It’s Santa’s birthday week, and he’s chosen to celebrate by spending a few days in Wales. We packed up the car and set out on the 3 and half hour drive to our Airbnb base. To break up the journey, we stopped for a stretch and a breath of fresh air at Penllergare Valley Woods, a hidden gem that lies just off the M4. This peaceful spot was once the estate of John Dillwyn Llewelyn. We walked through the winding woodland trails, surrounded by towering trees (unfortunately some of which didn’t survive Darragh) and the rushing sound of the waterfall. There’s also quaint bridges, chirping birds and scampering squirrels. The various paths and routes however weren’t well marked, making us especially grateful for our trusty Alltrails app to guide the way.
As we arrived at our destination, we were pleased to discover that we’d found yet another quirky Airbnb. Nestled in the picturesque village of St Dogmaels, located on the scenic estuary of the River Teifi, our cozy cottage oozed charm and character. We were pleased to to find a welcome gift left by our host – a bottle of Prosecco, and some KitKats, which Santa eagerly scoffed.
St Dogmeals – we kicked off our adventure by exploring the village, and what luck it was that our first day landed on a Tuesday, because that meant diving straight into the award winning local food market! Although not as big as I had hoped, it was still bustling and sold goods such as fruit, veg, cheese and cakes. Santa tried his luck at the tombola and hit the jackpot with a bottle of delicious Welsh cider—what a delightful surprise! Just a stone’s throw away from the market are the ruins of the abbey, which was built in 1113 and upgraded to abbey status in 1120. It met its fate in 1536 when, along with hundreds of other houses throughout England and Wales with an annual income of less than £200, was suppressed by King Henry VIII. Next to the ruins lies Y Felin, a traditional working water mill that’s one of the last of its kind in Wales! There’s plenty of fresh bread and various types of flour to purchase.
Aberaeron – one of the many colourful seaside towns in Wales. It is thought that this acted as an architectural waymarker to help weary fishermen find their home long after the sun had set. Unfortunately there is a lot of construction work, meaning the views of these rainbow house are currently obscured by cranes. Instead we hopped around many of the independent shops, and enjoyed a coffee and mince pies from one of the local bakeries.
Borth – this sandy beach is the longest in Ceredigion, but the reason we were here was to try and catch the sunken forest. We carefully timed our visit to coincide with low tide, eager to witness the Pine, Oak, Birch, and Willow stumps. The scene was both eerie, reminiscent of something out of a disaster movie, and magical, filled with legend and mystery. There are so many ways to describe this place. It was an experience to walk amongst the remains of this ancient forest, which is estimated to extend twenty miles out into Cardigan Bay. The trees have been carbon-dated and are believed to have died between 4,000 and 6,500 years ago. During our visit, we encountered only a handful of other people. We ended up spending much longer here than we had anticipated because it was all so fascinating. As the tide receded further, more stumps were revealed. We concluded our day with a brief exploration of the sand dunes at Ynyslas before the rain set in. Momma’s camera was put to good use today!
As it was Santa’s birthday, we made sure we found a restaurant with a suitable beer selection, and he was delighted to try every single one of their own ‘Dai’ craft beers.
New Quay – the forecast for today was a gloomy one, but luckily our time in this small town was a dry one. The harbour beach is backed by steep limestone cliffs and colourful houses. We met a volunteer who counts the local wildlife, and he helped us spot Bottlenose dolphins swimming and diving as they followed shoals of mackerel into the bay. We also saw seals and a variety of seabirds. We finished our visit by enjoying a teacake that was the size of my head.
Cmwtydu – a beach we didn’t plan to visit but discovered on Google Maps, so we decided to stop by. It’s a hidden gem, offering beautiful views and the sound of crashing waves. The small pebble beach was scattered with the remains of blue lobsters! It was so quiet and secluded in the past that it served as a hideaway for smugglers in the area. There’s a coastal path to explore, but since we had more activities planned, we only managed to walk a small portion of it.
Tresaith – we visited Tresaith a few years ago and decided that seeing the waterfall cascading down onto the beach was worth another trip. Unfortunately, when we arrived, it was pouring rain, the wind was howling, and we hadn’t timed our visit with the tide properly. Although the waterfall could have been accessed by climbing over some rocks, we deemed it too dangerous given the weather, so we admired it from the beach instead. The town was clearly shutdown for the winter, as all the cafes and shops were closed. However, Tresaith is definitely worth visiting during the summer months.
Mwnt – a hidden cove with golden sand, rolling waves, and a Grade I listed church dating back to the 13th century. Unfortunately, it was not only pouring with rain but also getting dark, so our visit to Mwnt was all too brief. I decided to trek up to the top of the hill for a better view, and even on this dreary day, the sights were still fantastic.
Lantern festival – we had a message from out Airbnb host to say Cardigan was hosting their postponed lantern festival, so we decided to walk down to the town to check it out. Despite the bad weather, the turnout was great, and you could truly feel the community spirit. We were even treated to a fireworks display! It was a wonderful way to spend our last evening of the trip. Once back at the house, Santa enjoyed some port and nearly a whole block of Welsh cheese!
Poppit Sands – before we began our long drive home, we decided to take a walk along Poppit Sands. It turned out to be quite a bracing experience! The wind was fierce, sand was blowing everywhere, and the waves were crashing; we were struggling to walk, but we loved it! After that, we thought, “Why not?” and also squeezed in a visit to Newcastle Emlyn and Cenarth Falls.
The Travelling Ginger 