Where to go in Wales?
February 12, 2016 10:31 AM Subscribe
We're going to Wales in May. Where should we go?
We plan to spend a few days in the south and a few days in the north, with some driving up the coast and possibly through the middle. We have a huge list of possible locations to visit, including lots of castles, other ancient sites, and museums. We will definitely be doing some hiking as well. Unfortunately, it's hard to tell what is really worth seeing.
What are the places that are underappreciated or off the beaten path? Aside from the 5 or 10 castles that everybody knows about, are there sites that are unmissable?
Additionally, we'd love to know where to eat. The plan is currently to eat lots of curry and bacon sandwiches. What else should we eat?
We plan to spend a few days in the south and a few days in the north, with some driving up the coast and possibly through the middle. We have a huge list of possible locations to visit, including lots of castles, other ancient sites, and museums. We will definitely be doing some hiking as well. Unfortunately, it's hard to tell what is really worth seeing.
What are the places that are underappreciated or off the beaten path? Aside from the 5 or 10 castles that everybody knows about, are there sites that are unmissable?
Additionally, we'd love to know where to eat. The plan is currently to eat lots of curry and bacon sandwiches. What else should we eat?
Portmeirion is one of the strangest places in the world - like a miniature Tuscan village on mushrooms. It's where The Prisoner was filmed.
Hay-on-Wye, on the English border, is a tiny town comprised almost entirely of second-hand bookstores.
If I were you I would just pick one castle to do and skip the rest. I liked Conwy, which is so outrageously castley it looks fake, and is attached to a neat little walled town that includes what is billed as The Smallest House In Great Britain.
We hiked in the eastern side of the Brecon Beacons, which was gorgeous. Snowdonia is much more dramatic, but I've heard it can get crowded.
posted by theodolite at 11:00 AM on February 12, 2016 [1 favorite]
Hay-on-Wye, on the English border, is a tiny town comprised almost entirely of second-hand bookstores.
If I were you I would just pick one castle to do and skip the rest. I liked Conwy, which is so outrageously castley it looks fake, and is attached to a neat little walled town that includes what is billed as The Smallest House In Great Britain.
We hiked in the eastern side of the Brecon Beacons, which was gorgeous. Snowdonia is much more dramatic, but I've heard it can get crowded.
posted by theodolite at 11:00 AM on February 12, 2016 [1 favorite]
Hay-on-Wye is home to a famous literature and arts festival which is apparently running this year from 26th May to 5th June. Maybe you'll be there for that?
Even if not, the town is a lovely place well worth a visit (if maybe slightly a victim of its own charm and slightly touristy). The literature tradition overspills from the festival and the town is full of charmingly creaking old vintage bookshops, along with some lovely old buildings; a variety of general junk, antique and knick-knack shops; the remains of a 12th century castle and some lovely cafés. There's a marvellous craft beer shop in the courtyard of the castle.
posted by Dext at 11:04 AM on February 12, 2016 [1 favorite]
Even if not, the town is a lovely place well worth a visit (if maybe slightly a victim of its own charm and slightly touristy). The literature tradition overspills from the festival and the town is full of charmingly creaking old vintage bookshops, along with some lovely old buildings; a variety of general junk, antique and knick-knack shops; the remains of a 12th century castle and some lovely cafés. There's a marvellous craft beer shop in the courtyard of the castle.
posted by Dext at 11:04 AM on February 12, 2016 [1 favorite]
Bodnant Garden near Conwy is well worth a visit.
Portmeirion is an odd village of Italianate architecture which is still remembered as the place where the classic TV series The Prisoner was made. It's interesting for a day trip, but I think the accommodation is pricey.
Hay-on-Wye, the book town, is just on the edge of Wales, though it's probably more accessible from the English side of the border.
posted by Azara at 11:05 AM on February 12, 2016
Portmeirion is an odd village of Italianate architecture which is still remembered as the place where the classic TV series The Prisoner was made. It's interesting for a day trip, but I think the accommodation is pricey.
Hay-on-Wye, the book town, is just on the edge of Wales, though it's probably more accessible from the English side of the border.
posted by Azara at 11:05 AM on February 12, 2016
Oh lucky you!
Llechwedd Slate Caverns are rather awe-inspiring and humbling, in Blaenau Ffestiniog, Gwynedd; in fact the whole area is full of treasure and the best of scenery, dominated by Snowdon of course, which you can walk up if you want to devote a day to it or get the little train up. My favourite castle is in the area too, Harlech; it is smaller than many of the main castles and has a great outlook.
