It's not often a mountain can be described as hidden, but Rhobell Fawr seems to do a reasonable job of it, tucking itself away in a wild, upland void wedged in by four major mountain massifs ? Cadair Idris, the Arans, the Arenigs and the Rhinogs ? and concealed from most directions by the sprawling woodlands of Coed y Brenin. It's not a tall peak, just 734m at its stone trig point, but it's a shapely one, and it stands alone in a way that's rare in these parts, with well over 200m of drop in any direction and not a sign of another summit within three kilometres. All this makes for remote walking and great views. What more could you ask for?

Plan your route from page 14 of our magazine.

Come May and June, Welsh rivers have an influx of that most delightful of fish, known locally as ‘sewin’, but elsewhere as ‘sea-trout’. This wonderful silver jewel has such attractive qualities that anglers travel from afar to fish for it.

In fact, normally sane and civilised anglers have been known to go completely mad when the sewin are about. It is without doubt the best adversary of the finny-tribe and as a table fish is as delectable as caviar. In short, the sewin is a marvel of nature! Its life cycle is shrouded in mystery, but we know that, after spending two or three nursery years in the river, it is suddenly drawn to the sea. At this stage, they are about six inches long and are known as smolts, and their journey to the sea is always a perilous one. Dangers abound, in the guise of fish-eating birds, and the toll on these beautiful silvery fingerlings is huge. It is estimated that fifty per cent of smolts going down river are taken by avian predators. 

Read Moc's full article on page 9 of our magazine.

Creative Photography Wales is run by Nigel Forster ABIPP, a professional photographer specialising in evocative landscape images and with a great reputation for teaching budding photographers throughout Wales! Nigel is an Associate of the British Institute of Professional Photography, a Master Photographer with On-Line training company PT4U and a landscape photographer for the Welsh Government.

Photography Workshops and Holidays
Nigel offers a wide range of photography courses for groups and individuals, from half-day beginners' workshops to three to four-day short break packages throughout south and west Wales. Although the majority of his courses are run in the Brecon Beacons and Pembrokeshire Coast national parks, Nigel can also offer tuition based around your favourite location.

See what Nigel at Creative Photography Wales offers in full, on pages 39 to 43 of our magazine.

You'll need:
1kg best-end neck of lamb, whole
1.8 litres water
salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 large onions, sliced
3 celery sticks, including leaves, thinly sliced
4 medium carrots, thickly sliced
1 large parsnip, cut into 2.5cm chunks
1 medium swede, cut into 2.5cm chunks
3 leeks, sliced
bunch of parsley, chopped
4 medium potatoes, cut into 2.5cm chunks

For the full recipe plus 3 other recipes see pages 34-35 of our magazine.

We also have a large selection of recipes in full, that have featured in past issues of the magazine. These are available for you to download and enjoy, just click on this link. 

A fascinating yet very humble group of plants, mosses and liverworts are thriving in Wales because of our moist conditions, especially over the last twelve months! You may not know that Britain and Ireland have about two-thirds of all European species of bryophytes (land plants that do not have vascular tissue), compared with only about a sixth of European species of flowering plants and ferns.

Our common bryophytes are important for understanding the natural environment of Wales, whilst some of the rarer forms are globally rare and need to be logged and conserved.
Most bryophytes are evergreen and therefore visible all year, so they offer round-the-year interest, unlike many flowering plants which are herbaceous. It is often much easier to find mosses and liverworts in winter, when they are less likely to be obscured by larger plants, ferns or bracken. As few naturalists study bryophytes, we know much less about their geographical distribution, their life cycle or other factors which may influence where and how they live; so amateur naturalists can easily help to contribute to our knowledge and understanding of mosses and liverworts.

If you would like to know more about mosses, liverworts & lichens the full article in the magazine commences on page 61.  

Coracle fishing for salmon and sea trout (sewin) has taken place on Welsh rivers for centuries. In 1794, a poem entitled Llangunnor Hill – named after a parish situated on the River Towy in Carmarthen – vividly described this unique form of fishing.

Originating from the Welsh word 'Cwrwgl', coracle construction dates back thousands of years, used for both fishing and as a method of transport. Julius Caesar is said to have ordered his Roman troops to make hide-covered wicker boats during a Spanish campaign in 49BC, modelling them on vessels he had seen earlier in Britain.
 
Read Karen's feature in its entirity from page 6 of the magazine.