Set almost midway between the larger towns of Cardigan (6 miles), Newcastle Emlyn (9 miles) and Newport (10 miles) in West Wales, the tiny villages of Boncath and Blaenffos offer everything you imagine from rural Welsh living, but with easy access to amenities such as supermarkets and GP surgeries.

The closest town for doctors and schools is Crymych, which is around five minutes drive from these villages, and here you’ll find a pharmacy and a selection of restaurants and shops.

If you’d like to find out more about these villages, read on, or get in touch with Helen or Tania to discuss your property search. You can also read more about the other beautiful areas of West Wales in our location guides.

History

The name Boncath actually comes from the Welsh for buzzard (bwncath), and you can still see these beautiful birds across West Wales. The village was originally a hamlet set around a traditional inn, but when the Whitland and Taf Vale Railway was extended to Cardigan in 1885 Boncath developed further as interest in the area increased. The railways here were built to carry slate and lead ore, but local farm produce kept the line running for many years until it closed in 1963. 

Blaenffos was part of a well known drovers’ road for moving livestock from both Wales and Ireland to England. It is said that at one point the village had five public houses, but these closed over the years with only three remaining by 1900. All of these remaining three have now been closed and converted into houses. The village still has a Baptist Chapel, which was constructed in 1785.

The history of this whole area dates back much further though, with evidence showing that the area that is now Blaenffos would have been farmed over 3,000 years ago and Bronze Age burial mounds can still be seen at Frenni Fawr.

Tourism & Recreation

Whether you love peaceful walks, cycling, water sports or watching incredible wildlife, rural West Wales has plenty for you to enjoy.

The famed Preseli Mountains are just a short drive away, steeped in history and offering plenty of choice for walkers and mountain bikers. From gentle strolls to more challenging climbs, you can even see across to Snowdonia or Ireland on a clear day. You also have the opportunity to pass prehistoric landscapes and see ancient sites, providing a very unique walking area.

Elsewhere around these villages both mountain bikers and road cyclists are spoilt for choice, with quiet roads and pretty trails. Equestrians too can discover the peaceful bridleways of the surrounding countryside, and you’ll find treks and rides available at places such as Crosswell Riding Stables or Preseli Pony Trekking.

Not far away – about 20 minutes – from Boncath and Blaenffos you can discover some of the UK’s most beautiful beaches, including Newport Sands – a long, wide sandy beach backed by dunes and loved by families. It’s also a great place to enjoy watersports such as sailing and windsurfing.

Alternatively visit Poppit Sands, set at the mouth of the Teifi Estuary, or on the other side of the estuary the beach at Gwbert. Many of the beaches around West Wales are perfect for practising surfing, and you’ll find lessons readily available. Other water sports to try include water skiing, wakeboarding and canoeing, or for a more leisurely pace try fishing in the clean waters of Cardigan Bay.

At the coast you should also look out for a wide range of wildlife, with dolphins, seals and many different birds such as egrets and peregrines seen around this part of the Welsh coast.

For keen rugby players you can join Crymych Rugby Club, while for golfers Cardigan Golf Club is set close to the pretty village of Gwbert. Listed as one of the top courses to play in Wales, it was founded back in 1895 and offers fabulous views out over Cardigan Bay.

Alternatively, if you prefer working out in a gym, swimming or fitness classes there is Crymych Leisure Centre which offers a full programme of sporting activities, including junior classes, or try Cardigan Leisure Centre and Cardigan Swimming & Fitness Centre.

Crymych also has a choir, which performs at various festivals and events – follow their Facebook page to find out about their performances or joining. There is also a community hall in Boncath, which was completed in 2000 and is now available to host a range of events, while in Cardigan you can enjoy the latest film releases at the Mwldan cinema.

Finally, not far away at Cilgerran, there is the beautiful Rhosygilwen, a beautiful country retreat where you can choose to stay if you’re visiting the area to house hunt or you can visit the immaculate gardens. The house is also a popular venue for weddings and events.

Shopping

While you won’t find big supermarkets here, you will find a small Post Office and general store in Boncath for any essential items you need. There is also a photographer in Boncath – Mark Llewellyn, while a little further away at Newchapel you can find some beautiful furniture at Orissa Designs, or take a look at Kustom Kidz Bedz for beautiful children’s beds and toy boxes.

Similarly, Blaenffos has a small general store – Rhoslyn Stores – for daily essentials.

More shopping opportunities are available in Crymych where there’s a Spar and a Nisa Local, as well as several small, independent shops. Ty Bach Twt sells a range of gifts and items for the home, while Siop Sian has gift items such as jewellery, candles and more. There is also a health food shop here – Bwyd y Byd. Other specialist shops include CJ’s Equestrian, which sells a wide range of items if you own horses, while for electrical items try D E Philips & Son.

