Carmarthenshire is often known as the ‘Garden of Wales’, due to its rolling beautiful countryside and associated flora and fauna. From the verdant pastures of the Vale of Twyi to the mountains of ‘Wild Wales’ Carmarthenshire is green to its roots.
It’s home to world class gardens such as the National Botanic Garden of Wales and Aberglasney House, and delightful market towns and rural villages where traditional values and genuine hospitality are often combined with contemporary style and chic living.
With rolling green countrsyide that goes on forever, the occasional mystical castle, and long, long, sandy beaches the list of available activities is endless!
The River Twyi is the heart and soul of Carmarthenshire. At its source in the remote Cambrian Mountains above Llandovery, hardy walkers may be lucky enough to spot a rare red kite, a bird often associated with this area, but if not they’ll certainly be rewarded with the dramatic sights of the river crashing over huge boulders and steep gorges.
Gentle cross country walks and riverside paths can be found further downstream as the landscape flattens out across vales and the green, green grass of home stretches out for miles around. It’s perhaps in this area that the Garden of Wales name was coined, for its around here that the National Botanic Garden of Wales, Aberglasney and Dinefwr delight visitors throughout the seasons.
Aberglasney Gardens
The National Botanic Garden is not only a masterpiece of historic and futuristic influences but is also helping to conserve some of the rarest plants in the world. Walled gardens, flowerbeds and ornamental features are ranged around a stunning centrepiece – the teardrop-shaped ‘Great Glasshouse’ where the climate is always Mediterranean. This spectacular dome is the largest single span glasshouse in the world, and was designed by Norman Foster and Partners. Little wonder then, that it’s the most visited garden in Wales!
Less modern, but no less charming, is Aberglasney, the intimate ‘garden lost in time’ that sprang to prominence in a BBC TV series of the same name. This rediscovered cloister garden - a rare survivor in Britaon from the 16th and 17th centuries - is still revealing its secrets. Carmarthenshire boasts several other nature and country parks, such as Llyn llech Owain and Ynys Dawela. National Trust’s Dinefwr, one of Britain’s finest 18th century landscaped parks with a priceless collection of ancient trees is another gem.
Even the coastline of Carmarthenshire boasts its own country park – Pembrey, which covers 202 hectares of sublime parkland, incorporating the wild and unspoilt blue flag beach of Pembrey. There’s plenty of family holiday activities afoot here, With a train ride, kids adventure playground, pitch and putt, picnic areas and a choice of walking trails as well as horse riding along the beach and even dry ski slope and toboggan run!
Millennium Coastal Park
Visit the nearby Museum of Speed that overlooks Pendine, the long, long beach used for daring land speed record attempts. You probably won’t match the latter, but you can have a go along the Millennium Coastal Path, a stunning 22km traffic-free coastal path / cycleway on the Burry Estuary, which overlooks the spectacular Gower Peninsula. Linked together by this cyclists’ heaven, the Millennium Coastal Path features a unique array of attractions such as the National Wetlands Centre of Wales, Machynys Peninsula Golf Club and Burry Port Marina.
The award winning Discovery Centre, situated at the centre of the Park, is a landmark building is a focal point for the Millennium Coastal Park as well as being the perfect place for a refreshing cuppa or cooling ice cream – right on the beach! Inland, mountain bikers are well catered for too at Brechfa Forest, one of Carmarthenshire’s best kept secrets. Dramatic views and deep valleys offer enthusiasts a great (sometimes muddy!) experience.
Carmarthenshire offers a whole raft of other activities to get your pulse racing – from paintballing at Cenarth, Wales’ leading paintballing site, to golf at the Machynys Peninsula Golf and Country Club.
And of course with so many spectacular landscapes and seascapes, anyone with a passion for walking, cycling, horseriding or watersports will find it really hard not to spend all their leisure time outdoors. Although it’s not all about high paced energy; you’re welcome to head down to one of the rivers to fish for salmon and sea trout (known locally as sewin).
Or for something altogether less energetic, ride the steam train that puffs up the Gwili Railway through an enchanting wooded valley from Bronwydd Arms near Carmarthen.
But, wherever you are and whatever you’re doing, just remember to pause every now and then to drink in the wonderful green countryside and the beauty all around.
Carreg Cennen Castle
Carmarthenshire is steeped in legends of King Arthur and Merlin the Magician. Visit one of many legendary castles such as medieval Kidwelly and Dinefwr or Carreg Cennen, an unforgettable ‘eagle’s nest’ perched on a precipice overlooking the Black Mountain, and you’ll feel the history and magic of the places wrap themselves around you. Legendary fact or fiction? You decide!
If its retail magic you’re after, Carmarthenshire’s towns are friendly and full of interest with specialised shops in charming towns and villages. With quaint alleyways and a riverside setting, the bustling, prosperous county town of Carmarthen offers the biggest and most varied mix of high street names and independent shops and is well worth a visit, especially on market days (Wednesday and Saturday).
For a real treat, head to Llandeilo - a picturesque country town of pastel coloured houses rising above the River Tywi. Its beauty doesn’t end there though, as a closer inspection will reveal delicatessens and organic foodie shops, fashionable galleries, contemporary jewellers and craft houses, purveyors of exclusive ladies fashion and even an eco-store.
Laugharne Castle
Other historic towns include Laugharne, Dylan Thomas’ quirky, sleepy sea-town on the Taf estuary, where you can visit Dylan’s Boathouse and writing shed and view the “heron-priested shore”; Llandovery with attractive, old marketplace, traditional inns, ruined castle and crafts centre; Llandysul, in the heart of the country with the River Teifi and its championship-standard canoe slalom course and excellent fishing; Newcastle Emlyn offers fine period architecture and a ruined castle; St Clears, set in lush farming country, home to West Wales Centre for the Crafts and the Glyn-Coch Craft Centre.
Just inside the Wales/England border, the Brecon Beacons National Park is a landscape of contrasts, with wild, open moorland, water falls, windswept mountains and sheltered valleys. This beautiful and dramatic National Park is backdrop to other small towns including Abercrave – home to Dan yr Ogof show caves and Madam Adeleina Patti’s Craig y Nos Castle - Ammanford, Glynneath and Brecon itself.
As befits a region known as a Garden, Carmarthenshire is renowned for its spoils from of the earth and sea: Welsh Black Beef, Carmarthen Bay cockles and seafood, Tywi salmon and sea-trout, sweet Carmarthen ham, home-grown vegetables and some of the tastiest award-winning farmhouse cheeses on the planet. There’s even a chocolate farm in the area! Visit one of the many fine local restaurants and you’ll discover a wide variety of local produce on the menus. Taste it and you’ll understand why.
Carmarthenshire also has its own spectacular beaches. And they’re big beaches at that – Cefn Sidan, one of the largest beaches in Europe, is one of the longest, sandiest beaches you’re ever likely to set foot on; it’s part of Carmarthen Bay, the intriguing seascape which so captivated Dylan Thomas when he lived and worked there and continues to delight locals and tourists alike.
Rarely has a nickname seemed so apt as when you’re out and about enjoying the fresh air and fresh living found in this region............Carmarthenshire, the Garden of Wales……............you may never want to come indoors.
