2 Bedroom Mid Wales & Cardigan Bay cottages

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• ...in the North of 'Castle Country' lies the county with a dual personality - Gwynedd . To the West, Gwynedd overlooks the dynamic Irish Sea with swathes of rock strewn beaches, while to the North-East Snowdonia National Park provides equal tranquility and beautiful scenery, with it's backbone of...

Wales is a region of spectacular natural beauty, and the area around Cardigan Bay is of particular attraction to visitors. The wide inlet of the Irish Sea indents the west coast of Wales from Bardsey Island, Gwynedd in the north, and round to Strumble Head in Pembrokeshire in the south. The area includes stunning coastline, picturesque countryside, beautiful woodlands and majestic mountains.

Things to do in Cardigan Bay
Bardsey Island lies just off the Llŷn Peninsula, and is now famous primarily for its rugged scenery and for wildlife which includes Manx shearwaters and Choughs. To the north east, the Snowdonia National Park covers some 823 sq miles and boasts the highest mountain in Wales as well as the largest natural lake in the principality.

Half way down the Bay, the 60-mile Ceredigion Coast Path enables walkers to enjoy one of the most magnificent coastlines in Europe. From the Path it is said to be possible to spot both Bottlenose dolphins and Atlantic grey seals. Red kites, buzzards, otters and rare orchids are amongst the other attractions for nature-lovers. The scenic coastline of the Ceredigion coast rises in the north east at Devil’s Bridge, high in the foothills of the Cambrian Mountains, with cascading waterfalls and a charming narrow gauge steam railway attracting the numerous visitors, who also flock to see the unique structures of the ‘three bridges’, which are built on top of one another.

Beyond the university town of Lampeter, the southern border of the Ceredigion area is defined by the River Teifi, which flows south from the mountains, passing Tregaron and swinging west to meet the sea at Cardigan.

To the south of the Bay, the rocky headland of Strumble Head is one of the best places in the UK from which to see porpoises.

Top Destinations
Aberystwyth – Host to the National Library of Wales and the Wales Portrait Gallery, and thus also home to some of the most precious Celtic manuscripts and documents, Aberystwyth is the largest town on the west coast. Surrounded by the Cambrian Mountains and the Rheidol Valley, the town also boasts the Vale of Rheidol Narrow Gauge Railway, the Mid Wales Lead and Silver Mining Museum, and the Aberystwyth Electric Cliff Railway.

Llandrindod Wells – Developed as a spa resort in the 19^th century, the town still glories in some fine, ornate Victorian, Edwardian and Art Deco architecture. The National Cycling Collection of Wales was established here in 1997, and the town is also the site of an annual Victorian festival each August.

Welshpool – A delightful market town, nestling in the upper reaches of the beautiful Severn Valley, Welshpool boasts the largest sheep market in Europe, as well as a fine, new one-way traffic system. Within walking distance of the town lies the medieval grandeur of Powis Castle, recognised as one of the best preserved castle and gardens in the principality. The castle offers visitors a spectacular Elizabethan Long Gallery, a unique collection of Indian treasures, and an amazing 26-acre garden.

Brecon – The town of Brecon was first established as a Roman military base. A Norman castle now overlooks this historic market town. Now part of the wider Hay arts festival, the Brecon Jazz Festival is an international music event, taking place in the town each August. Brecon lies on the northern edge of a National Park; the Beacons Way is a 95-mile walking route that takes in some of the best views of the 519 sq miles of the Brecon Beacons National Park.

New Quay – Once the home of Dylan Thomas, the town now offers a walking trail around the places that inspired this unique writer. New Quay is also one of the best places in the principality for potential seal and dolphin-spotters to take a boat-trip out across the bay.

Cardigan – Guarding the border with Pembrokeshire, Cardigan lies on the northern bank of the Teifi estuary. The imposing outer walls of the now-ruined castle still dominate the historically significant river crossing that bridges Ceredigion with Pembrokeshire