THE latest community news from Aberystwyth

Cylch Cinio

ROEDD hi’n dipyn o ddirgelwch i bawb pwy oedd y siaradwr gwâdd yn y cyfarfod yng Ngwesty’r Richmond ar nos Wener, 10 Ionawr.

Gwyddem fod yna newid yn y trefniadau ac roedd pawb wrth eu bodd i weld wyneb lleol cyfarwydd a hwyliog yn y bar wrth i bawb gyrraedd.

Braf oedd cael cwmni Elen Pencwm i’n diddori yn ei dull dihafal ei hun.

Mae teulu Pencwm, Penrhyncoch yn adnabyddus i gylch eang yn y fro ac mae Elen â’i gwreiddiau yn ddwfn yn yr ardal.

Yn gyn-ddisgybl yn Ysgol Gyfun Penweddig aeth i Goleg y Drindod, Caerfyrddin cyn mentro i fyd caled ac anwadal perfformio ar y cyfryngau.

Mae’n wyneb cyfarwydd ar raglenni plant S4C ac mae’n gyflwynydd poblogaidd ar y radio ac ar y teledu.

Y tu hwnt i’w gwaith mae’n gymeriad ffraeth a doniol ac mae’n byrlymu o straeon difyr, rhai yn ddigon cignoeth a mentrus, â phob un â sawr o hiwmor unigryw y Cardi.

Cyfeiriodd y cadeirydd, Sion Griffiths, ati fel un o’r enghreifftiau gorau o raconteur sydd gyda ni fel Cymry.

Fe lwyddodd Elen i gael aelodau’r Cylch Cinio yn eu dyblau yn chwerthin drwy’r nos ac roedd hynny yn therapi ardderchog a llesol i bawb.

Ar hyn o bryd mae Elen wedi rhoi’r gorau i berfformio a bellach mae’n gweithio i Menter a Busnes ar eu gwasanaethau amaethyddol.

Cyfeiriodd y cadeirydd at Wyn Hughes sydd wedi bod yn derbyn triniaeth yn yr ysbyty yn ddiweddar ac sy’n aros i ddychwelyd yno eto a danfonwyd dymuniadau gorau iddo.

Braf oedd gweld Malcolm Davies yn ôl yn ein plith wedi cyfnod o anhwylder.

Croesawyd Illtyd Griffiths fel aelod newydd o’r Cylch ac ef a enillodd y raffl.

Bydd y cyfarfod nesaf yn y Richmond ar nos Wener, 14 Chwefror, a hynny yng nghwmni Pedr ap Llwyd, prif weithredwr a Llyfrgellydd Llyfrgell Genedlaethol Cymru.

Mae dechrau blwyddyn newydd yn gyfle ardderchog i greu ffordd o fyw newydd a llawer mwy cyffrous drwy ymaelodi â chylch Cinio Aberystwyth.

Ramblers

ON Saturday, 11 January, 16 Ramblers, including three newcomers to the group, did a four and a half mile walk in the Cletwr Valley starting from Tre’r-ddôl.

The walk was taken from the book of Aberystwyth Walks published by Aberystwyth Ramblers last year.

The route began on the bridleway beside the disused chapel and follows the picturesque wooded valley of the river Cletwr, then climbs to open country where there are fine views down the valley to the sea.

They passed Llety Llwydin and Gwarcwm Uchaf to reach the highest point of the walk, where trees provided shelter from the wind for their coffee break.

The route then took them past the Bronze Age monument reputed to be the grave of the mediaeval poet Taliesin.

After Penysarn Ddu and Gwarcwm Isaf they passed some impressive old mine buildings, more reminiscent of a castle than of industrial remains, and descended through woods with beautiful views across the estuary towards Aberdyfi, arriving back in Tre’r-ddôl in time for lunch in Caffi Cletwr.

Despite the unpromising forecast the weather remained dry for most of the walk, and the three newcomers were all keen to join them again.

Rotary club

‘AERIAL photography and discovery in Wales during the great drought of 2018’ was the subject of an illustrated talk by Dr Toby Driver to Aberystwyth Rotary.

Dr Driver is senior investigator (aerial survey) for the Royal Commission on Ancient and Historical Monuments in Wales.

Its aerial reconnaissance programme uses a hired four-seater aircraft to conduct surveys of five to six hours duration; drones can also be used for small localised surveys.

The summer 2018 drought provided an exceptional opportunity to identify ancient and prehistoric sites, such as burial chambers and Roman sites, which are not normally visible.

Surveys on arable land have to be done before the grown crops have obstructed the view of the ground.

Surveys in the Aberystwyth area have shown up prehistoric sites such as a burial mound near Goginan, a Roman dwelling at Llanon, and the large Roman fort site which straddles the main road at Trawscoed.

Excavations of the villa at Abermagwr nearby had unearthed amazing examples of Roman glassware.

