self-guided walking

Tourist Attractions
and Other Activities for a "Rest-day"

Blaen-y-ddôl is in an area of the northern part of the County of Ceredigion known as Pentir Pumlumon - the Plynlimon Uplands. There is plenty to do here apart from walking, and you can find out more by taking a look at the Pentir Pumlumon website.

If you or your partner have artistic leanings, the Ystumtuen Art Workshop is just half an hour away. Courses and workshops for all levels, so a chance to combine art and activity!

For the more energetic, Mid Wales is ideal for Cycling and Mountain Biking, and there is a permanent orienteering course just 25 minutes from Blaen-y-ddôl.

Mid Wales offers excellent Birdwatching, and has many famous nature reserves:
Tregaron Bog is nearby, whilst the sand-dunes of Ynyslas, and the varied Royal Society for the Protection of Birds reserve at Ynyshir on the Dyfi Estuary are both 45 minutes drive away. The Radnorshire Wildlife Trust’s Gilfach reserve, with its restored longhouse, is a similar distance to the east. There are also several kite feeding stations where it is possible to watch these beautiful raptors from hides just a few yards away. The Heritage Coast of Cardigan Bay is well-known for its porpoises, dolphins and seals.

If you like to intersperse your walking with some Angling, there are plenty of good places to fish within a few miles. Click the link for a page giving more details - the relevant sections are Aberystwyth and Tregaron.

The Silver-Lead Mining Museum, at Llywernog, around 25 minutes from Hillscape, gives a fascinating insight into an industry which has made a huge impact on our area since Roman times, especially in the late 19th century. Underground tours, indoor exhibits, waterwheels, and other outdoor exhibits.

The Hafod Estate, just two miles up the valley from Blaen-y-ddôl, is a celebrated historic landscape, parts of which feature in many Hillscape walks.

The Centre for Alternative Technology near Machynlleth is the place to see the latest advances in the quest for more sustainable ways of living.

Tregaron, a few miles south of Hillscape, is the home of Rhiannon Designer Celtic Jewellery, where Welsh gold items are made and sold.

The National Library of Wales in Aberystwyth (35 minutes) is the ideal place to spend a rest day if you have Welsh ancestry and an interest in family history. One-day reader tickets are easy to obtain at the reception desk, and allow FREE access to the huge genealogical resources of the NLW. The library also has art exhibitions in the foyer, and historic Welsh manuscripts and books are on display.

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