Wedged between the well-known Pembrokeshire & Swansea area, you will find the lesser known but ever so beautiful Carmarthenshire, in Wales’ Southwest corner. A picturesque Welsh county adorned in rolling hills, fluffy sheep & a dramatic coastline, to send Pembrokeshire running for its money.
This corner of Wales is the very definition of underrated. Therefore, if you’re looking for a new & lesser frequented destination to escape to in the UK, we have you covered in this guide for spending 48 hours in Carmarthenshire.
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Furthermore, this post is written in collaboration with Discover Carmarthenshire, who hosted us during our stay & organised many of the awesome activities we are going to share below. Therefore, a huge thank you goes out to them.
When is the best time to visit Carmarthenshire?
The good news is that Carmarthenshire is great for visiting all year round! But sticking to Spring/early Summer (March-June) & Autumn (September-November) will make for a pleasant experience. Summer will be busy & you may find that accomodation is more expensive during July & August. Moreover, the winter months whilst it’s still a beautiful time for visiting, you’re likely to experience cold & wet weather.
Due to Carmarthenshire being a bit of a hidden gem, you may notice that it is slightly quieter in summer here in comparison to nearby Pembrokeshire or further north towards Anglesey & Snowdonia.
How to get there/around?
If you are travelling from London to Carmarthenshire, you can easily hop on a Great Western Railway train from Paddington – Carmarthen direct. The journey will take approximately 3.5 hours & we’d highly recommend you book First Class if you can, to make the most of the complimentary food & drinks.
On arrival into Carmarthen town, it would be best to hire a car to explore the surrounding county. Enterprise offers affordable rentals & has an office not too far from Carmarthen train station.
Where to stay in Carmarthenshire?
Carmarthen is a good place to base yourself, the town has everything you would need & points of interest are within easy driving distance. If you would prefer to be on the coast, then Pendine Sands or Laugharne are great options. Both of these coastal towns are popular with holiday makers & there is ample accomodation options.
If you would prefer to escape into nature & enjoy some seclusion, then we have the perfect place for you. Far a Field is a converted horse box nestled in the Towy Valley, around 15 minutes’ drive from Carmarthen. The horse box is located on a rural farm & has been beautifully renovated into a modern living space. Equipped with a stunning outdoor bath, to sit back & enjoy the countryside views in, wine in hand!
When you stay here, you will not only have the horse box to yourself, but also a private field & river access. The family that owns the property also have a Scandinavian style sauna in their back garden. You can book to use the sauna & spend an evening unwinding in nature. The views are simply perfect from here.
Nightly rates are £100 & a minimum of 2 nights must be booked.
Day 1: Around Carmarthen
After arriving in Carmarthen & picking up your rental car, it’s time to hit the road & start enjoying the beauty of Carmarthenshire.
The National Botanic Garden of Wales – is located 9 miles (14.5km) outside of Carmarthen & it should only take 15 minutes to drive here. Once at the gardens, enjoy a pleasant walk through the gardens, don’t forget to check out the glass house for a look at some of the worlds most endangered plant species. There are plants in here from all corners of the world & it is a great photo opportunity.
British Bird of Prey Centre – is located within the National Botanic Garden of Wales & is an activity not to be missed. The centre houses solely native bird species & is the only one of its kind in the UK. Every day they put on a bird of prey show that is only £3 to watch & learn about the native bird of prey species that we have in the UK.
Furthermore, there is even an opportunity to try a private flying experience. This is where you will be able to gear up & experience feeding & having the birds of prey land on your own arm. Would you let an Eagle with an 8-foot wingspan land on your arm? Because we did.
Back to Far a Field (or your preferred accomodation) – If you do decide to stay at Far a Field, spend the late afternoon soaking in the outdoor bath as you listen to the sounds of nature. Definitely make some time to enjoy the sauna, there is also a cold plunge to brave, trust us it feels amazing! Or if that isn’t your thing head into the countryside on a walk, from Far a Field, you have it all on your doorstep.
Wright’s Food Emporium – is a great place to pick up some local produce to cook for your evening meal. They sell delicious ready-made meals as well as fresh produce. We highly recommend trying the vegetarian lasagne & peach tarts. This will make for a perfect alfresco evening on the porch at Far a Field. Consider picking up some bits here to make your breakfast with as well.
Day 2: On the coast
It would be a crime to visit this part of the world & not check out the coast. Carmarthenshire boasts 46 miles (74km) of gorgeous coastline, with sweeping beaches, picturesque coves & dramatic cliff tops, all dying to be explored. Not to mention, you’ll be able to walk sections of the Wales Coastal Path, which stretches along the entirety of the Welsh coastlines, offering spectacular views & a challenge to those hikers that decide to take the through hike on.
