Snowdon South Accommodation

The Centre for Alternative Technology lies in the hills above Machynlleth

Views from the CAT site that was an old slate quarry

The solar and wind powered telephone box

Believe it or not these are the bottoms of used coloured bottles set into a tunnel

The thought-provoking transport display

The Mole Hole is a fab subterranean adventure for children (& adults too!)

Underground bugs and fungi made to the size a mole would see them

Fun play area for the children with all sorts of interactive displays

Machynlleth and the Centre for Alternative Technology

Machynlleth is the centre for alternative technology and lifestyle. Mach as it's called locally has become synonymous with CAT - The Centre for Alternative Technology. It lies at the head of the stunning Dyfi estuary and was the main market town for this area. Today artistic and environmentally friendly living feels very much part of the local culture. The town has some illustrious history as it was shortlisted to be the Welsh capital in the 1950s and was the site of an embryonic Welsh Parliament in the 15th century.

The creation of the Centre for Alternative Technology has boomed as the country's premier attraction that is not only interesting for all the family, but educational, helping people find out how to live more in tune with nature and find sustainable solutions to modern living. The area is choc-full of activities and beautiful scenery. There are several mountain biking trails starting in Machynlleth including the new Cli-machx trail in the Dyfi Forest north of the town.

Machynlleth Town Tourist Information

Machynlleth is just outside the Snowdonia National Park, but is a good place from which to explore South Snowdonia and the coast which is only around 10 miles away. The town itself is another of the characteristic, brightly painted, Welsh market towns. The most striking feature being the rather elaborate late 19th century sandstone clock tower from which the town is centred. Its real name is Castlereagh Memorial Clocktower and it is almost 80 feet tall. It was erected in 1873 on the site of the old town hall to mark the 21st birthday of Charles Steward Vane-Tempest alias the Viscount Castlereagh.

The town has all the usual everyday shops as well as wholefood shops, cafes, takeaways and pubs. Parliament House, where Owain Glyndwr started his Welsh Parliament in the early 15th century, now houses the Tourist Information Centre. This 16th century stone townhouse is adjacent to a timber framed building on the right which was built as the Owain Glyndwr Institute in 1911 by Lord Davies of Llandinam. Parliament House is also a popular museum open from March through the summer season with a brass rubbing centre.

Local architecture also includes the medieval Royal House and many Victorian buildings. There is a Wednesday street market that attracts many people from all over with a variety of traders and craftsmen. This tradition appears to originate from a charter granted in 1291 by Edward I who gave the right to hold "a market at Machynlleth every Wednesday for ever and two fairs every year". In that tradition, Machynlleth has a full programme of events including its annual Celtic Medieval day in May, an annual carnival in July and the Owain Glyndwr festival in September.

Y Tabernacl, a converted Wesleyan chapel, is the home of the Museum of Modern Arts, Wales featuring several galleries and a superb auditorium with great acoustics for musical events. There are exhibitions by internationally renowned artists and live events from cabaret to classical music. Y Tabernacl also hosts the Machynlleth Festival in August that features international musicians. The emphasis is on classical music and jazz but, as with many such festivals, there is also a highly entertaining fringe. Check their website for up-to-date events and exhibitions.

Centre for Alternative Technology - CAT

The Centre for Alternative Technology is now a hugely well-known attraction heralded as Europe's leading eco-centre. It's not just a tourist attraction, but an educational centre that provides ideas and advice on sustainable living. CAT is set in a seven acre site on a former slate quarry. It was set up in 1974 by a group of individuals who were keen to show how it was possible to live out life by sustainable principles. At that time the CAT community were making their devices for generating heat with old radiators, making wind powered machines with bits of fabric tethered to apparatus to catch the wind. Today it is much more modern and business-like than you might imagine - although it is still run as a co-operative and charity.

You access the main site by the water balanced cliff railway that climbs 180 feet up a 35 degree slope. It operates by the two carriages being linked by a cable, water is run into a tank beneath the upper carriage until it's heavier from the lower carriage and its passengers. When the brakes are released it uses gravity to lower the top carriage which in turn pulls the bottom carriage to the top. Ingenious! This doesn't run in the winter so be prepared for a steep, stepped climb up to the centre (there is parking round by the restaurant for disabled access). There is a shop, information centre and restaurant on site. The Green Shop stocks a huge range of publications on every subject associated with sustainable living, both produced by CAT and others. There are also useful gadgets on sale like solar powered battery rechargers, wind-up radios and solar powered torches. The restaurant serves homemade, vegetarian, organic food and light refreshments. The Information Centre provides the free audio tour, additional information on particular questions you might have and further information on courses the Centre runs.

You can either take the organised self-tour, "The CAT Visitor Circuit", which helpfully identifies the different exhibits marked on the map you receive when you've paid your entrance fee; or you can take the free audio tour available from the Information Centre on site. You can see this as a virtual tour on their website. Either way, starting off there's an introductory video narrated by Michael Palin that introduces you to the reasoning that led to the establishment of CAT in the 1970s. From there you can walk around the site which they recommend you take at least two hours although you can stay all day if you like. On the way are cross-sections of "green" buildings that use innovative insulation systems including straw, see and use the wind and solar powered telephone box or gardens that show how you can cultivate an organic garden in a suburban setting or introduce plants into a tiny space in Myfanwy's sunken garden where there is no natural soil. There's a striking and thought-provoking transport display with archways made out of old cars that highlights the serious issues around all modes of transport and their impact on the environment. There are lots of displays associated with alternative methods of energy generation including a variety of solar panels including the solar tile roof. The most fun area is the children's play area that is actually good fun for adults too, the crowning glory being the mole-hole in the garden area. Here you can enter the touchy-feely subterranean world of the mole and see what life is like from their point of view with microscopic bugs and fungus on display in the size a mole would see them.

CAT is open 7 days a week all year round. Hours vary depending on the time of year but the following generally apply: from Easter to end October 10.00-17.00. End October to Easter 10.00-Dusk. Extended opening hours during school summer holidays 10.00-18.00. Check the website or the centre itself for up-to-date information (Tel: 01654 705900 or 0845 330 8355).

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