Discover Cenarth & Abercych - Cardigan Bay Properties

If you’re considering a move to rural West Wales, the popular villages of Cenarth and Aberych are well worth exploring. Cenarth sits next to the River Teifi and is a honeypot village, popular with locals and tourists for its famed Cenarth Falls. Abercych can trace its history back to ancient times and sits in the pretty Cych valley.

Both are close to the historic town of Newcastle Emlyn, with its shops, restaurants and amenities, and offer everything you need to enjoy country life, including local pubs!

A little further away, the charming market town of Cardigan offers residents additional facilities and adds to the popularity of this area.

You can speak to us at any time to discuss your move to West Wales. We’ve lived here all of our lives and are happy to offer advice and insights. You can also read more about the other towns and villages of West Wales in our location guides.

History

Cenarth has a long history, with the village centred around the pretty 18th century bridge, built in 1787 by William Edwards. It replaced a 12th century river crossing, and was designed with a series of holes to reduce the weight.

As well as the Cenarth Falls, the village is also famed around the world as the home of the coracle, an unusual type of flat bottomed boat without a keel, used since the Bronze Age and still used today on the River Teifi and elsewhere. At the National Coracle Centre you can discover the fascinating history of these boats and even sit in one! There is also a 17th century flour mill here and you can discover more about poaching – locals used to poach the salmon from the river. On the south side of the river you’ll also find the ancient St Llawddog’s Holy Well, now protected by a modern wellhouse.

Cenarth also has the pretty St Llawddog’s Church, built in 1872 and replacing an earlier building, and in the church grounds stands an ancient carved stone – the Gellidywyll Stone, dating back to the 5th or 6th century.

While Abercych’s history is perhaps not as varied and well known as Cenarth, this village has an ancient history with a forge recorded as the earliest settlement, as well as a water powered corn mill marked on a map back in 1890. The name Abercych means ‘mouth of the Afon Cych’, which refers to where the small River Cych joins the larger River Teifi. In folklore it is also said that the Cych is connected to the realm of Annwn in the tale of Pwyll Pendefig Dyfed, and there are many tales of the magical nature of the river and the valley.

Tourism & Recreation

Cenarth is a charming Welsh village, popular with both locals and tourists and renowned for the beautiful Cenarth Falls, which attract hundreds of visitors to watch the salmon leap every autumn. Also in Cenarth is The National Coracle Centre, where you can discover the history of these ancient boats and see the collection from countries such as Vietnam and Iraq.

Cenarth and Abercych are also just a short drive from the beautiful Welsh coast around Cardigan Bay. Here you can enjoy numerous beaches such as Aberporth (about 20 minutes from both Cenarth and Abercych), Penbryn (about 20 minutes from Cenarth/27 minutes from Abercych) and Tresaith (around 20 minutes from Cenarth and Abercych). With golden sands and clean waters, the beaches of Cardigan Bay are loved by locals and visitors. Don’t forget to look out for some of the incredible wildlife that makes their homes in the clean waters here – dolphins, seals and many types of fish.

Not surprisingly, watersports are also very popular in this part of West Wales. Surfing is available at many of the beaches, including surf lessons, and many people will make the short drive to the coast after work or at weekends to catch some waves. Other watersports available include waterskiing, windsurfing, kitesurfing and sailing – in Tresaith you can join the Tresaith Mariners – a catamaran and dinghy sailing club.

If you love walking, cycling or horse riding then the countryside around Cenarth and Abercych will have a major appeal. There are a whole host of tracks, trails and bridleways to explore while heading to the coast and you can walk sections of the famed Ceredigion Coastal Path, which runs 60 miles from Cardigan in the south to Ynyslas in the north.

Other attractions to discover in this area include fishing on the River Teifi; the Teifi Valley Railway, a narrow gauge railway with rides on a steam engine; while in Newcastle Emlyn there’s a leisure centre, with a swimming pool, squash courts, an athletics track and table tennis.

Shopping

In or around Cenarth and Abercych you’ll find a few local shops, particularly in Cenarth, which attracts many tourists.

For grocery shopping in Cenarth, there’s a Nisa Local, which is open seven days a week. There’s also the Salmon Leap shop, selling a range of lovely items that make great gifts.

