wales

"Every day above ground is a good day" is the saying, and it depends entirely on how much latitude you give the definition of "good." There are other days, however – certain days, special days – that cannot be denied their inclusion in the ranks of The Best of the Good Ones. While we have no problem admitting that even the least among our days on the job are still pretty good, there are others that clearly and simply take their places at the front of a very competitive line. In no particular order, then, here are seven places and pleasures that have meant the most to us in 2010.

A major property in Wales has gone on the market. The massive Brecon Estate is believed to be the most expensive in Welsh history. The 1,600 acre property is listed with Savills for £15 million. The estate includes eight farms and six let cottages but if the prospective buyer wants to live in the farmhouse at the heart of the estate, Wales Online reports that they'll have a wait on their hands. They can't take occupancy until December 2012 when the current lease runs out. The new owner could expect to make almost £200,000 a year in rent from the various farms and properties that are part of the estate. If it fails to sell as one large property it could also be broken down into 13 smaller chunks which could be sold separately.

The property is the second largest estate to go on the market in Wales this year. First honors go to the 23,000 acre Lake Vyrnwy estate in Powys which hit the market in July for £11 million.

Russian soccer fans are being some interesting advice to prevent swine flu. The Moscow Times says that chief sanitary doctor Gennady Onishchenko first said that Russian students should be banned from studying in Britain because of the swine flu outbreak and then later said that the ban should be extended to soccer fans. A 2010 World Cup series game between Russia and Wales is set to take place in Cardiff on September 9. Onishchenko called the trip "unnecessary" and said that shouting in the stadium could help spread the disease. Russian fans get a bit of relief from the ead of the All-Russia Union of Sports Fans, Alexander Shprygin, who said that fans who do travel to Wales shoud drink the local whisky to protect themselves from the swine flu. He went on to say that by doing this the Russian fans would also be saving the whisky industry because many have stopped drinking whisky in England. Some Russian sports fans have canceled planned trips because of swine flu fears.

The late designer Laura Ashley found much of her inspiration in her Victorian manor in Wales. These days Ashley's children are finding the upkeep of the historic home is too expensive and they are turning to England's National Trust to save the home. The Ashleys are hoping they can sell the 700-acre estate to the trust and have it restored and opened to visitors. Jane Ashley describes Rhydoldog House in the Welsh county of Powys to the Sunday Times as "a bit shabby but that's part of its charm." Reportedly many of the rooms haven't been changed since Laura Ashley's death in 1985 (Ashley's husband, Sir Bernard Ashley died earlier this year).

A restoration would offer tourists a look at original Ashley designs in the setting that begat them and the home would also celebrate crafts like quilting and screenprinting. The family home had also served as a studio and office for Ashley. The Laura Ashley brand reached its peak in the mid-1980s but has fallen out of favor in recent years and is mainly represented in the U.S. through licensing agreements selling bedding, women's clothing and housewares. Still the nostalgic factor is high as many people who grew up with Laura Ashley designs remember the brand, and the woman who created it, fondly. The Sunday Times reports that the National Trust and the National Museum of Wales would likely find a private investor to buy the property for an estimated £1 million -£3 million with another several million pounds earmarked for restoration. The museum could open in several years.

It might look like an old English manor but Penderyn along the Wye River in Queenstown, Maryland was built in the 1980s. The Palladian lines of the home are designed to make it look like a contemporary of the 1780's Wye Hall manor. The nine-bedroom brick manor sits on a 17-acre peninsula with its own pier. The estate is named after a village in Wales. The Wye River is also named after the Wye River in Wales. The home has a 60-foot long arched hall lined with busts, urns and jars. The home is full of all sorts of antiquities including a 19th-century English chandelier by Perry and most of the fireplace fronts in the home are antique pieces from country estates in England. Other features include a bar, an observatory, formal drawing room and a marble foyer. This home is listed at $14.9 million.

Gwrych Castle, a crumbling beauty in Wales, will have an new life as a five-star country-house hotel. Clayton Hotels has purchased the building for £850,000 and plan to spend a total of £6 million restoring the building to its former glory.

