Set around four miles to the east of popular Llandysul, and with easy access to the gorgeous Cardigan Bay coast, these picturesque villages are popular with house hunters looking for rural Welsh living, 

The villages are also just a few miles from the charming town of Llanybydder and the university town of Lampeter, and have a number of local attractions to enjoy, such as the beautiful Norwood Gardens. 

If you’re looking for insight into these villages, read on, or to find out about the latest houses for sale in Ceredigion, Pembrokeshire or Carmarthenshire please get in touch with Helen or Tania who will be happy to help with your property search. You can also find out more about other West Wales villages in our location guides.  

History 

The history of West Wales covers everything from the Bronze Age, to battles against the English, the development of the railways and the growth of the wool industry.  

Llanfihangel-ar-arth was the site of one of the Rebecca Riots in 1843, and through to the 1920s many of the houses were used as woollen workshops, supporting the region’s wool industry. The village also had a station on the Carmarthen to Lampeter railway line, although this closed in the 1960s. 

Llanllwni has a 16th century church, which is a Grade II listed building dedicated to St Luke. The church is located beside the River Teifi and its architecture includes a mix of Gothic styles. 

Tourism & Recreation 

The countryside in this part of West Wales is beautiful, so it’s no wonder that many residents here love exploring on foot, by bike or on horseback! To the south of Llanllwni is Mynydd Llanllwni (Llanllwni mountain) which offers plenty of trails to explore, and the chance to view red kites and mountain ponies. 

You are also just a short drive – around 30 minutes – to the magnificent Cardigan Bay, where you’ll find the renowned Ceredigion Coastal Path, which runs 60 miles around the coast from Cardigan in the south to Ynyslas in the north. Alternatively, try the 21-mile-long Lampeter to Aberaeron footpath or the Cylchdaith Allt Goch Circular from Lampeter, which takes in an Iron Age settlement. 

If you love mountain biking then discover Brechfa Forest, which offers trails for both experienced and inexperienced mountain bikers, while road cyclists will enjoy the quiet roads here and horse riders can explore the bridleways and trails. 

The proximity to the sea means that water sports are very popular here and you can find plenty of beaches to take lessons in everything from surfing and water skiing to sailing and kitesurfing. At Tresaith, the Tresaith Mariners is a catamaran and dinghy sailing club that holds weekly training nights and Sunday racing if you fancy taking part. 

Fishing is also a popular pastime here, with Cardigan Bay and the River Teifi both attracting fishermen from the local area and beyond. Llandysul has its own fishing club – the Llandysul Angling Association – which has several permit types available. There’s also fishing available at The New Celtic Lakes, a fishing lake at Creuddyn Bridge, about 20 minutes away. 

You’ll also find plenty of beaches to enjoy. With its two sandy beaches and rock pools, Aberporth is very popular with families, while Penbryn has a mile of sand and is owned by the National Trust. We also love Llangrannog Beach, which is very pretty and has some great beach cafes and pubs to enjoy if you’re visiting for the day. While you’re at the coast you should also keep an eye out for some of the wildlife, such as dolphins and seals! 

In the surrounding countryside, you should also visit the wonderful Coed Y Foel nature reserve, which is about 10 to 15 minutes away, and don’t miss Dolaucothi Gold Mines – Britain’s only known Roman gold mine, about 30 minutes away. 

For rugby players, Llandybydder has its own rugby union team, which competes in the SWALEC Division 4 (West), as well as a football team that plays in Division 1 of the Costcutter Ceredigion League. 

You’ll also find a swimming pool and gym in Llandysul – Calon Tysul – where you can book lessons/classes, or try activities such as climbing and gymnastics. It also provides a wide range of children’s sports such as netball, basketball, table tennis and trampolining. 

Shopping 

Living in the countryside doesn’t mean that you can’t enjoy some retail therapy!  

In Llanfihangel-ar-arth there’s the unique Welsh Love Spoons, selling hand-carved traditional spoons, while just outside the village is Alpha Beds, which makes bed frames and mattresses at their water-powered workshop. 

In Llanllwni Siop Y Pentre you’ll find a convenience store and Post Office, and there’s also TL Thomas & Son, which sells building supplies if you are planning on renovating your new home.  

You’ll find more choice in Llandysul and Llanybydder. In Llandysul there’s a Spar and a CK Foodstore, as well as a butcher, a newsagent, a barber, and a great stove and cooker shop – Arcade. There’s also Nyth Y Robin, a cool vintage and curios shop. In Llanybydder there’s a Nisa convenience store and Siop y Bont, both of which offer a range of groceries for daily shopping. There’s also a barbour’s shop – Terry’s Trims and a kitchen specialist, Life Style Kitchens, if you decide to renovate the kitchen in your new home. 

