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I'm off for a 7 day tour of Wales and nearby bits next month in the camper and was looking for some suggestions for a visit.
I'm starting my trip along the north coast and heading for a place near Caernarfon as my first nights stop. I was going to head towards Barmouth for a couple of nights and do a day trip or two from there to Portmeirion and CYB (sorry did I mention the bikes were coming?)
Hoping for a bit of walking and castle spotting, olde worlde villages and the like, generally a quiet week away with the good lady.
I would like to keep on heading down the coast and then back inland once I hit, say Camarthen (no offence but would prefer to avoid the big towns and cities on the south coast area).
Won't be biking all the time and would be happy with a easy pedal along a coast or down a railway line.
Will be heading back north inland and thought maybe passing through Shrewsbury and Chester on the way back.
All suggestions gratefully received!
Once you've hit carmathen head up for Brecfa,or llandovery, way there is cwm rhaeader,a short 7k red route,or head across lampeter ,tregaron way and you have ystwyth trail ,across tregaron bog following old rail line.
then head aberystwth, n up to shrewsbury that way, poss nant-yr -arayn .
Trail Guide: Cwm Rhaeadr, Mid-Wales | MBR
10 Dec 2011 ... We arrived at Cwm Rhaeadr on a rainy day in December that came after .... Trail of the Year 2011: Reader awards - 8216 views; Tech: Fabien ...
www.mbr.co.uk/routes/wales/trail-guide-cwm-rhaeadr-mid-wales/
Llwybr Ystwyth - Ystwyth Trail
Guide to the cycle path being constructed on a railway line from Tregaron to Abersytwyth. Also has features on local wildlife, history and attractions.
www.tourism.ceredigion.gov.uk/saesneg/ystwythtrail.htm
www.llanidloes.com/nant_y_arian/index.html
I'd visit Laugharne, could do the Dylan Thomas walk which looks pretty great, hiking/climbing at the Gower Peninsula.
There's a great little cycle track from Caernarfon following the Welsh Highland Railway down the Llyn peninsula:
[url= http://www.cyclingnorthwales.co.uk/pages/lon_eifion.htm ]Link here - Lon Las Eifon.[/url] and here [url= http://www.sustrans.org.uk/sustrans-near-you/wales/easy-rides-in-wales/lon-eifion-caernarfon ]here.[/url]
Alternatively, park just past Morfa Nefyn on the north coast for a quiet coastal bimble. Aberdaron is lovely.
I think you'd be better planning to do Portmeirion from Caernarfon rather than Barmouth.
From Caernarfon you could pop across to [url= http://www.castlewales.com/beaumar.html ]Beaumaris[/url], [url= http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benllech ]Benllech[/url] has a nice beach and coast and of course you can't visit the island without going to [url= http://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch ]Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch[/url]. 😆
From Caernarfon I'd head along the [url= http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ll%C5%B7n_Peninsula ]Llyn Peninsula[/url] taking in [url= http://www.castlewales.com/criccth.html ]Cricceith Castle,[/url] [url= http://www.portmeirion-village.com/ ]Portmeirion [/url] and [url= http://www.castlewales.com/harlech.html ]Harlech[/url] on the way to Barmouth. Even though Barmouth is my family seat, I have less knowledge here, you've got [url= http://www.mawddachestuary.co.uk/walks/panorama-walk.html ]Tha Panorama Walk[/url] and some train and Cadair Idris not too far away.
Coming back up through [url= http://www.ludlow.org.uk/ ]Ludlow[/url], [url= http://www.shrewsburyguide.info/ ]Shrewsbury [/url]and [url= http://www.visitchester.com/ ]Chester[/url].
I'm sure there is plenty I have missed including Conwy, Aber Glaslyn, Beddgelert, Conwy Castle, etc for which I apologise.... 😀
If I had a week I wouldn't try to spread myself all over Wales I'd concentrate in one area. Otherwise you'll spend too much time on the road. The A470 is not a great road.
I'd probaby stay up in North Wales - so many great things to do up there - Snowdon, Cadair Idris, CyB, Conwy, Clwyd's etc and if you have time venture into mid Wales - NyA, Elan Valley, Doethie Valley.
I live in the south and its lovely down here too but I think you won't relax much at all if you try to cover too much ground in one week.
Don't forget Wrecsam! 🙁
Ok, so I might need 2 weeks!
Thanks for all the info and links, back to the drawing board so to speak.
Because I'm starting out on Good Friday so many campsites want a 2 or 3 night minimum stay which is making my plans a bit difficult.
The point about not cramming too much in is taken onboard.
If its castles you want then Pembrokeshire has more castles per square mile than just about anywhere in the world.. Pembroke, Carew, Manorbier etc all steeped in medieval / Cromwellian / Tudor history.
http://www.visitpembrokeshire.com/content.asp?nav=32
Also there's the Pembrokeshire Coast Path which is one of the finest coastal routes in the country.
http://www.visitpembrokeshire.com/coastpath/
Its completely different to North wales and both have amazing things to do and visit
Route 5 of the national cycle network goes from Chester in Englad to Holyhead, quite a bit of it off road, then there is Anglesey, flatish but windy, head to holy island above holyhead.
Then there is Barmouth to Dolgellau off road on the old train line, Blaenau festiniog to sheck out the new trails, then Gwydr forest above LLanwrst.