logo
Conwy couple make it to final of Channel 4's Our Dream Farm

Conwy couple make it to final of Channel 4's Our Dream Farm

Viewers will see Ryan and Lowri go head-to-head against remaining hopefuls Sara and Ioan, from Ceredigion and Gwynedd, in a sheep dog trial in the last episode on Saturday, May 3.
The couples will also present their business plans to Trystan Edwards, Eryri General Manager, and Giles Hunt, Land and Estates Director for all of the National Trust, in a bid to be crowned the new tenants of a 600-acre dream farm in Eryri (Snowdonia).
Over the last few weeks, seven applicants have battled it out to become the new tenants of unique hill farm Llyndy Isaf, Nant Gwynant, by completing real-life farming tasks.
Applicants have now been whittled down to just two.
Ryan and Lowri live just 20 miles away from the farm. The husband and wife duo, who have two young children, hope the tenancy will be a chance to combine Ryan's passion for hill farming and Lowri's desire to welcome tourists to the farm.
Ryan is a first generation farmer but has built up his livestock throughout his career and hopes to bring them to the farm.
Lowri said: "We've benefited a lot from this experience."
Ryan said: "We came as a married couple but we are leaving here as business partners."
Ryan admitted to Matt that without Lowri, he couldn't do "any of my things".
Lowri said to Ryan: "I'm just proud to see you in your element and seeing you grow in the past eight years."
The couple said they "don't give up easily". They said the tenancy will allow them to grow as a family and individually and give them a chance to "make their mark".
Llyndy Isaf has been in the care of National Trust Cymru since the charity bought the farm in 2012 after a successful public appeal.
Throughout the series, applicants have been monitored by Trystan and Giles.
Trystan Edwards, general manager for Eryri, National Trust Cymru, said:
'It's a privilege to have a farm in Wales selected for this programme. Llyndy is an incredible landscape, from the shores of Llyn Dinas to the heather clad ridge of Mynydd Llyndy, it holds a special place for nature, people and history."
The winners, who will be offered a life changing 15-year tenancy of the farm, will be revealed in the episode on May 3.
National Trust: Our Dream Farm with Matt Baker is on Channel 4 on Saturday at 7pm. Readers can catch up on 4oD.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Marshals return to patrol Dartmoor over summer
Marshals return to patrol Dartmoor over summer

BBC News

timea day ago

  • BBC News

Marshals return to patrol Dartmoor over summer

Marshals are heading out on to Dartmoor to help tackle anti-social behaviour and speak to visitors in the national said the marshals had become an "invaluable resource" by helping rangers during the busiest months of the year over the is the sixth consecutive year the marshals have been deployed on the moor and they will be on patrol until park said the marshals had spent more than 910 hours patrolling the moor last year and had dealt with "fly camping", when campers leave equipment or food behind, open fires, dogs off leads and they had stopped a rave on at least one occasion. Simon Lee, Dartmoor National Park's head ranger, said: "Like Rangers, marshals bring valuable experience and skills in dealing with sensitive situations but are also there to help and advise, so people have safe and memorable visits."The marshals were funded through a partnership involving Devon and Cornwall's Police and Crime Commissioner, the National Trust, Forestry England, Duchy of Cornwall, South West Lakes Trust, Dartmoor Common Owners Association and private landowners.

Inside the perfect Scots family resort after £5m makeover, from animal experiences and playpark to incredible dining
Inside the perfect Scots family resort after £5m makeover, from animal experiences and playpark to incredible dining

Scottish Sun

time2 days ago

  • Scottish Sun

Inside the perfect Scots family resort after £5m makeover, from animal experiences and playpark to incredible dining

Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) MANY of us will remember our gym teachers saying: 'Pack away the basketballs and hockey sticks, it's time for social dancing.' Those school sessions, where we'd enter an unknown land of Dashing White Sergeants and Gay Gordons, set us up for being whirled about at weddings and parties in later life. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 7 The hotel has had a major revamp 7 You get up close with red deer 7 Cocktails in the bar were a real treat 7 The adventure park is perfect for kids And I got to relive that dance floor adventure with my wee boy on a mini-break at Crieff Hydro. The stunning Perthshire resort is a haven for families, full of activities to entertain kids, both big and small. And, for me, our highlight was the Saturday night ceilidh, where I spun five-year-old Jimmy around the ballroom for jigs and reels, leaving us grinning like loons. We arrived on a rainy Friday and checked into our spacious family room with gorgeous views. Gin and tonics had been left for the adults while the wee one was delighted with a bag of pick and mix — welcome, thoughtful touches. Each day, guests are provided with a daily activity rota with fun to be had every hour. We ditched our cases and immediately headed for an Animal Man session, where youngsters were introduced to amazing creatures while the adults relaxed — at one point I spotted a chicken wandering across the ballroom, and I'd only had a half pint! After a quick jaunt round the expansive grounds, we got dressed for the evening activities, starting with cocktails in the Ballroom Bar. You couldn't ask for a better vista to enjoy a cool drink, looking out over the rolling Perthshire Hills. My Penicillin was bitter and punchy, just how I like it, while husband Ryan loved his decadent Kir Royale and Jimmy was delighted with his bubblegum spritz mocktail. Dinner was at one of the Hydro's new restaurants, East, established after a multi-million pound revamp. Serving Asian fusion small plates, the menu has so many tempting dishes. A couple of highlights were black pepper beef fillet and sticky corn ribs, while Jimmy hoovered up sticky pork belly. Ronan Keating enjoys family holiday It was early to bed as we were up at the crack of dawn for a delicious buffet breakfast before a Highland Safari, an amazing must-do experience just 40 minutes from the hotel. We packed into a Land Rover with an expert guide who drove us high into the mountains passing through Dull on the way — and the trip was anything but. We learned about the flora, fauna and history of the area while we gasped at the stunning scenery. Jimmy loved hearing some of the wackier facts, like how a woodpecker wraps its tongue around its brain to soften the impact of drilling into trees with its beak. 7 The views on the safari were stunning 7 East has amazing fusion flavours Next on the agenda was a red deer experience back at Highland Safari base. We found out all about the beautiful creatures before getting up close to feed them. And before we headed back to the hotel we got to pan for gold, sifting through stones to find hidden gems — I was hooked on delving deep for gemstones like jasper and pyrite. We arrived back at the Hydro around 3pm, just in time for a treasure hunt, looking for hidden clues in a bid to win a medal. Glory secured, we had time for a relaxing dip in the pool before more cocktails and dinner, this time at the family-friendly Italian Piccolo. And, after fuelling up on pizza and pasta, it was time for my main event, the ceilidh. GO: CRIEFF STANDARD double rooms from £120 per night for midweek bookings. Grab 15 per cent discount plus a free experience, such as afternoon tea or Action Glen Adventure passes, this summer. Find out more at We danced into the night with expert musicians taking us through the steps and throwing in kids' classics, like the Hokey Cokey, to keep everyone on their feet. We were checking out on Sunday, but not before we headed for the on-site Action Glen where you can try everything from mini Land Rovers and disc-golf to axe throwing and archery. We had a fantastic time sampling almost everything before home-time. Crieff Hydro really is an exceptional escape for families — and we'll be St Bernard's Waltzing back as soon as possible.

We live in UK's most photographed street – tourists make our lives hell… they wander into homes like it's Disneyland
We live in UK's most photographed street – tourists make our lives hell… they wander into homes like it's Disneyland

The Sun

time2 days ago

  • The Sun

We live in UK's most photographed street – tourists make our lives hell… they wander into homes like it's Disneyland

