DURING the dark times of the Covid-19 pandemic, local producers in the Cambrian Mountains came together to let a little bit of light in, by creating a local produce network.

Although it was the dark times of the pandemic that motivated them to join forces, it’s the world-class dark skies of the Cambrian Mountains that have recently inspired them to create brand new produce.

And, later this month, the fruits of their labour will be available for everyone to share, see and taste at the Cambrian Mountains Food, Drink and Craft Fair.

The event is being held on Saturday, October 23, between 10am and 4pm at the Elan Valley Visitor Centre near Rhayader. A total of 12 food, drink and craft producers will for the first time meet face-to-face since the creation of the virtual network and offer local community members, tourism and hospitality businesses and visitors a chance to see, buy and order their dark sky-themed produce.

The Elan Valley, coincidentally, is an International Dark Sky Park, the only one in Wales and the only one on private land (but accessible to the public) in the world.

The event celebrates creativity and resilience and highlights the importance of community cohesion in times of adversity.

The event is a collaboration between the Cambrian Mountains Initiative and Dwr Cymru Welsh Water. The network was facilitated by the RDP-funded Dyfodol Cambrian Futures and part-funded by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development, as well as Powys County Council, Ceredigion County Council and Carmarthenshire County Council.

The project also receives support from the Cefn Croes Windfarm Community Trust, Brechfa Forest West Wind Farm Community Fund, Aberystwyth University and the Elan Valley Trust.

For a flip-book of the brochure of Cambrian Mountains local produce, click here. Alternatively, you can watch a short YouTube video showing the produce available at the

Elan Valley event next week at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yuVztRdC4Fs, while to see some of the Elan Valley’s stunning dark sky images, click on their Flickr account here.

For more information about the event, contact project manager Dafydd Wyn Morgan via email at dyfodolcambrianfutures@gmail.com or visit the www.thecambrianmountains.co.uk website.