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Goldings Boys have been hearing quite a lot about Cartref Melys and it came to me on the grape‑vine that some were actually hesitating to accept invitations for the Easter holiday, lest they should lose the chance to he amongst the first batch to seek adventure there. Now a reaction has set in and some feel they will have left before the programme opens and others darkly hint that it's all a myth, like the fairies at the bottom of the garden. As I visited the Adventure Centre on the edge of the Snowdonia National Park on 23rd March, I can give my personal assurance that preparations are going ahead there and before many weeks are past the lucky boys chosen for the first course will be on their way. It's a long way, too, 240 miles by road. The boys who traveled by road to Lochearnhead will think this quite a short outing. On the day I made the journey, I motored 100 miles through the foggy Midlands and the road seemed never‑ending. When I arrived at my destination I was very pleased to see builders on the site and the necessary alterations and additions to the Centre being pushed ahead. I must say that I did not envy the Chief Instructor, Mr. Montgomery, living in all this discomfort, such as only builders can create. Perhaps that is a little unfair to builders, because when they have actually finished their work, they have created creature comforts rather than destroyed them, but what a mess they make in the process!
You may wonder where the name. Cartref Melys comes from. This is the name of the house, but I have seen it spelt in two different ways and heard it variously pronounced. If you want to know how to say it, wait till you get there and ask a Welshman. R. F. W. Why did we go to Cartref
Melys, this should give the answer
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Mr.
Montgomery will be the keenest of all to see the builders off the premises
so that he can get down to his real job of running the Centre. A lot of
preparation has already been made in addition to the building works. An
assault course has been laid out in the grounds and a great deal of
equipment purchased for camping and rope ‑climbing. Boats are to be
delivered very soon. At the moment everything looks very exciting, but
most uncomfortable, for Mr. Montgomery and Mr. G. King, another member of
the staff (Bosun) who have been living in the builders' muddle for many
weeks past. Goldings boys will be particularly pleased to know that Miss
Cornell has accepted the post of Matron at Cartref Melys, so at the outset
there will already be a link between the School and the Adventure Centre.