If you've never tried a Daily Mail holiday you really should because they're awfully good value - we stayed at Brynowen near Borth, which is close to Aberystwyth. If you've never been try to visit. The views are incredible and it's just such a beautiful country. I think you can travel all over the world and still be amazed by what we have here in the UK.
I won't bore you with lots of photos because if you're Welsh or you love Wales then you know what it looks like; and if you haven't ever been...get yourself over there and don't waste time looking at second-hand pictures!!
I'm not sure what this fantastic Gothic-y place is on Aberystwyth seafront...a lady passing by said that it belongs to the University but was once an hotel. If only it still was!!! I'd pay an arm and a leg to stay there. It's like the house from 'The Haunting' with the vibe of the Overlook Hotel in 'The Shining'. Very disappointing to peep in the windows and just see boring files.
What was this place? The carvings and architectural details are incredible but like I said, I won't bore you with any more pics of it, not least because I'm saving one or two for the monthly photo scavenger hunt over here. Oh alright, one more.
My pic is a bit overexposed - this place is so incredible...
Just nearby is a set of mosaic murals that show different events in Welsh/Aberystwythian history. My interest in the macabre was piqued by this one...
We kept intending to go on the funicular but didn't get round to it...maybe next time. We went for a ride on the Vale of Rheidol railway....more lovely scenery.
Probably our favourite place was Aberaeron. We had a lovely walk along the harbour; a gorgeous honey ice cream from The Hive; and a really nice river walk.
Look at the colour of that sky.....heavenly place
And naturally, since I am taking part in this....
I did plenty of this......
Not that many good bits to be had though I did get one or two. Plenty of Welsh themed souvenirs obviously but as my swap partner Lucy is from Wales it'd be a bit like taking coals to Newcastle if I bought her anything with 'A Present from Cymru' on it. Mind you, having seen how gorgeous and cool Lucy is I'm worried that she'll take one look at her swaps and decide I'm barking mad. Hmmmm.....might need a rethink :(
....and on the fifth day we came home, via Hay-on Wye. Being a massive book fan I had wanted to visit here since first I heard about the Literary Festival years ago. It's certainly full of bookshops!!! There's also a brilliant indoor Antiques Market, full of individual units and cases. I saw the most fabulous vintage wedding dress, white satin with a nipped-in waist, Peter Pan collar and masses of little satin-covered buttons up the front. There was the head dress too, a kind of white satin tiara, plus the white shoes to go with it. It dated from the 1940s and was only about £75. If you wanted something totally unique for your wedding day it would be just perfect. The prices in general were very reasonable and there were sooooo many things I would've loved to buy.
So, there you have it. Four nights in Aberystwyth. Nice food (but sorry genethod, Welsh Cakes and Bara Brith....double yuck :S), lovely weather, stunning scenery, great people. When can I go back?
When I was a kid there was a TV show called How Green Was my Valley or something, and I wasn't allowed to stay up and watch it, but sometimes I'd sneak in and sit behind the sofa until my Dad discovered me...and that programme and the whole forbidden aspect made Wales a fascinating place for me for many years! Kid's minds - who can understand them!
ReplyDeleteLovely holiday you had - I'd love to go there. (And Cornwall, and the Lake District...and Scotland....) so many places, so little time. :)
Have you tried Lava Bread? (seaweed) One of the old men at the old people's home I worked in as a teen had that every day for breakfast - with cockles! Mmmm ;-)
ReplyDeleteGlad you had a nice time, it's so lovely when the weather's good. When it's not...erm, not so. That antiques market sounds great, I've not been to Hay for years.
Next time go to North Wales for a very different experience. The scenery is even more beautiful and there are squillions of charity shops and the whole place feels more like a foreign country.
ReplyDeleteThese differences exist principally because the majority of folk speak only Welsh when any English are within hearing disance and most of them live on welfare benefits. But the scenery IS better :O)
Jane
Rattlebox
My OH thinks a set of knives for Christmas will bowl me over, and a tenner thrust into my hand on my birthday is 'spoiling' me, so frankly-you cannot go wrong with me as a swap buddy! There is little I dislike, I even had a teapot in the shape of a house with several poorly painted rabbits peeping out of the window on display (ex MIL gift!).
ReplyDeleteNext time you come to Wales, I'll put you up and show you around the cream of South Wales' tourist attractions (and all the BEST charity shops!). Aberystwyth is stunning, and sometimes you don't appreciate where you live until you see it through another person's eyes.
Speak soon, lucy x
Ive not been to Wales for ages , but I remember it was very beautiful. Glad you had a good trip. xxx
ReplyDeleteLovely photo's sounds like you had a lovely time. I love Wales it has some beautiful scenery and beaches. I used to do the Sun holidays every year with my boys up until 3 years ago they were great holidays and being a single parent were in my budget. I now save hard for 2 years and for the second time ever this year i am taking them abroad. But i would go back on a sun holiday next year ;-) dee x
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