Nostalgia Trip #5: Ceredigion Coast, Wales And Dolphins
Waking on our first morning in Aberaeron is just idyllic. Our window at the Harbourmaster Hotel looks past the boats snuggled in the harbour to the cottages opposite, their multiple pastel shades reminiscent of Ireland and resplendent in the morning sunlight. The sound of mast ropes clinking in the light breeze is the only thing that breaks the silence as Aberaeron wakes slowly from its slumbers.
Our first wander around town includes a short amble upstream along the banks of the Aeron which brings its own rewards. As well as the many woodland birds we spot a dipper feeding from the boulders and a vole scuttling across our path. There’s an amusing cameo as a mother duck tries – and fails – to get her five ducklings to scale the weir. Two of the chicks try several times but keep falling back into the river until eventually Mum calls it a day and gathers the family back together.
New Quay is our first point of call as we explore the Ceredigion coastline, and it is every bit as enchanting as Aberaeron though quite different in character. The town curls beautifully around the perfect bay, rocks and the harbour wall splitting its large beach in two. A crowd has gathered on the sea wall, all looking outwards – we join them, inevitably, to see two large dolphins diving and surfacing, looking for all the world as if they’re playing to their audience.
Later, on a brilliantly informative boat trip, we discover these are part of a large bottlenose dolphin colony living within the bay. The little town looks delightful on this sun drenched day, its cafes buzzing and the views across to the splendid looking Cei Bach fabulous.
We move on to other places from Michaela’s childhood memories: first Llangranog, a tiny village hidden in a tight rocky alcove, where we explore rock pools and caves and climb the steep footpath to the top of the imposing cliff. Below us children play just as Michaela did years ago, and families scuttle back around the rocks to beat the incoming tide. A statue of the village’s founder Saint Granog looks proudly across the beach. Beneath him, a colony of guillemots and razorbills busily feed their young, gliding swiftly across the waves to the nesting holes in the cliffside.
From Llangranog we head further south to Tresaith where the rock pools are even better and we clamber over the jagged outcrops as Michaela sheds the years with the endearing enthusiasm of childhood. Just around the corner a stream tumbles over the cliff, crashing to the beach below in a spectacular waterfall.
Later, on our final day here, we walk from Penbryn to Tresaith, out at sea level which is basically a couple of miles of clambering over tidal rocks, then back along the steeply rising coast path.
Returning to Aberaeron, the sun intensifies and it is undeniably a summer’s day; a table for two on the sun terrace at the Harbourmaster is calling and we don’t even try to resist. Downing a few beers and tanning our faces in the hot salty Atlantic air feels so wonderful that for a moment we can forget that we have been denied foreign travel.
Wednesday June 9th, the summer has slipped away behind cloud, though it remains warm, at times even humid. Today our trip is north from Aberaeron, to explore the village of Llanon and the largest town in the area, Aberystwyth.
Aberystwyth houses the remains of a castle right on the seafront, but even more impressive is the huge University College building, bearing the hallmarks of an influential seat of learning in the style of the likes of Eton or even the dreaming spires of Oxford. Rather pleasingly, the whole imposing building is currently being expensively restored to former glories and will soon once again fulfil the motto of its founder: “a world without knowledge is no world at all”.
The chief impression here is that someone sometime started to raise Aberystwyth’s profile but ran out of money or energy or both, and left a half finished development which is not pleasing on the eye. Apart from the two buildings mentioned above, the town is all rather drab and uninspiring, capped by its unattractive beach.
Fitting then that the little village of Llanon should dominate the day’s activities. Llanon is, for Michaela, the epicentre of this part of the nostalgia trip. Our next post will tell more…..
22 Comments
wetanddustyroads
Beautiful little harbour at Aberaeron and that beach at Llangranog looks certainly like a place where a child can spent a day! Your pictures definitely shows a glimpse of summery weather – lovely coastal views!
Annie Berger
As others have already commented, the harbor views are stunning. I enjoyed reading about Michaela’s returning to places of her youth and recapturing memories of long ago days. How much had the area changed from her youthful recollections, I wonder?
Phil & Michaela
Thank you Annie. Some places have hardly changed but Aberaeron on the surface looks the same but it has become a little up market to what it was all those years ago.
Phil & Michaela
Its a wonderful place and we were so lucky to get some sunshine in Wales😊
Toonsarah
I have happy memories of childhood rock-pooling too, although mine was mainly in Cornwall 🙂 Good to see they’re restoring the university building in Aber, where I spent so many hours at lectures and seminars. I agree that the town is drab and uninspiring but it was a great place to study as it was small enough for all of my friends and I to feel very connected as a group even if we weren’t all living in the same place. Plus, costs were very low so my grant went a long way, and it gave me the complete contrast to London suburbia that I was looking for 🙂 Oh, and I met my husband there, but that’s another story!!
Phil & Michaela
Oh wow, thats a happy place for you then if you met your Husband there!🥰Would like to here that story one day😁How lovely to have studied in that wonderful old building, must have felt very grand
Toonsarah
It was more old than wonderful but yes, it felt rather grand 🙂
Monkey's Tale
Wow, love your pictures of Llangranog, I can see why it’s special to Michaela. Maggie
Phil & Michaela
Many thanks Maggie, it was lovely to go back and introduce Phil to this place, so many memories 😊
Lookoom
These are nice places that don’t really seem to be concerned by today’s world.
Heyjude
We also stayed at the Harbourmaster hotel, it is a lovely hotel. Wales has a wonderful coastline and some fabalas (as the Welsh would say) beaches.
Phil & Michaela
Yes its a wonderful hotel. Very different from all those years ago when I used to go to Wales, and yes, some beaches are fabalas 😁
leightontravels
Your photography really brings these places to life, particularly like the shot of Saint Granog. Not even an exceptionally gloomy sky can damage Aberystwyth’s obvious beauty.
Phil & Michaela
Thank you, I try to replicate what is in my minds eye. I don’t remember the Saint Granog statue from my childhood visits though but the views are fabulous and Phil finds the region very reminiscent of his Cornwall visits.
grandmisadventures
Wow! Stunning pictures! I think I would sttuggle to ever be inside with views like that outside
Phil & Michaela
Thank you, it is a beautiful part of Wales, United Kingdom 😊
WanderingCanadians
What a gorgeous area. I love the harbour with all the boats of various shapes and sizes. Those views of the rugged and lush coastline look spectacular! Great pictures!!
Phil & Michaela
Thank you, it is a wonderful region
rkrontheroad
I would love to be there – the harbor, the waves, the sea life. Thanks for sharing!
Phil & Michaela
So glad you enjoyed this. It is a wonderful region 😍
Gilda Baxter
A trip down memory lane for Michaela, I am sure she is loving sharing these memories with you Phil. How lovely that you managed to see dolphins.
Phil & Michaela
It was wonderful Gilda, and some parts are so reminiscent of Cornwall too 😊