For larger supermarkets the closest shopping is at Cardigan, where you’ll find a Tesco, a larger Spar and an Aldi, as well as high street banks – Lloyds, Barclays and HSBC. Cardigan also has a variety of other high street stores and independent shops, including butchers, clothing stores, hairdressers and surf shops. There’s also the Guildhall Market – a Grade II listed heritage building, which is home to over 50 different stalls.

Eating & Drinking

While these two villages don’t have any restaurants of their own, you will find a good selection in Crymych and in the larger towns of Cardigan, Newcastle Emlyn and Newport. 

The closest eaterie is probably the popular Crymych Arms Inn, which serves good, homemade food and a range of beers. Also in Crymych is Blasus, a great coffee shop where you can enjoy a drink, as well as food such as jacket potatoes, sausage rolls, cakes and daily specials. 

Crymych also has takeaway options including Y Badell Ffrio for freshly made fish and chips; the Crymych Kebab House for kebabs and pizzas; and the Dragon Inn for Chinese food. 

Elsewhere, try the Ffynnone Arms, an 18th Century pub in the village of Newchapel. They serve real ales from local Welsh breweries, along with dishes such as steak pie and Sunday roasts. You should also be sure to visit The Nag’s Head at Abercych, a lovely gastro pub, which also has accommodation if you’re coming to the area to house hunt.

And for ice cream lovers, take a trip to Mary’s Farmhouse, at Fairfield near Crymych, where you’ll find a range of ice cream, made locally and sold throughout Wales. 

Healthcare

The closest GPs surgery to these villages is in Crymych, which has its own medical centre. The surgery is open Monday to Friday from 8am to 5.30pm, and you can choose from face to face or telephone consultations. 

There is also a pharmacy in Crymych – E P Parry Pharmacy, which is located on Main Street. The pharmacy is open six days a week, with various opening times. There is also an optician – Celia Vlismas – which offers eye checks and a good range of glasses.

For dental care there is a choice of dental practices in Cardigan – Cardigan Dental Practice, located in the Integrated Care Centre, the Feidr Fair Dental Practice, and the Charsfield Dental Surgery. All of these are open five days a week.

If you’re in need of a good chiropractor we would also recommend the West Wales Chiropractors in Blaenporth (about 20 minutes away).

Finally, if you have pets then the closest vets are in Crymych or Cardigan – both are Priory Vets – which have a good reputation.

Schools

Which school your children attend will depend on where you choose to live in the area.

The closest primary school is the combined primary and secondary school (including Sixth Form) Ysgol Y Preseli in Crymych, about a five minute drive from Boncath and Blaenffos. This is a bilingual school that has an excellent reputation, and provides a comprehensive range of subjects as well as extra curricular activities such as rugby and athletics. 

Alternatively, in the village of Cilgerran, about three miles north of these villages towards Cardigan, there is the primary school Ysgol Cilgerran. 

For secondary education in Cardigan there is Ysgol Uwchradd Aberteifi. This school is very popular with parents and pupils, and you can view the school prospectus on their website.

Further education is available in Cardigan at Coleg Ceredigion, which offers a wide range of courses including apprenticeships, part time study and online courses. Subjects available include everything from childcare and teaching to business, accountancy and construction.

If you are moving to the area and your child has educational needs, including severe learning difficulties or autism, we would recommend Canolfan y Don at Aberporth School, about 12 miles from these villages. With a welcoming team and a range of specialist facilities, the school accepts pupils up to the age of 11. 

Transport

Part of the beauty of living in rural West Wales is the peace and quiet on offer, but as part of this you’ll find that there is limited public transport. The good news for residents of Boncath and Blaenffos is that there is a regular bus service that connects the villages with Cardigan – the journey takes less than half an hour and buses run through the day. You can check times and daily schedules on this journey planner.

For rail services, Fishguard Harbour station is only about half an hour from these villages and from here you can catch a train to both Swansea and Cardiff. You can find out more about the timings here.

If you want to travel further afield, there are regular ferry services with Stena Line to Rosslare in Ireland from Fishguard Harbour.

Find out more…

To help you find out more about West Wales and life here, below you’ll find a few more websites that may be of help in your research. However, we’re always happy to help you and share our experience and insight into living in this beautiful area. Please give us a call on 01239 562 500 and we’ll happily answer your questions to help you plan your move to Cardigan Bay or West Wales. 

• Things to Do – Click Here
• Primary schools – Click Here
• Transport – Click Here and Here
• Property management and lettings – Click Here