Colomendy

[Mikerux]

It was also used as an International summer camp in the 1950's-I can remember going twice in the late 50's-there would be schoolchildren from Liverpool and also from countries like Germany,Belgium,Switzerland Sweden etc.I stayed both times in Cefn Mawr-I think the idea behind it was-being not long after the end of WW2-to try and foster better relationships between countries.Certainly enjoyed my stays there and as a result had a lot of foreign penpalls.Also got a few foreign holidays by staying with people i met there.Had my first pint of beer around that area-I think it was in the Rainbow pub-and have fond memories of those Swedish girls-I also learnt to swear in German and Swedish.
Happy Days
Mike

[Kev]

Memories of Moel Famau

By Paul Coslett

Memories of visits to the area around Loggerheads in North Wales, a favourite destination for Merseysider's, are being sought for a book to mark Liverpool's ties with North Wales.

It's been a favourite tourist spot for Merseysider's for over 100 years, now recollections and memorabilia from trips to Loggerheads in North Wales are being collected for a new book.

The book, which will explore the strong ties between Liverpool and North Wales, is being compiled by the Clwydian Range Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty to mark Liverpool's year as European Capital of Culture.

People who wish to take part are being asked to attend an event at St George's Hall on Saturday, 8 November, 2008.

Children studying at Colomendy

The Loggerheads area grew in popularity when the Crosville Motor Company started running coach tours from Liverpool in the 1920's and later, thanks to the construction of Colomendy Outdoor Education Centre, became a childhood haunt for many Liverpool schoolchildren.

Trudging the slopes of Moel Famau also became a regular feature of Duke of Edinburgh expeditions and scout camps.

Bob Griffiths visited North Wales from Liverpool as a Scout in the 1950s, "I remember an expedition to Moel Famau in 1958, we walked all day around the hills and villages of the Loggerheads area and camped in a farmer's field not far away.

"We cooked ourselves liver, gravy, peas and potatoes and slept out in the open despite being offered the barn by the farmer.

"The next day after walking to the top of Moel Famau we missed the last bus from Loggerheads and had to walk to Mold to get the next one to Birkenhead, being scouts of course we got back safely."

The Crosville tearooms

In the 1920's Crosville Tearooms was erected opposite the We Three Loggerheads pub by the Crosville Motor Company to serve the large number of sightseers they were bringing across from Liverpool.

Crosville owned the land at Loggerheads until 1974 when it was sold to the local authority and became Loggerheads Country Park.

During World War II many Liverpool children were evacuated to Colomendy and other parts of the surrounding area.

After the war a week under the roofs of the Colomendy's wooden huts was for thousands of schoolchildren their first taste of the countryside.

The memories event is at Liverpool's St George's Hall on Saturday, 8 November, 2008 from 10am to 5pm.

BBC Liverpool

[ItsaZappathing]

Sounds good that. I think I will be going.
I loved Colomendy. I went 3 times with our school. Brilliant.
Ta for the info Kev

[Howie]

Colomendy to be given a ?10m revamp
Dec 16 2008
by Richard Down, Liverpool Daily Post

WORK has begun on the latest phase of a five-year ?10m scheme to transform a children?s outdoor activity centre.

Construction firm James Carroll Ltd have embarked on the second phase of a project to refurbish a North Wales activity centre used by generations of Liverpool youngsters.

Work began on renovating the centre 12 months ago when six barracks-style huts were converted into new en-suite accommodation at a cost of ?1.1m.

Now they are turning their attention to a refurbishment of the centre?s five three-storey tower blocks at a total cost of ?600,000.

The five tower blocks house 70 guests each with the first contingent due to move in to the first tower in February.

Carrolls managing director James Carroll said: ?It is a race against time to get everything ready.?

The centre will be able to cater for up to 500 children at a time from all over the UK.

Facilities now include three huge climbing and abseiling towers, high and low rope activities, an adrenaline giant swing, a tree-top aerial course and a monster 200 metre zip wire.

Source: Liverpool Daily Post

[kevin]

Apogies for going off topic, but the previous post about facilities reminded me of something.

I was in Barcelona at a conference about 5 years ago. Know the place well and happy to be out and about by myself.

I was in an Irish bar on Carrer Ferran and got talking to two Geordies. They were working up and down the coast fitting kids' adventure equipment at various sites (hence the link to the previous post).

