Diary 5th August...

The very first thing we notice at Parc-y-Teg, just as we're having a coffee upon arrival, is a Kingfisher on the Top Pond. This is only the third time this year we've seen one, but I assume he visits regularly - Kingfishers are quite difficult to spot unless you're looking in the right place at just the right moment! This one was hovering about 10-15 feet above the centre of the pond, with its little wings beating furiously to keep it in place. Then, with a sudden dive, it hit the water - in quite an ungainly fashion, I might say, came up with one of MY FISH and took it off to the bank to eat. It then sat quietly in the little willow tree whilst it digested its meal.

I commented last time on the lack of Swallows and House Martins. They are here, but definitely in far fewer numbers. Having said that, we are finding new nests in the old stable, so they're still breeding. Also, lots of Owl pellets in the old barn!?! Our Heron was here again, so we can safely count him as a regular visitor and our Moorhens (my personal favourites) are settled onto the Bottom Pond - the juveniles don't seem bothered when I mow round on the tractor, but still dive for reed cover when Cristine and I walk down.

Since the hay from the Pond Field, the Yurt Meadow and our Top Field has not been taken, it's unlikely that our neighbour will be able to rescue it this year. Still, the weather was good yesterday (Sat 4th August) and is glorious today, so you never know. Certainly, as we drove back on Saturday evening, it seemed that almost every other farmer had either cut their hay or was baling.

One of our recent young visitors has now claimed the prize of being first to catch some fish. Three very small tiddlers that he netted in the Bottom Pond. Dad said they had more fun 'pond-dipping' so don't forget your nets! There are definitely larger fish in the Top Pond - when we put them in in Easter 2006 some were 8-10 inches long then. We've got Rudd, Tench and Crucian Carp - a lot of mid and bottom feeders.

Finally, a word about the grass. It's still growing!

Your best friend(s) ...

Parc-y-Teg is absolutely ideal for pets (normally dogs!). With around 14 acres to run about in, a couple of ponds to splash about in, and an outside tap and hose to get washed down with, your best friend(s) will be in their element. There's no road traffic within a mile or so. Dogs can either sleep out in the barn or, more usually, in the utility room. Please remove dog faeces from the lawns around the house, but there's no need to take a plastic bag around the fields - nature can take care of that.

Please remember that Parc-y-Teg is surrounded by stock farms with Welsh Mountain Ponies and Jacob's Sheep in their fields, so your animals should be well-controlled at all times. We do ask that dogs are not allowed upstairs nor into the Yurt.

The Children...

The sheer delight of having so much space for your kids! Masses and masses of space, lawns, fields, ponds, your very own yurt - what more could any child ask for? And absolutely no traffic! It's kid heaven ... and don't forget to take some extra essentials like a fishing net for some pond dipping, a jam jar for keeping (temporarily!) your catch ... and then there're the blackberries and apples and good old Dad to show you which mushrooms you might be able to eat.

Just bear in mind that Parc-y-Teg is a farm environment and (especially) that children and water are magnetically attracted. The ponds are lined with clay which is very, very thick and children should not go into the water.

Your habits...

We like to make it absolutely clear that we don't accept smokers. By this, we mean that if you smoke, don't book. No smoking means NO SMOKING ANYWHERE AT ALL ON THE WHOLE OF PARC-Y-TEG!!