What could be better? Picturesque Alpha Cottage, located in the tranquil rural village of Martletwy in the heart of Pembrokeshire National Park , is just a stroll from Cwm Deri Vineyard and Restaurant.

Enjoy delicious local food and wines overlooking the estate which runs down to the eastern shores of the Cleddau Estuary. Even your children are catered for. They can amuse themselves for hours with the animals in the pet corner while you take a stroll through the vineyard and then stock up on local wines, liqueurs, free range eggs, seasonal vegetables, chutneys, marmalades, preserves, Celtic crafts and gifts.

The village of Martletwy itself is ideally situated between North and South Pembrokeshire, making this an excellent base for exploring the many coastal and countryside attractions of the area.

Freshwater East beach is a short drive from Alpha Cottage.

Alpha Cottage sleeps 6 and welcomes pets. Click on the links for more details:

Imagine you are on holiday. Imagine you have enjoyed a long hard day on the beach. Now imagine going home to Yr Hen Glowty a luxury farm cottage with a sauna. Pour yourself a long sparkling g & t tinkling with ice blocks and a slice or two of lemon. Sip until the sauna has reached the required temperature, then luxuriate in the revitalising and cleansing warmth. Now what about tomorrow – same again please?

For more details about Yr Hen Glowty luxury farm cottage with sauna click on the links.

This time-honoured classic comedy from the Willow Globe Company offers all the ingredients for a seductive evening of laughter, passion, music and magic.

Tickets can be bought from Arches in Rhayader, West Street –  01597 810 921
Verzon’s in Llandrindod Wells, Middleton Street –  01597 825 171

or on the door but be aware that seating is limited so you may miss out if you don’t book in advance.

Reserve tickets by leaving a message on our answer phone on 01597 811 487  http://www.willowglobe.co.uk

Quality Cottages has a selection of fine holiday homes in Mid Wales and throughout the whole of Wales in fabulous coastal, countryside and mountainous locations. 80% welcome pets. Click on the links for more information.

Want to see more than the usual tourist attractions?

Only have a few days?

Want to see hidden ‘Wales’?

Don’t know the area?

Need inside local knowledge?

Then look no further than ‘Snowdonia Safaris’ tours using a 4 x 4 vehicle and looked after by a well travelled local guide who has extensive knowledge of Snowdonia and North Wales.

www.snowdonsafaris.co.uk

Escorted Tours of Snowdonia National Park from Betws-y-Coed, North Wales – the Official Gateway

Quality Cottages has a selection of fine holiday homes throughout North Wales in fabulous coastal, countryside and mountainous locations. 80% welcome pets. For more information click on Quality Cottages.

Wales Rally GB 2012 will see a ceremonial start in Llandudno in North Wales on Thursday, 13th September following a Qualifying Stage at Walters Arena on Wednesday 12th, before the event moves down to the classic Dyfnant, Hafren and Myherin tests on Friday 14th. Following a remote service in Newtown, that loop of stages will be repeated on Friday afternoon.

Saturday 15th takes the event to the Epynt military range, where the stages of Crychan, Epynt and Halfway will be undertaken twice, after which the rally visits Celtic Manor Resort for the first time, before service in Cardiff. For the final day, Wales Rally GB visits Port Talbot, Rheola and Walters Arena, before returning to those stages again after Cardiff service. The official finish ceremony of the event will take place in Cardiff Bay after the final stage.

To celebrate the 80th anniversary of Rally GB, this year’s ticketing is led by a limited-edition ‘Gold’ pass offer that provides spectators access to all stages, car parks, the qualifying test and service areas. The pass comes with its own unique gold lanyard, an exclusive key-ring and a complimentary copy of the 80th anniversary DVD which retells the history of one of motor sport’s most iconic international events. The cost of the Gold Rally Pass will be £130* – far cheaper than buying the tickets individually.

Forest car park tickets are available for £20*, or £25* on the day, while tickets to Wednesday’s qualifying stage are priced at a mere £15* in advance. In addition, the start and finish ceremonies are free of charge, with the Llandudno start venue also including an autograph signing session, as well as demonstrations and displays to celebrate the 80th running of Rally GB.

Andrew Coe, chief executive of Wales Rally GB, is extremely excited by the route and commented:

“In such a pivotal year for Britain and its role as a venue for world-class sport, it’s a real privilege to be able to take Wales Rally GB to Celtic Manor Resort this year, as well as continue last year’s initiative of delivering a truly pan-Welsh route. We made huge strides forward last year in terms of embracing the whole of Wales with our route and we have tried hard to build on that this year, while also bringing more innovation and fresh-thinking to the event.”

