Aberystwyth Tourism

Touristy Stuff

• Arts Centre
• Ceredigion Museum
• National Library of Wales Exhibitions and Events
• The University Tropical Glasshouse and Botanic Gardens are free to visit for Students and Campus Visitors (by appointment).
• Commodore Cinema
• Vale of Rheidol Railway Narrow gauge railway to Devil's Bridge - a nearby beauty spot
• Castle Ruins
• Marina
• 18 hole Golf course
• Sports Centre & Pool
• Part of the Welsh Coast footpath
• Municipal Tennis Courts & Bowling Green
• Bandstand
• Midfield Caravan park on the Eastern edge of Aberystwyth
• This site shows several of the Caravan Sites around Aberystwyth
• Day trip on the Cambrian Coast Railway. See Arriva Trains Wales. for timetable. (Note: it is possible to break the return part of a journey up allowing a quick visit to one of: Machynlleth, Towyn, Barmouth, Harlech. (You could even manage two stops if you start early enough).
• Local byelaws Prohibit dogs on the town's beaches during the summer months
• The Marine Conservation Societies Good Beach Guide to Aberystwyth North(Main), South and Tanybwlch beaches
• Explore the area with lots of local photos on a clickable map
• Jump down to my list of Near-by, Wildlife Enthusiast, Marine Enthusiast and Train Enthusiast sections for more touristy information

Shopping

Aberystwyth high street is full of shops that you can see in any high street in Britain - with a few sea-side shops thrown in. A few exceptions are:

• The Mecca - speciality teas, coffees & associated paraphernalia
• Siop y Pethe - Welsh book shop
• Maeth y Meysydd - whole foods and herbs, packaged in the shop
• Old Bakery Cookshop - stylish cookery equipment
• Jump down this page to the Local Commerce section for more shopping links

Early closing is on Wednesday afternoon but only a few locally owned shops close these days.
Many travel agents and banks will exchange currency as will the Post Office (where it's commission free)

Markets

The recent building boom in Aberystwyth have led to the movement of the market into less and less favourable locations which have left the ancient market town with several small fragmented markets. Aberystwyth's loss is Machynlleth's gain whose large thriving market justifies the term 'market town'.

Market Hall:

Open year round Monday-Saturday: about 11-5 but not all the stores are open all the time.

Saturday market:

Weekly on Saturday(!) around the Market Hall a dozen or so stalls

Farmers market:

One or two dozen stalls every 1st & 3rd Saturday of the month along North Parade (or sometimes along Baker Street) selling local farm produce

European market (touring):

2 dozen stalls 2-3 times a year along North Parade

Winter Market:

Large market held on 3 days along Park Avenue (1st Monday after the 12th of November and the subsequent 2 Mondays). This market is accompanied by a funfair in the evening

Summer Market:

Large 'summer' market held in Clarach from Easter to the end of July then moving to Tre'r ddol till the end of September

Property, Accommodation and Hotels

• Belle Vue Royal Hotel
• Harry's Hotel
• The Conrah Country House Hotel
• Plas Antaron Hotel
• The Richmond Hotel
• The closest Youth Hostel is 9km North in Borth
• Flatmateclick in Aberystwyth
• StarFlats in Aberystwyth European internet student estate exchange
• Hotels and Guest houses - from Smooth Hound
• List of Hotels in Aber (Near identical to the above site)
• Lloyd, Herbert & Jones chartered surveyors have a few properties for rent
• Allied Surveyors
• Jim Raw-Rees & Co Estate Agents
• Alexanders Estate Agents
• John Francis Estate Agency Network
• Aled Ellis & Company Ltd
• ALP Property Management
• Aberletting letting agents
• Property prices in Aberystwyth
• If your looking for something out of town then jump down to my list of Near-by Links for more hotels and restaurants
• Quinno's extensive Aberystwyth Pub Guide

Wildlife Enthusiast

The combination of rural, coastal, mountains, rivers and estuaries provides a rich variety of habitats for wildlife. Buzzards and Red Kites are often seen above the local hills. The tidal Dovey estuary, is home to many birds and a resting and feeding area for many more exotic species in migration. The coastline is home to seals and the bay home to dolphins.