For more choice head to Lampeter, which has a Sainsbury’s, a Co-Op Food store and a Premier grocery store, as well as specialist stores such as Mulberry Bush Wholefoods; Lan Llofft for clothing and gifts; and Watson & Pratts Bakehouse for delicious breads and other bakery products. There’s also an HSBC and a Barclays local. 

Eating & Drinking 

With some incredible local food and drink producers in West Wales, it’s no surprise that the area has some great restaurants and cafes to enjoy.  

In Llanllwni, Y Talardd is a local pub and restaurant that serves freshly made food – including a great chocolate brownie – and hosts events such as quiz nights. Alternatively, The Belle is a lovely pub with a restaurant serving dishes such as Swansea oak smoked salmon, Welsh fillet steak and slow roast Welsh pork belly. 

In Llanfihangel-ar-arth you’ll find the Eagle Inn, which also hosts quiz nights and other social events. 

In Llandysul there’s a choice of other restaurants such as the Riverview Restaurant at Y Porth and Buon Appetito for good Italian food, plus Chef China or the Taj for a takeaway. 

In Llanybydder the lovely Cross Hands Hotel offers accommodation and has a restaurant where you can dine on steaks or fish dishes. There’s also the Tanygraig Inn, which has a range of beers, and there are takeaways such as Romino’s and China Wok. 

You also should try Norwood Gardens and Tea Rooms, where you can explore the gardens and then enjoy a cup of tea and a cake! 

Healthcare 

Once you’ve found your home for sale in Ceredigion or Carmarthenshire you’ll want to register with a GP, and in this area there are medical centres in both Llandysul and Llanybydder.  

In Llandysul the Llynyfran Surgery is on Llynyfran Road and has both doctors and nurse practitioners. Alternatively, there is the Teifi Surgery on New Road.  

If your new home is closer to Llanybydder, it has the Brynmeddyg Surgery on Llansawel Road, which is a branch of the larger Bro Pedr Medical Group in Lampeter.   

Llandysul has a Boots and an Allied pharmacy, while Llanybydder has the Well Pharmacy at Market Square.  

Dentists are available at the Cottage Dental Practice at Rhydowen near Llandysul or in Lampeter where there’s the Pont Steffan Dental Practice on North Road and (my)dentist on Market Place. 

Tysul Vets is based in Llandysul and is open Monday to Friday from 8.30am until 6pm, and from 9am to 1pm on Saturdays. Alternatively, Steffan Veterinary Services is on High Street in Lampeter. 

We also highly recommend an excellent chiropractor in Blaenporth (around 35 minutes from these villages) – West Wales Chiropractors 

Schools 

Llanllwni has its own primary school, which is a Welsh first language primary school. There is also a primary school in Pencader – Cae’r Felin School (around six minutes from Llanfihangel-ar-arth), which has a pre-school for children from two and a half years old. Where you live will determine which school your child goes to. 

It may also be helpful to know that around 30 minutes from these villages, in Aberporth, is the Canolfan y Don school for children up to the age of 11 who have a range of educational needs and severe learning difficulties. 

For secondary education, Ysgol Bro Teifi at Llandysul was opened in 2016 and is a purpose-built, combined primary and secondary school. It has a range of facilities, including a recording studio, astroturf sports field and a drama studio. 

Carmarthen has a choice of colleges for further education – the Coleg Sir Gâr and the Carmarthen School of Art. These affiliated colleges provide an excellent range of courses, covering everything from animation and 3D design to computing, tourism, business and hairdressing. 

The University of Wales Trinity St David also has a Carmarthen Campus, which has undergraduate and postgraduate courses, as well as part-time study, apprenticeships and PGCE courses. 

Alternatively, in Lampeter there is a campus of the University of Wales Trinity Saint David, which offers subjects such as Philosophy, History and Nursing Studies.  

Transport 

Rural Welsh living means that a car is essential to access all of the facilities in the larger surrounding towns, however this area does have a bus service. For these villages there are regular bus services from Llanllwni to the larger towns of Carmarthen and Lampeter – you can find out more about the timings here. You can also check other bus routes and timings on this journey planner. 

Find out more 

Find out about the latest homes for sale in Ceredigion, Carmarthenshire and Pembrokeshire by keeping in touch with us. You can call us on 01239 562 500 to discuss your property search or email us on info@cardiganbayproperties.co.uk. 

You can also find out more about the villages of rural west Wales and Cardigan Bay on these other websites –  

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