The west coast of Wales is characterised by a hilly hinterland, small villages, many cliffs, small and large bays with beaches. Lots of countryside – few people. And then comes Aberystwyth…
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Intro and travel report
The landscape of Wales is hilly. Where the hills merge into the sea, they form steep cliffs, interspersed with narrow bays, small and large pebble and sandy beaches and small villages and towns.
We are travelling here at the beginning of February, on our way from Ireland to Germany. (Our second home is in Ireland). The weather is stormy. When we drove through Snowdonia National Park it was pouring with rain, but here on the coast the wind is chasing away the rain clouds and it is now cloudy and windy – very windy.
The coastal road follows the cliffs, beaches and bays in many small and large bends. Farms and small villages pass by. A bus stops in the middle of the road, children in school uniforms get off and set off on foot to the scattered houses along the road.
The wind finally drives us to Aberystwyth. The small town lies in the centre of the west coast of Wales and is the only town for miles around. And it’s not that small, as we realise.
But first we sort our way through a confusing system of one-way streets until we finally reach the seafront. On the way there, we notice many beautiful old buildings, most of them in a lovely Victorian style.
Aberystwyth is a seaside resort and has been for a very long time. Colourful houses line the seafront, many of which are B&Bs, guesthouses and hotels. Premium location right on the beach. The bay is crescent-shaped.
It is bordered to the north by high mountains and to the south by a headland on which a castle once stood. Today it is in ruins. Next to it stands a tall column with statues, an impressive war memorial.
The long jetty into the sea and the arcades for light entertainment are not to be missed. Further south is another bay, the south beach.
The sand here on the north beach is dark and consists of coarse sand or very fine gravel. This lies all over the promenade and several houses are covered in scaffolding and are obviously being renovated – something is strange here!
The city was recently hit hard by an unusually violent storm. The bay is open to the sea and the high tides reached over the quay wall and the storm caused some damage.
But this is an exception. Like everywhere on the Irish and English islands, winters are stormy but summers are generally mild. I’m sure the waterfront will be chic again by the summer.
I try to take a few photos in the blustery wind – you’ll see, they look a bit ‘wild’, but it wasn’t that bad, there was just a strong wind.
While I was taking photos on the lakeside promenade, my wife had a look at the city centre. I was also able to take a look as I drove through: A very nice city centre that still stretches quite far inland from the coast. It’s a good place to stay, even longer.
It’s probably not just us, because there is a lot of life in the city centre and although the weather is not so inviting today, individual walkers with and without dogs, small groups and families with children spend their time here and obviously enjoy it.
Unfortunately, we don’t have that much time because we still have a few kilometres to the south ahead of us today. But maybe we’ll come back again – and we’re looking forward to it.
What to see and do in and around Aberystwyth
The old Aberystwyth Castell is now in ruins, but is beautifully situated right by the sea and well worth a short walk. Next to it is the impressive War Memorial, a large column with statues.
The Aberystwyth Cliff Railway is an old cable railway that leads up to the cliffs to the north of the promenade, from where you have a fantastic view over the coast. See: http://aberystwythcliffrailway.co.uk/things-to-do.
If you’re in Aberystwyth a little longer, you can take a round trip on the Vale of Rheidol Railway, a historic train with a steam locomotive. See: https://www.rheidolrailway.co.uk.
The Ceredigion Museum is in the centre of town, is apparently an old theatre and has an exhibition of wonderful interiors and costumes from times long past. See: https://ceredigionmuseum.wales.
The historical National Museum is an impressive building in itself. You can visit it and admire old writings and drawings. See: https://www.library.wales.
Pen Dinas Hillfort is located in the south of the city. The short hike up the hill reveals great views of the city and the coast.
The Seafront Promenade and the Royal Arcade Pier are definitely worth a stroll. Explore the whole length of the shore and the beaches, walk out onto the pier and explore the ruins of the Castle, walk along the North Beach and the South Beach and enjoy…
Brief background to Aberystwyth
Aberystwyth is a university town with a population of around 20,000 and is situated on the River Ystwyth. Aber means estuary in Cymric (Welsh), which explains the name of the town.
As is so often the case in Europe and England, the town was built next to a castle in the Middle Ages. Aberystwyth Castle was built in the 13th century and is located on a headland between the north beach and the south beach. Today, only a few ruins remain.
The castle protected the coast and the harbour was important for shipping at the time. Today it has lost its importance and is mainly used by pleasure craft.
Over 50% of the population here speak, read or understand the original Celtic language Cymric, i.e. Welsh, which is an official language in Wales alongside English.
Aberystwyth’s large university has 8,000 students and the National Library of Wales is also located in the town, making Aberystwyth an important centre of education despite its remote location. King Charles III, formerly Prince Charles, also studied here.
In addition to its importance as an educational centre, and as the centre of the western region, tourism is now an important activity and of economic significance for the town and the region.
Practical travel tips to Aberystwyth
Aberystwyth is located in the centre of the west coast of Wales. In the north there is a ferry connection from Holyhead to Dublin (Ireland) and in the south there are even two ferry connections to Rosslare (Ireland), namely from Fishguard and from Pembroke. Aberystwyth lies right in between.
In the northern part inland you will find the Snowdonia National Park with beautiful mountains up to 1200 metres high. In the northern part of Wales you will also find the most beautiful cliffs and several of the most beautiful castles in Wales – and Wales has a lot of castles.
The larger towns in Wales can be found on the south coast. This is where the large harbours are located, which were and still are the starting points for ferries to France and maritime trade.
If you want to drive through Wales on your way to Ireland or the north of England, Aberystwyth is a great place to stay on your journey.
I personally think that you can easily spend a very nice one-week holiday just in Wales, because there are so many beautiful landscapes and sights, seaside resorts and small towns in the hinterland that a week is hardly enough to see most of them. And even then you should definitely stop off in Aberystwyth.
Conclusion
Aberystwyth is a cool, lively, medium-sized town with a lovely seafront promenade, some beautiful sights and wonderful coastlines on either side.
It’s perfect for a short stopover, as we did, or for one or more overnight stays.
If you’re exploring Wales, Aberystwyth should not be missing from your itinerary – I hope you enjoy it!
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Picture credits cover picture: Aberystwyth (Photo: Ulrich Knüppel-Gertberg)