How about The Big Pit down south at Blaenafon; another industrial style museum but, well... this is Wales.
Eat: Welsh Lamb Cawl, and Bara brith.
Have a brilliant time!
posted by Brecha at 11:13 AM on February 12, 2016
Llechwedd Slate Caverns are rather awe-inspiring and humbling, in Blaenau Ffestiniog, Gwynedd; in fact the whole area is full of treasure and the best of scenery, dominated by Snowdon of course, which you can walk up if you want to devote a day to it or get the little train up. My favourite castle is in the area too, Harlech; it is smaller than many of the main castles and has a great outlook.
How about The Big Pit down south at Blaenafon; another industrial style museum but, well... this is Wales.
Eat: Welsh Lamb Cawl, and Bara brith.
Have a brilliant time!
posted by Brecha at 11:13 AM on February 12, 2016
Best answer: I love Wales. We live in England but go to Wales all the time because, honestly, the Welsh landscape is more beautiful and dramatic than that of England. (You know it's true, English-people!)
I'll throw out a list of things for you:
Go to Skomer and see puffins!! They're amazing creatures and the visiting the rabbit-hole infested landscape of Skomer is like walking on another planet. One of the most memorable activities of my life.
The Pembrokeshire Coast itself is quite amazing. Cornwall without the tourists. I'd recommend walking along the coast path at the Stackpole Estate. Or visiting the cathedral town of St. Davids and then walking the coast path around Solva.
The Brecon Beacons is quite nice. My favorite walk there was the Waterfalls walk. Families seem to love climbing Sugarloaf near Abergavenny. It is a gentle climb and very rewarding at the top. The Beacons is full of little gems, such as one of my favorite churches in the world: Patrishow.
We also go to Hay-on-Wye regularly for book-shopping. Eat at Booth's Bookshop cafe. Realy good food. Don't miss their Welsh rarebit.
Talking about food, we always manage to stop at Swansea market. Swansea is not a pretty town but their market is a great place to get laverbread and cockles. Also, have a Welsh cake right off the griddle. You haven't had a Welsh cake unless it is still warm.
If you do manage to make it East to the Wye Valley, I highly recommend the town of Tintern and its famous ruined abbey. It is a nice walk to keep walking north a bit along the valley floor up to Brockweir.
Back to the North! Snowdonia is incredible. It is not crowded in the least. The previous poster is confusing Snowdonia (the huge national park) with Snowdon (the mountain inside which can get crowded with tourists. We stayed around Tal-y-LLyn lake once and walked up Cadair Idris. Here's the view out of our bedroom window.
I wouldn't recommend Portmeirion, as it is a tourist zoo. Although we did go by there as it was closing one day and did find it peaceful and interesting to walk out to the edge of little peninsula...
posted by vacapinta at 11:56 AM on February 12, 2016 [6 favorites]
I'll throw out a list of things for you:
Go to Skomer and see puffins!! They're amazing creatures and the visiting the rabbit-hole infested landscape of Skomer is like walking on another planet. One of the most memorable activities of my life.
The Pembrokeshire Coast itself is quite amazing. Cornwall without the tourists. I'd recommend walking along the coast path at the Stackpole Estate. Or visiting the cathedral town of St. Davids and then walking the coast path around Solva.
The Brecon Beacons is quite nice. My favorite walk there was the Waterfalls walk. Families seem to love climbing Sugarloaf near Abergavenny. It is a gentle climb and very rewarding at the top. The Beacons is full of little gems, such as one of my favorite churches in the world: Patrishow.
We also go to Hay-on-Wye regularly for book-shopping. Eat at Booth's Bookshop cafe. Realy good food. Don't miss their Welsh rarebit.
Talking about food, we always manage to stop at Swansea market. Swansea is not a pretty town but their market is a great place to get laverbread and cockles. Also, have a Welsh cake right off the griddle. You haven't had a Welsh cake unless it is still warm.
If you do manage to make it East to the Wye Valley, I highly recommend the town of Tintern and its famous ruined abbey. It is a nice walk to keep walking north a bit along the valley floor up to Brockweir.
Back to the North! Snowdonia is incredible. It is not crowded in the least. The previous poster is confusing Snowdonia (the huge national park) with Snowdon (the mountain inside which can get crowded with tourists. We stayed around Tal-y-LLyn lake once and walked up Cadair Idris. Here's the view out of our bedroom window.
