Hill Farming Event 2025 Launch

Royal Welsh Feature County 2025 Launch Hill Farming Event at the Winter Fair

Members of the 2025 Feature County Committee, Caernarfon, came together at the President’s Pavilion during the Winter Fair  last Tuesday (26th November) to share more information about their Upland Farming Event, which will be held on Thursday, 12th June, at the iconic Hafod Y Llan farm near Beddgelert, Snowdonia.

Bedwyr Jones, chair of the working committee and a farmer neighbouring Hafod Y Llan, explained their vision for the event. The committee’s aim is to invite local and national agricultural companies to showcase their products for upland farming, alongside various other community organisations and businesses. Their intention is for the day to have something for everyone, with guest speakers and demonstrations, including sheepdog trials. Additionally, seven colleges providing agricultural education across Wales are expected to bring teams of three students to compete in various contests such as fencing, motorbike driving, shearing, and stock judging.

Describing the event’s location in the heart of Snowdonia, quite literally at the foot of Yr Wyddfa (Snowdon), Arwyn Owen, farm manager at Hafod Y Llan, highlighted the farm’s ancient history. Its origins date back to medieval times, with the first recorded mention of Hafod Y Llan found in letters from Llywelyn Ein Lliw Olaf to Edward I in the 13th century. Early inhabitants depended on the valley’s fertile pastures and natural resources. By the 19th century, Hafod Y Llan had become synonymous with sheep farming, shaping the area’s cultural and natural landscapes while supporting the local community.

In 1998, the National Trust purchased the Hafod Y Llan estate to safeguard its cultural and ecological heritage. Since then, it has become a model of sustainable land management, blending traditional farming practices with innovative conservation efforts. Farming on land that rises from 71 meters to the summit of Yr Wyddfa at 1,085 meters, Hafod Y Llan continues to inspire visitors and future generations, showcasing how agriculture can thrive in a harsh, unforgiving yet breathtakingly beautiful landscape.

The local agricultural community has come together to organise this event, which is still in its early planning stages. More details will be shared in the coming weeks and months.

If you are interested in securing a stand or one of the sponsorship packages available, please contact: hfe.dffu25@gmail.com.