Dog-friendly Ceredigion

Delfryn is a delightful 19th century, link-detached cottage situated in the small ancient village of Llanarth. The cottage is located just off the A487 coastal road which runs between Aberystwyth and Cardigan, within 3 miles of the pretty seaside resort of New Quay and 3 miles from the colourful Georgian harbour town of Aberaeron; both of which have a good selection of shops, cafés and restaurants.
The owners of Delfryn have painstakingly restored the cottage to offer contemporary and comfortable holiday accommodation whilst retaining original features. The property layout is ideally suited to a family or friends holidaying together. The lovely living room has a feature stone wall and fireplace with a gas wood-burning stove for cosy nights in. The living room leads directly to the contemporary and spacious kitchen and dining area which in turn has French doors bringing you out into the terrace and garden. Also leading off the living room is a separate snug with a further TV and a sofa bed for two people, if required. A shower room and toilet completes the ground floor accommodation and upstairs there are three bedrooms and a family bathroom.
The seaside resort of New Quay clings to the rocks above Cardigan Bay and has three great sandy beaches (two are dog friendly all year round) and two harbours from where you can spot an array of wildlife, most famously the dolphins that visit the harbour almost daily. Why not take a boat trip to get up close and personal or buy an ice cream or fish and chips and sit on the harbour wall and wait for them to appear! Lovers of the outdoors may also like to try sailing, surfing, windsurfing, sea kayaking or canoeing from the harbour beach. The resorts of Llangrannog, Aberaeron and Aberporth are also within easy reach of Llanarth and each are great starting points for walking the Cardigan Bay Coastal Path – there’s 60 miles of it to enjoy and the beaches and coastline are some of the best in Wales. A 35-minute drive will bring you to the resort of Aberystwyth, where you will find the pier and promenade as well as the electric cliff railway to the summit of Constitution Hill. Have a coffee up there and enjoy the spectacular views across the bay. You can also take the steam train from Aberyswtyth to Devil’s Bridge and waterfalls, or why not drive a bit further on to the Silver Mountain Experience at Llywernog, a fantastic day out to explore the history of the 18th century silver mine. This part of west Wales has so much to offer whether you are after a short break or a longer stay; why not come and make Delfryn your base and see for yourself. Beach 2¼ miles. Shop 175 yards, pub and restaurant ¼ mile.

Nant y Bwthyn (Brooke Cottage) is a characterful, 19th-century detached cottage in Dol-y-Bont, a peaceful village 1¼ miles from the beaches at Borth and Ynyslas, and just 5 miles from the seaside resort and university town of Aberystwyth. The cottage has been thoughtfully decorated and furnished to provide holiday accommodation that exudes charm, along with all the modern touches you will need. The original beams, inglenook fireplace and wood burner in the living room give a lovely cosy appeal, perfect for relaxing in front of on those chillier evenings. Patio doors lead directly to the private garden and summerhouse with table and chairs. There are two first floor bedrooms, plus a ground floor shower room and first floor bathroom.

If you love beaches, then be prepared to be wowed by Borth, Ynyslas and the nature reserve. Apart from the huge expanse of golden sands, there are four walking trails around the reserve and the dunes are remarkable, providing a home for many rare plants and insects. The phenomenon of the submerged forest, the remains of tree trunks, appear at low tide. Dovey Estuary is home to many wading birds, including the colourful shelduck with its bright green head. In spring and early summer, plovers lay their eggs directly on the sand. When you look out to sea, you may see dolphins and porpoise too. Whilst in Borth, why not visit the Animalarium, a rapidly expanding zoo, dedicated to conservation with endangered animals and birds?

Aberystwyth is famous for its promenade and the UK’s longest electric cliff railway dating back to the Victorian era. Take a trip up to the top of Constitution Hill, have coffee and cake and take in the most breathtaking views out across Cardigan Bay. You can even see Mount Snowdon on a clear day! The town offers a wide choice of shopping and places to eat, and you can also catch the Vale of Rheidol steam railway from here and take a very scenic ride to Devil’s Bridge and waterfalls, well worth a day out.

