The Ultimate Guide to Aberystwyth
The castle is a main feature here which divides into north and south beach. It is a Grade I listed Edwardian Fortress built in the late 13th century. The Welsh, led by Owain Glyndwr, captured the castle in 1404 but it was recaptured by the English four years later. In 1637, it housed a Royal Mint of Charles I which produced silver shillings. The castle was damaged by Oliver Cromwell in 1649 but the impressive remains are definitely worth exploring.
The seafront at Aberystwyth is made up of the Royal Pier and the promenade, which stretches from Constitution Hill at the north end, to the harbour at the south with the castle dividing the two. The Royal Pier was originally opened in 1865 at a length of 242 meters, but it is now much shorter due to a series of heavy storms. Today, the Royal Pier consists of an ice cream shop, a pub, a snooker hall, a restaurant, an amusement arcade centre and also a nightclub.
One of the main features on the seafront is Constitution Hill and the funicular railway. The Aberystwyth Cliff Railway can be found at the northern end of the promenade, where Constitution Hill rises dramatically from the sea to give spectacular and uninterrupted views of the town, as well as Cardigan Bay and, on a clear day, 26 Welsh mountain peaks. The most relaxing way to enjoy this glorious panorama is to travel on the longest electric funicular cliff railway in Britain, which has been transporting visitors to the summit since 1896. Visitors can experience one of the world’s largest camera obscuras, offering a bird’s eye view of 1,000 square miles of land and seascape. There is also a children’s play area, a gift shop, a café selling delicious homemade snacks, and plenty of wide-open spaces for picnics and walking. Dogs are also welcome across the site.
Aberystywth is the main town on the coast of Mid Wales and has a bustling town centre with many shops ranging from clothes shop, homeware stores, supermarkets and coffee shops. It is also home to the Aberystwyth Arts Centre which has cinema screens, live theatre performances and many other events. The Commodore cinema can also be found in the town centre.
There are many other places waiting to be discovered in Aberystwyth. With Bluebell Wood being its common name, Penglais Woods or Gogerddan, is a lovely place to go for a walk, especially during the spring months as its name suggests and its circular trail is ideal for walking your dog on its lead. Another popular dog-walking route is Plascrug Avenue and also the Nanny Goats Walk, which is a flat walk along the river beginning at the beach.
There is a wide range of activities to choose from if you're after a place to go for the day.
- Vale of Rheidol Railway - A 12-mile steam train journey from Aberystwyth to Devil's Bridge travelling at up to 700ft through spectacular scenery
- Bwlch Nant Yr Arian Visitor Centre - This has various walking and cycling routes, and the daily feeding of red kites
- The Silver Mountain Experience - A place where history, myth and legend come together, with guided tours discovering the silver-lead mine
- Fantasy Farm Park - A working family-run farm where you can get up close and interact with the animals. There is a family-friendly fun house, a nature trail, an outdoor play area, a restaurant and shop, as well as animal-handling opportunities all year round
