Yesterday we travelled to Aberystwyth. I had previously visited the town but Pauline had not. Therefore we drove there so she could see what she thought of the place.
As far as accessibility is concerned it does not score very well. There is a rail link but it is downgraded to single line working. The train we saw travelling there was a 2 coach 158 which is not ideal for long distance work. I think all trains involve a change. The time is something like 4.5 hours of a journey from Bangor, Gwynedd. The road there has no dual carriageway at all as is the case for the entire A470 which passes north to south along the central spine of the principality. So you can say that many places are inaccessible to a degree. To travel to Cardiff it is probably best to fly from Anglesey Airport (RAF Valley).
On arrival there are considerable parking difficulties unless you have a disabled blue badge. Most of the streets are quite narrow and camels can be seen passing through needles! The promenade is narrow and the beach is uninspiring. It is partly sand and partly shingle. What hotels exist on the sea front looking unwelcoming and poorly maintained. The pier is a short and pretty ugly affair.
One would be wrong to think of the town as a seaside resort as it lacks those sort of facility. There is a lovely funicular railway at the opposite end of the sea front to the pier and this seems very well maintained. The shops are mostly the traditional shops as opposed to the modern shopping estates which is probably a good thing.
The only food outlet I have tried is "Le Figaro" next door to the Cambrian Hotel. I have to admit that when I last ate there it was on the house as I was advising the owner, Mike Fisher, on a business matter. But we ate there yesterday at our own expense and we were delighted with the standard of the food offered. The midday food was good and wholesome and the evening offering looked very good indeed. As for the wine list it took in the whole world and offered a wide variety of different quality of wine. This impressed us greatly for we love wine.
Travelling through Snowdonia is not the greatest experience with such narrow roads. We followed the Welsh Highland railway for quite a distance and there was a works train standing in the station at Rhy Ddu. Once we gained the A487 which strikes south near Dolgellau it was different mountain scenery. The road winds for most of the way and passes through a narrow pass which feels claustrophobic. But some of the vistas were quite delightful. Machynllyth proved to be quite an attractive old market town with a clock tower as a prominent feature there.
At one point we passed a sign directing tourists to the Corris Railway just outside Corris Uchaf. I know nothing of the railway but think it might be worth a visit for the railway enthusiast. There is an attraction called King Arthur's Labyrinth just off the main road but it looks like a contrived affait which would not sit well with some.
On the journey home we chose to travel via Porthmadoc and this proved a good choice. It is probably a slight detour but we thought it well worthwhile as the weight of traffic was less. After passing over the con between Boston Lodge Locomotive Works and Harbour Station on the Ffestiniog Railway we crossed the short street rail section of the Welsh Highland Railway which is due to run into Harbour Station this autumn.
We made good time and felt so much better once we had crossed the Britannia Bridge to our lovely Anglesey. It was good to be home but, despite not giving many marks to Aberystwyth, we had enjoyed the day out.
As far as accessibility is concerned it does not score very well. There is a rail link but it is downgraded to single line working. The train we saw travelling there was a 2 coach 158 which is not ideal for long distance work. I think all trains involve a change. The time is something like 4.5 hours of a journey from Bangor, Gwynedd. The road there has no dual carriageway at all as is the case for the entire A470 which passes north to south along the central spine of the principality. So you can say that many places are inaccessible to a degree. To travel to Cardiff it is probably best to fly from Anglesey Airport (RAF Valley).
On arrival there are considerable parking difficulties unless you have a disabled blue badge. Most of the streets are quite narrow and camels can be seen passing through needles! The promenade is narrow and the beach is uninspiring. It is partly sand and partly shingle. What hotels exist on the sea front looking unwelcoming and poorly maintained. The pier is a short and pretty ugly affair.
One would be wrong to think of the town as a seaside resort as it lacks those sort of facility. There is a lovely funicular railway at the opposite end of the sea front to the pier and this seems very well maintained. The shops are mostly the traditional shops as opposed to the modern shopping estates which is probably a good thing.
The only food outlet I have tried is "Le Figaro" next door to the Cambrian Hotel. I have to admit that when I last ate there it was on the house as I was advising the owner, Mike Fisher, on a business matter. But we ate there yesterday at our own expense and we were delighted with the standard of the food offered. The midday food was good and wholesome and the evening offering looked very good indeed. As for the wine list it took in the whole world and offered a wide variety of different quality of wine. This impressed us greatly for we love wine.
Travelling through Snowdonia is not the greatest experience with such narrow roads. We followed the Welsh Highland railway for quite a distance and there was a works train standing in the station at Rhy Ddu. Once we gained the A487 which strikes south near Dolgellau it was different mountain scenery. The road winds for most of the way and passes through a narrow pass which feels claustrophobic. But some of the vistas were quite delightful. Machynllyth proved to be quite an attractive old market town with a clock tower as a prominent feature there.
At one point we passed a sign directing tourists to the Corris Railway just outside Corris Uchaf. I know nothing of the railway but think it might be worth a visit for the railway enthusiast. There is an attraction called King Arthur's Labyrinth just off the main road but it looks like a contrived affait which would not sit well with some.
On the journey home we chose to travel via Porthmadoc and this proved a good choice. It is probably a slight detour but we thought it well worthwhile as the weight of traffic was less. After passing over the con between Boston Lodge Locomotive Works and Harbour Station on the Ffestiniog Railway we crossed the short street rail section of the Welsh Highland Railway which is due to run into Harbour Station this autumn.
We made good time and felt so much better once we had crossed the Britannia Bridge to our lovely Anglesey. It was good to be home but, despite not giving many marks to Aberystwyth, we had enjoyed the day out.
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