Quality Cottages has a selection of fine holiday homes throughout Wales. Click here for further details.

Kicking off this fantastic season is the iconic Olympic Torch Relay and Evening Celebration in Swansea on Saturday 26 May.　This once in a lifetime event includes a Sports Village before the Evening Celebration in Singleton Park with Kids in Glass Houses and Only Men Aloud.　

FREE tickets are available from　

Ticketsource, by phone on 01792 637300　(£3 fee per booking online and phone) or completely free in person from Swansea Tourist Information Centre.

The annual St Davids Charity Horse and Dog show will be held at Penlan Farm, St Davids (behind St Davids Cathedral) 13^th May. A friendly show with show jumping, working hunter and showing classes to suit all levels.

The dog show will have a variety of classes to suit your top show dog or your yard jack russel!!

Horse schedules are available from all the local tack shops, dog schedules on the day. We look forward to seeing you all and fingers crossed for nice weather!

Quality Cottages has a selection of fine holiday homes in Pembrokeshire and throughout Wales in fabulous coastal, countryside and mountainous locations. 80% welcome pets. Click on the names for full details.

Find out what weeds to eat. Hunt for herbs in the hedgerows. Watch young chefs do battle in a new competition. Join a pasta-making masterclass. And meet Bryn Williams.

All this and more is on offer at the West Wales Food Festival at the National Botanic Garden, Llanarthne, Carmarthenshire this Saturday and Sunday (May 12-13).

The Denbigh-born Welsh food champion, Bryn Williams will be cooking in the festival kitchen on both days as well as starring in a special discussion which will offer his fans a rare chance to get up close and personal, ask questions and get their books signed.

Bryn is one in a top line-up of chefs heading to Carmarthenshire for the weekend, including Dudley Newbery, Angela Gray, Gareth Johns and Ludovic ‘Ludo’ Dieumegarde.

Also on their way are:
-top local producers from all over Wales;
-the Pumpkin Patch Cookery School – with a marvellous menu of events in the Children Zone;
-award-winning investigative journalist, Joanna Blythman, the author of six landmark books on food issues;
-11-times Chelsea gold medal winner, the ‘King of Veg’ Medwyn Williams.
-medical herbalist Nicola-Dee Kelly; and
-festival foragers Bruce and Sara Stanley.

Head of Marketing at the Garden, David Hardy said: “We have a mouth-watering programme of foodie events, with something for people of all ages and tastes – from making smoothies and mocktails with the Pumpkin Patch Cookery School, to buying and trying beer, wine, squirrel, water buffalo, honey, herbs and home-made ice-cream.”

He added: “We also have a number of debates and discussions, including the very important topic of the future of food entitled ‘We can’t go on eating like this’. This is chaired by BBC Wales presenter Rachael Garside and the panel comprises food writer Joanna Blythman, the Proper Welsh Milk Company’s Richard Arnold and broadcaster and restaurateur Simon Wright.”

The science of food is in the spotlight, too, with talks about the healing properties of hops and honey, and there are tours of the national nature reserve and farm, and a talk in the Double Walled Garden about growing your own fruit and veg.

To find out more about the West Wales Food Festival programme, visit

http://www.westwalesfoodfestival.com email hello@westwalesfoodfestival.com　 or call 01558 667149.

The food debates and the Festival Kitchen are sponsored by Ffres – a web-based community for food businesses in South West Wales. Find out more at www.ffres.org

Quality Cottages has a selection of fine holiday homes in Carmarthenshire and throughout Wales in fabulous coastal, countryside and mountainous locations, 80% welcome pets. Click on the names for full details.

Hilton Court Gardens and Crafts Landscaped Garden Centre, restaurant, Balcony Tea Room with Gallery, Pottery, and antiques in Roch, Pembrokeshire, Wales.

Quality Cottages has a selection of fine holiday homes in Pembrokeshire and throughout Wales in fabulous coastal, countryside and mountainous locations, 80% welcome pets. Click on the names for more details.

AS THE inaugural Carmarthen Bay film festival begins in Llanelli, figures show Wales’ growing array of summer events is creating a huge influx in tourism and a much-needed boost to local economies.

With the number of annual festivals now thought to total around 150, we have become a nation of cultural enthusiasts with an event suited to just about anyone. The variety of 2012’s offerings include Llandovery Sheep Festival, Wrexham Beer Festival, Pembrokeshire Fish Week, Cardiff Mardi Gras and The Green Man music festival.

And some of our more eccentric events include the Knighton Town Crier Festival, Llanelli Festival of Dogs and the Porthcawl Elvis Festival.