Gwrych Castle was built in 1819 by Lloyd Hesketh Bamford-Hesketh, grandfather of Winifred, Countess of Dundonald. The Countess of DunDonald inherited Gwrych in 1894 and her will declared that Gwrych should be bequeathed to King George V and the Prince of Wales. This request was declined and it was given to St John of Jerusalem. In 1928 the Earl of Dundonald (Winifred's husband) bought back the Castle for £78,000 and sold the contents of the building to cover the cost. Later during WWII, the castle was requisitioned and used to house Jewish refugees. The castle was opened as a tourist location for many years but then had a variety of owners and different uses and eventually was closed in 1985.

The castle will be home to 90 luxury rooms, a spa, a fine dining restaurant and meeting facilities. The restoration should take two or three years to complete.

Mouseprice.com, a property research site that is similar, in concept, to sites like Zillow, compiled a report on the most expensive streets in the UK based on average property values. The two top streets are in Kensington and Chelsea, with average home prices at over £5.5 million on Kensington Square and over £5.0 million on Chelsea Square. Fortunately for those buying into the market (but somewhat less fortunately for those selling), these areas have also exhibited some of the slowest gains in value over the last few years, meaning that those looking to purchase in the near future shouldn't worry about being priced out of the market just yet.

For a more specific look at various parts of the country, check out Mouseprice's full report, or read the full top twenty listing after the jump:

The Western Mail's hunt for the most extravagant Christmas dinner in Wales led them to Llangoed Hall. According to this article, the luxury country hotel offers one of the most deluxe feasts in the area. The meal which costs £110 per person includes home tea smoked goose breast with scrumpy cider syrup and sage-scented pannacotta, a cappuccino of wild mushrooms with a black truffle foam and cheese straws and a Christmas pudding with caramelized rum sauce, brandy butter and prune and Armagnac ice cream among the many offerings. The feast also includes entertainment and the weekend includes a Boxing Day clay pigeon shoot and a seafood gala dinner. The Christmas House Party runs from noon on Christmas Eve to Wednesday, the 27th December 2006 and prices for the holiday packages start from £550 per person.

This impressive home is Gyrn Castle in Wales. The castle comes with 367 acres of land. The property was bought in 1856 by Edward Bates, a ship-owner and politician. Recently Sir Edward's descendant, Sir Geoffrey Bates, the fifth baronet, passed away, leading to the sale of not only this impressive piece of land but to a two-day estate sale on July 17 and 18 which will be run by Christies. The sale will be at the castle and includes furniture, paintings, armor, and even a stuffed rhinoceros head. The home is listed at  £3.5 million.  Interior peeks at this massive estate after the jump.

[via IC Wales]

A 40-year old UK man threw £20,000 of bank notes into the air in Aberystwyth, Wales, shouting "Who wants free money?" He then ran to his BMW and drove away, leaving a scene of chaos behind him as passers-by and local workers scrambled to collect the cash. The man was arrested some 15 minutes later on suspicion on drunk driving, but no charges have been filed. Chief Inspector Kevin Davies mentioned that the possibility of a hospital order was discussed, because "let's face it, throwing large amounts of money in the air is not normal."

The man said that he simply wanted "to spread a little sunshine" and he certainly did, because the lucky people who collected the scattered banknotes are under no legal obligation to return their gifts.

Could this estate in Wales be the year's priciest sale? The  £2.5 million Neuadd estate, in New Quay, Ceredigion comes with 30 acres that include ten holiday cottages. The estate, which has been reduced from the original £3 million is being sold by Malcolm and Karina Headley, who bought the estate 30 years ago and are selling it themselves. According to icWales, Richard Branson is said to be looking for property in the area.The farm house that is the main house is a lovely four bedroom but it might not be fancy enough for Sir Richard.

We've covered romantic options for Valentine's Day across the United States and in Paris but how about Wales? The Celtic Manor Resort has a bunch of romance-themed features including candlelit dinners in the restaurants and a day of pampering in The Forum Spa. The 'Treat for Two' spa package includes a Rasul Mud Ritual for two, a Royal Chocolate Cocoon Facial and complimentary Champagne sorbets and petits fours. The Valentine's Day meal at Owens, the resort's fine dining restaurant, has Tian of Crab and Smoked Trout with Sevruga Caviar, traditional slow roasted Fillet of Scotch Beef and Hot Chocolate Fondant with Tonka bean ice cream on the menu. There is also a Valentine's Afternoon Tea with marinated strawberries, shortbread hearts, champagne truffles, mini praline parfait, chocolate slice and a selection of sandwiches, served with a glass of Kir Royale. The resort also has golf, hiking, and shooting packages if lolling around eating and beiing massaged isn't your idea of paradise.