At the beginning of the New Year we escaped back to Gwbert with some friends for a few days, with the excuse that we had to take down the Christmas decorations! It was great to be back at Fourwinds and introduce our friends to West Wales, an area they hadn’t visited before. Outside it was cold but beautifully sunny – perfect walking weather! With two teenage boys and two ten-year-old girls in tow, we loaded up on snacks and just a short drive arrived at the stunning National Trust location of Mwnt. This beautiful hidden cove on the Ceredigion coast has a sheltered sandy beach including a waterfall and stream! Above the cove sits Foel y Mwnt, a hill with a path that leads up to spectacular views from the top. On many occasions we have enjoyed watching the dolphins play in the bay across to Cardigan Island!
We chose to walk the Mwnt to Penpeles 4 miles circular route, leading out from Mwnt towards Aberporth. At the start of the walk, there is a tiny white 14th Century church with historic information and a simple and peaceful interior. The route leads inland, through fields first, then loops back along the coastal path with absolutely stunning views of the bays and headlands. We all loved it. The kids climbed hills, stomped across bridges and hid behind gorse bushes! We finished the walk with some stone skimming and wading on the beach! After walking ten kilometres (including up and down the hill at Mwnt) we treated ourselves to fish and chips at Pendre Cafe in Cardigan for much needed refuelling!
We ended our stay with a bit of pampering at the Cliff Hotel and Spa, a two-minute walk down the road from Fourwinds. Children can enter the pool and spa area between 8-10am, so they were delighted not to miss out! We thoroughly enjoyed the relaxation time and made the most of the heated stone beds, steam room and sauna, jacuzzi and pool. There are a variety of treatments and massages on offer too. I think we all felt it was the perfect finale to a very active weekend of walking, playing card games, eating and drinking!
If you’d like more information about staying at Fourwinds then please do get in touch either by calling Nikki on 07921 226 181 or dropping us an email at fourwindsholidaycottage@gmail.com
For another time…
During our stay we also drove out from Gwbert (towards New Quay) to another National Trust location called Penbryn. Narrow windy roads lead to this hidden gem with a fab little licensed cafe in the carpark that also hosts pop-up evening dining events during the Summer months. You can access the beach down the steep lane, but it is much more fun to follow the footpath from the back of the car park [behind the café] which leads you past a waterfall and winds through a beautiful wooded valley and out to the beach. This beach, nearly a mile long, is sandy with fantastic caves to explore. When the tide is out you can also walk along to the next bay, with incredible rock formations and rock pools. The kids were in their element – with so much to keep them entertained.
Leave a Reply