Nearby is the award-winning Caws Cenarth. Established in 1987 by Gwynfor and Thelma Adams this fabulous artisan cheese company is now run by son Carwyn and products can either be purchased at their shop on the farm in Cenarth, or online.

While Abercych doesn’t have a shop in the village, it is the home of Daioni Organic which produces milk and milk products, which you may have seen stocked in shops such as M&S.

For a wider choice of shops, residents here will choose to go to Newcastle Emlyn or Cardigan. In Newcastle Emlyn there is a good choice of independent shops such as the Soap Shack, which sells handmade soaps and bath bombs, the famed Cardigan Bay Brownies, as well as clothes shops, gift shops, and food stores, which often sell local produce such as meats and vegetables. There is also a Post Office in the town, and a Co-op Food store.

Cardigan (about 15 minutes away) has major supermarket chains such as Tesco, Aldi and Spar, as well as many independent shops and the Grade II listed Gui l dhall Market, which has over 50 specialist stalls. In Cardigan there are also branches of Lloyds, Barclays and HSBC.

Eating & Drinking

If you love eating out or visiting a local pub you’ll find plenty of choice in this part of West Wales.

In Cenarth there’s the fabulous Three Horseshoes Inn & Steakhouse, serving incredible steaks, fish and vegetarian dishes. There’s also the White Hart Inn, which offers a traditional pub menu including vegetarian and children’s options. For a catch-up with friends, try the Tŷ Te tea rooms, which has delicious homemade cakes.

In Abercych there’s the lovely Nag’s Head, which serves dishes including local lamb, fish and chips, burgers and pasta, as well as offering accommodation if you’re coming to the area to house hunt. There’s also the traditional Penrhiw Inn, which has a good choice of beers.

Head into Newcastle Emlyn and you’ll have more choice of cafes, restaurants and pubs. Try Y Cwtch Coffi for delicious coffee and homemade cakes or Harrison’s Brasserie, with its riverside garden next to the River Teifi – it’s open as a cafe in the day and a steak restaurant in the evening.

For local pubs in Newcastle Emlyn try Y Sgwar or The Three Compasses – and it has takeaways such as Flames Kebab Shop or the Moonlight Indian Restaurant.

Healthcare

The closest GP practice to both Cenarth and Abercych is in Newcastle Emlyn – the Meddygfa Emlyn is open Monday to Friday from 8am to 6.30pm and offers morning and afternoon surgeries, as well as specialist clinics such as ante-natal and asthma.

Newcastle Emlyn also has two dental practices to choose from – Emlyn Dental Care, located on Church Lane, and Teifi Dental Centre at Emlyn Square, as well as two pharmacies – a Boots Pharmacy and the Bridge Pharmacy.

If you have a pet or animals, then the Castle House veterinary practice in Newcastle Emlyn is open Monday to Friday from 8.30am to 5.30pm, and on Saturday from 9am to 1pm.

Finally, there is an excellent chiropractor that we have used and would recommend in Blaenporth – West Wales Chiropractors – about 5.5 miles from Cenarth and 7.5 miles from Abercych.

Schools

Cenarth has its own primary school – Ysgol Cenarth, which is a popular school and welcomes pupils from Cenarth, Abercych and the surrounding areas. Abercych is just 2.5 miles from Cenarth.

In Aberporth, around 9 to10 miles from these villages, there is an excellent school for children up to the age of 11 with severe learning difficulties or autism – Canolfan y Don.

Secondary education takes place in Newcastle Emlyn at the Ysgol Gyfun Emlyn, which has a good reputation.

For older teens and adults, there is also a choice of further education, online study and apprenticeships available at the Coleg Ceredigion in Cardigan. The college has developed over the years to offer an extensive range of academic and practical courses, including part time study if you want to combine working with further education.

Alternatively, the University of Aberystwyth is one of the UK’s best known universities and is just over one hour from Cenarth and Abercych. You can discover the latest university prospectus on the website (available in English and Welsh), and there’s a choice of undergraduate, postgraduate and lifelong learning courses available.

Transport

If you already live in West Wales, you’ll know that a car is essential to help you access all of the activities and amenities available in the area. If you’re thinking about moving to the area, this is something to consider. While there are various bus services in the region, they may not be as regular as you need and there is no train service. You can check bus routes and timings by using this journey planner.