Trefriw Woollen Mills keeps weaving Welsh tapestry with hydro power in the Conwy Valley

In the village of Trefriw, in the Conwy Valley five miles north of Betws-y-Coed, the river still powers a family business. Trefriw Woollen Mills weaves traditional Welsh tapestry bedspreads, travel rugs and tweeds on site, using machines driven by electricity from its own hydro-electric turbine.

The mill has been a family business since it was taken over by the current owners' great-grandfather in 1859. The wool is processed using machines that are more than 50 years old, and the turbine that generates the mill's electricity dates from the 1940s.

Water for the turbine comes from the River Crafnant. Some of it is diverted into a pipe about 340 metres upstream, and the water turns a Pelton wheel inside the turbine, which drives the alternator. The two lakes above Trefriw that supply the water, Crafnant and Geirionydd, can be visited on foot or by car.

Inside the weaving shed, the Dobcross looms can be viewed during shop hours, and a 12-minute video shows every stage of making a bedspread. Weaving Welsh tapestry, a double cloth, needs 16 shafts on the loom, while the herringbone tweed needs four.

The fabrics are made up into throws, cushion covers, capes, caps, bags, purses, scarves, dinner sets and coasters, and the shop also stocks pure wool knitwear and accessories, sheepskin goods and gifts. Welsh tapestry is also sold by the metre for anyone who wants to make something of their own, and there is a colour search on the website to help match the patterns.

With autumn here, a tapestry cape, a tweed cap or a woollen scarf is a very Welsh way to keep warm, and the bags and purses make distinctive gifts.

The shop is open all year, Monday to Saturday from 10am to 5pm, including Easter Monday and the spring and summer bank holidays, though it closes on winter bank holidays. The turbine house and weaving shed can be visited during shop hours. Groups are welcome from Monday to Saturday but are asked to get in touch at least a day before they come. There is no tearoom, but parking and a drop-off area sit right outside the shop, which is reached by a ramp.

Because the smaller items and bought-in stock change regularly, they are not sold online, which is a good reason to call in and browse in person.

The mill is on the B5106 in the centre of Trefriw. Bedspreads, throws and fabric can be bought online at t-w-m.co.uk.