A few days after arriving back in Hereford from our weekend break in Llanbister, we were heading off to Wales again for a short one-night stay in Usk or Brynbuga in Welsh. The main reason for staying in Usk, apart from it being a pretty little town, was a visit to the pantomime, Brynbugadoon. This is always a family-friendly pantomime presented by the Usk Panto Players with a script written by local author, Julie McGowan.
We stayed in a lovely cottage a short walk from the town centre. But I'm getting ahead of myself because before arriving in Usk we visited Raglan Castle, a few miles to the north of Usk.
Photo 2: Raglan Castle (Nov 25)
As members of English Heritage, we get free entry to Cadw properties. We unfortunately arrived as it started to rain so our visit was necessarily brief. This is a compact and interesting castle dating from the 15th Century with later additions.
Photo 3: Moat, Raglan Castle
CADW have made an effort with some interesting artefacts located around the castle ruins. For example, this one is placed where the library used to be ...
Photo 4: Library, Raglan Castle
... and this contraption (designed and built by one of the castle owners) was an early version of a tray warmer designed to keep the food warm.
Photo 5: Early English Renaissance Plate Warmer
We attended the panto in the evening and it was thoroughly enjoyed by everyone present. Another bonus: we won another raffle prize!
The following day we had a look around Usk itself. Unfortunately, the museum was closed for the winter but the locals were very friendly. We wandered up and down the high street visiting Twyn Square where this Georgian House (Photo 6) was available to buy for £1,000,000 ...
Photo 6: Grade 2 Listed Georgian House, Twyn Square, Usk
We strolled up to the privately-owned Usk Castle but this was also closed for the winter ...
Photo 7: Entrance to Usk Castle
... and it was difficult to get a good view of the castle remains (Photo 8) ...
Photo 8: Usk Castle from the Car Park
The ruins do not appear to be as extensive as those of Raglan Castle but the gardens are apparently worth visiting.
The man who does not read has no advantage over the man who cannot read - Mark Twain
We enjoyed a couple of trips into Wales at the end of November to celebrate my birthday. On the first trip we stopped briefly at Water-Breaks-Its-Neck waterfall before moving on to Llanbister and a couple of nights stay at the Lion Hotel. Janet & Ray, our hosts were excellent company and the food was top notch. The view from our bedroom window with the River Ithon in the foreground was delightful (Photo 1) ...
Photo 1: View over the Ithon Valley from Our Bedroom Window at the Lion Hotel Nov 2025)
... and atmospheric when the evening mist settled in the valley bottom (Photo 2) ...
Photo 2: Evening Mist Rolling Down the Ithon Valley (Nov 25)
The River Ithon is well-known for its game fishing (mainly grayling and trout) and is monitored by citizen scientists as part of the Wye Alliance. One of the three sampling points on the River Ithon is just upstream of Llanbister (Figure 1) so we can use WyeViz to look at the citizen science data collected at this site (U167).
Figure 1: Citizen Science Sampling Site near Llanbister
Nutrient pollution is low with SRP (Soluble Reactive Phosphates) values typically between 0.00 and 0.20 ppm and Total Oxidised Nitrogen (Nitrates + Nitrites) values between 0 and 2 ppm. Figure 2 shows the turbidity values measured with a Secchi tube. For most of the time, turbidity is recorded as 12 NTU (nephelometric turbidity units) which is the minimum value measurable with the standard issue Secchi tube. In all probability, the turbidities were lower than this (perhaps <5 NTU) and so the water would look clear and clean. Occasionally, following heavy rain, the turbidity would increase; on one occasion the value reached 240 NTU which is the maximum value that can be measured with the standard Secchi tube.
Figure 2: Turbidity Values (NTU) at U167 (Llanbister)
The spikes in turbidity occur during the winter period when arable soils are more likely to be bare and susceptible to soil run-off. However, the agricultural land around Llanbister is predominantly pasture (Photo 2) and should, therefore, be resistant to run-off during heavy precipitation events. The turbidity source may, therefore, be upstream towards Llandridnod Wells.
After a delicious evening meal (vegetable lasagne) and a pint of local ale, at the Lion Hotel, we headed off to the Community Hall for an evening's excellent entertainment from the Rhayader Male Voice Choir. As an added bonus we won a prize in the raffle!
Ostensibly, we went to see leaping salmon on the Marteg River but, alas, there were none to be seen. Here is a video (with slo-mo) taken from the viewing platform where, under normal circumstances, you might see the salmon swimming upstream to the spawning grounds.
Video 1: Marteg River from the Salmon Viewing Platform (minus salmon) - Nov 25
2025 looks like another bad year for salmon in the Wye and Usk river catchment, though decent numbers of trout have been caught. As always, it is a complicated picture: low river levels and high water temperatures didn't help, nor did the levels of pollution (nutrients + turbidity). I read somewhere (cannot locate where at the moment) that the number of fish returning to spawn is less than the numbers that left the previous year (marine exploitation?).
