places to visit in west wales

Places to visit in Cardiganshire, Ceredigion, West Wales

Aberaeron

Aberaeron's most striking feature is its architecture. One house in every four is listed either as being of special architectural or historical interest. The graciously designed town just invites you to walk around it and feast your eyes on the subtle differences between this house and the next.

A thriving port in the days of commercial sailing, sailing still plays a major part in the life of the town, its stonewalled harbour sheltering yachts from near and far for much of the year. As well as being a most popular centre for yachting Aberaeron is a popular port from which to set forth to marvel at the wildlife of Ceredigion's Maritime Heritage Coast - the first offshore conservation area of its kind in the United Kingdom

Aberporth

At Aberporth you will find yourself welcome amongst people who will share your appreciation of the quality of life, landscapes and seascapes offered within the area.

Aberporth is amongst the most charming of Ceredigion's smaller coastal settlements and offers a broad variety of local services.

In particular, the Aberporth area offers a broad selection of quality accommodation and is a convenient base for visitors wishing to tour both Ceredigion and West or Mid Wales.

Aberystwyth

The town of Aberystwyth was established over seven hundred years ago by virtue of a charter awarded by Edward I. However, neighbouring Llanbadarn Fawr is a much older settlement whose history is more based upon native Welsh culture.  

In contemporary times, many regard Aberystwyth as being the cultural capital of Wales. In addition to the National Library of Wales and the very first College of the University of Wales, Aberystwyth also houses the largest Arts Centre in Wales.

Aberystwyth is surrounded on three sides by some of the most glorious countryside in Great Britain -the Cambrian Mountains and the Rheidol Valley - which you can explore on one of Wales's Great Little Trains: the Vale of Rheidol Railway, not to mention Ceredigion's Heritage Coast and Cardigan Bay Special Area of Conservation as well as one of the most concentrated collections of award-winning beaches in the UK.

Borth

The old fishing hamlet of Borth boasts one of Ceredigion's longest and most golden of beaches - stretching over two miles in length to Ynyslas where the Dyfi National Nature Reserve boasts an impressive sand dune system.

Borth's award-winning beach is of a particularly shallow gradient but many are fooled into thinking the steep pebble bank visible at high tide is representative of the ebb-tide scenario. Nothing could be further from the truth! Because of its shallow waters, Borth's beach is particularly popular with sailboard enthusiasts and families with younger children.

Cardigan

The most southerly of Ceredigion's towns, Cardigan guards the entrance to the county from Pembrokeshire. Located on the northern bank of the Teifi estuary, Cardigan is surrounded by stunning countryside with much of that environment carrying Special Area of Conservation status.

Cardigan was the power base of Prince Rhys ap Gruffydd of the royal family of Deheubarth (South West Wales). Rhys was the last of the Welsh Princes of that lineage to rule an independent principality free of Anglo-Saxon or Norman control.
It was at his castle here in Cardigan, in the year 1176, that Rhys hosted the very first truly "national" eisteddfod of Wales. Since Wales, Ireland, England and Scotland were independent in those days, there is a strong argument in favour of this first eisteddfod having been an international event since it was proclaimed the length and breadth of the British Isles.

Devils Bridge

Devil's Bridge's most famous feature is probably the unique arrangement of its three bridges -which are built one on top of the other. The original bridge was believed to have been built either by the Cistercian monks of Strata Florida abbey or by Knights Templar. The latest bridge was built by the County Council during this century.

Lampeter

In the eighteenth century Lampeter was an important gathering place for the Drovers. These people gathered huge herds of livestock to be walked all the way to the markets of southeast England. The Drovers established some of Wales' oldest banking institutions - all of which have now been assimilated into UK banks - but the sign of the rearing horse maintained by Lloyds remains to remind present generations of these merchants of long ago as the horse is, indeed, a Welsh mountain pony.

Llandysul

The Teifi Valley town of Llandysul is one of the most favoured localities in Wales both for freshwater angling and white-water canoeing.

Within this part of Ceredigion, water-driven flour and woollen mills - famous for their distinctive Welsh tapestries - are still to be seen at work although employing far fewer than in their heyday.

Before the days of the steam engine the rushing waters of the Teifi and its many tributaries drove dozens of waterwheels in this area.

Llangrannog

Seldom will you find a guidebook describing Wales that does not feature a photograph of Llangrannog. The scenic settlement is located just south of New Quay, to the north of Tresaith.

Llangrannog has a special significance within Wales for nearby is a residential facility operated by Urdd Gobaith Cymru - Wales's League of Youth. Generation after generation of Welsh children have spent a holiday here. The extensive range of sports and leisure facilities on offer by the Urdd (pronounced "Eerthe") - including a dry ski slope - are also accessible to the public.

New Quay

New Quay remains one of the favourite holiday destinations of thousands of people from Wales each year.

For many families, taking holidays at New Quay is a tradition stretching back for generations. The connections between Dylan Marlais Thomas and Ceredigion were substantial. He lived and wrote in several locations in Ceredigion, especially New Quay where, amongst other works, he composed "Quite Early one Morning".

Tregaron

Tregaron is located south of one of Europe's largest growing peat bogs - Cors Goch Glan Teifi - an important National Nature Reserve sheltering dozens of species of rare flora and fauna.

One of the area's most spectacular sites is the rare Red Kite - with its distinctive tail feathers - soaring overhead.

Tresaith

The word "saith" means seven in Welsh and legend has it that, once upon a time, a king of Ireland had seven troublesome daughters. Having tried in vain to instill some element of control over the seven princesses the king finally lost his patience and ordered his daughters to be cast adrift in an open boat. The currents of the Irish Sea bore the craft towards the coast of Ceredigion and it beached here. The seven princesses fell in love with the sons of seven local Welsh families, married and settled down. Which explains why the settlement is called "Tresaith" - the town of seven!