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explains Allan Wynne Jones of the center’s management committee
while showing me around the displays. “His passion for Welsh lan-
guage and culture kept the flame of independence alive.”
The center follows the iconic figure’s rip-roaring struggle for
independence with timelines, interactive exhibits, history-rich dis-
plays, and theatrical video reenactments.
Follow the Trail
Glyndwr’s Way is a National Trail noted for its wandering through
spectacular moorland, forests, and farms. As part of the anniversary
preparations, the 135-mile walking route has enjoyed a revamp with
new signage. It traverses landscape where Glyndwr fought several
major battles and connects landmarks associated with his myth-
shrouded story. It carves a picturesque loop through the undulating
countryside, tracing a path from Knighton on the Welsh/English bor-
der across the gentle hills around Machynlleth to Welshpool.
Over the next few days, I’ll be trekking parts of the trail. It’s
divided into sections and can be accessed at various points. Today
I pick up the route outside Machynlleth and follow a portion that
traverses miles of scenic woodland. Canary-yellow daffodils dot the
trail, and flowering tufts of bracken line the path as I finally descend
a set of old Roman steps late morning to stroll into town along the
main thoroughfare, Maengwyn Street.
Green Living
Six hundred years after Glyndwr’s struggle against the status quo,
the town of Machynlleth is still forward-thinking. Since the 1960s, it
has been a haven for hippies, artists, and fans of healthy, sustain-
able living. It’s also home to the Centre for Alternative Technology,
a 40-acre woodland site that has been raising awareness of green
issues since 1974. Interactive displays cover topics such as organ-
ics and recycling. The center offers a burgeoning range of short
courses open to the public, which are held at the Wales Institute for
Sustainable Education, a learning space that exemplifies green
architecture. Among many others, courses in earth-oven building,
horse logging, and sustainable woodland management are popular.
The 135-mile
Glyndwr’s Way
footpath crosses
some of Wales’
finest natural
features.
At the Centre for
Alternative Technology,
visitors can witness a
wide range of
renewable-energy
systems in action.
Peruse all manner of
museums.
MOMA
Wales showcases
modern works by Welsh artists,
the Clive Museum overflows
with more than 300 extravagant
items procured in India and the
Far East, and the National Cycle
Collection features an array of
vintage bicycles.
Dine at a Michelin-
starred restaurant.
In
Montgomery, The
Checkers serves local ales and
French cuisine in a former
coaching inn, and near
Machynlleth, Ynyshir Hall, set in
a Georgian mansion, shapes its
fine-dining menu around Welsh
lamb, foraged mushrooms, and
other local ingredients.
Learn how the
Welsh make their
whiskey.
Though
not technically in Mid Wales,
for liquor aficionados, the
Penderyn Distillery is worth
the day-trip. Tour the
distillery, take a master
class, or simply sample its
five fine whiskies.
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