After an excellent breakfast at the Lion Hotel, we set off for Llandrindod Wells; it was fairly quiet as it was Sunday. We had a look around Rock Park and Spa in the centre of town.
Video 2: Rock Park & Spa, Llandrindod Wells (Nov 25)
The Chalybeate Spring ...
Photo 4: Chalybeate Spring, Llandrindod Wells
... allegedly, has healing properties. From the ochre deposits, the spring waters are clearly rich in iron ...
Photo 4: Chalybeate Spring Information Board
After a little more time exploring ...
Photo 5: Rock Park & Spa, Llandrindod Wells
... Mary went off to church while I retired to the Chalybeate Tea Rooms for a very reasonably priced coffee ...
Photo 6: Coffee @ Chalybeate Tea Room (Nov 25)
... despite the rather plush surroundings. I resisted the temptation to have some cake ...
Photo 7: Cake Table, Chalybeate Tea Rooms
The staff were a little over-attentive (it wasn't too busy at 11 am on a Sunday) but otherwise a very pleasant time was had. Roast dinners were the order of the day for later and I would imagine this place would be extremely popular.
After meeting up again, we headed for the Landrindod Wells Lake Park conveniently located within walking distance of the town centre. We had planned on having lunch here but the cafe/bistro was busy with the 'Sunday Roast' crowd so we opted for a walk round the lake (about 1 km) instead.
Photo 8: Llandrindod Wells Lake viewed from the Cafe/Bistro Building
The dragon statue does spray water from its mouth but not while we were there. It did, however, provide a suitable resting place for the cormorants (to the annoyance of the anglers who also use the lake for fishing?).
Photo 9: Dragon & Cormorants, Llandrindod Wells Lake
Photo 10: Lake View Looking Towards the Cafe/Bistro
Lunch was soup, bread & cheese followed by fruit and yoghurt purchased at a local supermarket and eaten in a lay-by on the outskirts of Llandrindod Wells! Not for the first time, the campervan kitchen facilities came into their own.
We just had time for a quick visit to the Elan Valley to see the overflow of the main dam (Caban Coch) ...
Photo 11: Caban Coch Dam, Elan Valley (Nov 25)
... before it started to rain. We headed back to the Lion Hotel for a superb vegetable curry (with all the trimmings) and another pint of the local ale.
Originally, we had planned on slowly winding our way home on the Monday but decided at the last minute to make a detour via the Winter Fair at the Royal Welsh Showground near Builth Wells. The Winter Fair combines the usual farm stock shows/competitions ...
Photo 12: Head to Tail
Photo 13: Or Head to Head
... with lots of Christmas shopping. After 4-5 hours at the show, it was time to head home, exhausted but happy.
How different the waterfall looked this November after recent rains. We parked in the top car park and made the short walk towards the entrance to the dingle (Photo 2) where the gentle brook gives no indication of the scene ahead. Except that on our previous visit we walked along the dry river bed! This time we took the small path that runs alongside the brook.
Photo 2:Entrance to the Dingle
At this point (Photo 3) we heard the waterfall which is just round the corner ...
Photo 3: Within hearing distance ...
As we turned the corner there was the waterfall in all its glory (Photo 4) ...
Photo 4: Water-Break-Its-Neck Waterfall
It is not a large waterfall but is, in many ways, perfectly formed. The drop is, I guess, 20-25 metres? I have to guess because I cannot find any information on-line about the drop height. Please let me know if you have this information.
There are some nice walks, some gentle and some strenuous, in Warren Wood including one that takes you above the waterfall. The dingle can be very atmospheric with its own microclimate as the steep-sided valley holds the moisture from the waterfall spray.
Photo 5: Steep-sided Dingle
Finally, a couple of slo-mo videos ...
Video 1: Water-Breaks-Its-Neck Waterfall, Warren Wood, Radnorshire (Nov 2025)
Video 2: Water-Breaks-Its-Neck Waterfall, Warren Wood, Radnorshire (Nov 2025)
A weed is a plant that has mastered every survival skill except for learning how to grow in rows - Doug Larson
It has been awhile since we visited Berrington Hall, a National Trust Property in Herefordshire. The last time we were there was in August 2024 when the flower gardens were undergoing a complete redesign.
Photo 1: Berrington Hall (October 25)
This is what the garden looked like back in August 2024 ...
Photo 2: Garden Area Leading from Gatehouse to Main House (August 24)
... and this is how it looked in October 2025 ...
Photo 3: New Garden Layout Looking Towards the Main House (Oct 25)
Photo 4: New Garden Layout Looking Towards the Gatehouse (Oct 25)
The initial re-planting has been completed and the wisteria arches and umbrellas installed. The planting looks a little sparse partly because of the time of year (late October). We'll be back to see how it develops.
The yew balls that are such a feature of Berrington Hall ...
