snowdonia with ease. All was well until the snow and hail stopped us dead in our tracks on a hill in pitch-black Snowdonia. Fortunately for the gang, this was no problem for Kat and Mollie, who got us to the bunkhouse safe and sound with plenty of time to gorge on Liang(our residential officer)’s scrumptious pasta bake. Despite all our tiredness, it’s safe to say that night we all learnt many interesting ways to use coffee eaten-with/mixed-with/spread-with coffee cake! Ask Liang for more details on this if interested…
An early 9am alarm call by National Trust ranger Rhydian set us off on our 45 minute journey to our first site, located on a riverside bank by a run-down hotel. Our task of the day was to clear all of the scrubs, trees and other dead vegetation on the bank that had been cut down. These practices help vehicle navigation, improve the landscape character, biodiversity and alleviate flooding. A big hand must be given to champion scrub-stacker Jake for such a neatly organized pile. After a hard day’s work we took to shops for evening supplies and then back to the bunkhouse for delicious vegetable curry and more innovative culinary ideas. Although the girls team dominated the guys in The Worst Case Scenario Survival Game, we were all winners, because now we all know how the best way to prepare for a tornado, keep your cool in a desert and treat a tar burn (sorry guys, the answer is not ‘re-melt the tar under the fire to peel it off’). Ben and I claimed joint victory in the cardboard box game and then we all headed off to bed.
Another early start took us to small conifer plantation, where the timber was already harvested. Our job was to clear all of the brash left behind to make way for growing oaks to help restore deciduous woodland in the UK. We were taught that brash burning is a safe, low-input, useful means of brash disposal and this also meant we could stay warm and productive throughout the day! After a spectacular sun-set, we all headed off 10 minutes down the road to explore the lovely town of Betws–y–Coed, full of quaint coffee and delicacy shops, an art gallery and even a miniature steam train you can ride.
Those of us on the journey back in Kat’s car enjoyed a comfortable ‘15oC’ from one heater and a nice and toasty 27oC from the other heater. This was not my fault guys, honest.
Thanks to Rhydian and the National Trust for having us, Kat and Mollie for driving, Ding for some awesome photos, Liang for organizing a fantastic winter residential and everyone else for coming – looking forward to the next residential in Spring!
