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Around Cardiganshire (Ceredigion)
Aberystwyth & Borth
Castle ruins, Aberystwyth
The university town of Aberystwyth is most scenically approached from the north on the A487. As you get to the top of Penglais Hill the town is spread out before you, with the ruins of the castle in the distance. This really is to see Aberystwyth at its best as descending into the town is somewhat more of a letdown following the installation of a new traffic system which has slowed the flow to a snail’s pace, even on quiet days. Additionally, parking can be very difficult indeed. This is particularly true during the tourist season, which runs from Easter to the end of September.
Caravan parks abound in this area of Ceredigion and, on rainy, windy spring and summer days, when the beaches are not the most conducive of places to be, the town can be brought to a standstill by cars carrying people into the town to go shopping, to eat or trying to find entertainment for their families.
The shops in the High Street are similar to those in most other towns and cities throughout Britain. Explore the side streets, though, and you may find one or two more interesting places to spend your money.
The beach here is almost pure shingle and stones and therefore not a good place for children to play. The promenade is, however, smart, fairly flat and even and makes for easy walking. Here you can saunter along at your own pace, taking in the sights of Constitution Hill with its cliff railway, the rows of Victorian houses (many of which are now hotels) or enjoy the sea view.
The National Library of Wales, one of only six copyright libraries in the UK, is open for exhibitions and family history research and is where the earliest recorded Welsh poetry can be seen in the Black Book of Carmarthen.
The Arts Centre, located within the university campus, hosts a wide programme of events including concerts, exhibitions, theatre productions and films.
A little further up the coast is Borth. Here there is a wide stretch of family-friendly beach, which counts among its users surfers, windsurfers, families on picnics and horse riders. Parking in Borth in high season can be difficult but not usually impossible and its narrow High Street can also cause bottlenecks of traffic. Hotel and restaurant facilities are not that abundant, either, but meals can be found in its pubs, cafes and coffee shops.
If you like golf, the championship course at Borth & Ynyslas Golf Club runs adjacent to the beach and visitors are welcome all year round.
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