# Carmarthen, Cardigan and Cilgerran, south west Wales - photos and features



## editor (Jul 7, 2009)

Here's some pics from our recent holiday in south west Wales. I was astonished how beautiful and picturesque the area was. We had a lovely time and can't recommend the area enough for a walking/cycling trip.



























Carmarthen photos: http://www.urban75.org/photos/wales/carmarthen-wales-photos.html
Cardigan photos: http://www.urban75.org/photos/wales/cardigan-town-photos.html


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## editor (Jul 7, 2009)

We stayed at Fforest which offers posh camping in the middle of a lovely ancient wood.


























Fforest campsite: http://www.urban75.org/photos/wales/cilgerran-fforest-wales.html
To Poppit Sands: http://www.urban75.org/photos/wales/cardigan-poppit-sands.html
St Dogmaels: http://www.urban75.org/photos/wales/st-dogmaels-wales.html
Along the River Teifi to Llechryd: http://www.urban75.org/photos/wales/cilgerran-llechryd-wales.html


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## Hocus Eye. (Jul 7, 2009)

Great pictures of what must be a very memorable holiday.  I see that there is a post office in one of the shots.  That is a rare collector's item sadly in rural areas these days.  That geodesic dome tent looks a bit strange with all the space around the central bed.  You could probably have got a large family in there.  

It looks almost as good there in Wales as it is in my beloved Devon.  I haven't been to Wales for many years.  It looks good.  Yes I know it rains a lot there though.  I lived in Cardiff for a year and for the first time in my life bought an umbrella.


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## editor (Jul 7, 2009)

I was really surprised how pretty the area was. Carmarthen was lovely and the area around Cilgerran beautifully unspoilt, while the people were ridiculously friendly.

We used to holiday a lot in St Ives, but this place had it well and truly beat, IMO.


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## Johnny Canuck3 (Jul 7, 2009)

Looks like a nice place. I was particularly impressed with the Cilgerran walk. The camping looks quite genteel: hardwood floors, no less!


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## upsidedownwalrus (Jul 7, 2009)

Yeah that might be a goer for taking my wife camping  

Great pics editor


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## editor (Jul 7, 2009)

Johnny Canuck2 said:


> Looks like a nice place. I was particularly impressed with the Cilgerran walk. The camping looks quite genteel: hardwood floors, no less!


It was more like a soft walled house than a tent!

I enjoyed being in a Welsh speaking area and hearing the language spoken too.


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## Infidel Castro (Jul 8, 2009)

Shit, I never knew that Fforest place existed.  Been looking it up online.  I feel a visit coming on!


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## editor (Jul 8, 2009)

Infidel Castro said:


> Shit, I never knew that Fforest place existed.  Been looking it up online.  I feel a visit coming on!


It's pricey all right, but a lovely treat. Perfect for families too.


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## ddraig (Jul 9, 2009)

lush place luch pics!


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## Belushi (Jul 10, 2009)

Lovely photos of the most beautiful part of Cymru Ed.



editor said:


> I enjoyed being in a Welsh speaking area and hearing the language spoken too.



And the place names sound so much nicer in Cymraeg. _Ceredigion, Caerfyrddin..._


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## llion (Jul 11, 2009)

Lovely pics! Ceredigion is truly amazing! Worth visiting further North in Ceredigion if you get a chance. The area around Tregaron, Llanddewi Brefi, Strata Florida is lovely in quite a wild way. And Aberystwyth is surely the gem of the west!


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## jjuice (Jul 11, 2009)

lovely lovely Wales, I like your sunjars too


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## davesgcr (Jul 13, 2009)

Brilliant shots indeed - an area full of character ! 

I particularly like the survival of so many signs and local businesses - the Hancocks pub sign must be over 50 years old (and used to be a common sight all over South Wales) 

Definately worth a visit ......


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## Space Girl (Jul 16, 2009)

I grew up there, nice to see some photos and glad you liked cillgeran, did you go to the castle and look down the gorge to the river.

it's funny looking at photos of cardigan again especially the town hall where we all used to sit on the canon opposite the tuck in cafe (as it was then) - carmarthen still looks as boring as it ever was ;-)

is the beach poppit?

if you go back there again let me know and I can tell you all the secret little places to go and see and glad you found it friendly, it's not renowned for that


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## littlebabyjesus (Jul 16, 2009)

Space Girl said:


> I grew up there, nice to see some photos and glad you liked cillgeran, did you go to the castle and look down the gorge to the river.
> 
> it's funny looking at photos of cardigan again especially the town hall where we all used to sit on the canon opposite the tuck in cafe (as it was then) - carmarthen still looks as boring as it ever was ;-)
> 
> ...


