What's a must see or do in Wales

Pfft everytime I go to Pontsticill it's never flowing into the bell mouth :( This is probably the best of my lot....

 
cardiff_gareth said:
@rjbell I'm in Rhoose myself but know exactly where you are! You should pop along to Barry Camera Club, it's down the road from you ;)

One place not mentioned yet AND they have great ice-cream is the Mumbles Swansea. Verdi's ice cream :cool:

Merthyr Mawr is an excellent choice also, as is Talybont.

A little place I found today that's in the South, 10 mins from mine is Hensol Woods. I know the image is poor, I arrived late on in the day for a family walk aka a scout of the area :D and it's like this all the way around.
Location scout images by Gareth Williams, on Flickr

Pontsticill Reservoir in Brecon is good also as well as upper and lower Neuadd reservoirs
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rjbell said:
Yeah I used to go about 5 yrs ago, it's my new year's resolution to start again :)

I have to agree Verdi's is very nice too. The is beginning to be the ice cream tour of Wales! :)
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Locals much prefer Joes ice cream (Northpole :banana:), try it when your next down this way, their main parlour is in Mumbles, couple of hundred yards down from the White Rose (mini roundabout) and on same side and heading towards Verdi's.
 
Swanseajack said:
Locals much prefer Joes ice cream (Northpole :banana:), try it when your next down this way, their main parlour is in Mumbles, couple of hundred yards down from the White Rose (mini roundabout) and on same side and heading towards Verdi's.
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Joe's (n)
 
I am coming back to this guys... Need to sit down with the missus and go through all the posts.. had some invaluable input so far thank you :)
 
SarahLee said:
Ogmore riding school is great and they cater for complete novices .
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My wife has made what may be a valid point... 2 hrs on a horse having never done it before... will i be ok for a days driving and walking around places or be a bit saddle sore? hmm
 
Swanseajack said:
Had a bad experience?

I'm not so keen on Verdi's or Castellamare, their just lovely locations to sit and watch the world go by and hence the Joe's mention, in-case you haven't tried one.
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My partner is from Swansea so down there every other weekend to see the family. I think of myself as a ice cream connoisseur ;) i find Joes a little too sweet and not creamy enough.
 
I may be biased but one of the great things about Wales is the amount and diversity of locations within a fairly short distance of say 30 miles. If you stay anywhere near the southern edge of the Brecon Beacons (where I live) then you have 'Waterfall Country' at Pontneddfechan, the Central Beacons peaks such as Pen Y Fan and the surrounding reservoirs.

Drive south and you'll find yourself at the Heritage Coast with locations such as Dunraven Bay, Nash Point and Llantwit Major and the very photogenic Penarth Pier just to the east. The Gower coastline is also close by which was the UK's very first Area of Outstanding Beauty and must sees are Three Cliffs, Rhossili Bay and the Whiteford Point lighthouse. As mentioned by others, the tide can come in at an alarming rate and has the second highest tidal range in the world so check the tide times.
 
In north Wales.

Snowdon, obviously.
Swallow Falls at Bets-Y-Coed
South Stack Lighthouse
Caernarfon Castle.

Cheers
 
KJJ said:
I may be biased but one of the great things about Wales is the amount and diversity of locations within a fairly short distance of say 30 miles. If you stay anywhere near the southern edge of the Brecon Beacons (where I live) then you have 'Waterfall Country' at Pontneddfechan, the Central Beacons peaks such as Pen Y Fan and the surrounding reservoirs.

Drive south and you'll find yourself at the Heritage Coast with locations such as Dunraven Bay, Nash Point and Llantwit Major and the very photogenic Penarth Pier just to the east. The Gower coastline is also close by which was the UK's very first Area of Outstanding Beauty and must sees are Three Cliffs, Rhossili Bay and the Whiteford Point lighthouse. As mentioned by others, the tide can come in at an alarming rate and has the second highest tidal range in the world so check the tide times.
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Nash Point and Penarth you say!


 
Swallow Falls... For me, hugely overrated.
 
viv1969 said:
Swallow Falls... For me, hugely overrated.
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Yeah I must admit it wasn't one of the greatest sights on earth but you're in Wales, you have to be realistic.

We enjoyed the walk through the woods along the river to and from the town towards the Waterfalls.

There is nice little Cafe in the town and parking is fairly easy.

Personally I don't spend my life looking for the greatest sight to photograph, I just do walking and take pictures.
 
Trying to do all wales is a little unrealistic? We've taken 7 years of visits to do Pembrokeshire and thats just coastal areas.
Outside Swansea is Aberdulais waterfall and tin workings. It's National Trust with a good tea shop and information centre. Cracking waterfall.

Pistyl Rhyader waterfall, make sure you walk to the top for the view.
If you're around Aberyswyth then the silver mine is good http://www.silvermountainexperience.co.uk/
 
Sorry more on: Pistyl Rhyader waterfall, make sure you walk to the top for the view.

