GREAT OUTDOORS 11 walks in a sound reaction Wales with great pubs on the way
Lace up your boots, enjoyWales AND have a drink or a bite to eat
NOW here’s something any selfrespecting musician in Wales would want to be a part of.
Applications for Green Man Rising 2017 are now open.
Green Man Festival, which this year celebrates its 15th birthday, is looking for bands and singer-songwriters who could be the ones to open the picturesque music festival held in the Black Mountains in August.
Green man Rising is an annual competition with the prize of opening the festival’s main stage – the Mountain Stage, which thsi year will see headline performances from PJ Harvey, Ryan Adams and Future Islands. Here’s how it works: Acts submit a photo, short bio and some links to their music on whatever platform they choose.
A panel of prestigious tastemakers, blogs and influencers all listen through the long-list. If you’re good enough, they’ll pick you as one of 20 semi-finalists.
Each music buff will then rank their six favourites from the shortlist. The six most popular acts across everybody’s choices will be invited to play the Rising Final at The Camden Assembly on Wednesday, July 5.
At the final, bands will be heard by a cross-section of music industry types – in the past the final has seen reps from Domino Records, Moshi Moshi, Beggars, Bella Union, Mojo Magazine and of course Green Man in attendance.
The winner of the live contest will open Green Man’s Mountain Stage on Friday, August 18, while the other finalists will appear on the Green Man Rising stage throughout the weekend.
Green Man Rising is completely free to enter. The deadline is May 31. All the details are online at gmfe.st/rising
Talking of festivals, one of the very first FOCUS Wales takes over Wrexham next weekend, and the people behind the festival have announced its main programme of headliners for the Llangollen Fringe Festival, which they also curate.
The fringe, which celebrates its own speical landmark 20th birthday, will see more than 5,000 people visit the town for 11 days of music, theatre, dance, literature and more.
This year the festival is pushing the boat out, with a bumper line up to celebrate the anniversary, with a special guest headliner for 10 out of the 11 nights of the festival, which runs from Thursday 11 to Sunday, July 23.
The all star line up includes music performances from Wilko Johnson, Turin Brakes, Upbeat folksters CC Smugglers, the Welsh Hip Hop brass ensemble Band Pres Llareggub and Congolese soukous sensations Kasai Masai, as well as folk legend Seth Lakeman performing an intimate solo show and a finale concert in the beautiful surrounds of Valle Crucis Abbey, headlined by BBC Radio 2 Folk Award winners 9Bach.
Two spoken word evenings are also announced, headed up by Mark Thomas and Jack Monroe.
To book tickets and find out more visit: www.llangollenfringe.co.uk
DISCOVERING Wales by foot is a joy at any time of year and some say they are even better when you throw in a pub along the way.
There are so many walking routes in Wales with superb pubs at the end or along the way, and here we’ve featured a small selection to inspire your next day out. 1. Rhossili village and beach
Start off at the National Trust car park in Rhossili Bay, and turn right out of the car park and onto the road. Head towards St Mary’s Church, alongside the church is a trail leading away from the road.
Once you are on this trail, you can barely go wrong. It runs parallel to the beach, with beautiful views of the bay and the countryside around it. Walk along the trail for a couple of miles and you’ll come to a caravan park where the trail joins back up with the road.
Take the road down to the beach, and then turn left (south) as you get onto the beach, and make your way back the way you came to Rhossili village.
This walk should take around three hours and covers 4.3 miles.
Once you get back to the village, get yourself a pint at The Worm’s Head Hotel and enjoy the spectacular views.
Visit nationaltrust.org.uk/ trails/rhossili-down-hillendand-beach-walk 2. The Dylan Thomas Walk, Laugharne
Beginning at the car park by Laugharne Castle, this walk is around two miles. It wanders up to St John’s Hill and takes in views of the castle and the boat house.
To help you, there are information boards along the way which tell you more about the poem and Dylan Thomas’ life. Follow this guide by Weatherman Walking to make things easier.
Reward yourself with a drink at the famous Brown’s Hotel. 3. Dinefwr Park, Llandeilo
This three-mile walk takes in some of the estate’s great wildlife-spotting places, as well as the ruins of 12th-century Dinefwr Castle and a 17th-century mansion.
Start at the car park at Dinefwr Park and the route loops around the man-made mill pond, through the Twyi Valley and past Llandyfeisant Church.
Head to the White Horse Inn in Llandeilo afterwards.
Visit the National Trust website for the route. 4. Gwaun Valley, Pembrokeshire
The Gwaun Valley begins in Fishguard, where the namesake river runs into the sea. It is easily reached by road and footpath.
For most of its 10 miles, it is within the confines of the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park. The valley is pure rural idyll, thick with beech and hazel, ash and oak. For a short walk, you could park at Lower Town, Fishguard and walk up the wooded valley.
Stop by the Dyffryn Arms, known locally as “Bessie’s Pub”.
Go to Visit Pembrokeshire for a guide to the Gwaun Valley walk. 5. The Garth Mountain, Cardiff
From the top of the Garth mountain, the views on all sides are fantastic. You can easily see the whole of the city of Cardiff, and, in clear weather, as far as Weston-super-Mare. If you want a long walk start your journey from Castell Coch or Pentyrch.
A shorter route would be to start from the Gwaelod-y-Garth Inn where you can enjoy a drink after the walk. 6. Hay-on-Wye walks
The Baskerville Arms Hotel in Hay-on-Wye is close to the Black Mountains, the Brecon Beacons and Offa’s Dyke path and within a short walking distance of the River Wye.
Visit breconbeacons.org/ walking 7. Porthdinllaen walk, Llyn Peninsula
This one-hour walk will reward you with stunning views in all directions.
The trail begins at the car park at Morfa Nefyn and continues on The Baskerville Arms Hotel, Hay-on-Wye