We went to St Davids a couple of weeks ago. Everyone was very friendly. Got royally pissed in a pub in Solva after a walk there and had a good laugh with the locals. 

I take it you grew up in Carmarthen. I grew up in a town about the same size. Not places for teenagers, that's for sure. 

It is a beautiful part of the world though.


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## Col_Buendia (Jul 16, 2009)

llion said:


> And Aberystwyth is surely the gem of the west!



Why? I've never really spent any time there, but we'll be holidaying not far from there for a week in August, so any suggestions as to things to do on a day trip to Aber will be gratefully received.


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## Space Girl (Jul 16, 2009)

I lived about a mile out of a place called cenarth which is 6 miles east of cardigan on the new castle emlyn road, I went to school in cardigan and when I left school I lived in carmarthen for a bit before I left wales and went to coventry (don't ask why as I really don't know any logical reason why) - as a kid growing up there I hated it, it was so behind with the times and I had to hitch to get anywhere - I used to hitch everywhere and would travel miles to see friends or go to gigs, I used to mitch off school on wednesdays to go to carmarthen as it was market day (what an exciting life I lived) - I would go all over the place for a party, didn't go down st david's much but would go to solva as my mate ran one of the pubs there, used to go to narbeth a lot too and north up to aberwystydd - there were lots of parties and festies going on when I was there and lots of little commune all over the place - looking back it was a reasonably free life I led but it was one you had to go and get as it was never going to come to me - I totally agree that it is stunning but cardigan is not friendly, it never has been and still isn't, it has not change in all these years - I left there in 84 at the age of 16 so have not lived there since then but I have been back to see friends etc


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## Space Girl (Jul 16, 2009)

Col_Buendia said:


> Why? I've never really spent any time there, but we'll be holidaying not far from there for a week in August, so any suggestions as to things to do on a day trip to Aber will be gratefully received.



go down to new quay and take a boat trip to see the seals - if you go down to cardigan way go to mwnt beach - also go to the cliff hotel and walk across the golf course straight to the sea and you will find some amazing little cove beaches that you have to clamber down to - not many people go there or know about them


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## littlebabyjesus (Jul 17, 2009)

Space Girl said:


> I lived about a mile out of a place called cenarth which is 6 miles east of cardigan on the new castle emlyn road, I went to school in cardigan and when I left school I lived in carmarthen for a bit before I left wales and went to coventry (don't ask why as I really don't know any logical reason why) - as a kid growing up there I hated it, it was so behind with the times and I had to hitch to get anywhere - I used to hitch everywhere and would travel miles to see friends or go to gigs, I used to mitch off school on wednesdays to go to carmarthen as it was market day (what an exciting life I lived) - I would go all over the place for a party, didn't go down st david's much but would go to solva as my mate ran one of the pubs there, used to go to narbeth a lot too and north up to aberwystydd - there were lots of parties and festies going on when I was there and lots of little commune all over the place - looking back it was a reasonably free life I led but it was one you had to go and get as it was never going to come to me - I totally agree that it is stunning but cardigan is not friendly, it never has been and still isn't, it has not change in all these years - I left there in 84 at the age of 16 so have not lived there since then but I have been back to see friends etc


Sounds like you had quite a bit of fun really. I think we're all dissatisfied with our teenage years. It's the nature of being a teenager. I grew up in Gwent, and there weren't lots of parties or festies, and there werer definitely no communes, that I knew existed anyway. Couldn't wait to get away.


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## Col_Buendia (Jul 17, 2009)

Space Girl said:


> go down to new quay and take a boat trip to see the seals - if you go down to cardigan way go to mwnt beach - also go to the cliff hotel and walk across the golf course straight to the sea and you will find some amazing little cove beaches that you have to clamber down to - not many people go there or know about them



Top tips! Ta for that. I once jumped on the motorbike and rode straight west, and ended up spending a night at the campsite by Mwnt beach. Wonderful place. Years later I wondered if I imagined the whole thing, for I've found Mwnt a hard place to turn up on online maps!


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## Space Girl (Jul 17, 2009)

littlebabyjesus said:


> Sounds like you had quite a bit of fun really. I think we're all dissatisfied with our teenage years. It's the nature of being a teenager. I grew up in Gwent, and there weren't lots of parties or festies, and there werer definitely no communes, that I knew existed anyway. Couldn't wait to get away.



life is what you make it and I was lucky enough to have parents who encouraged me to get out and about, they would drive me to discos 20 miles away just so I would have some sort of life - growing up there where on the surface there does not seem much to do and be very depressing and I could not wait to leave even though I had a good teenage life there - looking back it was a fab time despite the hitching incidents I did have


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## Space Girl (Jul 17, 2009)

Col_Buendia said:


> Top tips! Ta for that. I once jumped on the motorbike and rode straight west, and ended up spending a night at the campsite by Mwnt beach. Wonderful place. Years later I wondered if I imagined the whole thing, for I've found Mwnt a hard place to turn up on online maps!



mwnt is magical but I feel that it is very touristy now, when I was a kid there were no steps going down to the beach and no-one on it, I would go and do my swimming training there in the summer as the inlet to the bay was safe (ish)


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## mwgdrwg (Jul 17, 2009)

That "tent" looks superb! 