Staying at Nant y Bwthyn gives you easy access to one of the most beautiful stretches of coastline anywhere in the UK, whether you want to walk the miles of spectacular and varied coastal paths or visit the delightful small seaside towns and villages, such as New Quay, Aberaeron and Aberdovey. The region has a thriving cultural identity and you will never be short of things to see and do. Beach 1¼ miles. Shop and restaurant 2 miles, pub 1½ miles.

Dyffryn Haidd sits in a glorious position in the little village of Llanafan, boasting wonderful views across the fields and hills. Saint Afan was thought to have founded the settlement here in the 7th century. Dyffryn Haidd is a beautifully presented, detached dormer bungalow perfect for a family break away. There is a large well fitted kitchen/dining room with a separate living room. Plus there is a ground floor twin bedroom and separate family bathroom with a luxurious spa bath. Upstairs there are two further en-suite bedrooms. Both children and adults alike will also undoubtedly enjoy playing table tennis and darts in the converted garage.
The whole area is blessed with an abundance of walks and cycle trails, many taking in the sights where the TV detective series ‘Hinterland’ is filmed. Guided Hinterland walks are also available to book locally. The scenery within the Cambrian Mountains is unsurpassed and a must do is a trip along the Vale of Rheidol steam railway from Devil’s Bridge, just 5 miles away. You will also find a pub, café, a small chocolate factory and shop here. The steam railway meanders to the coastal town of Aberystwyth, travelling through the Rheidol Valley.
The seaside town of Aberystwyth offers an array of shops, restaurants and cafés, as well as the pier and promenade. To the north end of the sea front is the Victorian Cliff Railway, taking passengers on the stately journey to the summit of Constitution Hill, where you can enjoy a coffee whilst taking in the magnificent views of Cardigan Bay. Being a university town, there’s a very good arts centre and theatre, and the national Library of Wales offers free guided tours. If it’s beaches you’re after then Ceredigion has a stunning selection and over 60 miles of coastal path too. At the northern end of the superb Borth beach, is the impressive sand dune system of the Ynyslas National Nature Reserve and visitor centre, which juts out halfway across the Dovey Estuary. Visit Ynys-Hir, the RSPB wildlife haven and the Dyfi Osprey Project.
Dyffryn Haidd is just 9 miles away from the historic market town of Tregaron, which was once famous as a strategic point for drovers taking animals from west Wales to the markets in England. Today it is a centre for ‘Trotian’ - horse trotting and carriage racing which attracts competitors from all over the UK and Ireland for its events. It is also the home to the Welsh Gold Centre which sells Celtic inspired designs. Tregaron is a ’walkers are welcome’ town and the annual Bro Tregaron Walking Festival held in May is a firm favourite on the walking calendar.
Ceredigion is perfect for a short break, or equally a longer stay away, with stunning landscapes, award winning beaches, sea cliffs, wonderful wildlife, and starry dark skies. This distinctive region with a thriving cultural identity will offer you a “croeso cynnes”, or warm Welsh welcome, with Dyffryn Haidd as the perfect place to start your adventure. Fishing for brown and rainbow trout is available 4 miles, day passes are £20. Beach 9½ miles. Shop, pub and restaurant 4 miles.
These properties can be booked together to accommodate up to 14 guests.

Tawelfan meaning ‘quiet place’ is a one bedroomed cottage and one of a pair of delightful holiday homes situated within the owners’ 2-acre smallholding just outside the small village of Cilcennin and close to the sight of an Iron Age fort in a neighbouring field. The cottage, a renovated cow shed with exposed stonework, has been built by the owners and it offers very attractive accommodation with a sleek, glossy kitchen and a high quality wet room. Flowing nicely and all on one level, it offers easy access for guests. Featuring open plan living space, it opens out onto its own enclosed courtyard terrace, perfect for relaxing comfortably and keeping an eye on the children or your dogs. There are sheep in the surrounding fields and chickens in the smallholding so the owners request that dogs be kept on a lead outside of the property and that children are supervised. Public footpaths in the immediate vicinity give access to delightful walks ranging from 1 to 10 miles, so put on your sturdy shoes and enjoy the peaceful countryside that surrounds you.

