Leading in Nature

A different kind of adventure yesterday learning how to build and maintain crawiau, the gorgeous slate fencing that's so traditional here in the Ogwen Valley (Dyffryn Ogwen) where I live.

Celyn and Bryn at Kehoe Countryside Ltd were awesome teachers, showing us how these fences have traditionally been built for hundreds of years. By lovely coincidence, when my 81-year-old neighbour Dafydd saw the photos he told me all about his time building these as a young man working on a nearby farm, and the process he described is exactly what we learned from Celyn and Bryn. There's a magic in learning the old ways ✨✨

Crawiau built in the traditional way will last a good 100-150 years. Such a fence is strong enough to stop cattle pushing it over thanks to the "feet" laid horizontally in the trench, which are supported by stones. The jagged tops stop sheep jumping, and the four finger-width spacing stops lambs putting their heads through and then getting stuck. Ingenious!

I also loved making the knots using a replica of the wire twisting tool that's been in Celyn's family for generations. This tool is just right for the job, and apparently unique to the family. You can sort of see it in the third photo.

What made the day even more amazing was to work in a team with Sean from SG History in the Hills, whose history walks I highly recommend, and Daniel of Retracing Footsteps, who I've been following on socials for a while. Also great to reconnect with Julia who I know from Caru Eryri volunteer litter pics. It's a small world - byd bach ❤️

Do you live in Eryri? Wyt ti'n byw yn Eryri? Are you free next Tuesday to help researchers at the University of Bangor? Details below. Photo of Carneddau ponies just because ❤️🧡💛

PROJECT DETAILS
Join us Tuesday 21 July at Memorial Hall, Betws-y-Coed for an interactive workshop to discuss what you value about Eryri and how your local area impacts your wellbeing. Sessions run 2-4 pm or 6-8 pm. Register, participate and receive £20 voucher. You need to register your interest by Friday 17 July.
https://forms.cloud.microsoft/e/Xe1GbmGnkp

The project seeks to explore the interconnections that exist between our cultural history, our identities and our well-being within the Eryri National Park. The landscape, long viewed as one of rugged beauty, is both a working landscape and playground for visitors, but what of the communities who live and breathe this region, what of their lived and relational experiences of and to the park. Our research is taking a place-based approach to understand rural cohesion, attachment (including heritage), and well-being across the whole park.

Bydd un sesiwn yng Ngymraeg. Cofrestru yma:
https://forms.cloud.microsoft/e/Xe1GbmGnkp

Thanks pawb!

In his book, Tir: A History of the Welsh Landscape, Carwyn Graves talks about the Welsh word cynefin. He explains that cynefin has three interlinked meanings:
- habitat
- an area of a hillside/mountain that sheep heft to
- a person's home territory, their "stomping grounds"

In so many words then, cynefin brings together the concept of the ecological niche (wild belonging), domesticated animals' home range (domesticated animals belonging) and the human niche or nest (a deeply rooted sense of human belonging). I just love that 💚

The first photo is from last year's Up On the Farm day run by Mike Raine: Notes from the Hill. This photo shows the farm's stone-built cynefin, literally the place where by tradition grandfather and grandson took the sheep to the hefting area, and then rounded them up and penned them in for the night to build the association. Lovely working sheepdog in photo as added bonus As Mike always says, when we live and work in a landscape, it's important to understand its human and ecological history.

Also, isn't that a just handsome sheepdog? 😍

When was the last time you played outside like you did as a child? Join me and Dr David Fong for a light-hearted morning of exploration, imagination, and general messing about. We might build castles and fairy trails, make little boats to send down a stream, or share a few laughs and tales about what we've built. But no matter what, we'll definitely have a fun, relaxing, and carefree time 🤩

BOOK NOW: Link in comments 👇

This event is just one of the many awesome workshops at Furey Festival 2026. The cost associated with this session is a donation, 100% of which will go to the Tom Furey Memorial Trust. The Tom Furey Memorial Trust, established in memory of local legend Tom Furey, is a registered charity that supports education and training in mountaineering activities for those experiencing financial hardship.
Financial support. What's more, every workshop at Furey Festival will have one space available FREE OF CHARGE for those experiencing financial difficulties.