Pendine Sands – is located in the far West of the county & offers are huge expanse of beach stretching a whopping 7 miles (11km). It is no wonder why this beach has been used to set world land speed records for years. There is even a dedicated Musuem of Land Speed in Pendine Sands, which gives information on the history of the area & the land speed records that have been set right on this magnificent beach.
The beach is also great for walking on as the sand is firm, many people choose to walk the entire 7 miles (a great workout). Moreover, kayaking or paddle boarding is another popular activity here. There is a rental shop on the beach front called ‘Chad & Olly’s’. There is a selection of cafe’s that line the beach, we would recommend checking out ‘Bistro on the Bay’, on a sunny day it’s a great spot to grab some lunch & enjoy the views out onto the ocean.
From Pendine Sands you can also join a section of the coastal path. Walk to the far-right corner of the beach, where you will come across some stairs, if you follow this path it’ll take you up onto the cliffs as you join the coastal path. Be warned that the climb to the top is rather steep & should only be attempted by those who are capable. Once on top of the cliffs enjoy the spectacular views looking back onto Pendine Sands.
If you continue to follow the path, you will eventually come to a ‘hidden beach’ called ‘Morfa Bychan’. This remote spot is a beautiful place to stop & admire the views across the ocean, perhaps snap some photos here too. You can either continue along the path or head back from here. It is only a 1 mile walk from Pendine to this beach, so it makes for an easy return walk.
There is free parking in the car park of the arcade, just across from the beach. Here is the location.
Laugharne – is synonymous with the Welsh poet Dylan Thomas who lived in the coastal town from 1949-1953. Many people come to Laugharne to walk in the footsteps of the great poet. Aside from famous poets, the adorable town also boasts a castle & beautiful meandering waterways dotted with tiny sail boats, that lead out to the open ocean.
Brown’s is a lovely boutique hotel in Laugharne town centre. The onsite steakhouse restaurant ‘Dexter’s‘ serves farm to fork, we ate here some years ago & still dream of the mouth-watering steak we had here.
Other notable coastal areas to explore are: Llansteffan, Llanelli, Ferryside & Bury Port, we haven’t personally visited these areas, but they are certainly on our list for our next visit. You can read more about these areas over at Discover Carmarthenshire.
Once you have finished exploring Carmarthenshire’s fantastic coastline, you could head back to Carmarthen to fuel up at Cofio Lounge, located in the town centre. This pub/restaurant is really affordable, especially if you visit on a Tuesday when they offer a ‘Tapas Tuesday’ deal for £12. We had a really lovely meal here.
Day 3: Carmarthenshire Castles
Wales is known for its ancient castles that you will find dotted all over the countryside. Lucky for you, Carmarthenshire is home to some stunning ones, that are well worth a visit. Take some time on your last day to drive around & explore a couple or maybe even a few!
Carreg Cennen Castle – on the fringes of the Brecon Beacons National Park, sits this magnificent castle on top of a rocky outcrop. Visible all around within the surrounding countryside, it really dominates the skyline as you approach the castle from the road. Built in the 13th century, this castle offers a sense of remoteness & mystery.
The setting of this castle is certainly wild, & on visiting it is not uncommon to have the grounds to yourself. Stay a while, exploring the ruins & the natural cave that lies below the decaying towers. Not to mention, the views from here are simply stunning, with sweeping views across the pristine Welsh countryside, you will feel transported into a fairytale.
Entry fee is £7 for an adult ticket. There is free parking in the onsite car park.
Other notable castles to check out if you are interested in history are: Laugharne Castle, Llansteffan Castle, Carmarthen Castle, Dryslwyn Castle, Dinefwr Castle & Newcastle Elym Castle.
Llandeilo – After visiting Carreg Cennen Castle we would highly recommend that you stop by the nearby town of Llandeilo. It is an adorable market town, with some beautiful boutique shops to walk around. Furthermore, it is a great spot to grab some lunch.
Pitchfork & Provision is a great choice, offering a beautiful cafe setting & deli style food. We can recommend the Salt Beef Sandwich & Vegetarian Curry. If you are after something lighter, they also have a bakery onsite, selling delicious pastries & cakes.
After dropping your rental car back at the depot, it is sadly time to leave Carmarthenshire & head home. But we have a feeling that you’ll be back, this corner of Wales has a way of drawing you back in. This is already our second visit & we have no doubt that sometime in the future, we will too be back.
For additional information on planning your trip to Carmarthenshire do head over to our Instagram & Discover Carmarthenshire for extra inspiration.
If you enjoyed reading this, you may also enjoy our other UK travel guides: How to Spend a Weekend in Eryri (Snowdonia), Wales.
Lovely read on Wales. Looks a beautiful country