I wouldn't recommend Portmeirion, as it is a tourist zoo. Although we did go by there as it was closing one day and did find it peaceful and interesting to walk out to the edge of little peninsula...
posted by vacapinta at 11:56 AM on February 12, 2016 [6 favorites]
We went to the north of Wales a few years back--we stayed in a lovely, tiny town called Gwytherin. I recommend the Red Lion B&B/pub if you get up that way. We went up Snowden, which was fantastic, and visited quite a few neolithic burial sites....some of which are in farmers' fields. We made it all the way out to Anglesey in our pursuit of said sites. Portmeirion is indeed very cool, although if you don't know The Prisoner, it may be of limited appeal.
posted by Kafkaesque at 12:04 PM on February 12, 2016
posted by Kafkaesque at 12:04 PM on February 12, 2016
We spent a few days hiking the coastal path around St. Davids, it's beautiful.
posted by Chrysostom at 12:17 PM on February 12, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by Chrysostom at 12:17 PM on February 12, 2016 [1 favorite]
Best answer: One of the old slate mines in Blaenau Ffestiniog was converted into an underground trampoline park. There was an FPP about it, and I got to check it out. Apparently they're renovating, but they re-open May 14, so whether I recommend it depends on when you'll be there.
If you're in Bangor around lunch time, I recommend the Blue Sky Cafe. Theirfries chips are some of the best I've had.
Also near there, I enjoyed walking around Llandudno & The Great Orme. Alice Liddell lived in Llandudno, so there's bunch of wooden statues of characters from Alice in Wonderland in the town and parks, which was fun, and then you can hike up some hills and around a ... orme? It's a limestone headlands peninsula thing. When my friend stands on it, it looks like this
posted by aubilenon at 12:31 PM on February 12, 2016 [1 favorite]
If you're in Bangor around lunch time, I recommend the Blue Sky Cafe. Their
Also near there, I enjoyed walking around Llandudno & The Great Orme. Alice Liddell lived in Llandudno, so there's bunch of wooden statues of characters from Alice in Wonderland in the town and parks, which was fun, and then you can hike up some hills and around a ... orme? It's a limestone headlands peninsula thing. When my friend stands on it, it looks like this
posted by aubilenon at 12:31 PM on February 12, 2016 [1 favorite]
Best answer: From Rhayader, there is a mountain road, the B4574, that runs through the Elan Valley to a coastal town called Aberystwyth. It's a very scenic one-lane drive through the countryside, about 3-4 hours. You'll see loads of sheep, remains of old coal mines, and dams here and there. Along the way to Aberystwyth is a stop-off for the Devil's Bridge.
I played miniature golf in Aberystwyth Castle and grabbed a bite to eat before heading back to Rhayader.
On the way north to Rhayader from Cardiff, there are the Brecon Beacons, a mountain range in mid-South Wales. There are a few mountains to explore around here. Pen y Fan is the tallest peak there, and about a three-hour walk to the top. The view is amazing. You can then go back into the town of Brecon for food and lodging, about a 15 minute drive north of the Brecon mountain observation center.
In North Wales, there are a couple spots I'd suggest.
The first is Snowdonia National Park. Snowdon is Wales' highest mountain. A lot of hikers do a climb here, but there is a mountain train that rides to the top if you feel like waving at passing hikers. It gets cold and foggy at the top, so wear layers and keep an eye out where you walk. (Pen y Fan, too.)
The second place is Caernarfon Castle, where Prince Charles had his investiture ceremony. They have some stuff there related to that, but mainly the castle is also large and fun to explore.
If you like castles, another castle to go to is in Caerphilly. Not as big as Caernarfon, but worth exploring.
If you like books and small bookstores, you may want to check out the town of Hay-on-Wye. It's a town made up of a great number of second-hand bookstores. They also have a yearly festival that brings in guest writers and actors.
If you are driving north from Cardiff, you could stop in Caerphilly, go up to Brecon, and then head northwest to do the mountain road to Aberystwyth and then head north from there to Caernarfon and loop back south to Snowdonia. Hay-on-Wye is northeast of Brecon, I think, so it would be out of the way, unless you came back south from Snowdon to stop there.
posted by a lungful of dragon at 12:52 PM on February 12, 2016
I played miniature golf in Aberystwyth Castle and grabbed a bite to eat before heading back to Rhayader.
