Daerwynno Outdoor Centre is a registered charity run by volunteers, offering exciting outdoor pursuits and environmental studies. The Centre is based in a two-storey, stone-built farmhouse situated in the St Gwynno Forest near Ynysybwl, Rhondda Cynon Taf, south Wales.
We offer many outdoor activities and educational courses throughout the year, including orienteering, navigation, climbing, kayaking, mountain biking, team-building and wildlife and environmental studies.
Operating as usual
๐ฃExciting news! ๐ฃ
With thanks to the Ynysybwl Co-op Community Fund for their funding, Daerwynno are once again running their outdoor pre-school sessions.
These are held in Butcher's Park at 10-12.30. They're free to attend and there isn't need to book in.
Fri 13th May
Fri 20th May
Fri 27th May
Fri 10th June
Fri 17th June
Fri 24th June
Thanks to the Cooperative Community Fund for supporting these sessions. The sessions were previously a big hit and we look forward to running them again
Are you a stargazer? Can you tell the difference between a star and a planet? Don't forget Daerwynno is a Dark Skies Site. ๐โญ
Venus and Jupiter Conjunction: Planets to almost touch in night sky
Thanks to our volunteers for planting new trees today.
Some of the kind words we received last week. Thanks for joining us on our Co-op Community Fund day!
Thanks to Cynon Valley Pals for braving the weather this morning. It turned out to be a beautiful day in the end, but you guys made it better...as always!๐ฃ
A fab day at Daerwynno yesterday. Thanks to Co-op Community Fund for awarding us with the money to fund family fun days. Thanks to Shannon for coming up to see us too. A was a lovely day of Easter fun. Happy Easter families and Co-op.
Did you know Daerwynno is a Dark Skies Site? We've previous held star gazing events there. If you're out in Brecon, you can also stargaze in...
Thanks to everyone who has showed interest in our upcoming family day. We're now fully booked. Thanks too, to Co-op Community Fund for their support in running this.n
Thanks very much for your kind words. It's great to hear you had such a great time and you had the chance to improve your well-being. All the best, see you soon!
"Had an amazing day today thank u Daerwynno Outdoor Centre for challenging us . Thank you to The Brynffynon for the fabulous meal. Thank you Voluntary Action Merthyr Tydfil for providing us with the funding to enable the staff volunteers and trustees of Cwm Taff People First to increase our wellbeing and lift our spirits after a long two years xx"
A great day with People's First on Monday. Thanks to those for travelling all the way from Blaenau Gwent and Merthyr. The volunteers have been busy today prepping for their Friday's bushcraft session. โบ
Great day with Pontygwaith Scouts again, full of bushcraft and den building. What a beautiful day to be playing up in the forest!
Timeline photos
We don't talk about Bruno, but we do need to talk about food waste!
Help us all be mighty recyclers this and take part in the food waste recycling survey here๐ https://orlo.uk/ZCwz4
What a cracking day for a birthday party! Happy birthday little man. We hope you enjoyed your day with your friends in the sunshine ๐
We hope South Wales University enjoy their last day up the forest today. Lovely to see you there!
Thanks to Ynysybwl Vision for bringing up young people of the village twice this week. Had a great time with the rope of trust in the dark and the adventurers we had today were excellent! Great to be back!
TUNNEL GETS THE GREEN LIGHT FOR CYCLISTS ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ท๓ ฌ๓ ณ๓ ฟ
A disused Victorian rail line is set to become Europeโs longest underground cycle path after the Government cleared the way for its opening.
The two-mile long tunnel links the Rhondda and Afan valleys in , but was shut down together with dozens of other lines and hundreds of stations in the Sixties.
Earlier this year, the Government announced that it would halt the destruction of former railway lines and bridges in the hope that they can be repurposed to get more people walking and cycling.
Despite being located deep in south Wales, the tunnel is actually owned and controlled by Highways England.
Grant Shapps, the Transport Secretary, has now said he will hand over control to Welsh ownership so that the cycle lane project can continue.
Mr Shapps said: โI would be happy to transfer it to a local group, the Welsh Government or the local council, with money for the purpose.โ
The Rhondda Tunnel Society was established in 2014 and has more than 850 members, with Michael Sheen, the Welsh actor, among those backing the project.
The tunnel used to carry coal trains 1,000ft below the mountains from the mines of Rhondda to the ports of Swansea Bay, until its closure in 1968 and the entrances to the tunnel at both ends have long been buried.
It was first opened in 1890 during the coal boom after a five-year building project overseen by the tunnelโs chief engineer Sydney William Yockney, a pupil of Victorian engineer Isambard Kingdom Brunel.
It would be the longest cycle tunnel in Europe, and second only to the 2.5 mile-long Snoqualmie Tunnel near Seattle in the US.
Timeline photos
The first word you see describes your 2022, so you should probably take part in ๐ https://bit.ly/BGBWFB ๐๐ฆ๐ก
Photos from Daerwynno Outdoor Centre's post
Merry Christmas
Nadolig Llawen
to all our supporters.
Thank you for everything this year!
Photos from Did you know World's post
I came across these this evening. Scary pictures, but they show the importance of helmets. Awful to see that one of them is a child's helmet. Enjoy the wonderful forestry, but please remember your helmet.
Be careful, I don't know what the roads will be like tomorrow. Stay safe โ๏ธ
As temperatures drop again tonight, our crews are heading out to treat the high routes around Rhondda Cynon Taf. Please take extra care and drive according to the conditions through the night and early morning
Timeline photos
Temperatures have now dropped and our crews are out treating the main network and higher routes across Rhondda Cynon Taf. Please take extra care on the roads tonight and early morning
๐๐ A terrifying 14.5 million pumpkins are expected to be left uneaten this Halloween, in the UK alone!
3 in 5 people will buy at least one pumpkin this year (35 million pumpkins!) and just under half of those are set to go to waste.*๐ฑ๐ญ
So get creative!! And make your money go further! Hereโs some ideas we came up with for you!! ๐
Post your pics or ideas to help our UK pumpkins go further!! ๐๐๐ฝ
๐ฟ๐ฆ Guys! Place the Pumpkins in trees or up high for squirrels! As theyโre not good for hedgehog tummies! โค๏ธ
*
https://www.hubbub.org.uk/eat-your-pumpkin
Photos from The History of Wales's post
๐ Please share this advice to counteract all the well meaning posts asking you to leave out pumpkins for wildlife. Keep them high to ensure hedgehogs don't have access. ๐ฆ ๐ โ
Our thanks to the talented Ann Ross for this design ๐