5 More Family Friendly Ideas for Visiting Mid Wales….
If you missed our last blog article on the ”Top 5 Quick Tips for visiting Mid Wales with Kids‘ you can find it by clicking here. But since it was so well received, we thought we’d add 5 more different activities you can find in this unspoilt part of Wales.
If you’re looking for other areas too, then why not check out all our ‘Wales Blog Posts’ here However Mid Wales sits conveniently in the heart of Wales, the crossroads between east and west, north and south. It’s offered a welcome for travellers for centuries…. even us motorhomers! So here’s a few more ideas that aren’t too far from where we stayed at Tyllwyd.….. the perfect recipe for some rest and relaxation!!
Heading west from Devils Bridge towards the seaside town of Aberystwyth on the ‘Vale of Rheidol‘ steam train certainly captures some of the Edwardian spirit that must have been present when the railroad was first built… Yet the sheer beauty of the passing Pumlumon landscape is enough in itself to make you draw a sharp intake of breath… Ancient woodlands pass by on either side offering rare glimpses of the cascading waterfalls at Devil’s Bridge….. whilst the authentic carriages creak and shudder adding a certain ‘Hogwarts Express‘ feel to the experience.
Lasting just over an hour each way and costing around £50 per family ticket, it’s not a cheap day out… but the experience for younger children was worth every penny. We’ve taken them twice since Lottie was born (aged 3 & 8) and she’s loved each time… Especially as it’s not the only train you can catch on a day to the coast…. If you depart at Aberystwyth and make your way via the windy seafront to the Aberystwyth Cliff Railway, you’ll love the panoramic views as you are hauled up by the water balance system (at a leisurely 4mph!)
If you spend a few moments going through our European Travel Blog, you’ll easily spot the girl’s growing love for horses… just see their experiences in Pembrokeshire, Norway or Croatiato name a few! But a chance to trek through the Elan Valley with the fantastic guides from the Lion Riding Centre wasn’t to be missed by our girls… and it’s great for riders of all abilities and sizes (Libby was just 6 at the time
Judging by the beaming smiles and stories of ‘roped and ‘non roped’ trekking… they clearly had great fun and loved every second of the woodland trek underneath the circling Red Kites from the nearby Gigrin Farm Red Kite Centre. Certainly one to recommend to horse lovers in the family!
Grabbing a chance to mix a little ‘roadschooling‘ on our journey, we couldn’t resist the chance to see the appropriately named ‘Magic of Life’ Butterfly House. This small attraction offers good value for money and can easily provide a morning’s entertainment on a rainy day in Mid Wales.
Near to Capel Bangor, the butterfly house was inspired by the rainforests of Colombia, Borneo and Nigeria and is full to the rafters with butterflies and rare species of planets….. and bearing in mind some butterfly’s only live for a few days (or upto a year), it’s a great place to discuss ‘science in action‘
If your wallet is groaning after some of the above attractions/experiences… then grab the chance to enjoy the true natural beauty of Mid Wales…. There’s plenty of rivers or mountain streams to enjoy splashing, paddling or boating in…. As for our girls, they love to build a dam to see if they can float their boats… which was great when they were aged 2&4… but a little tougher now they’re 9&11!!!! (but we still try each year as you can see below!!!)
Having spent so much time in Mid Wales around the Devil’s Bridge / Rhayader area, we’ve had a chance to head out and experience a few more… so if none of the above have struck the right note, why not have a look at some of these below attractions.
A fantastic chance to descend 675 steps down alongside the waterfall, past the robbers cave before making you way back to grab a locally made ice cream at the top
⦿ Gigrin Farm Red Kite Centre
An opportunity to see Red Kite preservation at first hand in their own environment.. even feed them!
⦿ CAT (Centre for Alternative Technology)
Over 50+ interesting ‘green solutions’ exsist at CAT’s education and visitor centre to try and demonstrate practical solutions for sustainability.
An underground adventure with your very own boatman to discover more about Wales epic legends and dragons!
Take a peek into the world of bees and see just how amazing they are! See the ‘Behind the Bees’ exhibition, visit the tea room or grab a beeswax candle to take home after your trip!
Elan Valley
so where did we park the bus for the night?
Our Newsletter