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Good teashop at the bottom but the carpark is quite small and fills so people park along the road. Get there early enough though and it's fine
 
I lived in Wales for the first 37 years of my life and I love it there. There are many, many places to visit but for me, my first choice is Elan Valley, every time.
 
KIPAX said:
My wife has made what may be a valid point... 2 hrs on a horse having never done it before... will i be ok for a days driving and walking around places or be a bit saddle sore? hmm
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Hmmmm - it's a fair point.
Personally, I don't think 2 hours is long enough to cause any problems. I may only manage to get out on a trek once or twice a year and have never had ant discomfort at all.
On the other hand, the days we've done a really long walk through the dunes (lots of hills and walking through sand) my leg muscles have been killing me the day after.
I'd guess that it varies from person to person and your general fitness level / usual exercise routine.

Do you cycle at all?
I'd equate it posture-wise to a 2 hour bike ride, but obviously without the stress and workout for your legs.
 
Byker28i said:
Sorry more on: Pistyl Rhyader waterfall, make sure you walk to the top for the view.

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113292248.jpg

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Good teashop at the bottom but the carpark is quite small and fills so people park along the road. Get there early enough though and it's fine
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How did you get to the last viewpoint? Not seen that before!
 
Alan Clogwyn said:
How did you get to the last viewpoint? Not seen that before!
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If you walk to the rear right of the carpark behind the teashop (almost where the road bends to go into the carpark), then there's a path up. Two ways up, steep steps, shorter but harder or a winding path, easier to walk.
 
SarahLee said:
Hmmmm - it's a fair point.
Personally, I don't think 2 hours is long enough to cause any problems. I may only manage to get out on a trek once or twice a year and have never had ant discomfort at all.
On the other hand, the days we've done a really long walk through the dunes (lots of hills and walking through sand) my leg muscles have been killing me the day after.
I'd guess that it varies from person to person and your general fitness level / usual exercise routine.

Do you cycle at all?
I'd equate it posture-wise to a 2 hour bike ride, but obviously without the stress and workout for your legs.
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All depends on whether you are plonked on a horse and told to sit there, kick to go and pull to stop, or if you are put in the correct position and told how to ride with your seat and core muscles. For a trek it will probably (but not necessarily) be the former and you will be fine. If you invest in a decent lesson you might well not be able to walk afterwards!
 
SarahLee said:
Hmmmm - it's a fair point.
Personally, I don't think 2 hours is long enough to cause any problems..
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well I am over 60 and never been on a horse and not been on a bike since i was a kid :)
 
Byker28i said:
Trying to do all wales is a little unrealistic?
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good grief..... why are you saying that? I havent said i was going to do all wales.. I just want to travel round the best parts of it and see some good stuff...hence why i asked... I did scotland last year and could go back a hundred times and see new stuff...
 
sitting down with all the info next week and planning the route to go down center.. then up coast. going to start making the bookings for where we stay and stuff like the trips.... got time to sort afterw eekend :) . driving holiday... dont need to stop at places for days.. an hr here and there will do... some places will need longer.. some places not so long... amazing what you can get through in a week :)
 
KIPAX said:
good grief..... why are you saying that? I havent said i was going to do all wales.. I just want to travel round the best parts of it and see some good stuff...hence why i asked... I did scotland last year and could go back a hundred times and see new stuff...
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Mainly because the roads going across or up and down aren't fast roads to travel. You could spend a day traveling and stopping say twice to photograph. Personally I'd pick an area and choose that, you can divide it into say the North, Snowdonia, Anglesey, Colwyn Bay, LLandudno, Bangor, Port Meirion, Barmouth. Loads to see and do and you wouldn't even scratch the surface.

South, theres Pembrokeshire, the Gower, Brecon Beacons. I've spent 8 years traveling around Pembrokeshire alone.

Thats why, but it is based on personal choice. There's so much to see, it's probably better to pick an area and spend time enjoying it, rather than cherry picking a few and spending ages driving.
 
