We've had it on our list to explore Wales since before we moved to London. My grandma has had a penpal from an area near Cardiff for almost 60 years and we promised we'd pay her a visit. So, when a work trip required me to be in Cardiff to start the week, we decided to make a trip out of it.
We had limited time on this trip - leaving London Friday afternoon and back to work on Monday. We researched what to see and optimized for seeing as many castles as we could while also enjoying the local eateries.
On Friday, we drove from London to our adorable Airbnb in Rhydlewis (check it out, here). The drive should've taken about 4 hours, but took a little longer due to a surprise snow storm (people are not used to snow here)! It was an old barn (built hundreds of years ago) that had been beautifully converted. It was warm, cozy, and even had a hot tub. Best of all, the views from the sitting room made it really feel like you were in Wales.
Tip: Airbnb is a great way to experience Wales—especially if you want an authentic experience. If you haven't used Airbnb yet, you can get a $25 discount by using our referral code here.
Day One: Castles, Chapels, and Lighthouses
Stop 1: Cilgerran Castle
Cilgerran Castle was built in the 13th century next to the River Teifi. If you're using GPS, you'll need to type in the Cilgerran Castle Car Park, which is about a half mile down the river from the actual castle itself. A short forest-y walk brings you to the castle grounds.
Tip: if you come between November and March you can get in for free and chances are, you'll have the place to yourself (we did). Other times of year there is a £4 fee for adults.
Coming from the States, where a culture of zero self-responsibility has resulted in most neat things being ruined with endless safety precautions, being able to walk right up the castle steps was pretty cool.
Castle Cilgerran is also dog-friendly. Dogs are allowed on lead throughout the property and there was even a water bowl for them despite the fact we were there during the off-season.
Stop 2: Narberth Castle
Our second castle was in the sleepy little town of Narberth. Google takes you to the nearest road, but the entrance to the castle is a bit hard to find. The actual structure is located at the top of a small hill in the town, which is accessible through a small pathway next to a row of houses. At first, you think you're walking up to someone's driveway before seeing the entrance.
Narberth Castle is free to visit. It's not as intact as some of the other castles but it's still worth a visit. As such, it's also dog-friendly.
Stop 3: Carew Castle and Tidal Mill
This was a bit of an accidental stop. We were driving from Narberth to St. Govan's when we saw this castle on the side of the road (Europe, am I right?) We decided to pull over and check it out.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rMp9aohdLco&t=1s
Carew Castle is the feature image in our Wales YouTube adventure.
Unfortunately, it was closed - so we couldn't go inside. But we still got an amazing view of the castle. Spark also loved meeting the ponies that were used to keep the lawn in order.
Fun fact: The ponies used to keep the lawns groomed help contribute to wildflower growth which in turn promotes healthy populations of insects, small mammals (like bats), and other native critters.
Stop 4: St. Govan's Chapel
As the story goes, Saint Govan was traveling by sea ~500AD when he was ambushed by pirates. As he was trying to escape, a fissure in the cliffs gave him just enough room to hide allowing him to survive. In the 13th century a small vaulted chapel was built over the cave that housed Saint Govan.
Today, nearly a thousand years later, the chapel still stands tucked away in the cliffs of the Pembrokeshire coast and is accessible to anyone who can make the trek up and down the steep stairs.
St. Govan's is absolutely worth a visit. It's an easy drive and super unique! Somehow we did not take any photos of the actual chapel - but we did get it on video here.
Stop 5: Lunch in Solva
So, by this point in the journey, we were all getting very hungry. Our research suggested that Solva was a cute little town that was great for lunch, and it did not disappoint.
Our criteria was pretty rigerous: we wanted a pub with gluten-free food that was dog-friendly. We found the Harbour Inn and would absolutely recommend it. Not only was the food amazing, but the waitress took the time to share all of her favorite things to do in the area. We left with full stomachs and motivation for the next stage of the journey!
Oh, and Solva definitely lived up to the hype. It was an adorable little seaside village with colorful houses, lots of boats, and amazing views. It's definitely worth a stop! There are even some hiking trails right next to the Harbour Inn.
Stop 6: Catch the Sunset at Strumble Head Lighthouse
I am a sucker for lighthouses and Strumble Head did not disappoint. This part of the coastline is the perfect way to watch the sunset of the Atlantic while the cool blue waves crash against the cliffs below you.
Check out the drone footage below. The views from Strumble Head start at 0:12.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5pbfTi_T5TQ
Stop 7: Home
After a big day of exploring, we were ready for a nice dinner and some sleep, so we headed back to our Airbnb for the night! Part Two will share what we did on our second day - coming soon!
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