Pylons could put an end to Llandovery hot air balloon festival

Ar y Gorwel – which translates to “On the Horizon” – is a gathering of hot air balloons held in Llandovery in memory of Arwel Davies.

Mr Davies was a popular member of the community, as a local businessman, former rugby player at Llandovery RFC where he also coached his son’s rugby team and a keen hot air balloonist who was killed in a road traffic collision in July 2021 at the age of 40.

Prior to his death, he had been working with lifelong best friend Ian Jones to bring back the historic Llandovery Hot Air Balloon Festival, which had been an annual highlight in the local calendar for several years, until it was put on hold due to the Foot and Mouth outbreak and never restarted.

The pair – who were both qualified to fly hot air balloons, with Mr Davies being inspired by his father Eirian, and Mr Jones also taking a keen interest, helping him fly and later going on to get his own licence – had planned to bring the festival back in 2020, but the Covid-19 pandemic put a halt to everything.

Following Mr Davies’ passing, Mr Jones along with his wife, Louise, approached Arwel’s wife, Mrs Laura Davies, about continuing with his dream, and in 2022, the first Ar y Gorwel gathering was held with a tremendous outpouring of support from family, friends and the local community.

The second annual festival was held last month and Ian, Louise and Laura are planning on making this an annual event with the support of their families and friends, with funds being raised for the Wales Air Ambulance Charity, who provided rapid air and road response to the scene of the accident.

“We enjoyed so many memories as a family with Arwel and his balloon and we never thought we would see it in the air again, so it has been overwhelming to see it back in the air and we hope to have many more memories made with Arwel’s balloon over the years as the children grow up,” said Mrs Davies.

However, the resurrection of the festival – which is the only hot air balloon festival in Wales and is already attracting attention from across the UK – could be short lived if Bute Energy’s plans for 60 miles of pylons throughout the picturesque Towy Valley are given the go ahead.

Mr Jones said: “Pylons are the number one danger in the ballooning world. If you have any interference with pylons it’s catastrophic failure immediately.”

He believes that there could be a better way to provide the green energy than the pylons, including undergrounding the cables, highlighting the dangers towards hot air balloons and also the impact on the countryside.

Mrs Davies highlighted the safety aspect alongside the poignant personal reasons behind the festival and the impact the pylons would have: “Aside from our children, the hot air balloon was Arwel’s pride and joy.

“If the pylons were put in place, I can’t see how the event can continue which is really upsetting given the poignant reasons the balloons have returned for.”

The first consultation period came to an end on April 28 and Green Gen Cymru, part of Bute Energy Group, will be publishing a report summarising the feedback before moving on to the next stages.

View from a hot air balloon over the Tywi Valley. (Image: Laura Davies)

A spokesperson for Bute Energy said the pylons will reduce pressure on the existing electricity grid, support green businesses and enable green heating and the roll out of electric vehicles across rural Wales.

The company said the plan could see energy produced for 200,000 homes.

It says that it wants to "power Wales with clean green energy, and empower local communities through investment, jobs and skills".

Bute Energy say all feedback received will be carefully considered, along with reports from environmental and technical surveys, ahead of further public consultation.

The company was also asking for suggestions on delivering a Community Benefit Fund to communities on the route.