THE inaugural Cambrian Mountains Food, Drink and Craft Fair has been hailed as a great success as visitors from across the UK discovered more than just the Elan Valley reservoirs in the Cambrian Mountains last weekend.
Located beneath the towering Caban Coch dam wall and safely tucked away in the Elan Valley Visitor Centre, near Rhayader, 12 members of the Cambrian Mountains Local Produce Network set up a mouth-watering selection of their locally made and inspired produce.
With nearly 250 visitors through the door and a real buzz around the occasion, many are now asking when the next event will be.
“We were over the moon to be able to work with Dwr Cymru/Welsh Water on this first ever Cambrian Mountains local produce event and we hope it can be the first of many,” said Dafydd Wyn Morgan of organisers the Cambrian Mountains Initiative.”
Nearly all the producers had created brand new Cambrian Mountains-branded produce to celebrate the fact that, owing to its super-low light pollution, the Cambrian Mountains has some of the darkest night skies in Europe.
Children who attended were treated to cosmically-inspired chocolate creations, while the tea, coffee and Dark Skies rum proved a real hit with the adults too. The jams and honeys were popular as were the handmade craft and beauty products.
With the visitor centre being in the designated Elan Valley International Dark Park, there couldn’t have been a better place to hold this inaugural event.
“We’re very proud of the dark skies status of the Elan Valley and teaming up for this event with the Cambrian Mountains Initiative was awesome,” said Bethan Price from Welsh Water.
“It was lovely to meet everybody and it was good to see people out and about again. A big success I would say. Look forward to the future events,” said honey producer Tracy at the end of a busy day’s trading.
The Cambrian Mountains Initiative’s work is part-funded by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development, Powys County Council, Ceredigion County Council and Carmarthenshire County Council.
The project also receives support from the Cefn Croes Windfarm Community Trust, Brechfa Forest West Wind Farm Community Fund, Aberystwyth University and the Elan Valley Trust.
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