A short 15-minute drive will bring you to the lovely Georgian harbour town of Aberaeron with its colourful houses and an array of independent shops, lots of cafés, restaurants and pubs. Enjoy the renowned local honey ice cream whilst you watch the boats bobbing in the harbour. Further down the coast you will find the seaside town of New Quay where the houses cling to the rocks and the long harbour wall is the perfect place to enjoy fish and chips whilst you try to spot the bottlenose dolphins which are regular visitors to Cardigan Bay. Boat trips are available in season and offer a spectacular view of the coastline.

Visit the beautifully maintained Georgian country estate, Llanerchaeron, just 2½ miles south east of Aberaeron, or you can walk from the town along a wide level pedestrian pathway, ideal for cyclists, pushchairs or wheelchairs. The estate offers a fascinating insight into the life of the Welsh gentry and their staff 200 years ago. Run by the National Trust, there are often events on and there’s a well-stocked farm shop and café.

Less than 30 minutes towards the Cambrian Mountains will bring you to the historic market town of Tregaron, which has many summer events. Just outside the town you can discover the Cors Caron nature reserve covering 2,000 acres.

Ceredigion is distinctive Welsh region with a thriving cultural identity and is perfect for a weekend break or a longer stay with award winning beaches, sandy coves, sea cliffs, caves and wonderful wildlife, spectacular sunsets and starry dark skies. Come and explore and make Hafan Dawel Cottages your base for a perfect holiday.

Tawelfan can be booked together with Roath (UK6152) to accommodate up to 6 guests.

Set down a lane in a secluded spot, adjacent to the owner’s home, Cornant is a spacious, detached property with large open gardens and a babbling stream creating the boundary of this superb holiday home. It has been thoughtfully furnished mixing modern and antique pieces to create a very well-presented property. The large, solid wood bespoke kitchen/dining room has beautiful Welsh slate flooring, granite worktops and a range cooker, which is a delight to cook that special occasion meal. Patio doors lead from the dining room on to the well-manicured gardens. On an evening, sit out and enjoy the fire pit on your private sitting-out area whilst gazing at the stars, and then retire for some quiet time reading in the library.

The property is situated in the beautiful small village of Llechryd, which is perched on the banks of the picture postcard River Teifi, home to coracle fishing boats used to catch sewin and salmon. The market town of Cardigan is just 2 miles away, on the borders of Ceredigion, Pembrokeshire and Carmarthenshire, making this the ideal location to explore west Wales. A trip to Cardigan is a must, try the bustling local farmers market and visit the restored Cardigan Castle with over 900 years of history waiting to be explored. The Welsh Wildlife Centre is located in the nearby small village of Cilgerran and is one of the best wetland reserves in Wales. Perhaps take a short drive to Cenarth Falls, where if your lucky enough, you may see the salmon leaping up through the falls travelling upstream. A plethora of beaches can be reached in a 10-minute drive, including the renowned Poppit Beach. Beach 5 miles. Shop and restaurant 2 miles, pub ½ mile.

This beautifully appointed and surprisingly spacious seaside cottage sits just across the road from a beautiful sandy beach on the stunning sweep of Cardigan Bay. Within walking distance are shops pubs, cafes and a golf course.

The views from the cottage are lovely with glimpses of the sea from the bedrooms and views across the fields to the hills from the rear. Borth is a traditional seaside town and forms part of the Dyfi Biosphere, the only UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in Wales. At low tide you are able to see the fascinating remains of an ancient submerged forest where stumps of oak, pine, birch, willow and hazel have been preserved by the peat that they have been buried in.

