Talyllyn Railway - Flower Train - August 13th 2013

Yesterday evening a friend and I took the Floral Train on the Talyllyn Railway from Tywyn to Abergynolwyn. This popular annual event which is organised in association with Tywyn Garden Club is an important and popular event on the club's calender. The members of the club had worked very hard in preparing for the event by making buttonholes for the passengers as well as decorating the train. We left Wharf Station, Neptune Road in Tywyn at 7.30pm enjoying the scenery of the Fathew Valley on the around an hour journey to Abergynolwyn.  A stop at Abergnolwyn of an hour with wonderful entertainment by Dyfi Male Voice Choir made this a very enjoyable evening. There were refreshments available and after the singing the raffle was drawn, before the train steamed home in the gathering dusk. It was soon dark but it was lovely to see the lights twinkling around the valley. We were back at the Wharf Station just before 10.30pm having had an evenings entertainment with a difference. 

Thanks to all those concerned with the success of this evening from the Talyllyn Railway and Tywyn Garden Club. 

The photos I have shared will I hope enable you to gain an idea of the camaraderie and atmosphere of the event. I also found a video from a couple of years ago of the choir rehearsing one of the songs they sang yesterday evening which I think you will agree gives you a good idea of the talent of this choir.

          Clicking on the individual photos will give you the opportunity to view them in a larger format.


A video of one of the weekly rehearsals of the Dyfi Male Voice Choir.

Video is courtesy ofgeology26

The following links may also be of interest if you are planning a visit to the Talyllyn Railway or are interested in learning more about this historic narrow gauge steam railway in the Welsh countryside.


Talyllyn Railway   Facebook Page - Talyllyn Railway  Talyllyn Railway - Wikipedia

All photos are my own taken in August 2013. 

  All rights reserved by LindyLouMac Photo Collection 

The full set of photos may also be viewed individually in my album entitled  

  Talyllyn Railway Flower Train - August 13th 2013at  My Flickr account.

Cascade Trail - Abergynolwyn - Wales

It is time for me to start blogging again but no longer will News From Italy be my main platform for posts because as regular readers know my life has changed dramatically during the course of this year.  I know that David wanted me to continue blogging because when he was ill I told him that I was going to give up completely to spend all my time with him. He was in fact upset by this suggestion as he felt I enjoyed the virtual interaction with people from all over the world that shared our passion for Italy. He was right of course so I intend to try and make Travel Tales as successful as News From Italy had become because this was his wish. I think it will be hard at times as I still have lots of  posts to share from our travels together over the last year of his life.

However I hope that your support and encouragement will continue to motivate me. Easing myself in gently I will start with some of the lovely places I am discovering in the vicinity of my base here in Wales, starting today with a recent walk I took with my sister, The Cascade Trail.  We started our walk from Abergynolwyn village having driven there from Tywyn. Leaving the car in the car park by the Village Community Centre and Cafe we took the short steep walk up to the trail. It is also possible though to catch the train from the Talyllyn Railway in Tywyn and join the trail from one of the stations as there is a Stations Link walk between Abergynolwyn and Nant Gwernol stations.

The trail follows a rocky river gorge with cascading waterfalls and beautiful woodland surroundings. The Cascade Trail is a short one ascending the valley close to the riverside, a longer route the Quarryman's trail takes one higher above the Tal-y-llyn valley to the ruined mine workings of Bryn Eglwys. No time for the longer walk this time so we instead took the bridge across the valley and descended the valley again via the old mine tramway, ruins of the mine's drumhouse and the station before making our way further down to the village again.

I hope my photos have enabled you to enjoy a virtual walk of the 'Cascade Trail' 
NB: For larger view just click on individual photo.

For those planning a visit.
OS Grid Reference: SH 681 067

The following website links may also be of interest:
Forestry Commission - Wales     Natural Resources - Wales

Snowdonia National Park   Talyllyn Railway

All photos are my own taken in July 2013. 

  All rights reserved by LindyLouMac Photo Collection 

The full set of photos may also be viewed individually in my album entitled  

  Cascade Trail - Abergnowlyn at  My Flickr account.

Blogging Absence Update

An update to explain my continued absence here, hoping to be back soon, when I feel ready to start posting again. 

The best part of the last ten years has been spent with my husband  David living a dream life in Northern Lazio, Italy. Sadly his recent death has meant the end of this adventure. We were a close couple and I do not want to live full time alone in Italy. It is too early yet to say how much time I will spend in Italy every year but sadly I feel it will not be enough to warrant continuing with my blog 'News From Italy'

Thankyou for all the wonderful support I have had from all around the world.

I am dedicating 'News From Italy' to this wonderful man, who was a very special husband, father, brother, son, uncle and friend to all who knew him.

David Stewart McFall July 27th 1950 - May 24th 2013