Answer: A glass of water. As punchlines go its not one of the best but don’t blame me, blame the Victorians.
What on earth am I going on about?……
The Vyrnwy Dam..Rather than telling you what I know about it (and probably getting everything wrong) here’s a snippet from wikipedia:
Lake Vyrnwy Nature Reserve and Estate (Welsh: Llyn Efyrnwy, pronounced [ɛˈvərnʊɨ]) is an area of land in Montgomeryshire, Powys, Wales, surrounding the Victorian reservoir of Lake Vyrnwy. Its stone-built dam, built in the 1880s, was the first of its kind in the world. The Nature Reserve and the area around it are jointly managed by the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB), and Severn Trent Water. It was built for the purpose of supplying Liverpool and Merseyside with fresh water. It flooded the head of the Vyrnwy Valley and submerged the small village of Llanwddyn. Today it is a popular retreat, for people in the West Midlands and Merseyside for days out, and also for ornithologists, cyclists, and hikers. The Reserve is designated as a National Nature Reserve, a Site of Special Scientific Interest, a Special Protection Area, and a Special Area of Conservation.
Most importantly, the place is absolutely beautiful. I took these two shots around this time last year..(on a day when it was possible to get my car off the drive)…
The Highland Cattle are a long way from home… but aren’t they gorgeous?
All Images Copyright Stuart Allan Hyde.
scillagrace
Yes, they are, in all their shaggy splendor! (There are a few even farther from home here in Wisconsin.)
Stuart Hyde - shpics
That’s the Scots for you…..They get everywhere!
Alan and Priscilla
We remember it well. Enjoyed a great night there with you. It’s beautiful.You gave us the four poster bed………….!!!!!!!!!!!!
Stuart Hyde - shpics
Ma and Pa-in-law! Nice to see you on here. (I’ve got a couple of photos of the two of you taken at the Vyrnwy Hotel which I reckon you’d pay me not to post here on the blog…..very tipsy looking!)
hellenjc
I love highland cattle… visited the late Queen Mother’s home Glamis Castle a few years ago and she had a herd of them there which were magnificent… beautiful shot of the lake… terrible joke though !!
Stuart Hyde - shpics
Hi Hellen..I’ve been to Glamis a couple of times…The castle itself put me in mind of Gormenghast, rather bleak I thought, but the surroundings were beautiful. I really fancy a photo tour of Scotland…Haven’t been for quite a few years now.
hellenjc
Yep Gormenghast…I can get that !.. I’m going the 1st week in September to the Trossachs, camera firmly in hand….. whey hey!
Stuart Hyde - shpics
Jealous jealous jealous………
scillagrace
I’ve been to Edinborough and Aberdeen, but I really want to go to Moss of Barmuckity some day…just because.
hellenjc
Hmmm Scilla I’ve just googled that…did you stick a pin in a map to choose it?
scillagrace
Just saw the name somewhere and fell under a spell…
hellenjc
Good enough reason… I supect you may well be a little disapppointed !
Stuart Hyde - shpics
Bonkers! The pair of you….Stark raving bonkers!