Anyhow, enjoy.
Stick up your list, it'll be interesting to see what you've decided on as I've probably missed some
 
Tobers said:
I recently had a great trip around north Wales. My suggestions:

  • Stay at the Premier Inn at Caernarfon. Easy walk to the castle and town centre and not too pricey.
  • Pop over the Menai Strait and visit the Newborough Warren wildlife reserve, which has a gorgeous beach.
  • Drive through Snowdonia - there's a nice circuit from Caernarfon to Llanberis to Plas Gwynant to Beddgelert and back to Caernarfon. You can pop up Snowdon from Llanberis on the railway if it's open.
  • If you're going to head down to mid/south Wales, on the way stop off at Mach Loop and look for fast jets flying below you. Bwlch is a good spot - park in the little car park and walk up teh hill a bit: http://machloop.co.uk/mach-loop-map/machloopmap.png
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Done the first couple... got snowdonia and train ride up/down booked:) Deffo going to look into bwlch ... we have to go through brecon beacons.. plan A was the Black mountain pass as supposedly one of the top three drives in the UK ... But all the suggestions of places to visit are further east through brecon

http://www.drivingforpleasure.co.uk/roads-and-tours/uk-road.php?s=2011-09-16-black-mountain-pass
 
Byker28i said:
Thats why, but it is based on personal choice. There's so much to see, it's probably better to pick an area and spend time enjoying it, rather than cherry picking a few and spending ages driving.
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Its the latter we enjoy.. each to there own as you say :) driving holiday = mostly driving ..
 
Working on Sunday 25th June to about 1pm .. wife will have everyhting ready so off we go..

First stop Pistyl Rhyader waterfall www.pistyllrhaeadr.co.uk which is 110 miles 2hr 15 mins from home so there late sunday afternoon.. It's June so will be light until late.. Should ahve time to walk to top so all round views.
Back to Oswestry Travel lodge booked for sunday evening.. Cheap and cheerfull

Monday 26th
Oswestry Devils Bridge 61 MILES 1hr 37 mins www.devilsbridgefalls.co.uk arrive early morning and have half a day
Then 28 miles 43 mins to Elen Valley visitors center.. half a day there and we are booked into Elan valley hotel just up the rd www.evanvalleyhotel.co.uk . Back out at night for what are supposed to be award winning night sky views.. hope its clear

Tuesday 27th travel towards Neath area www.visitnpt.co.uk/default.aspx?page=6245 Through Brecon Beacons National Park.... heres the problem... Lots of suggestions.. Plan A was Black mountain pass but thats shortest and nowhere to stop but supposedly best drive.... I think maybe more east with more to take in looking at the suggestions in this thread..... So best way through brecon ? :)

Finding somewhere enar swansea to stay wed night... thats it so far

to look into..... THANKS to everyone in this thread for above and below :)

Petrified forest, Borth http://www.ceredigioncoastpath.org.uk/submerged.html
Bosherston Ponds
St Govan's church
Mach Loop/Bwlch
'Waterfall Country' at Pontneddfechan
Swallow Falls at Bets-Y-Coed
South Stack Lighthouse
Caernarfon Castle.


Friday 30th
Train up down snowden... 2hrs each way 20 mins up there


Its stop at anyhting we see interesting.... we dont need to spend hrs looking at one thing.. we also arn't rushing about... last yr round "part" of scotland we went so many places and saw so much.. fantastic holiday.. so we know it works:)
 
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Brecon Beacons to Swansea - A4069
From the red kite feeding station at Llanddeusant heading south is one of Gods driving roads
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Byker28i said:
Brecon Beacons to Swansea - A4069
From the red kite feeding station at Llanddeusant heading south is one of Gods driving roads
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Thats the black mountain rd.. l posted as second best drive in UK and my Plan A before i got suggestions for other ways.... so reccomended drive then :)
 
Black Mountain pass is awesome, I was shown up by a white van though.

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Agree re A4069 - excellent driving (and biking) road.

I know the Elan Valley Hotel near Rhaeadr well, as despite its lovely remote location it is geographically very centrally located as an all-Wales venue and gets used quite often for business meetings.

Your Pembrokeshire choices are not the best options for such a flying visit in my opinion. St David's is pretty special and the coast and islands around there are superb. The cathedral knocks St Govans chapel into a cocked hat. Bosherston Lilly ponds are nice, but man made, and there is a lot better natural beauty around. If you do go to Bosherston / St Govans then you will be driving past Pembroke castle which is worth a visit. You really need to stop long enough to get a couple of hours walking on the coast path. There is nowhere better. Swathes of wild flowers that time of year.

All you need is good weather. June is usually one of the drier months so you are in with a chance.
 
A4069 :D

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Caer Beris hotel – Builth Wales if you didn't want to stop at Rhayader
Set on a horseshoe of a river in its own grounds, period rooms, good parking, excellent restaurant and bar. We’ve stayed a couple of times. You can even take a dog to stay in your room.
http://www.caerberis.com/

Elan Valley – Drive around the Dams, it’s also an International Dark Sky Park takes approx. one hour to drive the loop slowly, stopping to take in the dams (which are stunning). Stop at the visitor center for tea and cake
Visitor Center - http://www.elanvalley.org.uk/


Nearby is the Red Kite Feeding Station at Rhayader
Red kite feeding every day at 3pm £6 adults
http://www.gigrin.co.uk/

If needed there’s also the Royal Welsh Crystal at Rhayder - http://www.welshroyalcrystal.co.uk/
 
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