Farmhouse holiday cottages in a tranquil rural hideaway Ceredigion, West Wales.
An ideal base for exploring The Teifi Valley, Cardigan Bay and Pembrokeshire.

Take a different route to your holiday cottage in Wales

Tuesday 18th of June 2013 11:01

Take a different route to your holiday cottage in Wales

When you are driving to West Wales there are lots of different routes you can take. The M4 maybe fast when you are not in traffic jam or in the queue for the Severn Bridge toll, but there are options.

Have you thought about taking a drive on the wild side entering Wales through the Cambrian Mountains?

That’s what we did yesterday when driving home from our daughters in Leicestershire. It took quite a lot longer in time but not miles and there was no bridge toll, a lot less stress and lots of "Wows”.

From Worcester (where there is great stop by the council offices with café and woodlands with off lead dog friendly walks) we headed along the A44 for Leominster, Rhayader and then the B4518 to Elan village. This is where the wonderful Wales mountain scenery kicks in.

Enjoy the Elan valley, turn right and marvel at the wild remote beauty of the Garreg Ddu and the Craig Goch reservoirs. The dams, towers and cascades are really stunning. See photo

Turn left and continue through the mountain pass along the Elan Valley and at the summit enter Ceredigion and the Ystwyth valley. Along the way you will see the remains of the lead and silver mines that once brought wealth to this wild wilderness.

Eventually signs of civilisation return. Turn left at the T junctions and head for Tregaron and Lampeter and Stallion Valley where you can relax in peaceful tranquillity and perhaps take a walk with your dogs up to the local dog friendly pub for a well-earned drink before dinner.