Things To Do in Mid Wales
Cambrian Mountains
Mid Wales Uncovered: Mountains, Waterfalls, and Quiet Coastlines
Mountains, Myths, and Miles of Quiet
So my monthly travel challenge for April sees me travel to Mid Wales, tucked between stunning mountains, scenic coasts with hidden waterfalls, Mid Wales remains one of Britain's best-kept secrets.
It is an area that is often overlooked, this vast region of rolling green hills and quiet solitude is more than just a passage between Snowdonia and the Southern coast. It’s home to the Cambrian Mountains where every bend in the road feels like a new photograph waiting to happen.
But Mid Wales isn’t just hills and stillness, it also boasts 60 miles of rugged coastline, rich with wildlife, history, and culture. It’s a place that rewards curiosity, whether you're capturing waterfalls on sea cliffs or wandering into a forgotten village tucked between valleys.
Whilst this was a three-day trip it felt as if it turned into a one-day dash due to the weather. Friday was a washout (classic British weather), Saturday gave us just enough of a weather window to get out and explore whilst an early Sunday was necessary to dodge more rain.
Quick Overview of The Trip
Day One: 4 hour drive, house check in, fish and chips at Aberaeron and relax.
Day Two: Aberystwyth, New Quay and Tresaith.
Day Three: Check out, 4 hour drive through the Cambrian Mountains and relax.
Driving Over The Mountains and Far Away
So I decided to travel through the Cambrian Mountains to the cottage in Penuwch to take in the views, trying to stop off at some different spots to take a few images. This saw me go via Rhayader where I saw Nant Gwynllyn Falls which is a series of small falls, over a drop of 80 metres (this is best seen when it’s been raining as this waterfall can dry up a bit). Then onto Cwmystwyth mines which sits at the bottom of a mountain called Pen y Garn which stands 611 metres above sea level.
The idea was to take some images on my 4x5 camera at the waterfall and the mine which is a historic site that dates back to Roman times where lead, silver, and zinc was extracted. The only problem was that the heavens had opened and it wasn’t suitable to be open taking photos using the 4x5 or any camera to be fair.
So the drive continued to Penuwch despite the rain and some sketchy roads I was treated to more views full of huge rounded grassy hills, little ponds, lakes and nothing but the land itself to see.
Where I Stayed: Airbnb The Hideaway
I chose The Hideaway at Glanrhyd House on Airbnb as my base for this month’s trip, as it was perfectly nestled between the Cambrian Mountains and the West cCoast of Wales. Its location gave me easy access to several spots I’d been wanting to explore, and at £175 for two nights, it felt like great value.
The cottage itself was charming. Downstairs, there’s a snug little kitchenette and sitting room complete with a wood burning stove, ideal for warming up after a day out if it’s been cold. Upstairs, the spacious bedroom features a king-size bed and a dedicated workspace, perfect for anyone dreaming of writing a novel in peace, or simply just relaxing with a good book in one of the comfy chairs.
If the weather plays nice, you can wander around the five-acre smallholding the cottage sits on. There’s a lovely wildlife lake, and if you're lucky, you might even spot Red Kites soaring overhead.
One of the best things? There’s no Wi-Fi and mobile signal is limited, which makes this the perfect digital detox spot. It’s a proper break from the fast paced, always having to stay connected world.
Something I really appreciated was the personal touch that come with staying at an Airbnb, and The Hideaway didn’t disappoint. The hosts were incredibly welcoming, kept me in the loop with local updates, and even left a basket of fruit, chocolate, and snacks to tuck into on arrival, which was a lovely way to start the trip.
Whilst there are takeaways that deliver, it seemed a shame not to treat myself to fish and chips seeing as I was so close to the sea. Ten minutes later at Aberaeron Llond Plât fish and chips I’m tucking into a large cod and chips, just been warned they have mixed reviews on trip advisor but it wasn’t too bad despite paying over a tenner.
Aberystwyth’s Hidden History
Aberystwyth Pier and Cliff Railway
When I arrived at Aberystwyth the rain was on and off. The pier wasn’t open till noon that day, so I couldn’t have wander down to see the views. So I headed left down the road till I came to the war memorial and castle. You can’t miss the war memorial on the corner as it’s huge and the castle is literally just behind it.
There’s some interesting mosaics set in the wall below the walls of the castle as you walk further round the corner charting key events about the castle’s history from 1740-1277.
The castle is now in ruins but as walk around it you can imagine its grandness overlooking the bay. It originally started life as a timber build at a different site before Edward I had what is left built in 1277. From what I read the Welsh burned it down after completion and the rebuild took till 1289 to complete.
Sadly I didn’t have time to ride the cliff railway, which is the longest electric funicular cliff railway in Britain. There are some spectacular views of Aberystwyth and further on a clear day. I didn’t go simply as the weather wasn’t great and was trying to fit in travel time to see New Quay and Tresaith waterfall. However if you are in Aberystwyth and the weather is good then I’d suggest this be something you do, you can find out more on this link for prices and times.