• Set in woodland on the edge of the Dovey estuary Ynys-hir RSPB Nature Reserve has 'hides', viewpoints, a visitors centre and lots and lots of birds including osprays.
• The Butterfly House have a collection of exotic plants and butterflies.
• More exotic animals can be found at Borth Animalarium
• BirdGuides Ceredigion page includes up to date list of rare bird species seen in this area.
• Ceredigion Birds with daily updates on sightings
• List of native plant species that have been recorded in this area
• Cwmtydu-Bay-Wildlife
• Cardigan Bay Marine Wildlife Centre
• Cardigan Bay Special Areas of Conservation
• National (Wales) Nature Reserves:
  • 15km North Dyfi (SSSI)
  • 17km East Coed Rheidol (SSSI)
  • 20km South East Cors Caron (SSSI)
  • 15km South Llyn Eiddwen
• Natural Resources Wales - Forestry Commission:
  • 6km East Gogerddan Picnic Site
  • 13km South East Wild Woods at Black Covert
  • 14km East Nant yr Arian Forest Visitor Centre
  • 19km East The Arch Picnic Site
  • 20km East Hafod Estate
• Wildlife Trust's Nature Reserves:
  • 5km South East Coed Penglanowen (Nanteos)
  • 5km South East Old Warren Hill (Nanteos)
  • 9km East Pant Da (Rheidol Valley)
  • 14km East Coed Simdde Lwyd (Rheidol Valley)
  • 10km South Penderi Cliffs (Between Llanrhystud and Monk’s Cave)
  • 15km South Llyn Eiddwen (Bronnant)
  • 15km South East Cors Ian (Lledrod)
  • 14km South East Cwm Clettwr (Tre’r-ddôl)

Prom Flags

Above north beach hang the flags of the following European minority nations. ('Minority nation' is the council's designation not mine.)

• Alsace
• The Basque Country
• Brittany
• The Catalan Countries  
• Cornwall
• Corsica
• Estonia
• Flanders
• Friesland
• Galicia
• The Isle of Man
• Lapland
• Latvia
• Lithuania
• Occitania
• Sardinia
• Scotland
• South Tyrol
• Val d'Aosta
• Wales
• Wallonia

South of the Pier are more flags - this time flags of other EU countries and flags of countries from where many visitors come to Ceredigion. By the end of the summer, what's left of these raggedy flags is taken down till the following spring.

Train Enthusiast

• Cliff Railway
• Aberystwyth railway signal box
• Vale of Rheidol railway
• Vale of Rheidol Railway Gallery
• Borth Station Museum
• Signal Boxes 'Shrewsbury - Aberystwyth'
• The Cambrian Line
• Shrewsbury to Aberystwyth Rail Passenger Association
• West Coast Railways runs charter steam trains along the cambrian coast line in the summer
• Occasional touring trains by Cheshire Cat Tours visit/start from Aberystwyth
• Railroad Train Simulation 'The Cambrian Route'
• Rail Transport

Near-by

As anyone who's been here for a while will tell you, one of the best things about Aber' is its doorstep! And right on the doorstep of Aberystwyth are the following:

• 32km North Centre for Alternative Technology
• 28km North MOMA a museum of modern art in Machynlleth
• 28km North Machynlleth Town Guide Especially worth a visit on Wednesday which is market day
• 19km North Cymerau Hall
• 18km North Ynys-hir RSPB Nature Reserve
• 17km North Ynys-hir Hall Serious Nosh! & Hotel
• 15km North Guide to the Parish of Llangynfelyn (around Tre-Taliesin and Tre'rddôl) with lots of local genealogical information
• 12km North Guide to the village of Talybont
• 9km North Borth Youth Hostel
• 8km North Guide to the village of Borth
• 8km North Borth Animalarium

• 11km East Butterfly House
• 11km East Rheidol Hydro Power Station Visitor Centre
• 13km East Goginan Community Pages
• 15km East Llywernog Silver-lead Mine Museum
• 15km East Plynlimon
• 16km East Nant yr Arian Forest Visitor Centre
• 22km East Hafod Arms Hotel by Devil's Bridge
• 22km East Y Caban restaurant, bisto and gift shop by Devil's Bridge
• 23km East Woodlands Caravan Park by Devil's Bridge
• 24km East The Hafod Estate just on from Devil's Bridge

• 4km SouthEast Nanteos Mansion Country Hotel and Restaurant.
• 18km South Guide to the village of Pennant including lots of history