Things to do

Things to do and places to see

Ceredigion is a beautiful county with something for everyone due to its towns and villages, the Cambrian mountains, Cardigan Bay, coastline and its rich and varied unspoilt countryside. One of the best things is that there is so much to enjoy and yet it still retains a relatively uncrowded feel – a great place therefore to relax and get away from it all

Tŷ Barcud sits in the heart of the Ystwyth Valley and is a great base to take in the many and varied delights of Ceredigion and Cardigan Bay.

The Ystwyth river valley is one of the most beautiful in Wales with rich mixed forests, clean rivers and fertile farmland, beautiful all year round. The road leading over the Cambrian Mountains from Rhayader is a route once described by the AA as one of the ten most scenic drives in the world.

The Ystwyth valley is a popular destination for walkers, bird watchers and outdoor enthusiasts with its many way-marked walks – the river Ystwyth is a favourite with trout and salmon anglers.

There is so much to discover, see and do in Ceredigion – we can only give you a flavour of some of the highlights closest to Tŷ Barcud.

Food & Drink

We want cooking and eating to be a pleasure – it’s a key part of any good holiday. The pod is fully equipped with a good range of cooking equipment for making simple meals and, if you want to embrace outdoor living and cook and eat ‘al fresco’, the pod has an outdoor fire pit and barbeque –  prepare a barbeque feast using tasty local ingredients.

If you don’t feel like cooking then there are plenty of good places to eat and drink in the area. If you want to book somewhere good to eat whilst you are staying with us we will be really happy to recommend a number of places depending on your taste.

There are plenty of great places to eat locally and in nearby towns. You can walk to Y Ffarmers in Llanfihangel-y-Creuddyn (01974 261275), a mile from the pod. A guaranteed warm welcome with lovely food and a great beer garden. A 15 min drive takes you to The Halfway Inn, Pisgah, (01970 880631) – glorious views and great value food and beers.

Further afield there are many good places to eat in Aberystwyth – The Glengower (01970 626191) – on the seafront with great food. Medina – (019790 358300) Mediterranean and delicious. Upstairs at the Pier (01970 636123). There is one of the Lounge chain – The Athro Lounge and a Wetherspoons in the old station. There are several Fish and Chip shops, an Indian and Chinese plus a Domino’s.

For foodies we have SY23 (01970 615935) made famous in 2022 as the best New Opening in the Michelin guide as well as gaining the first Michelin star in Aberystwyth.

Down the coast there is the Harbourmaster and The Hive in Aberaeron and several good pubs in New Quay.

Day trips nearby

Where do we start? – here are just a few of our favourites

  • Bwlch Nant yr Arian Forest Recreation Centre and Red Kite Feeding Centre
    Forest walks, great views and restaurant and also world famous for its mountain bike trails.
    The kite feeding times are 3pm in summer and 2pm in winter when it’s not uncommon to see 100 and more red kites during feeding times. Free Entry.
     
  • The Hafod Estate
    A 10 minute drive from Tŷ Barcud is the Hafod Estate, one of our favourite places – managed in partnership between Natural Resources Wales and the Hafod Trust it offers 200 hectares of what is described as some of the ‘finest examples in Europe of a picturesque landscape’  Hafod is a great place to walk and discover gardens and statues buried by time, waterfalls, grottos and caves. Take a picnic, swim in the river and spend the day. Free Entry.
     
  • Devils Bridge Falls
    Well worth a visit – it’s a great way to spend the afternoon in some very dramatic scenery and after walking the falls a well-deserved cup of tea and cakes at the impressive Hafod Hotel.
     
  • Vale Of Rheidol steam railway
    Although only a 15 minute drive from Tŷ Barcud it is well worth travelling into Aberystwyth and catching this original steam train ran on a beautiful narrow gauge line running through some stunning countryside. Terminating at Devils Bridge (See above), the falls are open all year round and cost between £1-2 per person depending on which route you choose – Check the railway website for up to date prices and timetables.
     
  • Llanerchaeron
    A National Trust property is only 20 miles from Tŷ Barcud and you can easily spend a full day here.  If it’s sunny you can explore the walled gardens, the farmyard and the walks in the forest.  In wet weather you can go inside and explore the house.

Arts

If you’d like to visit an art gallery, watch a film or go the theatre then head to Aberystwyth Arts Centre – located above the town within the university campus. There is always something going on here and it is worth a visit just to see the variety of architecture and the stunning view over the town and out to sea.

Just down the hill from the Arts Centre is the National Library of Wales.

Ceredigion Museum, also in Aberystwyth, is a lovely little museum based in the old coliseum right in the centre of the town. Free entry, frequently changing exhibitions, with a nice gift shop.

Cycling and walking

Cycling both easy and extreme is well catered for throughout the county and from within easy reach of Tŷ Barcud.

Our nearest cycle trail is the beautiful Ystwyth Trail which is a 20-mile (32.1km) cycle route and footpath linking Tregaron in the upper Teifi valley and Aberystwyth on the coast. It follows part of the track of the old Great Western railway line (originally the Manchester & Milford Railway) between Aberystwyth and Carmarthen.

For walkers there is something for all with a rich variety of walks on offer to suit the casual and those requiring more demanding walking. The area is well served by the Ceredigion and Wales Coast Path as well as many other options within the Cambrian mountain range and surrounding countryside.

Within a few miles of Tŷ Barcud there are a number of beautiful woodland walks and picnic sites managed by Natural Resources Wales together with a good selection of public rights of way walks that start and finish at Tŷ Barcud – we can easily advise you on the best of these.

Towns and Villages

Ceredigion’s largest town is Aberystwyth, a lively university town and seaside resort. Cardigan​, the former county town also boasts a castle, several arts venues and interesting independent shopping. Discover tiny seaside villages and the picturesque harbour towns of Aberaeron and New Quay or the Teifi Valley market towns of Llandysul, Tregaron and Lampeter. Even in the smallest of rural hamlets, Ceredigion offers a warm welcome and a host of attractions and history. Befitting of a county that dates back over 1600 years, every town has a tale to tell and each village a mystery to discover.

Discover locations used for TV detective drama ‘Hinterland‘ and places that inspired Dylan Thomas fictional Llareggub of ‘Under Milk Wood’.

For more information on Ceredigion and places to enjoy, visit:

Discover Ceredigion