Biddy Fraser-Davies at home at Cwmglyn Farmhouse Cheeeses
In memory of Biddy Fraser-Davies, a wonderful woman who sadly passed away in 2018.
It's a real treat calling into Cwmglyn Farmhouse Cheeses, where Biddy Fraser-Davies started out producing an impressive range using the milk from just one cow, the hardworking Gwendolyn. Today she has a few more – all have names – and you can watch the milking process, taste the cheese, and even purchase fresh clotted cream, homemade butter, plus a wide variety of handmade cheeses, all cured onsite.
The cheeses change all the time, and the flavours dependent upon Biddy’s mood on the day. Tastings are on offer, so I sample the Cardamom, Wairarapa Cider, Caerphilly Brine Cheese, and garlic cheese – all are delicious! Biddy tells me that she originally started to make cheese because her house cow, Gwendolyn, was providing 29 litres of milk a day, “and I don’t take milk in my tea”.
While Biddy's busy making cheese, her husband, Colin, devotes his time to the Middleton Model Railway, housed in a large building behind their front paddock. Modelled to ‘OO’ scale, the main layout is based on British Railways in the English Midlands. Colin has collected model trains since he was a child, but only opened his collection to the public a decade or so ago. As well as the main track system, there’s a model Thomas for the kids, and a display of working vintage model trains, including a Hornby Dublo, a Tri-ang, a Marklin, and a Trix train. The interactive tracks are a thrill for railway enthusiasts – not to mention those of us whose inner child longs for our own real train sets with working bits.
Colin's a keen railway enthusiast