There is so much to do in mid-Wales (Ceredigion, Powys, Gwynedd) with Cardigan Bay, the Cambrian Mountains and the Dyfi Estuary to see, but here are some suggestions for how to condense it all into 5 day trips…
DAY 1: Cardigan Bay Coast
Get to know the coastline by visiting the quaint Welsh fishing villages of Aberaeron and New Quay with their traditional multi-coloured houses. At New Quay take one of the dolphin watching boat trips into the bay with a chance of seeing the resident bottle-nosed dolphins and a spectacular seabird city on the cliff face. There are plenty of restaurants many offering local seafood, but I would recommend fish & chips at the famous Harbourmaster in Aberaeron. If you have time in the afternoon its worth visiting the beautiful secluded beaches at Mwnt and Llangranog further south.
DAY 2: Devil’s Bridge and Red Kites
Take the iconic Vale of Rheidol steam train from Aberystwyth to Devil’s Bridge – it’s a leisurely ride with stunning views. At Devil’s Bridge walk the trail down to the spectacular waterfalls and back and treat yourself to a welcome coffee in the cosy log cabin. Take the train back to your car and drive just out of town to Nant-yr-Arian forest in time for lunch in the Visitor Centre overlooking a lake. Then wait for the best experience of your holiday – hundreds of Red Kites and Buzzards gather overhead for their daily feeding time and then swoop down right over your head!
DAY 3: Coastal Path from Aberystwyth to Borth
Drive to Aberystwyth and walk to the north end of the promenade and either climb up Constitution Hill or if I were you take the funicular railway! Enjoy the stunning view from the top before setting off along the well-marked coastal path towards Borth. You can turn around at any time of course. When you get back, its time for a late lunch – how about home-made pizzas at Baravin overlooking the sea. Explore Aberystwyth in the afternoon – lots of independent shops and interesting architecture.
DAY 4: Scenic drive to Elan Valley
Recognized as one of the most scenic drives in the UK, take your camera with you when you drive into the Cambrian Mountains from Aberystwyth to Rhayader and round the spectacular Elan Valley lakes/reservoirs route. Take a picnic or lunch at the Visitor Centre. On the way back stop at Cors Caron nature reserve for a short walk along the boardwalk. Finish the day with a drink & a meal at the award-winning old drover’s inn The Talbot in nearby Tregaron.
DAY 5: Bird-Watching on the Dyfi estuary
Although this is a day for bird-watchers it can still be enjoyed by non-birders for the scenery and walks available. Pack a picnic and head north up the coast and the first stop is Ynyslas Nature Reserve at the northern end of Borth beach, with its wild sand dunes. Look for waders in the mud-flats at the estuary mouth. Then its on to watch the Ospreys at the Dyfi Osprey Project on a nest platform a few yards away from you (hopefully with chicks). A short drive away is the renowned RSPB reserve of Ynys Hir which was featured on Springwatch. There is a visitor centre and many marked trails and viewing hides overlooking the estuary and ponds. On the way back stop at Pennau Crafts in Bow Street for a welcome cup of tea and Welsh Cakes (like flat scones) or Bara Brith (delicious Welsh fruit cake), and why not buy some of their excellent souvenirs to take home.
Cardigan Bay is home to the only resident population of Bottle-nosed Dolphins in the UK. You might be lucky and see them from the shore anywhere along the Ceredigion coast, but the best way to increase your chances is to take one of the dolphin-watching boats from New Quay. Its well worth the ride just for the scenery even if you are unlucky with the dolphins and you’re likely to see an Atlantic Grey Seal or two resting on the rocks as compensation.
Starlings might not strike you as the most interesting or exciting birds, but you’ll change your mind when you see tens of thousands of them flying in fantastic formations, called murmurations. They put on this display over the pier in Aberystwyth as sunset every evening in Autumn/Winter before disappearing under the pier to roost for the night.
This is something not to be missed whether you are a bird/wildlife enthusiast or not. At Nant-yr-Arian Forest, which is managed by Natural Resources Wales, you can watch hundreds of wild Red Kites being fed scraps of fat a few yards in front of you. This happens every afternoon at 3pm in the summer (2pm winter), and the birds from far & wide know what time to start collecting in the surrounding trees – ready to swoop down over your head to the thrown treats. Take your camera.
Ospreys were extinct in Wales until recently when they have started to nest here again at a few protected sites. One of these is the Dyfi Osprey Project south of Machynlleth, managed by the Montgomeryshire Wildlife Trust. This is a superb little reserve with a boardwalk leading to an observatory overlooking the estuary and an osprey nest platform. You are almost guaranteed to see these magnificent birds during the summer months – the pair usually have 2/3 chicks. The nest is also live-streamed.
At the Magic of Life Butterfly House you can experience hundreds of huge exotic butterflies and caterpillars in a tropical environment and maybe even witness one emerging from its chrysalis.
A drive into the beautiful and remote Cambrian Mountains from Tregaron on the old drover’s road to Abergwesyn could bring you face-to-face with the only known Golden Eagle in Wales. “Eddie” as he/she has been named has taken up residence here and seems to be thriving on the local rabbit population. And in the forests up here there are known to be small populations of Red Squirrels and Pine Martens.