Llanidloes sits
on the banks of the River Severn in Powys Mid Wales. To the east are
the Welsh Border lands with the towns of Newtown and Montgomery. To the
west nothing but hills, moors, valleys, lakes and the mountain of Plynlimon
(Pumlumon) at 752m. Which is just fantastic if you like walking, climbing,
mountain biking, bird spotting, horse riding, fishing, sailing and many
more outdoor activities. Yes
Llanidloes is the perfect base for all these activities.
The Llyn Clywedog Reservoir is a centre for fishing,
sailing, or just walking the forest trails. The local fishing association,
Llanidloes Angling Society, release about 30,000 fish into the lake
each year including brown and rainbow trout, making Clywedog one of
the most popular lakes in Wales for serious anglers.
To many Clywedog is the most
beautiful lake in Wales, offering stunning scenery and an abundance
of wildlife with red kites, buzzards, canada geese, peregrine falcons,
and ospreys. Squirrels are a common sight, and there are polecats,
foxes, and the short tailed vole, which has the unhappy distinction
of being the primary source of food for the birds of prey that inhabit
the lake shore.
Cyclists and walkers enjoy various routes including the
route heading from Llanidloes to Hafren Forest to Llyn Clywedog and returning
to Llanidloes. A round trip of approximately 19 miles. There are over
thirty separate routes for walkers around the town which are clearly
way-marked and signposted, linking Llanidloes with the smaller
surrounding villages of Llandinam, Llangurig, and Trefeglwys and range
from just a few miles to a good day's walk.
An equestrian centre based just 2 miles
from the town offers a full
range of riding and livery facilities with access to miles of bridle
ways through some of the best riding country in the UK. And in the unlikely
event that it should rain in Mid Wales they offer a floodlit
indoor arena. (I can imagine this being quite busy!)
A local activity centre offers archery, abseiling, canoeing, high rope
walking, and kayaking on the River Severn.
If just talking about all this activity tires you out
then a gentle stroll around the centre of this old market town of Llanidloes
might revive you should you have an interest in historic buildings. There
are a number of such buildings, many being timber framed. And although
many can be seen to
be timber framed some of Llanidloes' houses hide the ancient timbers
behind rather more modern brick, render and stone facades.
To truly study the fine old buildings requires entering the buildings
and forcing down a few pints of beer as many are public houses ....it's
a tough job but some bodies got to do it. The Royal Head with it's
original timber framing and beamed ceilings is one such building. (The
unusual name of this pub comes from the amalgamation of two neighbouring
inns, the Royal Oak and the King's Head).
Probably the highlight of Llanidloes' architecture is
however the Old Market Hall. This is the most distinctive building in
the town and is the only surviving timber-framed market hall in Wales.
The present Hall was built at some time between 1612 and 1622. But some
of the timbers used in its construction are older than the building,
dating from the mid-16th century:
Another fine building, and indeed
one from which the town takes it's name is St Idloes Church. The church,
dedicated to St Idloes, an early 7th Century saint, is almost certain
to have been an early medieval foundation. The church can be found
in a quiet square upon high ground overlooking the River Severn.The
tower is thought to have been built sometime between 1350 and 1440.
Much of the church is claimed to have been rebuilt around 1542 when
the arcade, the beautiful early 13th century stone pillars
and arches and some window tracery were brought from Cwmhir Abbey after
the dissolution of the monasteries. However the
timber-framed, weather boarded belfry topping the tower, characteristic
of the central Welsh Borders, has recently been tree-ring dated to
around 1595. The magnificent timber "Angel
Roof" of
the interior, was once thought also to have come from the
monastery. But tree-ring analysis has proved that it was purpose-built
for this church in about 1542: it may well be the last of its kind
ever constructed in Britain.