According to Carmarthen Bay Film Festival’s chief executive Kelvin Guy, the key to success is simple.

“We want to create as much community involvement as possible and really help to put Llanelli on the map,” he said.

At the weekend, acts including Stewart Lee and Richard Herring descended on Powys for the Machynlleth Comedy Festival.

A spokesman for Visit Wales said the 2011 event attracted more than 1,000 visitors. Of those 40% came from outside Wales and, on average, these visitors spent three nights in Machynlleth.

“We estimated that the 2011 event generated around £100,000 net additional spending into the local economy as many of the visitors stayed for at least three nights,” a Welsh Government spokesman said.

Evidence, he said, suggested that such events attract swathes of interest from other parts of Britain.

“Last year 90% of visitors to Wales come from the rest of the UK,” the spokesman said.

“The Wales tourism industry notched up record figures for domestic holidays last year when visitors made 9.7million overnight trips to Wales and spent more than £1.7bn. Overseas holiday visits to Wales increased by 8% in 2011 to 370,000.”

One festival rapidly becoming one of Wales’ largest is Beach Break Live in Pembrey, Carmarthenshire. Chart-topping Dizzee Rascal will play the main stage in June, the third time the event has been held in Wales.

A study by Bournemouth University found that Beach Break contributes more than £2.4m to the local economy. Researchers also calculated that if 10% of those attending returned only once to Pembrey, the local economy would benefit to the tune of £3.2m over the next five years.

Carmarthenshire Council leader Meryl Gravell said “the most exciting benefit” to Carmarthenshire was “the longer-term impact on tourism”.

The growing festival scene has also been recognised by the Arts Council of Wales (ACW).

Merthyr Rock, an event in its second year was awarded £100,000 by the cultural funding body in 2012.

Other Welsh music festivals that have been awarded financial contributions include: Aberystwyth Music Fest (£15,000); Cardiff Multicultural Mela (£15,200); Fishguard International Music Festival (£35,000); Focus Wales, Wrexham (£45,000); Gwyl Gregynog Festival of Classical Music, Newtown (£35,000); Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod (£92,000); North Wales International Music Festival (£50,000); Porthcawl Jazz Festival (£10,273) and Swansea Festival of Music and the Arts (£45,000)

ACW’s Nick Capaldi said: “Wales’ festivals attract thousands of visitors each year from across the globe.

“This funding allows us to support some of the very best of Wales’ engaging, celebratory and inspiring festivals.

“International in outlook, they are also an important part of cultural life for local communities.”

One company which has recognised the festival circuit’s commercial potential is event promoter Orchard. The producers of the Ryder Cup Wales celebration concert and Ponty’s Big Weekend were last week announced as the new organisers of Brecon Jazz.

Paul Griffiths, Powys County Council’s strategic director – communities, skills and learning – said of the appointment: “We are acutely aware of the distinctive contribution made by Brecon Jazz to cultural life in Powys over many years.

“We want to try and ensure that this continues.

“Brecon Jazz is not just an important event for Brecon town and Powys, it’s important for Wales too.”

The modern festival does however carry financial perils, with an event’s success often relying on good weather and the ability to attract notable line-ups, which in turn demand huge appearance fees.

The annual Sesiwn Fawr in Dolgellau, Gwynedd, was relaunched last year on a much smaller scale after 2008’s event left organisers with debts of £58,000.

Bethan Gwanas, one of the festival directors, said: “It was going really well until we had terrible rain one year after the other. People still came but not in the same numbers.”

Organisers of a new world music festival in Bangor this summer believe keeping the event affordable and leaving a sustainable economic footprint is key. The inaugural Kaya Festival will be held in the grounds of the Faenol Estate from June 1.

The site was previously home to Bryn Terfel’s Faenol Festival, which was scrapped due to poor ticket sales, and Kaya co-founder Thabani Nyoni believes Wales is seeing a growth in smaller festivals because of their greater chance of survival.

“We are keeping tickets prices at a reasonable level to encourage local people and families to attend,” Thabani said.

“Larger impersonal festivals are being hit by the economic climate; there is still a place for smaller capacity cottage festivals that offer a unique music experience.”

Meanwhile Carmarthen Bay Film Festival organisers hope to develop a sustainable event which will run for many years.

Mr Guy said: “We want to celebrate and recognise the very best new talent we have in Wales and, hopefully, help to put budding film-makers and film stars on the road to success.”

Quality Cottages has a fine selection of holiday cottages throughout Wales. Click on Quality Cottages for more details.