Saturday was a beautiful finale for our Wales Nature Week events. We explored our connection with Eryri and its landscape through nature connection, poetry, various artistic media, freeing the imagination and letting natural creativity soar. Each piece a personal expression of connection and belonging. It truly was a privilege to witness and guide this creative process 💚

Diolch o galon - heartfelt thanks - to all the partners and funders involved in this project, which has occupied much of my energy for the past couple of months. It's been a pleasure to work in partnership with storyteller Fiona Collins from Chwedl and Rachael from Pen Y Bryn Outdoor Learning CIC to deliver this series. The Wales Nature Week events were funded by Welsh Government, through WCVA CGGC, Partneriaeth Natur Leol Eryri Local Nature Partnership, Parc Cenedlaethol Eryri - Eryri National Park and Y Bartneriaeth Awyr Agored - The Outdoor Partnership North Wales.

Hot off the press: I'm running two days of CPD courses at the British Association of International Mountain Leaders annual conference in November. You can get a nice discount if you book quickly 👍

⭐ Bringing Nature Connection into Outdoor Leadership on Friday 27th November

⭐ Practical Mental Health Skills for Outdoor Leaders on Saturday 28th November

Another champion Wales Nature Week event yesterday at Llyn Llydaw! We shared stories of the tylwyth teg (fairy family), coblynau (goblins), cewri (giants) and Brenin Arthur and Myrddyn (Merlin). We gathered treasure, admired club mosses and sundew, and had a wonderful time 💚

Join me tomorrow for Mapping Your Eryri Journey, a fun and creative day for folks who love being outdoors, get excited about maps, and want to play with the colours and shapes of the Eryri landscape. It'll be totally lush and you need neither artistic experience or ability - and I'll provide all the materials. There are still spaces left so book now at https://tickets.leadinginnature.co.uk/events/join/2216377 (or link in bio)

Mapio Eich Taith Drwy Eryri bydd ddiwrnod hwyl a chreadigol i bobl sy’n caru’r awyr agored, yn hoffi mapiau, ac eisiau chwarae gyda lliwiau a siapiau tirwedd Eryri. Nid oes angen unrhyw brofiad blaenorol ar gyfer y diwrnod hwyl ac ymlaciol hwn, a byddwn yn darparu’r holl ddeunyddiau. Dewch â chi eich hun, eich pecyn bwyd, ac ysbryd chwareus! Tocynnau yma: https://tickets.leadinginnature.co.uk/events/join/2216377 (neu ddolen bio)

The Wales Nature Week events have been brought to you in partnership with Partneriaeth Natur Leol Eryri Local Nature Partnership , Y Bartneriaeth Awyr Agored - The Outdoor Partnership and Pen Y Bryn Outdoor Learning CIC. Diolch pawb!

What an amazing day we had yesterday on Secrets of Cwm Idwal 😍

Join me and Pen Y Bryn Outdoor Learning CIC for our remaining Wales Nature Week events, from tomorrow's Nature Connection and Storytelling to a fabulous Family Nature Day on Sunday!

All events here: https://linktr.ee/natur_eryri

Cawsom ddiwrnod hyfryd ddoe mewn un o ddigwyddiadau ni ar gyfer Wythnos Natur Cymru. Wnaeth Mia o @leadinginnature arwain y dydd wrth rhannu gwybodaeth am blanhigion a straeon gwerin lleol, a chroesawom Libby o @un.common_ground i egluro daeareg diddorol Cwm Idwal. Ymunwch efo ni mewn ail hanner Wythnos Natur Cymru, gyda digwyddiadau hollol unigryw. Mae yna mwy o wybodaeth yn y ddolen, neu rhowch neges imi! 🌱🌿🍃 We had a wonderful day yesterday at one of our Wales Nature Week events. We had Mia @leadinginnature leadimg the day and sharing her knowledge on botany and local folklore, and Libby @un.common_ground as a guest speaker, to share her knowledge on the local Geology. Join us for the second half of Wales Nature Week in more unique events like this. Link in bio or send me a message! #walesnatureweek #wythnosnaturcymru