This then lead quickly back to the car to travel to New Quay to catch the better weather as it was starting to pick up. Along the way I was able to stop at Llanrhystud to take the image below, as I liked the segments on the rolling hills and how all the sheep were in one.
Llanrhystud rolling green hills
New Quay Dolphins and Ice Cream
New Quay (Cei Newydd)
New Quay (Cei Newydd) not to be confused with Newquay.
This is a shot of the harbour where you can buy a ticket to go on boat trips to see the bottlenose dolphins, porpoise and grey seals that live in Cardigan Bay at a very reasonable price starting at £15, again I didn’t do this as I wanted to get to Tresaith Waterfall so couldn’t spare the time.
New Quay is a lovely little coastal town with a shipbuilding heritage and was even used for evacuate children during World War 2. According to tourist information the great Welsh poet, Dylan Thomas enjoyed a few pints in the local pubs due to staying there in the mid 1940’s and was in part inspiration for his final play Under Milk Wood.
The local food is very good too, I headed to the Lime Crab for a serving of Salt and Pepper Squid and chips £12, then it was off to Creme Pen Cei, which I was told is the best ice cream parlour on the west coast. The raspberry ripple is a must.
Chasing Waterfalls at Tresaith
Tresaith Waterfall
The last visit of the day was to get to Tresaith Waterfall before the weather started turning bad. I actually think this is the first waterfall that I’ve ever seen.
Getting there was straight forward as it’s about 25mins from New Quay. Only problem is parking is a totally nightmare. You can head towards the Ships Inn pub and park on a slope that is packed so it's more difficult to manoeuvre or there is a carpark (Tresaith Youth Centre, Tresaith, Cardigan SA43 2JL) that you need to have £3 cash for and put in a locked box upon entry.
You need to access the waterfall from the beach, it’s easy to find. Once on the beach turn right walk towards the cliffs where there are some rocks and taking care climb up on the rocks then go round the corner and it is there in all its glory.
For the image above to get that slight motion blur on the waterfall and waves, I was trying the Urth The Essentials Filter Kit Plus+ that I have recently brought, in particular the CPL Plus+ is a polarised filter which sims to increases contrast and boosts colour saturation and vibrancy whilst the ND8 Plus+ is a stopper for 3 f-stops of light allowing longer shutter speeds for long exposure, motion blur effects in low light.
I am writing a full review of these filters, but very quickly, the kit consists of the following set of filters :
UV Plus+
CPL Plus+
ND8 Plus+ (3 stops)
ND1000 Plus+ (10 stops)
The filters are very convenient and super good for travel as they are very small and I love that you can stack the filters on the lens as they are double threaded. The best bit though is due to the double thread on the filter you can stack them all and put caps on the end so they fit in my pocket without getting damaged. The kit cost me £59.25 from wex as there was an offer on at the time.
To finish the day, I treated myself to a meal at Feathers Hotel, Bar and Restaurant at Aberaeron:
A Hawkstone cider around £5 I think from memory
A starter of Seared Calamari & Chorizo – Garlic butter, coriander, chili & lime £9
A main of Spicy Thai Green Monkfish, Prawn and Apple Curry – Pak Choi, coriander rice and mini naan £23.
I would go back just for the starter alone! literally the best squid I’ve ever had hands down and the main was very generous with the amount of monkfish, mussels and prawns so didn’t feel like I was overloaded with rice.
The Cambrian Mountains
Nantymaen Phone Box
The drive through the Cambrian Mountains on Friday was slow and treacherous thanks to heavy rain, which sadly meant I couldn't stop at the Cwmystwyth Lead Mines. Even through the downpour, though, the landscape’s was stunning with rolling hills and dramatic valleys everywhere you looked.
On the way back, sat nav rerouted me through a section known as the Devil’s Staircase, part of the Abergwesyn Road. With its steep 20% hairpin bends and narrow lanes, it’s not for nervous drivers!
This 16.5 mile stretch runs from Abergwesyn to Tregaron and feels incredibly remote. It’s along here you’ll find the Nant y Cwr Phone Box and Post Box — probably the loneliest ones in Wales. The phone box no longer works, but the post box is still in use (address: Nantymaen, Ceredigion, SY25 6NW).
The two shots below were taken to show the beauty of the valley and the impact of recent wildfires that have scarred peatlands around the Devil’s Staircase.
View of wildfire damage peatland before the hairpin road section on the devils staircase
View looking into the valley before the hairpin road section on the devils staircase
Final Thoughts
Mid Wales might have thrown a bit of classic British weather my way, and I am glad that I have had the experience but I wasn’t left with the wow factor and sadly this part of the world is not for me.
The Cambrian Mountains were stunning tho even through the rain, the coastline was great to see too, especially the waterfall, and the food was good too.
Staying at The Hideaway was the perfect digital detox, no Wi-Fi, just peace, fresh air, and the darkest skies I have ever seen. So that was part of what I really appreciated about this get away.
However, the drive was a nightmare and all felt too rushed. Better planning would have helped and an extra day but I think I would rather spend the money and fly somewhere else.
Would I go back: No.
Overall Experience: ⭐⭐