THE DRIVES OF YOUR LIFE: WALES
Rivers deep, mountains high – plus waterfalls, wild beaches and national parks. Your epic Welsh road trip starts here, says Susan Ward Davies
Explore the Land of Song
THE ROUTE The Wales Coastal Way, from Aberdaron, Llŷn Peninsula, to St Davids, Pembrokeshire, 290km
My father used to say that the Welsh were musical and spoke in a melodic, lilting way because their voices mimicked the undulations of the hills, mountains and valleys of Wales. He was half Welsh and, although I inherited none of his musicality, I love the rugged landscape of his homeland. To get a feel for its wild variety, drive the length of Cardigan Bay, a 290km stretch, curving like a bass clef around the Irish Sea, from the Llŷn Peninsula in the north to St Davids.
Start at the fishing village of Aberdaron, with its sandy beach and rock pools. Like a Welsh Cornwall, this western tip of the Llŷn Peninsula is all hidden coves, surfers, dolphin-sightings and clifftop walks.
Take the B4413 towards Abersoch for beautiful beaches at Porth Ceiriad and Porth Mawr (where a beach hut sold for £160,000). At Lon Garmon, switch to the A499 to Abersoch, then the A497 to the Italianate folly of Portmeirion village, before heading to Harlech’s spectacular castle. Continue down the coast along the A496 to Barmouth and around the Mawddach estuary, full of birdlife and butterflies, turning back seawards on the scenic A493, then, mostly hugging the coast, through the seaside resort of Aberdyfi and around the Dyfi estuary until it meets the A487. This runs all the way to St Davids through Aberystwyth, Aberaeron, Cardigan and Fishguard.
THE PIT STOPS
BARDSEY ISLAND, Llŷn Peninsula Spot grey seals and dolphins on this boat trip from Aberdaron (bardseyboattrips.com).
WHISTLING SANDS, Porthor Just 4km north of Aberdaron, this beach is named for the squeaks that the unusually shaped sand particles make when walked on.
PORTMEIRION This Italianate tourist village of ice cream-coloured houses and sub-tropical gardens was built by Clough Williams-ellis. Book a room (see hotels, right) to have the place to yourself when the day-trippers leave (portmeirion.wales).
HARLECH CASTLE A 13th-century castle perched on a hilltop between the sea and Snowdonia’s mountains (cadw.gov.wales).
MAWDDACH ESTUARY Walk the viaduct from Barmouth to Morfa Mawddach for the best estuary views. Take the footpath to Fairbourne to see the Cregennan Lakes.
DOLGOCH FALLS See three waterfalls cascading through the woodland.
ABERDYFI Colourful houses line the beachfront of this pretty seaside resort.
DYFI NATIONAL NATURE RESERVE In the summer, marsh helleborine and orchids cover the Ynyslas dunes. Look for dolphins, seals, larks and shelducks. At low tide, the beach between Ynyslas and Borth reveals stumps of an ancient preserved forest.
ABERYSTWYTH The town has the oldest pier in Wales, the world’s largest camera obscura and Britain’s longest cliff railway.
ABERAERON You’ll find more colourful houses in this Georgian harbour town.
NEW QUAY Dylan Thomas lived here during the Second World War. New Quay is said to have inspired Under Milk Wood.
PENBRYN This pretty coastal village has almost a mile of golden beach.
BLUE LAGOON, Abereiddy The sea here flooded into a quarry, creating a lagoon.
ST DAVIDS Britain’s smallest city is famous for its cathedral and Bishop’s Palace. Volcanic St David’s Head is part of Pembrokeshire’s spectacular coastal walk.
THE RESTAURANTS
TY COCH INN, Llŷn Peninsula
This award-winning pub is right on Porthdinllaen village beach (tycoch.co.uk).
BWYTY MAWDDACH, Dolgellau
Snowdonia-reared beef and lamb in a rustic converted barn.
YNYSHIR, Porth This Michelinstarred restaurant-with-rooms, 11km north-east of Ynyslas, serves a 20-course meaty, modern Welsh tasting menu (ynyshir.co.uk).
THE CELLAR, Aberaeron Dishes at the award-winning restaurant include roast butternut squash and spiced cauliflower couscous (thecellar-aberaeron.co.uk).
THE PLWMP TART, Penbryn
Tea and cakes near Penbryn beach.
THE SHED, Porthgain Red chequered tablecloths and tasty seafood (theshedporthgain.co.uk).
THE FOOD & DRINK
Try these Welsh treats: Bara brith: rich fruit loaf.
Brefu Bach sheep’s cheese and Mon Las blue cheese.
Laverbread: boiled seaweed paste.
Welsh cakes: raisin scone-like pancakes.
Welsh onion cake.
Glamorgan sausages made from cheese, leek and breadcrumbs.
Bluestone craft beer from the Preseli Hills and Porthmadog’s Purple Moose.
THE HOTELS
PORTMEIRION VILLAGE Choose from a self-catering cottage; the stately Hotel Portmeirion, which has 14 rooms; or easy elegance at Castell Deudraeth, which has 11. Doubles from £164, room only (portmeirion-village.com).
SNOWDONIA TREEHOUSES, Machynlleth Six off-grid luxury treehouses, each sleeping two. From £190 a night (kiphideaways.com/ hideaways/snowdonia-treehouses).
GWESTY CYMRU, Aberystwyth
There are eight bright rooms in this terraced Georgian house on the promenade. Expect oak beams and harbour views. Doubles from £90, B&B (gwestycymru.com).
HARBOURMASTER, Aberaeron
This old harbourmaster’s house has 13 stylish rooms and an excellent restaurant. Doubles from £150, B&B (harbour-master.com).
FFOREST, Pembrokeshire and Ceredigion Find cabins, domes and camping on the coast near Penbryn; cottages at the farm, near Cardigan; or loft apartments in Cardigan. From £415 for three nights (coldatnight.co.uk).
THE YURT FARM, Tregaron
This working farm, 25km east of Aberaeron, is replacing yurts with timber structures for 2021. Until then, book the converted wooden train carriage in the hay field. From £95 a night (theyurtfarm.co.uk).
COASTAL COTTAGE CEREDIGION, near Llangrannog A two-bed thatched cottage near the beach. From £80 a night (kiphideaways.com/hideaways/ coastal-cottage-ceredigion).
THE ROUTE INSPIRATION
What to watch, read and listen to…
Under Milk Wood Download Richard Burton’s mesmerising narration of the work of Dylan Thomas.
Rich: The Life Of Richard Burton
Melvyn Bragg’s insightful biography with Burton’s diary quotes.
The Hiding Place Trezza Azzopardi’s Booker Prize-shortlisted tale of Maltese immigrant family life in 1960s Cardiff.
How Green Was My Valley This novel by Richard Llewellyn, about a Welsh mining town, is also a 1941 film.
Very Annie Mary A musical comedy film that is set in rural Wales.
Pride A film about an alliance between Welsh miners and gay activists.
Gwen A girl tries to keep her home together in this dark film set in Wales.
Third Star A dying man revisits Pembrokeshire with his best friends.