On the way north to Rhayader from Cardiff, there are the Brecon Beacons, a mountain range in mid-South Wales. There are a few mountains to explore around here. Pen y Fan is the tallest peak there, and about a three-hour walk to the top. The view is amazing. You can then go back into the town of Brecon for food and lodging, about a 15 minute drive north of the Brecon mountain observation center.
In North Wales, there are a couple spots I'd suggest.
The first is Snowdonia National Park. Snowdon is Wales' highest mountain. A lot of hikers do a climb here, but there is a mountain train that rides to the top if you feel like waving at passing hikers. It gets cold and foggy at the top, so wear layers and keep an eye out where you walk. (Pen y Fan, too.)
The second place is Caernarfon Castle, where Prince Charles had his investiture ceremony. They have some stuff there related to that, but mainly the castle is also large and fun to explore.
If you like castles, another castle to go to is in Caerphilly. Not as big as Caernarfon, but worth exploring.
If you like books and small bookstores, you may want to check out the town of Hay-on-Wye. It's a town made up of a great number of second-hand bookstores. They also have a yearly festival that brings in guest writers and actors.
If you are driving north from Cardiff, you could stop in Caerphilly, go up to Brecon, and then head northwest to do the mountain road to Aberystwyth and then head north from there to Caernarfon and loop back south to Snowdonia. Hay-on-Wye is northeast of Brecon, I think, so it would be out of the way, unless you came back south from Snowdon to stop there.
posted by a lungful of dragon at 12:52 PM on February 12, 2016
Wales is lovely. Really lovely.
Especially Pembrokeshire. All of Pembrokeshire. Walk along as much of the coast as you can, especially if the weather is good. It's proper, rugged, beautiful west coast. St David's is worth popping in to say you've been (it's the UK's smallest city, and is smaller than most villages) but the coastal walks is what it's really all about.
More northerly, Snowdonia is your obvious target, and as well as walking up the hills and mountains, there's plenty else in the area around to see/do - the above-mentioned Portmeiron, the Ffestiniog caverns and railway, that sort of thing. Colwyn Bay and Llandudno are wonderful examples of the archetypal British Seaside Resort (which is to say, slightly colder than is comfortable, with a lot of tacky gift shops, fish and chip shops and 'bracing' walks along the seafront).
Anglesey and Holyhead are also worth a visit if you've got time on your hands for a bit of remote bleakness, especially if you enjoy birdwatching - South Stack on Holyhead is a seabird-watching mecca, as well as being a great patch of rugged western coastline. And of course, there's Llanfair PG if you want to do the obviously touristy thing :)
But also, everything everyone else has said. Wales is wonderful and underrated.
posted by parm at 1:32 PM on February 12, 2016 [1 favorite]
Especially Pembrokeshire. All of Pembrokeshire. Walk along as much of the coast as you can, especially if the weather is good. It's proper, rugged, beautiful west coast. St David's is worth popping in to say you've been (it's the UK's smallest city, and is smaller than most villages) but the coastal walks is what it's really all about.
More northerly, Snowdonia is your obvious target, and as well as walking up the hills and mountains, there's plenty else in the area around to see/do - the above-mentioned Portmeiron, the Ffestiniog caverns and railway, that sort of thing. Colwyn Bay and Llandudno are wonderful examples of the archetypal British Seaside Resort (which is to say, slightly colder than is comfortable, with a lot of tacky gift shops, fish and chip shops and 'bracing' walks along the seafront).
Anglesey and Holyhead are also worth a visit if you've got time on your hands for a bit of remote bleakness, especially if you enjoy birdwatching - South Stack on Holyhead is a seabird-watching mecca, as well as being a great patch of rugged western coastline. And of course, there's Llanfair PG if you want to do the obviously touristy thing :)
But also, everything everyone else has said. Wales is wonderful and underrated.
posted by parm at 1:32 PM on February 12, 2016 [1 favorite]
a lungful of dragon's points above were pretty much our whole trip the first time I visited Wales. I concur.
posted by Chrysostom at 1:32 PM on February 12, 2016
posted by Chrysostom at 1:32 PM on February 12, 2016
Seconding the Brecon Beacons including Pen Y Fan and Snowdon (the hike, not the train ride). We also went to Anglesey and walked part of the Anglesey Coastal Path, which was really lovely. We rarely met other people even though it was the main season.
posted by amf at 1:39 PM on February 12, 2016
posted by amf at 1:39 PM on February 12, 2016
Agreeing with most of the above suggestions, but if you like Dylan Thomas or just awesome sea places, visit Laugharne.
posted by threetwentytwo at 3:00 PM on February 12, 2016
posted by threetwentytwo at 3:00 PM on February 12, 2016
Best answer: What are the places that are underappreciated or off the beaten path?
