my wife and i, both seniors, will have one week in wales next may or early june. we want at least two nites at the retreat center in ffaldy brenin, and so we are open to suggestions about what to see, where to go, where to stay in wales. we have never been toi wales and will be travelling by auto. thanks, nick barthel
Posted by
Mid-Atlantic area
6511 posts
If the retreat center is the one I’m thinking (ffadl-y-brenin) then nearby is the Pentre Ifan burial chamber. Close to it, in Nevern, is St. Brynach’s church are the bleeding yew tree on its grounds. St. Davids is about 25 minutes drive from Nevern. The cathedral is interesting because the pillars tilt outwards and it was built on a slope. Beside it is the old Bishops palace. If you enjoy walking, there are a couple trails along the cliffs. None of the places I mentioned take long to see and there are some very rural, very narrow roads in that part of the country. By narrow, I mean a two way road where the flowers brush against both sides of the car. If another car comes by, then someone has to pull over or back up so the other can pass. GPS comes in very handy. If you like castles, there are castles all over Wales, such as Pembroke near Tenby. Tenby is a nice town many people like to visit.
Posted by
Forest Grove, OR
11304 posts
We just spent 11 nights in Wales split amongst Caernarfon, St. David's, and the Brecon Beacons.
By far our favorite stop was St. David's. Check out the B&B Ramsey House for a lovely place to stay, good parking, and 10 minutes walk to the restaurants and pubs. If you like walking, there are some nice ones -- some easy, some more strenuous -- here and locals can tell you how to use the Celtic Coaster bus to support your walks instead of driving.
Pembroke Castle is fascinating although the city is, to me, just a city, so make this a day trip or stop on-the-way to somewhere else.
If you wish to go to North Wales, there is great walking supported by bus and train near Beddgelert. Lovely town with good pubs. We wanted to go to the Bodnant Gardens but the price has gone sky high at 18.00 GBP per person and my three companions balked as I am the only garden nut in the group.
LMK if I can help further.
Posted by
7643 posts
We love Wales. My surname is Welsh and my paternal ancestors came from Cardiganshire. In 2017 my wife and I did a 4 week drive tour of S. Wales and England.
We spent two days in Cardiff then two days in Tenby then visiting Pembroke Castle and St. David's ( a must see) then to the village of my ancestors, Llanddewi Brefi, for a night, then back to England. When in the B&B having dinner, we noticed that the locals that had been speaking with us in English, shifted to the Cimru language after we sat down for dinner in a separate part of the pub.
The scenery in S. Wales is special, with beautiful sea shore (Tenby is great), the Brecon Beacons National Park with its rolling hills and the many castles.
Here is the detailed story of our trip. Perhaps it will give you some ideas.
28 days in Britain and Celebrity Eclipse home
https://www.cruisecritic.com/memberreviews/memberreview.cfm?EntryID=599139