Aberystwyth
is our nearest town of any size and is worth a visit. At a first
look, you may feel it’s not much to write home about, but look
closer, spend a little time there, and you may get to see why people
love it. And they really do love it. There are some things we’d
recommend if you visit:
Exploring
Take in some sea air and walk the
2,000 metre length of the prom from Constitution Hill (known as ‘the
Consti’ locally) to the far end at South Beach. You’ll be able
to indulge in the local tradition of ‘kicking the bar’ before
you set off (you’ll find information about this on a board at your
starting point). Along your route, you’ll pass the pier, the
marvellously Victorian gothic old university building and the
marina. The North Beach is the one popular with tourists and right
near to the town centre. South Beach, at the far end of your walk is
much quieter. There’s an RNLI station there, with a little shop
and the chance to look at the lifeboat.
Aberystwyth has its own ruined
castle,
right by the sea. It’s worth a wander around. There’s a
convenient car park in the grounds of the church right in front of
it.
Take the funicular
Cliff Railway up Constitution Hill. It’s the longest funicular
electric cliff railway in Britain, and it’s been transporting
visitors to the summit since opening in 1896. At the top, you’ll
find a café and one of the world’s largest Camera Obscura,
offering a view of 1,000 square miles of land and sea. The views
down into the bay are lovely at any time, but especially at sunset.
You can also walk up Constitution Hill if you feel like some
exercise.
On the subject of Railways,
Aberystwyth marks the start of the Vale
of Rheidol Railway, where you can take a scenic ride on a steam
train to the spectacular Devil’s
Bridge. At the end of the trip you’ll find the bridge itself
(you descend many steps to look up down at the swirling Devil’s
Punchbowl in the river, and up at the multiple bridges), a hotel for
snacks or lunch, and the chance to buy locally made chocolates from
Sarah Bunton’s shop.
Take a walk up the 120 metre Pen
Dinas hill at the South Beach end of town. There are directions
here.
Watch the Starlings.
From autumn to spring, up to 50,000 Starlings roost under the pier.
They fly out to feed in the countryside each day, then as the sun
sets, they all come home again. On many evenings, they form
mesmerising murmurations, but even on the nights when they all just
pour down into their roosting spots, they are wonderful to watch. On
clear nights, you get some glorious sunsets, too.
Visit the Arts
Centre. Driving in to Aberystwyth town, just a little way down
the very steep Penglais Hill you’ll see signs for the Arts Centre
(Canolfan Celfyddydau). It’s one of the largest in the UK and has
a theatre, a concert hall, a cinema and frequently changing free art
and craft exhibitions. There’s a bar and café too.
Visit the National
Library. You’ll see a signpost for this is just a little
further down the hill. It must be one of the most spectacularly
situated libraries in the UK, with amazing, uninterrupted views out
over the town and the bay. Inside, as well as the national reference
library there are exhibitions, a café and a gift shop.
Visit the Ceredigion
Museum. This is a quirky little museum of local history sited in
an old cinema in the town centre. The newly revamped ground floor is
the Tourist Information Office and gift shop, and there’s a café
on the first floor too.
After exploring, of course you’ll be wanting to eat and drink.
Here are a few places we’d recommend:
Eating and Drinking
Medina is a
lovely place, offering hot and cold drinks, fantastic cakes and
lovely hot and cold food with a Mediterranean influence. There is
also a second-hand bookshop and organic fruit and veg for sale
inside.
Ultracomida.
This is a great Spanish deli and tapas place. The front of the
building is a deli full of Spanish goodies and a stunning cheese
selection. They will also prepare take-out sandwiches and snacks.
The rear room is the restaurant, and the tapas here is very good.
Mama
Fay’s is a little Caribbean restaurant run by a very friendly
man who named the place after his mother. The interior is basic, but
the food is good.
Coffee
#1 is a really nice coffee shop offering light snacks as well as
cakes and hot and cold drinks. It’s spread over two floors and has
a very laid-back feel to it.
Grail
is a very tiny, cosy café that’s a good stop for tea and cake
or for a light lunch. Good home-made soup!
Agnelli’s
(known locally as ‘Aunt Nelly’s’) is a pocket-sized Italian
takeaway cafe and deli. Owned and run by an Italian family, it’s the
closest you’ll get to being in Italy without actually being there!
Great coffee and paninis, wonderful cannoli, delicious, light as air, piadini
pizzas, pastas, cheese and cold cuts.
Byrgyr
is an up-market burger restaurant with a ‘farm to table’
approach, using quality local meats and produce.
Baravin
is a good place to stop for a glass of something and
people-watch as you look out at the prom. They make nice pizzas too.
Next to Baravin is our favourite local ice cream shop,
Ambassadors.
Sadly, the ice cream is Cornish, not Welsh, but the range of
flavours is fantastic. Just guard your cone as you leave - the local
seagulls know the place well and will swoop down and nick your ice
cream in a heartbeat! (Actually, this is true for any food you eat
around the Prom. Guard it well and NEVER feed the gulls!)
Shopping
If you feel the need for a larger supermarket than the Co-op in
Machynlleth, there is a Morrisons and a Tesco in Aberystwyth, as well
as a Lidl and a Marks and Spencer with a decent Food Hall.