Days Out - Part 3

25 May 20232 September 2024Days Out, Gardens

Cae Hir Gardens – a Feast for the Senses

Just a 20 minute drive from Coedmor Cottages is gorgeous Cae Hir Gardens. They have been an RHS Partner Garden for 18 years and are one of the original Magnificent 6 – the ‘Great Gardens of West Wales’.

Whether you’re a keen gardener, nature enthusiast, or looking for a serene escape, you can easily while away hours exploring. It’s a place where you can immerse yourself in the wonders of nature, discover unusual plants, and find peace in the tranquility of a beautifully crafted garden.

The colours are really stunning in the sunshine. There are some rare and unusual specimens to discover.

As you explore the winding pathways, you’ll be treated to a variety of stunning features and plantings. From vibrant flower beds to manicured lawns, Cae Hir Gardens offers a feast for the senses at every turn.

Working with Nature

The gardens have been designed in a naturalistic style, blending harmoniously with the surrounding landscape. The Wild Garden is one of my favourite parts of the garden. Nature is allowed to flourish. Situated in a beautifully secluded spot at the very bottom of the garden, it runs adjacent to the ‘Bran’ – a delightful, winding stream.

Rounding off your Visit

If you are inspired by the garden’s plants, some of them are available to buy in the on-site nursery.
And the best way to round off your visit is to visit “Y Sied” tearoom. Treat yourself to a home-baked scone or cake with a pot of tea or the local Teifi Coffee . 😋 If the weather is warm, you can also try the locally produced Conti’s Ice Cream – made right here in Lampeter. Entry to the nursery and tearoom are free so you can pop in even if not touring the gardens.

Opening Times

The gardens open at 10am and close at 5pm daily through the season which runs from April 1st to October 31st. More information and current prices can be found on their website: Cae Hir Gardens

Check available dates for our cottages: Romantic Holiday Cottages for Couples

11 November 20222 September 2024Days Out

Our Visits to Cenarth Falls Through the Seasons

Cenarth Falls is a picturesque waterfall on the River Teifi located in the village of Cenarth. It is on the border of Pembrokeshire, Ceredigion and Carmarthenshire. The Teifi is one of the longest rivers in Wales. It cascades over a series of rocky steps to create Cenarth Falls. The waterfall is particularly stunning during times of heavy rainfall when the water flow is at its peak.

The village is such a pretty place with a lovely riverside walk and plenty of cafes for a cream tea.

There are boardwalks along the riverside making the walk easy and accessible. There is a circular walk you can do along the river, then up through woodland and back through the village to the car park.

The area is also well-known for fishing, and the River Teifi is abundant with salmon and sea trout.

In addition to its natural beauty, Cenarth is also famous for its history, with a long-standing tradition of coracle fishing. Coracles are small, round boats made of wicker and coated with tar or bitumen. Fishermen have used these unique vessels for centuries to navigate the river and catch fish. The National Coracle Museum by the river is worth a visit.

There is a Car Park at the Falls. Parking is £3 per car for all day parking (9am – 6pm). Cenarth is easily reached in around 30 minutes from Red Kite & Woodpecker Cottages.

We’ve visited Cenarth three times this year and each time has been so different. First time in May there had been so little rain that the falls were small and you could see much of the underlying rock.
In September they were perfectly flowing. This week after so much rain they are a force of nature, so powerful! Whenever you visit, Cenarth is very pretty.

Here’s a Reel I made for our Instagram showing the different seasons.

31 July 20202 September 2024Beaches, Days Out

Visiting Amazing Aberporth Right After Lockdown

Monday 6th July 2020 was the first time we were allowed to travel more than 5 miles from home in Wales since the week after we moved here in March. We were so excited to be visiting Aberporth to explore the lovely beaches. It was really quiet with just a few families and surfers. So lovely to feel the sea breeze on our faces! The drive is very picturesque too and it only took us 40 minutes from Red Kite & Woodpecker Cottages.

Aberporth lies at the southern end of Cardigan Bay about six miles north of Cardigan and ten miles south of New Quay. It overlooks two sandy beaches both with European Blue Flag status.

Dyffryn Beach is to the west of the headland and Dolwen Beach to the east. Aberporth Beach is often used to describe both of these beaches together.

The beaches both have soft golden sand and shelve gently into the sea. They were both pretty quiet when we were there which is unusual for July. Probably because tourists weren’t allowed to visit until the following week .

Visting Aberporth. — View of the pretty houses in Aberporth from Dyffryn beach.

We went in the afternoon when it was low tide, so there was more space to walk and we got to explore the rocks and rock pools. 🦀 🦐

We walked on Dyffryn Beach as we had Ziggy with us – dogs aren’t allowed on Dolwen in the Summer months.

