May 2009. Dai has come to Pen y Bryn Farm, Penmachno. This is the home of Cyril and Hefina Lewis and the family.
Cyril has been working for the NSA (National Sheep Association) for a long time and he has been to Australia and New Zealand to see how they farm there, but he didn’t want to stay there to farm! He has received two awards for his work with sheep – the George Hedley award in 2005 and the John Gittins award in 2008.
Cyril was born on Bryn Hyfryd farm, Cwm Penmachno but the family came to Pen y Bryn in 1955 when Cyril was 11 years old. The old farmhouse has been empty for 40 years.
Pen y Bryn farm looks down on Penmachno and on towards the Conwy Valley. By now Cyril farms a number of old small farms in the area too.
The old Pen y Bryn farmhouse is over 400 years old. Dai goes around the house to see the work they have done there.
Hefina is Cyril’s wife. She works on the farm but she also works part time for the National Park in Betws y Coed.
Cyril and Hefina have three children – two sons and a daughter. Jonathan is a father of 10 year old twins and runs his own business near Tywyn. Dewi was working for a company in Denmark but has come home now. Nerys has married a farmer; she is a mother to four small children and they live in the area.
Iorwerth Lewis is Cyril’s father. He was born in Patagonia and he came to Wales when he was 12 years old. He has not been back to South America.
Dai goes with Cyril to see Plas Glascwm farm. Behind the farmhouse there was an old mansion; the mansion was like a summer house for Lord Penrhyn’s family.
Dai helps Cyril fetch the sheep from the mountain. Foxes are a problem in this area because of the forests. Cyril had lost 30 lambs to foxes in 2009.
This is the old tithe barn. They’ve spent a lot of money on the old building and now they have social events there. You can get married here too!
Cyril and Dai go to Cernioge Mawr farm, Cerrigydrudion where they breed Welsh sheep.
On Cernioge Mawr farm there is an old building where they used to change the horses of the Stagecoach on the journey between Holyhead and London. There is a plaque in the house which says that Queen Victoria stopped here to have a cup of tea.