After quite a few drinks, they said they were off to a lap-dancing club and would I like to join them? Didn't appeal, but thought I could have some fun anyway. Said I needed to call it a night but expressed ignorance about lap dancing. After a couple of minutes of verbal explanation and me failing to comprehend, they decided to demonstrate. They sat me in a chair and took turn doing outrageous bumps and grinds in my face to try and get the message across. I still feigned ignorance.

The more puzzled I looked, the harder they tried. The entire bar was now watching proceedings and busting a gut laughing at the antics of the two Geordies. They were the only two in the place who didn't realise it was a wind-up. Eventually, they conceded defeat and left - muttering about thick scousers.

Best laugh I've had in years.

[mikkinho]

Colomendy, what a place, loved every minute of it (except when i had to go home early with tonsilitis after spending 2 days in the medieval sick-bay), actually went there 5 times altogether including an O lvl trip. I remember Glyn Alyn well, we played football against them, but that turned into the typical brawl... But then again so did a trip into Rhyl, Mr Davies (Quarry Bank head)ushering us onto the coach with half a house brick wrapped in his hankie, while hoards of woolies chased us back.
Anyone else remember "Peg-leg" ? the ghost in the top camp, night walks to maeshafn, standing in freeeeeeezing cold river Alyn just to see how deep it was!!!( funny note, i went back there to "devils gorge" not long ago and the river has finally gone, down the very sink-hole i was measuring).
one last memory i tried to forget was hoarding sweets from the tuck-shop only to find (mid-binge) that they were mouldy..!
oh and STILL to this day the smell of wood-floor polish or weatabix () reminds me of the canteen !.

[ItsaZappathing]

funny note, i went back there to "devils gorge" not long ago and the river has finally gone, down the very sink-hole i was measuring).

I remeber that there wasn't much water in the stream when I went there years ago. Shame. I love that place. Did you go into the cave ?

[mikkinho]

Hahaha.. the streaking brought back memories,(again) that id like to forget.. "The Fanny Dance" as it was called, you had to tuck everything between your legs and waddle the length of the dorm without getting caught, you`d get locked up for that now.. (another funny note.. I found Squaddies doing the same thing during basic-training !).

[Pool Of Life]

ARE you one of the thousands of Liverpool schoolchildren who visited Colomendy? If so you'll probably enjoy this feature by the Daily Post's Bill Leece, looking back at the adventure centre's history and its use as a camp for evacuees....

More...

[Pool Of Life]

AFTER posting on Colomendy, some Pool of Life readers wrote in to share their own memories of the North Wales children's camp. Feel free to add yours to the comments section below or email them to me at laura.davis@liverpool.com and...

More...

[Waterways]

....and the little dairy there....
That's were our milkman loaded his horse and cart.

But weren't you shipped to Colemendy (sp?) in N. Wales for two weeks when you were 12 or so?

Kids in Liverpool 8 didn't go to Colemendy - well I never knew any that went. Our school never took us. That for the others not us.

[lindylou]

Kids in Liverpool 8 didn't go to Colemendy - well I never knew any that went. Our school never took us. That for the others not us.

We never went to Colemendy either - none of the schools in Anfield went as far as I know. I don't know anyone who went either.

[ChrisGeorge]

We never went to Colemendy either - none of the schools in Anfield went as far as I know. I don't know anyone who went either.

...I thought everyone went...

I am sure it was owned by the Liverpool Schools....
Perhaps it was just certain high schools?
Essentially everyone at Quarry Bank went, and IIRC my sister at Aigburth Vale went too...

Hi Lindy and az

I attended Rose Lane School and later Quarry Bank. I knew boys at Rose Lane who went to Colemendy but I never did.

C

[Waterways]

...I thought everyone went...

I am sure it was owned by the Liverpool Schools....
Perhaps it was just certain high schools?

Some schools were more equal than others. We never had football fields, being yards from the Dock Road. To play football the school took us to Princes Park to an open field. We put down our jumpers for goals and played football. No changing rooms, showers, football kit or anything. I am talking 1960s here, not 1880s. The school inside had not changed since built in the early 1800s, some of the desks were original.

[Ged]

I went to a comp in Everton and they went. Colomendy and Loggerheads. Don't know if they were different sites or not.