Monday 5 November 2018

TRAVEL: 3 Must Visit Child-Friendly Things to Do in Mid-Wales

TRAVEL: 3 Must Visit Child-Friendly Things to Do in Mid-Wales
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Mid-Wales is one of my favourite places to go on holiday, after discovering it at the start of this year. It has landscapes like I've not seen before, so many beautiful places to visit and is a family-friendly place to go too. We recently enjoyed a long weekend there with my family and it was really nice to be able to share familiar places, discover new ones and make special memories together. 

The beauty of Mid-Wales is simply breathtaking with its rolling hills, powerful dams and vast open spaces. If you're looking at booking an escape to Mid-Wales then Wales Holiday Cottages has a wide range of places to stay to suit a variety of group sizes, budgets and locations. Their website is simple to navigate, making searching for your perfect holiday easier. These are some of my favourite cottages in the Mid-Wales area: Breconview Lodge for its hot tub, Rhyd y Gorlan for its games room and children's play area in the garden, The Mallard for a glamping experience and Ysgubor Tanllan for its scenic views. 


When we recently visited Mid-Wales we stayed at the Talgarth near Llanidloes, which is a Grade II listed oak timber frame house that sleeps eight and is filled with period features. We were also staying with my Dad and brothers, which is why we needed a bigger house and this one was perfect. It was set down a quiet country lane, the gardens were vast and the interior was quirky, steeped in history. You can see more of Talgarth and all of the places that we visited in this vlog over on my IGTV channel.


If you find yourself in the Mid-Wales area then these are my top three must-visit child-friendly things to do:


1) Powis Castle and Garden - We stopped at Powis Castle on the way to where we were staying and it is the perfect place to enjoy a picnic, stretch your legs or soak up the history. The castle is open to wander around (though it is worth noting you aren't allowed child back carriers in there) and they have a variety of children's activities throughout the rooms to keep the little ones engaged. The activities are generally aimed at four years plus, so we spent most of our visit in the gardens. They are vast and wide spread, allowing you to easily spend a day exploring them. There are big fields, perfectly pruned gardens and absolutely stunning views across the Welsh countryside. It is quite steep in places and some of the paths are quite narrow, so despite not being allowed in the castle I would recommend using a baby carrier rather than a pushchair. There are two cafés, one of which has seating within the castle and the other is based down in the gardens. A medieval castle that rises out from the beautiful gardens and is well worth a visit if you're in the area. 
2) Rheilffordd Talyllyn Railway - Jumping onboard a steam train is a fun and unique way to take in the charming Fathew Valley in Snowdonia National Park, which is exactly what you can do at the Talyllyn Railway. It is the world's first preserved railway and offers its passengers comfortable carriages that are pulled by a historic steam engine. There are many ways in which the Railway makes travelling as a family easier, including free travel for under 3 years old, prams/pushchairs are allowed on the train, free museum to explore, children's menu in their cafes, an Adventure Playground at the Abergynolwyn Station and many special events throughout the year. We joined at Abergynolwyn Station and took the train journey to Tywyn Wharf at the seaside. There is a small beach (we arrived at high tide) to play on, though other amenities down by the beach are limited. It is also a 10-15 minute walk from the railway station to the beach, so it is worth factoring that in when looking at the timetable and return train times. Isabella and Poppy absolutely loved their trip on the train and having a whole carriage to ourselves made it relaxing for us to, as there was no worry of disturbing anyone else. They enjoyed spotting the animals, waving at passing trains and as the journey is around 40 minutes they also had a picnic on the train too.
3) Elan Valley - Back in January we visited Elan Valley and were completely blown away by the beauty of the area, so when we were back in the area in October we just had to visit again. There was a main difference in visiting then compared to January, which was that there wasn't any water going over the dam and the reservoir was very shallow. It makes sense, as we had such a hot summer but I would recommend visiting later into winter because personally it is the vast water gracefully yet powerfully falling over the dam that makes Elan Valley a real spectacle. Parking at the Elan Valley Visitor Centre gives you a good base for walking up to the dam, then I'd recommend walking up the side of it to see the reservoir, head back down, across the river and along the woodland path, back across the river and into the car park. It is a good length walk for little legs and there are plenty of picnic benches along the way for breaks or snacks. Our favourite picnic spot is just as you come out of the woodland path, down by the river, where you'll find many picnic benches, a block of toilets and the most stunning views over the fast flowing river. After you've discovered the visitor centre area then get back into your car and drive up the hill, past the centre and follow the winding country roads throughout the Valley where you'll see many other dams, breathtaking landscapes and again more pretty picnic spots. It's certainly the place to pack a flask and explore on foot.
Have you visited Mid-Wales? Where are your favourite places to visit?


Feel free to leave a comment - I love reading every single one :)


Helen x
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18 comments

  1. Those photos are so gorgeous! There is so much to see and do, I would love to holiday there.

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  2. You always find the best places to visit - Wales looks absolutely beautiful! We've not really explored Wales enough, only the bits around Cardiff really, but I think it's right up our street. I'd love the gorgeous scenery, and I know my son would be won over by a steam train ride (always a winner!)

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  3. I haven't been to Wales since my teens and I would love to take my kids there. The scenery is so stunning.

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  4. I have heard Wales is so beautiful and it's still very much on our list of places to visit so I will definitely keep these in mind for when we do!

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  5. Mellissa Williams5 November 2018 at 14:09

    You've picked some fabulous places. The railway looks especially fantastic for kids.

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  6. I really want to explore Wales some more next year. I've only been to Bangor!

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  7. Wow the castle and gardens look so pretty, I need to see if they're anywhere close to where I'll be in Wales next year x

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  8. Wales is one of those incredibly scenic places, isn't it! Everywhere you look it looks like a postcard!

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  9. I have never been to Wales before, it looks beautiful. I really should visit sometime x

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  10. All three of these Welsh wonders look great. The railway would be my pick though xx

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  11. Aww, this post has made me smile loads because I grew up in Mid Wales. My hometown is Rhayader and we used to go to The Elan Valley all the time! It is so stunning up there, so much space to explore and in the summmer we used to go swimming in the river when you drive up the old road, up past the dams. I’ve never visited the other two places but we are in South Wales and still go visit family in mid wales regularly so would love to visit them one day with the boys xx

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  12. Such beautiful places! The castle with the gardens look magical!

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  13. beautiful pictures looks like such lovly places to visit

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  14. I've only been to South Wales, butI really loved it. Must give the rest of Wales a try some time.

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  15. That looks like such a wonderful place to visit! I just love the castle!

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  16. Angela Ricardo Bethea7 November 2018 at 16:04

    That place looks really magical. Such a beautiful scenery you got there and that castle looks really awesome.

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  17. stunning photos - makes me want to visit! especially the last place, Elan Valley!

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  18. I love Wales, it's just so so beautiful and your pictures have captured it perfectly.

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