The River Teifi – Estuary

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20 Miles from our holiday cottages
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Cardigan,, Ceredigion
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The River Teifi – Estuary Cilgerran to Cardigan Island)

The Teifi River is the longest river (75 miles) in Wales, it starts as a trickle at Teifi Pools in the remote Cambrian Mountains and finally enters the sea at Cardigan.  Ceredigion lies to the North of the Teifi Estuary and Pembrokeshire rests on the South bank.

During the 1800’s Cardigan was an important sea port, the second biggest in Wales.  The port area was close to Cardigan Castle and Cardigan bridge which it guarded in earlier times.  The river was at that time, navigable up to Cilgerran where slate was quarried.

At Cilgerren the Teifi cuts through a steep wooded gorge, where the slate was quarried beneath Cilgerran Castle.

The Teifi is a renowned fishing river, especially for ‘sewin’ (sea trout). Between Cenarth and Cardigan, there is an ancient tradition of fishing using coracles - simple light-weight boats made of bowed wooden sticks covered with animal skins.  Coracle races take place each year at Cilgerran.

Downstream from Cilgerran, The Welsh Wildlife Centre, surrounded by the Teifi Marshes National Nature Reserve, offers a magnificent array of wildlife and offers an accessible path leading direct to Cardigan town.  Upstream the path is rather more challenging as it climbs the gorge up to the Cilgerran Castle.

At Cardigan the river flows under the new and old bridges and past Cardigan Castle, the old wharves and heritage centre.  The then river turns off to the right and ahead the estuary opens up.

On the South bank lies St Dogmaels with its ancient Abbey and lovely riverside walks, dog friendly river side pubs and further along the vast expanse of Poppit Sands, where the Pembrokeshire coastal path starts.

On the north bank is the town of Cardigan, plenty of shops and a historic market hall.  By the bridge a small sculpture of an otter marks the start of the Ceredigion Coastal path.  The path skirts the town, past a boat builder, passes alongside Gwbert beach and moorings and uphill to a view point which gives magnificent views over the estuary. Ahead is Cardigan Island where seals are resident, The Cliff Hotel with 9-hole golf course and further along the Cardigan Island Coastal Farm Park.

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