Photo 5: Yew Balls as Christmas Puddings, Berrington Hall
were dug up and 'stored' ...
Photo 6: Yew Balls in Storage (August 2024)
... but, in spite of lots of watering and tlc, they suffered quite badly through this year's hot dry summer ...
Photo 7: Sorry-Looking Yew Balls, Berrington Hall (Oct 25)
Be yourself; everyone else is already taken - Oscar Wilde
October 2025 was dull, dull, dull. The month started OK, with some above average warmth and glimpses of the sun, but turned colder and gloomier as the month progressed. October is a bit early for the onset of seasonal affective disorder (SAD), also known as winter depression.
This month's garden photo (Photo 1) was taken on the 22nd October - a typical overcast day. The leaves are a mixture of verdant green and autumn hue. There is still plenty of colour in the garden if you look for it (e.g. fuchsia, cosmos, salvias). No prizes but can you spot the forever present wood pigeon visitor?
Daily garden photos from a rear window are collated in Video 1.
Video 1: Daily Photo of the Rear Garden (October 2025)
Selected weather statistics for our Hereford back garden during October 2025 are summarised in Table 1. This month's values look remarkably similar to last month's stats. Thankfully such conformity is rare in the British climate - I'm not sure I could cope with all seasons being the same. From a gardening point of view, the absence of any autumn frosts gives rise to an extended growing and flowering season.
Table 1: Summary Weather Statistics for October 2025
The first week and half was pleasantly warm with the odd sunny day. After that the temperatures continued to steadily drop and it felt noticeably cooler (though not cold) largely due to a lack of sunshine; Figures 1 & 2. Storm Amy brought wind (Table 1) and rain (Figure 2) on the 4th October though its more severe effects were felt much further north than Hereford.
Figures 3 & 4 show weather trends in Hereford for the month of October covering the last 6 years. Temperatures (monthly mean & maximum daily) may be on the rise though with a lot of variability (Figure 3).
Figure 3: October Temperature Data for Hereford (2020- 2025)
Over this six year period, rainfall appears to be decreasing albeit somewhat chaotically (Figure 4) but this does not lead to sunny weather as sunshine hours show no clear trend (Figure 4).
Figure 4: October Wind, Sun and Rain Data for Hereford (2020 - 2025)
The next three figures (Figures 5,6,7) are taken from the Met Office's monthly report for October 2025. Figure 5 shows that temperatures were a little above average for most of the UK including Herefordshire. Figure 1 provides more granular data for Hereford showing the month started off well above the long-term average, dropped to average over the middle part of the month before decreasing to below average for the latter part. The nearby weather station at Credenhill reports an average monthly temperature of 10.75 ℃ for October, 1.25 ℃ below the monthly mean value recorded by my garden weather station (Table 1). This extra warmth falls within the range indicated by Figure 5 albeit at the top of that range (urban heat island effect).
Figure 5: UK Mean Temperature Anomalies (October 2025)
Rainfall for the UK as a whole was near the longtime average (1991-2020), possibly a little below average for Herefordshire (Figure 6). According to the Credenhill weather station, located about 4-5 miles away, a typical October sees 77.1 mm of rain. Hence the 47.4 mm (61% of the typical) recorded in our garden indicates that Hereford resides in the light brown patch in Figure 6.
Figure 6: UK Rainfall (relative) for October 2025
Finally, we can see from Figure 7 that sunshine levels were (literally) dismally low largely due to high pressure conditions settling over the country under persistent grey clouds - what the Met Office call an 'anticyclonic gloom'. Figure 7 indicates that sunshine levels in Herefordshire were only 50-70% of what we might normally expect. From Figure 4, it seems we haven't had a really sunny October for a few years.
Figure 7: Sunshine Hours (relative) for October 2025
Jobs in the Garden
Harvesting Bell Peppers, Aubergines, Tomatoes, Spinach, Potatoes, Celery, Beetroot, Turnip & Marrows, Apples
Sow green manure (field beans and rye grass)
Eating stored onions, garlic, pears plus veg & fruit from the freezer.
Composting and mulching/feeding fruit trees with homemade compost
Hedge cutting - our 10 metre long hedge (blackthorn, wild rose, bramble, hawthorn, hazel) had grown out of control and needed cutting back with the help of our next door neighbour (see Photo 2)
Photo 2: Hedge after Cutting Back (2nd October 2025)
Flora & Fauna in the Garden
Blackbird (x2)
Blue Tit (x4)
Photo 3: Blue Tit Exiting Bird Feeder
Dunnock (x1)
Great Tit (x1)
House Sparrow (x10)
Jackdaw (x1)
Long-tailed Tit (x3)
Magpie (x1)
Robin (x2)
Starling (x15)
Wood Pigeon (x3)
And, finally, a few garden photos starting with the bog garden where the sundew has recovered from its flowering and has even put up another flowering stem ...
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