My husband and I had paid for a falcon experience at Machynlleth - he got sick and we were unable to go, but it's good for one year. Next year we will be taking our 14 year old grandson to London. I see a train goes from London to Machynlleth. My question is whether it's worth a 4 hour train ride for a 1 hour falcon experience (where you actually learn to feed the falcons). Are there other things of interest in the area for a 14 year old boy? Thanks so much.
Posted by
Seattle
287 posts
As an alternative there is a wonderful display of falconry at Cardiff Castle - 2 hrs by train from London and a 10 min. walk from the Cardiff Central train station to the castle. They have handlers bringing the falcons, horned owls, etc. out and "exercise" them in an open field in the middle of the complex. You can walk right up the enclosure where the birds are kept and get relatively close to them. When I was there last fall, there were several school groups there on a tour and the kids were mesmerized watching the falcon soar and swoop.
Climbing up to the top of the castle keep would probably be fun for a 14 year old as well, in addition to seeing the full-size trebuchet set up on the grounds.