This is also a fabulous location for keen bird watchers with the Dovey Estuary being home to many wading birds, including the colourful shelduck with its bright green head. Just along the coast is Ynyslas with its nature reserve which has been a location for the BBC’s Springwatch programme and of course the Dyfi osprey visitor centre.

In easy walking distance of the cottage is Borth’s Animalarium, a rapidly expanding zoo, dedicated to conservation with endangered animals and birds and makes for a great family day out.

Easily accessible by road, rail or the stunning coastal path is Aberystwyth, famous for its promenade and the UK’s longest electric cliff railway dating back to the Victorian era. It takes you to the summit of Constitution Hill and offers the most magnificent views over Cardigan Bay and even the mountains of Snowdonia on a clear day. The town offers plenty of shops, cafés and restaurants and is also home to the little steam trains on the Vale of Rheidol Railway which takes you on a scenic journey to the famous Devil’s Bridge and waterfalls. This coastline has so many pretty and delightful seaside towns and villages. Visit New Quay, Aberaeron and Aberdovey with their myriad of visitor attractions and activities. Beach 50 yards. Shop, pub and restaurant 300 yards.

Woodpecker Rest is nestled on the edge of the quaint hamlet of Llechryd surrounded by woodland and set within the owners’ beautiful grounds with a walled garden, well-manicured lawns and an ornamental pond. This semi-detached cottage is aptly named after the family of woodpeckers that frequent the garden. The property offers a modern, contemporary, galley-style kitchen complete with beams, which leads through to the bright and airy open-plan living/dining room. The first floor master bedroom has been lovingly furnished complete with en-suite facilities. On a morning, enjoy a freshly brewed coffee in the spacious sun room or a G&T on an evening to watch the birds.

A short walk away and you can be enjoying some home cooked food and locally brewed ales from one of the eateries in Llechryd, and for that special celebratory meal try the restaurant on the edge of the River Teifi which offers some fantastic fine dining. Travelling 5 minutes north and you can discover the historic market town of Cardigan with its castle dating back to the late 11th century, with commanding views along the river and out towards the Cardigan Bay. Poppit Sands is just around the corner complete with a golden sandy beach, perfect for building sandcastles, kayaking or surfing. A little further along the coastline is Newport Sands and Mwnt Beach, which really are worth the visit and spectacular to visit all year round.

Locally, a visit to Cenarth Falls really is not to be missed and if timed well, you can see the salmon leaping up the falls which really is a fantastic sight. Nearby is the Welsh Wildlife Centre in Cilgerran, which runs along the banks of the River Teifi made famous for coracle fishing. A great day out for all is the walled town of Tenby, complete with beach, cobbled streets and a host of eateries and craft shops. Folly Farm Zoo and Oakwood theme park are all within a 45-minute drive. Beach 4 miles. Shop, pub and restaurant 500 yards.

Carefully positioned near the glistening Teifi River, in the sleepy village of Llechryd, this detached, traditional Welsh cottage has been lovingly restored with your comfort in mind, making it the perfect place for a small family or couples looking to explore the hidden delights and majestic sites of West Wales. Conveniently located just a short drive away from the bustling market town of Cardigan with its imposing castle, the cottage dates back to the mid 18th century, and has sympathetically restored most of its original features. From stone walls to exposed beams, The Old Church House is full of character and even has the added benefit of an cosy open fire, perfect for those cosy winter nights in. Together with the lawned garden and patio, this wonderful abode makes the perfect base for a holiday all year round. Please note that there is a wild beehive in in eves of the cottage. The bees are not aggressive and fly away from the building. Sometimes, one or two find their way into the bathroom or kitchen, especially if windows are open in sunny weather. The owner has lived happily with the bees for 8 years and they pollinate the flowers in the surrounding area.
Next to the cottage are the ruins of a church which was originally built in 1663. It was abandoned in 1879 and declared a sacred ruin in 1997. Grade ll listed Llechryd Bridge, 150 yards away, was built in the 17th century and is visible from the upstairs windows of the cottage.