Visiting Aberporth - Dyffryn Beach — Ziggy loves the beach!

Dyffryn Beach is dog friendly all summer.

We also had a wander up the hill into the town and then walked down through a small wooded area back to the beach. A very pleasant stroll with views over the beaches.

Visiting Aberporth, Cardigan Bay. — View from the top of the hill back down to the beaches

Sculpture on the walk back to the beach.

Dyffryn Beach from the walk back down from town.

We couldn’t go onto Dolwen beach as dogs aren’t allowed in Summer.

Visting Aberporth - Dolwen Beach. — The steps down to Dolwen Beach

Dolphin Sculpture overlooking the Beaches – Sightings are common in this area.

The shops and cafes were still closed when we visited this time, but we went back a couple of weeks later and it was much busier with tourists and everything was open. We enjoyed a lovely salted caramel ice cream 😋

Aberporth - Dolwen Beach. — So quiet for July

Yes!! The joy of being able to have a day at the beach after lockdown!

I’m pretty sure we will never again see Aberporth so quiet in July…but come the Autumn when the crowds of tourists get smaller, we think it will be a great place to walk and chill out for an afternoon.

23 April 202019 October 2023Beaches, Days Out, Natural Wonders

Walking at Pretty Penbryn Beach in the Spring

When we were planning our Big Move to Wales we did some exploring around the area and the beaches and harbour towns of Cardigan Bay were one of the deciding factors in us choosing to move to Lampeter. So for our first trip out in March 2020 we really wanted to take Ziggy for a walk at Penbryn Beach. We had been before in September when we had our second viewing of the Cottages so we already knew what a magical place it is.

Early morning walk at Penbryn. © Coedmor Cottages — Penbryn in September the day after we decided to buy The Cottages

“Social Distancing” was already in force but we weren’t yet in lockdown, so we were allowed to head to the beach for our daily exercise. Penbryn is looked after by the National Trust, so there is a proper car park which you pay a couple of pounds for and this goes towards the upkeep (and there are loos there too). The beach is a walk downhill – you have two choices here. You can walk down the road or go through the woodland. We chose to go the road route as we wanted to get to the beach asap.

Leigh & Ziggy at Penbryn. — Only Ziggy’s second time at the beach…ever!

As you reach the beach there is a stream that runs right down into the sea. Ziggy couldn’t wait to get wet…he loves water but won’t swim – he panics if he goes out of his depth. When we lived in Reading we were so far from the sea that we only took Ziggy to the beach once. He loved it, but couldn’t understand why the water tastes so bad ? At Penbryn he went crazy running on the sand – he loved the wide open space…and we were virtually the only ones there.

Penbryn Beach © Coedmor Cottages — Penbryn in March – gorgeous soft sand.

Penbryn Beach, Cardigan Bay © Coedmor Cottages

The beach is about a mile long so you can have a decent walk along it. There is a cave to explore at the right hand side of the beach if you visit at low tide. At very low tide there is another beach further around the headland, but beware as there is no other way to get off this cove so if the tide turns you could be stranded!

Caves on Penbryn Beach. © Coedmor Cottages — Cave at Penbryn

We took the scenic route back up to the car park through the enchanted valley. It really is a wonderful walk although it is quite steep in places. But there’s no rush. Take your time and enjoy the meandering pathways that take you through woodland and fern-clad terrain with a stream babbling below you.

The stream down to Penbryn Beach. © Coedmor Cottages

Then just as you thought it couldn’t get any better, you come upon a bridge and a waterfall! Seriously, if fairies are real, this is where they live.

The Waterfall at Penbryn. © Coedmor Cottages — Penbryn Waterfall

Penbryn is about a 40 minute scenic drive from our cottages. If you want to make a full day of it you can also get onto the Wales Coast Path from Penbryn in both directions and offers gorgeous views across the bay. We like to visit the Plwmp Tart Cafe next to the car park for a spot of lunch or a cake after our walk.

The remote location and lack of light pollution make this an ideal spot for stargazing in the summer months – Penbryn Beach is a designated Dark Skies Discovery site and dusk is a great time to see seals and barn owls in the area.

Penbryn’s Claim to Fame is that it was used for a scene in the James Bond “Die Another Day: movie! You can see why in the clip below – it looks stunning.

Category: Days Out

Cae Hir Gardens – a Feast for the Senses

Our Visits to Cenarth Falls Through the Seasons

Visiting Amazing Aberporth Right After Lockdown

Walking at Pretty Penbryn Beach in the Spring

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