Definitely Portmeirion - it feels like a Wes Anderson film come to life, or all the good stuff from Christopher Alexander's "A Pattern Language" condensed into a square mile.
But on your way to Portmeirion, across the A497 road from the back entrance to Butlin's Pwllheli, is the start of Y Lôn Goed, a green grassy lane arched over with tree branches, and a place of great importance to Welsh literature, being the subject of R. Williams Parry's Romantic poem "Eifionydd." It's beautiful and deserted, and walking down it is a great chance to view the rural life of Welsh-speaking Wales.
Anglesey (Môn) was the center of the Druidic religion and it's where the Ancient Britons made their last stand against Julius Caesar's Roman conquest. Din Lligwy, in the northeast of the island near the sea, is a ruined Celtic village in the pre-Roman fashion. If you can get there when there's no tourist buses coming through (they don't stay long), the feeling of communion with intense antiquity is profound.
If you were going to be in Wales in early August, you'd HAVE TO go the National Eisteddfod, which can only be described as a massive willful creation of a natively Welsh-speaking city in the middle of a field somewhere. Everybody connected with Welsh-speaking Wales descends on the place. There's a Youth version of it in late May called the Urdd Eisteddfod, which isn't quite as impressive but still pretty interesting. This year the Urdd is near the towns of Fflint and Wrecsam, so if you happen to be nearby, check it out.
posted by Harvey Kilobit at 10:36 PM on February 12, 2016
Definitely Portmeirion - it feels like a Wes Anderson film come to life, or all the good stuff from Christopher Alexander's "A Pattern Language" condensed into a square mile.
But on your way to Portmeirion, across the A497 road from the back entrance to Butlin's Pwllheli, is the start of Y Lôn Goed, a green grassy lane arched over with tree branches, and a place of great importance to Welsh literature, being the subject of R. Williams Parry's Romantic poem "Eifionydd." It's beautiful and deserted, and walking down it is a great chance to view the rural life of Welsh-speaking Wales.
Anglesey (Môn) was the center of the Druidic religion and it's where the Ancient Britons made their last stand against Julius Caesar's Roman conquest. Din Lligwy, in the northeast of the island near the sea, is a ruined Celtic village in the pre-Roman fashion. If you can get there when there's no tourist buses coming through (they don't stay long), the feeling of communion with intense antiquity is profound.
If you were going to be in Wales in early August, you'd HAVE TO go the National Eisteddfod, which can only be described as a massive willful creation of a natively Welsh-speaking city in the middle of a field somewhere. Everybody connected with Welsh-speaking Wales descends on the place. There's a Youth version of it in late May called the Urdd Eisteddfod, which isn't quite as impressive but still pretty interesting. This year the Urdd is near the towns of Fflint and Wrecsam, so if you happen to be nearby, check it out.
posted by Harvey Kilobit at 10:36 PM on February 12, 2016
Portmeirion! It was our very favorite stop on a 10-day trip to the UK. Also, you can visit the home of the architect of Portmeirion, which I think is only 15 minutes away. Supposed to also be quite lovely and unusual.
posted by mirabelle at 5:24 AM on February 13, 2016
posted by mirabelle at 5:24 AM on February 13, 2016
Pretty much all of the things that I may have recommended have already been done (go to Snowdonia! Go to Caernarfon castle! etc.). However, I will double (or even triple) the recommendation for Blue Sky Cafe in Bangor, if you're in that area. Seriously, great food, lovely ambience.
Also, if you're around Llanberis (i.e. the base of the hike to Snowdon), it's actually sort of nice to wander across the way into the slate quarries as well. There is something beautifully desolate about them. If you're a climber as well, there's quite a lot in them to take a look at too.
posted by vernondalhart at 6:14 AM on February 13, 2016
Also, if you're around Llanberis (i.e. the base of the hike to Snowdon), it's actually sort of nice to wander across the way into the slate quarries as well. There is something beautifully desolate about them. If you're a climber as well, there's quite a lot in them to take a look at too.
posted by vernondalhart at 6:14 AM on February 13, 2016
This thread is closed to new comments.
Also get your fish and chips on. English chippies are a great deal.
posted by srboisvert at 10:53 AM on February 12, 2016