I accept that the contents of today’s blog may have a very tenuous link with nature but, nonetheless, I wanted to share my photos of today’s trip as it was a really worthwhile outing and a wonderful insight in to the culture and heritage of Wales.

We visited Ty Zinc: Wales` destination shop for Welsh blankets & Welsh quilts. Jane Beck’s website describes it as a trip through 200 years of the Welsh woollen industry on the borders of Ceredigion & Carmarthenshire.

An overview of Jane Beck’s Woolllen Blankets on Tripadvisor has this to say:

“Wales destination shopping for traditional Welsh blankets. a purpose built tin shed shop replicating the local vernacular for roadmen’s houses a century ago. Fitted out like a mid century mill shop with floor to ceiling Welsh blankets, quilts & accessories. The only place you can buy new, vintage & antique Welsh blankets. An old fashioned service, with complementary tea for our customers. A place to sit & watch the birds or overnight accommodation in our vintage shepherds’ huts in the hay meadow.”

As well as exploring Jane’s shop (and making a suitable purchase) there was an added bonus as Jane is a keen birder and she talked with enthusiasm about places to bird watch in Ceredigion. I told her how much we had enjoyed our visit to see red kites at Bwlch Nant Yr Arian but red kites are now so common in this part of Wales that I knew she was as interested as I would be in talking about pigeons. However, she showed great interest in all our other sightings and encouraged me to look at the Ceredigion Birds and Wildlife Public Facebook Group (http://www.facebook.com/groups/515853885290832).

My only bird photo of the day (an afterthought) – a red kite on our way back.