Discover New Quay (Cei Newydd)

New Quay, Ceredigion, West Wales
New Quay is a quaint fishing town at the heart of the Ceredigion coastline. With two lovely sandy beaches, split by a harbour pier, New Quay is a popular destination for locals and tourists alike.

New Quay has retained its tradition as a fishing town with a working harbour for fishing, sightseeing and pleasure boats. In the early 1800s, New Quay was used for fishing and smuggling, as it offered a natural harbour. Things became more industrialised after the original pier was built (circa 1834) and the development attracted shipbuilders and workers. By the 1840s more than 300 workers were employed in the shipbuilding industry, which saw the construction of fishing boats, schooners and larger ships designed to sail to the Americas and Australias. The shipbuilding and associated trade died out in the 1870s but New Quay retained its seafaring roots with navigation schools training many sailors and captains to sail the world’s seas.

The decline in the shipbuilding industry did not mean a decline in New Quay’s fortunes. From the 1870s onwards New Quay became a popular destination for visitors, firstly aboard steamers from Bristol and Liverpool and subsequently by land, as ease of travel increased. This resulted in a growth in the town’s boarding houses, to accommodate growing visitor numbers and the subsequent increase in local amenities such as public houses.

The first New Quay Regatta was held in 1874, a tradition that survives to this day. Every August The Cardigan Bay Regatta (as it is now known) is held at New Quay harbour and is a three-day event involving sailing races, rowing races, swimming races and other family activities.

Modern-day New Quay is an attractive place to live for its beautiful scenery and sandy beaches. A favourite activity is to sit on the pier and watch out for the bottlenose dolphins (whilst eating fish and chips) that frequent the bay and who often make an appearance close to the harbour. A better way to see the wildlife and scenery is to take one of the sightseeing boats from New Quay along the rugged coastline, not only to see the dolphins but also the grey seals that dot the many rocky inlets. A visit to the Marine Wildlife Centre, near the harbour wall, will tell you more about the diverse wildlife in the area.

Nearby you’ll find the New Quay Honey Farm which is the largest bee farm in Wales and a truly inspiring local enterprise. In 1995 the owners decided to transform their land from dairy farming to bee farming, resulting in a fabulous ecological business that, not only produces delicious honey, but also offers a visitor centre, tea room and meadery.

New Quay enjoys many amenities for the local residents including a Drs Surgery, a large Primary school, supermarket, a fire station, a lifeboat station (RNLI), pubs, cafes and restaurants. In fact one of New Quay’s most famous past residents, Dylan Thomas, was known for frequenting the local pubs, no doubt to gain inspiration for his writing! It is thought that his most famous play, ‘Under Milkwood’, was inspired by local characters from New Quay.

New Quay is also on The Coastal Way – the spectacular coastal path that runs 180 miles along the Cardigan Bay coastline from North Wales, through Ceredigion and down to Pembrokeshire. Please click here for more information.

More Info

For more information on New Quay click here.
For information on the local schools please visit Ceredigion County Council.

Public Transport

For information on public transport visit: Traveline Cymru or phone 0871 200 22 33.
Arriva buses have a bus service that is run hourly from most of the local villages on the Ceredigion Coast Path route.
For time tables and locations of bus stops please follow the following link: Traws Cymru T5 bus route.

For the Cardi Bach bus service, which operates through the coastal villages during the summer please click here.