I grew up with that type of blanket too, and I want to go to bed now just thinking about that heavy feeling of lots of warm blankets.


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## davesgcr (Jul 17, 2009)

As a teenager you cant wait to get away from parochial - ish places , but when you get older you appreciate the qualities more. Couldent wait to get away myself from South Wales - but now I have terrible "hiraeth" for the area and its outstanding beauty and overall charm and friendliness.

Its the same story for so many "econimic exiles" ........   

great shots again .....


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## llion (Jul 21, 2009)

Col Buendia - If you're in Aber for a day, I'd recommend going up to the Arts Centre for a look round as there's nearly always interesting exhibitions on up there, it's got a lovely cafe with stunning views over the sea/bay as the Centre's up on the hill leading out of town, it's got a very good independent bookshop and it's generally just a nice place to hang out! It's close to the National Library as well (about 5 min walk), which is also well worth a visit. It's got a very interesting exhibition of not only ancient Welsh books and manuscripts but also early English books by Chaucer and others, as well as some lovely paintings by Welsh artists like Kyffin Williams etc. The temporary exhibitions at the Library are also very good - they recently had a fascinating one about the history of popular protest in Wales, its been replaced by one about family trees/tracing family history which also looks really interesting. 

The beach/seafront in Aber is also worth a stroll along, although if you're looking for a sandy/golden beach, its worth making the trip a little bit out of town to Ynyslas (about 5 north of Aber) which is a really lovely, long beach with miles of dunes and an interesting nature reserve. If you fancy a walk while in Aberystwyth, you could go to Tanybwlch beach, just south of town and from there walk up Pendinas, which is the ancient Celtic hillfort from which the town grew around, and enjoy stunning views of the bay ahead and the rolling hills behind. 

Aber's very well served for cafes, pubs and non-chain shops. Until Costa recently crashlanded in town, there were no chain coffee places in Aber and the older cafes in town like the Cabin on Pier Street, are nice places to relax in if it happened to be a rainy day (not that it rains much in Aber of course!). For bookshops, there are two very good second-hand/independent bookshops in town as well as an excellent branch of Oxfam Books and a brilliant Welsh book shop which has a great collection of Welsh/Anglo-Welsh/Welsh-related books and CDs. Aber still has an independent record shop, Andy's Records (not the same Andy as the chain 'Andy's Records') which has some great sutff on CD and vinyl, lots of interesting box-sets and rarities. For pubs, there are at least 40-50 I think so no problems there! Some have gone a bit chainy/downhill in recent years but there are still some really nice ones like the Castle, the Ship and Castle, the Coopers/Cwps and the Black Lion. A little bit further afield, out of town, pubs like the Druid in Goginan (4-5 miles out of town) have a great atmosphere and do good food. 

The actual castle in Aberystwyth is well worth a stroll around, although it was a bit ruined by Cromwell and his canons! It's a lovely place to sit and look out to sea on a sunny day. The nearby Old College building, which is where the University of Wales began in the nineteenth century and is still part of the University, is a fascinating building, and is usually open if you wanted to have a nose around. There are many other fascinating and beautiful historical sites in and around the Aber area, such as the Hafod estate (whose owner Thomas Johnes was unusually enlightened and visionary and whose guests inculded Turner and Coleridge) and Llanerchaeron (an amazing house designed by John Nash which has been preserved as it was when the last owner lived there in the 1950s and has really beautiful gardens), near Aberaeron.  
So all in all, there's more than enough to do in Aberystwyth for one day!


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## Col_Buendia (Jul 21, 2009)

Thanks a million for all the info, Llion! I've met some of the arts centre people before, so I should have thought of that when thinking about our time there. We're actually staying in Tregaron, and right during the trap races, which a friend assures me should be madness 

I should really make a print of these posts so I don't forget people's recommendations!


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## editor (Oct 23, 2018)

i really want to visit this place, if only for the name - Caffi Iechyd Da.

Caffi Iechyd Da


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## planetgeli (Oct 23, 2018)

We take the kids kayaking on the Teifi in Cilgerran. It’s absolutely gorgeous.

And if we’re doing adverts for food places in Carmarthenshire (are we?) try Wright’s in Llanarthne.


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