LOCALS living in Britain's most photographed street say they are now completely overrun with tourists who make their lives hell. Residents around Arlington Row in the Cotswold village of Bibury claim visitors trample on their gardens and peer through the windows and even walk into their homes as they take continuous selfies. 17 17 17 Some also claim the oblivious pic hunters have also knocked down walls in their cars, blocked their driveways and several of the endless stream of coaches even run people over. The village itself - once described by William Morris as "the most beautiful" in England - has reportedly seen an influx in interest due to online recommendations. Bibury previously hit the news in 2017 after social media users complained their photos of Arlington Row where photobombed by an "ugly little yellow car". It was subsequently vandalised, with repairs costing elderly owner Peter Maddox around £6,000. However, he had a defiant attitude and refused to move his bright-coloured car from outside his cottage, leading to a large fleet of yellow cars descending on the village in support. Opinions divided Mark Honeyball, 54, chairman of Bibury Parking Working Group, said the main problems in the village are coaches and the 'volume' of tourists. He said: 'We've gone from 10 to 90 coaches a day. We have seen a quadrupling of tourists coming into the village. 'The coaches are causing damage to the village, they are knocking over walls. "They are knocking over National Trust property, pavements and we have had to pay for enforcement in the village to stop them parking in the wrong places. 'We have had several incidents of bus drivers hitting people - they are just a nightmare and we are currently trying to ban them. 'Car tourists have increased as well and we don't have anywhere for them to park.' Bibury Working Parking Group is made up of Gloucestershire County Council, Cotswold District Council, the police and Bibury Parish Council, which recently made some recommendations to restrict access for coaches. As a result, Gloucestershire County Council Highways would be changing the layout of parking bays to stop coaches waiting on the B4425 next to the Swan Bridge in the centre of the village. Mr Honeyball added that he wants 'responsible tourism in lower volumes'. He said: 'The only people who want tourists here are the businesses. Everybody else is fed up with it. 'Tourists see themselves as number one and don't respect the village even to the extent where I have had people parking on my driveaway before. 'We have had people walking into the house here and asking if this is the hotel. 'First couple of times it was amusing, after that you can get quite angry and short fused even when people start parking outside here.' 17 17 17 Resident Jennifer Bowman, 50, works in gaming and said she 'loves tourists' but there is a 'lack of infrastructure' that needs solving. She said: 'Many of the people who are coming here are tourists and they don't know UK driving laws and regulations and you don't see any signs that clearly say 'no parking' - it is simply marking on the roads. 'The biggest frustration as a resident is that there are not enough recycling bins, trash bins and parking and there seems to be a lack of urgency to solve it even though tourism continues to increase.' Jennifer's partner John Diamond, 49, who works in tech, said they have had tourists peeking through their windows as their house is right onto the footpath. But he said they shut the blinds and carry on with the rest of their day - adding that they have got used to it. He said: 'You can't go and move to the prettiest village in the UK and not expect tourists - we knew what we were getting into when we got this house. Perhaps we didn't expect people to stop and peering quite as long as they do. He added: 'I don't think they [tourists] should be pushed away because we came here as tourists like pretty much everybody who lives here apart from a few who are generational residents. 'There is not much parking - we don't have a parking space with our house so we have to park on the street where a tourist would. 'In the summer we have had cars parking on these double yellow lines. You can't step out of your house without stepping onto a car.' Local Ella Illes, 22, said that sometimes tourists think Bibury is a "Disneyland" or a 'museum town'. 17 17 She added: 'Some people embrace them because it brings in a lot of revenue to the village because we don't have many shops around here but sometimes tourists can be quite invasive and intrusive on local properties. 'I had one instance of a family walking through my backdoor during breakfast time so sometimes they think that Bibury is a Disney land and a museum town. 'They treat it with respect but sometimes they don't and they will wander into houses and throw rubbish on your floor and throw it in your garden. 'Some locals like the tourists but not the amount we get about up to 10 thousand a day sometimes and they come from all corners of the globe.' Lady Anne Evans, in her 50s, who has lived in the village for 25 years, runs a a café, shop and tearoom called Eleven. She said Bibury is an 'international' heritage site adding that the 'key' is to manage the needs of residents and tourists. Mrs Evans explained that parking in the village has been a problem since she moved in but has increasingly got worse. 'The villagers don't own the village but it is important that we continue our lives unhindered everyday but equally so people are very welcomed here,' she said. 'It is a privilege to be able to be the curators and guardians of such an incredibly important location. 'It is important that residents can continue their everyday lives unhindered and businesses continue and then the visitors who come are accommodated - but they need to have parking. 17 17 17 'This has been going on for 25 years but has got increasingly worse and I think that's because of social media.' 'You are not going to be able to stop people so you have got to accommodate them.' Lorraine Spackman, 53, who works at the local shop Eleven said she absolutely loves tourists. She said: 'We totally embrace them. 'With parking there is a system in place when it comes to coaches where they drop people off for an hour to visit the village. 'Arlington Row is such a beautiful iconic spot so it's always going to bring lots of tourists.' Lorraine remembers Mr Maddox's yellow car. The word "move" was scratched into the bonnet of the Vauxhall Corsa, which was parked outside his cottage in Arlington Row. 'He used to park at the top of Arlington and then everybody turned up with a yellow car just to make a point and show support,' said Lorraine. Locals said that Mr Maddox, now 90, still lives on the famous street but is currently in poor health and that the yellow car has since been sold. 17 17 17 Jason Collard, 38, a builder in Bibury, said his grandparents used to live in one of the cottages on the iconic Arlington Row. He said: 'I suppose if you lived here and you put up with it every day it would make it a bit annoying. 'When you ask them to stay off the grass and you need to put signs on your grass saying 'stay out of the grass' makes it a bit annoying. 'But this is part of history and people come from America, Japan, China to see this. 'It's got its good days and bad days. When it's busy it gets really busy. 'Most tourists just take pictures really.' The landscape and the history attracted influencer Giulia Cotigliana who came across Bibury on Pinterest, Google and Instagram. Giulia Cotigliana, 34 said she didn't find Bibury busy but added that arriving earlier is the trick to avoid large groups of tourists. The influencer from Italy said to feel like she was in a movie while visiting the village. One local said: ' We are packing up to go on holiday and escape the tourists.' 17 17

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store