Black Mountains Holiday Cottages

It was lovely today having a few minutes to look for butterflies - the knapweed, ragwort and buddleia seem to be firm favourites. Plus a couple of nice surprises in the grass.

Last year we decided to start making environmentally friendly hay. This means that we wait until late summer before cutting the meadows for hay so that the grasses and flowers have a chance to set seed. We have already noticed an increase in insects, butterflies and the number of flowers in the meadows: the orchids, betony, knapweed and harebells have all multiplied since last year which we're really pleased about. Oh and the sheep have been sheared so everyone's happy :)

Mum's garden is looking lovely - thanks Mum!👩‍🌾🌷

Wishing you a very happy bank holiday weekend 🌞🌳🍷🐦🌸

The last gate has been hung - it's almost the end of our epic winter fencing frenzy. A pleasure to be working outside in weather like this.

We very much hope that this is one of our elusive brown hares on the trailcam. We very rarely see them so it's reassuring they are still out and about.

Happy New Year from all of us at Cwm Coed-y-Cerrig. We look forward to seeing you in 2019.
https://www.cottageguide.co.uk/gaer-skirr id/

We've been allowed back in the Airbnb superhost club after being in their bad books for a whole year for not understanding Instant Book! Won't do that again :)

The trees are full of berries this autumn - great for the birds and they look stunning

We're delighted that Gwent Wildlife Trust came over this week and managed to collect about 1,000 of our hazel nuts for Kew Garden's Millennium Seed Bank https://www.kew.org/science/collections/s eed-collection. But don't worry - there are plenty of nuts left for the dormice!🙂

With the support of Monmouthshire Meadows http://www.monmouthshiremeadows.org.uk/ and the Welsh Government we have started to manage some of our grassland as hay meadows. And it is the time of year for broody chickens and new arrivals.

And watch out for the velothon road closures on 8 July
http://www.velothon.com/…/velothon%20wa les%20residents%20ov…

Crickhowell and Llwyn Celyn are getting a visit from the Prince of Wales next month. http://www.brecon-radnor.co.uk/article.cf m…

The orchids have come out in force this summer..

How to spend a bank holiday Monday..

A few photos downloaded from the trailcams recently.

Springtime on the farm. A selection of photos from our morning meanderings with the dogs.

Spring visitors - always a welcome sight.