Some imagery obtained by aerial photography in 2018 even showed the entire floor plan of a Roman villa.

Photographic surveys were an essential method of revealing the secrets of the past, and of meeting the increasing academic and public interest in archaeology.

New techniques such as magnetometry and geophysical surveys were also being developed for identifying new sites.

Stroke club

FOR the first monthly luncheon outing of 2020, the members of the club travelled to Poppy’s for their meal.

Club members were greeted by the chairlady and Judith and Myfanwy did the rounds with the raffle tickets.

Sylvia and Jean had the new season’s 750 draw tickets – which starts once again in June – the proceeds of which go towards the coach fees when they travel further out for meals.

While tea and coffee were being served, the raffle started.

There were some amazing prizes to be won and handed out by Judith and Myfanwy.

Then they had a talk from two members of the UCW’s Stroke Research Project, which was most informative and with the invitation for stroke patients to take part in a survey into rehabilitation for the walking, movement and other physical functions.

If anyone would like further information, call 622619 or 622108.

Cymdeithas yr Aelwyd

BRYNHAWN Gwener, 17 Ionawr, Hefin Jones oedd ein cadeirydd a chroesawodd Huw Murphy o Fferm Ceffylau Gwedd Dyfed yn Eglwyswrw.

Bu’r fferm yn nheulu Huw ers 1849 a bu ar agor i’r cyhoedd ers 1992. Yn ogystal â dangos yr wyth ceffyl gwedd, ac anifeiliaid eraill sydd ar y fferm, mae arddangosfeydd ar gyfer ymwelwyr yn cynnwys adar ysglyfaethus a gwneud menyn.

Dangosodd Huw nifer o luniau o’r ceffylau gwedd dros y blynyddoedd, rhai wedi cystadlu yn sioeau Llanilar a Talybont.

Yn 2008 cafodd y ceffyl Celt ei brynu gan y Gwarchodlu Brenhinol ar gyfer cario’r drymiau ar flaen y band mewn seremoniau, a dilynwyd ef llynedd gan Ed.

Yn ogystal prynwyd dau geffyl gan Swltan Oman yn y Dwrain Canol i’w defnyddio ar gyfer gorymdeithiau milwrol.

St David’s Church, Bath Street

SUNDAY, 26 January: 10.30am, Rev Eifion Roberts.

No evening service.

Bridge club

RESULTS from 13 December: 1 Mike Jones and Margaret James; 2 Herbie Rowley and Doreen Anthony; 3 Keith Bellamy and Gill Howells.

15 December: 1 Roger Boyle and Jeff Thomas; 2 Gabor Geller and John Holmes/Alan Stein and Mike Jones.

20 December: 1 Elenid Thomas and Andrew Loat; 2 Jean Harrison and Mair Jenkins; 3 Keith Bellamy and Mike Jones.

22 December: 1 Roger Boyle and Jeff Thomas; 2 Alan Stein and Mike Jones; 3 Mair Jenkins and Anita Owen.

3 January: 1 Jeff Thomas and Mike Jones; 2 Diane Callaway and Bryan Limmer; 3 Robert Griffiths and Margaret James.

5 January: 1 Roger Boyle and Jeff Thomas; 2 Pamela Woodhouse and Margaret James; 3 Herbie Rowley and Robert Griffiths.

If you would like to learn to play Bridge or would like to have refresher lessons, contact Jeff Thomas on 01970 828765.

Horticultural society

THE last meeting of the Cardiganshire Horticultural Society took place on Tuesday, 14 January.

Vice-chairman Kay Edwards welcomed the evening’s speakers, Julian and Fiona Wormwold from Rhydcymerau.

Both are confirmed Galanthophiles, enthusiastic collectors and identifiers of Snowdrop (Galanthus) species and cultivars, and everyone present in the hall was enthralled by the talk on every possible aspect of snowdrops.

In the usual society business, summer trips organisers John and Sue Wildig informed everyone that preparations for the coming seasons summer outings were well advanced and at the February meeting details of the gardens to be visited would be announced.

Phillip Ellis, with his wife Edwina, has for a number of years has been organising four-day excursions in September to further afield locations, and he circulated outline details of his ideas for this year’s visit to Cornish gardens.

The next meeting is on Tuesday, 11 February, and takes members to Central Asia and to a particular part of Kazakhstan with an exceptionally rich area of native flora. Kazakhstan is a country well known to CHS members Philip and Edwina Ellis and they will show something of a particular remote area with great swathes of wild tulips and rare plants while giving some information on a little known country in central Asia.

Anyone interested in gardening and horticulture can be assured of a warm welcome and an interesting meeting.

More information can be obtained from the chairman, Jan Eldridge on 01970 615570, and from the society’s website.

If you’re a member of a club, society or group, send your news to [email protected]