Gardening, Valleys Style

We often see images of vast flat landscapes, or gently rolling hills in the welsh countryside. We even see steep valleys and beautiful hills. But not everyone appreciates the problems of trying to work a plot on the steep hillsides of a welsh valley.  These pictures were taken in the Ebbw Valley. Unfortunately, not many people about to ask their experiences.

Anice gentle slope you may think...

Okay, perhaps it is a little steep...

Steeper

Steepest !

My camera sometimes has difficulty in revealing the steepness of our welsh slopes. I believe, this time, it has succeeded.

Ty Ebbw Fach, Six Bells Training Course

River Ebbw through Six Bells

For local residents living or working in the UHOVI (University Heads of the Valleys Institute), area (including Blaenau Gwent).  This course is free and leads to 20 credits at Level 4 (1st year at degree level).  Assessment is straightforward, simple and achieved in small bite-sized parts.  No qualifications are required.  The course would run from week commencing 17 September 2013 until December.  If successful it would be repeated in 2014 from February to May and September to December.

The original miners' memorial from 1990's

COURSE DETAILS:

Eternal Wales:  Exploring and Reporting
on Aspects of Welsh History,
Culture and Heritage for Communities.

This module provides an overview of Welsh history, associated heritage and the development of its unique communities.  It is designed to provide learners with the necessary skills to successfully conduct a small scale historical/heritage/culturalresearch project of their choice.  Students will be introduced to a range of sources and study techniques which will allow them to practice and develop desirable, readily transferable, interpretive and presetnational skills to explore aspects of a unique country of communities which is certainly 'Eternal.'

Course times:  10-12noon or 18.30-20.30pm
For further information or to book a place on the course,
please contact Mair Sheen on 01495 320 497.

Please note, a minimum of 12 participants are required to run these accredited courses.

The Six Bells symbol over the doorway of the former Miners' Institute

(Meg's Note:  I attended this course in Cwmbran earlier this year.  It was really enjoyable and it covers a great deal about local history which I was not taught in school history lessons.)

http://www.uhovi.ac.uk/