Spectacular countryside and scenic walks unfold from the doorstep where guests even enjoy the free riverside fishing on offer adjacent to the cottage. For the more adventurous, why not visit the nearby Welsh Wildlife Centre, home to one of the best wetland reserves in Wales, where a huge diversity of wildlife and nature is waiting to be discovered? The Pembrokeshire Coast National Park is within easy reach and is home to the 187 miles of coastline where outstanding walks, quaint fishing villages and sandy beaches can be found. The dramatic Ceredigion coastline is just as rewarding, and home to the picturesque resorts of New Quay and Aberaeron, famed for their tranquil fishing harbours where resident bottlenose dolphins can be spotted on a clear day. Beach 6½ miles. Shop, pub and restaurant 500 yards.

This charming, detached property offers comfortable and spacious accommodation, and is perfect for year round holidays with its cosy wood burner, perfect for winter escapes, as well as a delightful sun room opening out onto lawned gardens, perfect for family summer seaside breaks.

Ty Gwyn enjoys a superb location just a short stroll from a sheltered sandy beach and close to the quaint Victorian seaside fishing town of New Quay, with its good selection of cafés, pubs and restaurants. A must for every visitor is a boat trip from the harbour round the bay for a closer encounter with the seals and dolphins that this area is famous for. This idyllic area affords excellent walking and lovely beaches, with many visitor attractions within easy reach including a honey farm, the pretty Georgian town of Aberaeron and the quaint resorts of Aberporth and Llangrannog. The ancient town of Cardigan to the south and the Victorian resort of Aberystwyth are also close by. Beach 300 yards. Shop, pub and restaurant 2 miles.

The name, the Plucking Barn originates from the days of old when the barn was used to prepare ducks and chickens. Today there is no trace of that, but instead you will be greeted by friendly owners who have created a modern and very comfortable holiday cottage, in an ‘upside down’ style to take advantage of the gorgeous views. On the ground floor there are two bedrooms, one a double and the other a twin. They both have access to the lovely shower room with walk-in shower. There is thermostatically controlled radiators upstairs, and underfloor heating on the ground floor. Upstairs, the living area is open plan with a spacious modern and well equipped kitchen and dining space which leads to the living area where there are two comfy leather sofas and chair. You can sit here and take full advantage of the amazing countryside views or step out through the patio doors onto the balcony and enjoy sitting at the table with a coffee or a glass of something chilled and breathe in the fresh Welsh air. There’s also an outside seating area right by the barn with barbecue, table and chairs and a great enclosed paddock for exercising dogs right opposite.
The location of the Plucking Barn makes it an ideal base for day trips around west and mid Wales. There are over 60 miles of glorious coastline in Cardigan Bay. There are lots of beaches and coves and many are dog friendly all year round if you are bringing your pet on holiday with you. The pretty coastal resort of New Quay and the colourful Georgian harbour town Aberaeron can be easily reached within 30 minutes’ drive. You’re very likely to see dolphins in the bay and there are boat trips available to watch them and the other wildlife. The Victorian seaside and university town of Aberystwyth is also within easy reach and here you’ll find a traditional pier, promenade and the old electric cliff railway to the summit of Constitution Hill where you can enjoy a really panoramic view of the bay.
If outdoor activities are your thing, there are plenty of options for walkers and cyclists of all abilities as well as horse riding, canoeing and more. Families can enjoy a day out at the National Trust Dolaucothi Gold Mines at Pumsaint, the Silver Mountain Experience (silver-lead mines) at Ponterwyd or the red kite feeding centre at Bwlch Nant Yr Arian. Or why not take a trip on a traditional steam train from Abersytwyth to the falls at Devil’s Bridge? There’s far more to see and do here in this diverse and culturally rich part of Wales than can be written in a few lines, so why not book a break or a longer stay at the Plucking Barn – you won’t be disappointed. Beach 13 miles. Shop 3½ miles. Pub and restaurant 5 miles.