Pro - Does anyone else's nest boxes get soaked in rain?

[Daphne]

We are going to Wales for 2 days at the end of the month, driving across from Birmingham. It will be me, OH, 80 yr old mother and my bro. Which towns/sights would you recommend? I'm particularly interested in mid-Wales

[soapdragon]

We had a fab holiday BC (before children) on the borders of Wales/Shropshire - lots of fab castles! Might be worth looking at the Cadw (Welsh heritage) site.Or, if you are interested in a particular area, contact a tourist info office local to that area.

 

Hope the sun shines for you!

[Charlottechicken]

I've just come back from a week in Llangrannog, on the West Wales coast, we drove over from Birmingham. I would recommend stopping at Stokesay Castle (National Trust), we had lunch there going and coming back, our own sandwiches although they do sell food . I would have liked to stop at the Elan Valley, where Birmingham gets it's water from but it was out of the way as we had to go via Newtown to drop one of OH's guitars off.

 

We also visited a honey farm in New Quay, and a beautiful National Trust property nearby at Llanchaeron.

 

Where are you heading to?

[soapdragon]

Agree - Stokesay is wonderful and well worth a visit!

[Daphne]

Wales is our oyster! We can go where we like. I'm off to look at Stokesay, I'm quite keen on having a bit of everything to cater for our different tastes and I have to say the Shropshire/Wales border country has always attracted me so I'll take a closer look. Although I'd like to get to the coast I don't want us to be driving for ever, so maybe that will be a bit too far for a comfy trip. Any more ideas gratefully received

[Charlottechicken]

Oops, made a mistake, Stokesay is under the guardianship of English Heritage, not the National Trust,

 

Somewhere I was advised would be nice is Lampeter, we never got that far though. We enjoy visiting houses and castles and to be honest, there aren't too many in West Wales, where we were. If that is your thing, best to stick to the border and look along the edges of Shropshire and Herefordshire, Goodrich Castle is really great, and Symonds Yat is pretty. If you want something a bit nearer Birmingham then Witley Court is worth a visit too.

[Choo-chook]

After a (hot) 6 hr drive yesterday weve arrived in Chirk (welsh border) to stay for a week (then off to the Cotswolds). Been up to the information kiosk and are laden with brochures. It's our daughters 12 birthday on Friday so we'll have to plan something good, husband suggested Chester zoo, but with 2 dogs that's not that easy. Lots of national trust properties down here, so that's great for us but what about picturesque little villages? Or towns with independent sshops? Any suggestions? Will be following this thread with interest and will let you know of any gems we find.

[Cinnamon]

I will be keeping an eye on this thread!

We are going to Wales for an overnighter in August, as The Husband is doing Europes longest Zipline there in Bangor. We are then staying in Llandudno for the night, then coming back the next morning. Anything of interest in this area would be great

Never been before, so I am really looking forward to it!

[Lavenders_Blue]

Lots to do around the Machynlleth/Aberdovey area!

 

Centre for Alternative Technology

Various steam railways

Ynys Hir nature reserve

Osprey project

Red Kite project

Harlech Castle

Snowdon (a bit further north)

Beach walks

 

Probably lots more but that's all I can think of off-hand.

[chickencam]

Chester is a lovely city for a mooch, it has shops on a first floor historic walkway called the rows and these link into the Roman walls. There is also a lovely river with cruises and lovely parks.

 

Snowdonia is lovely with mountain railways fantastic scenery and small towns like Betws y Coed.

 

Llandudno is great for a day out, there is a large pebbly beach long promenade, Punch and Judy, and a lovely old pier. There are also trams up the Great Orme and cable cars which are fun, if a little scarey in the fog which was when we last went on them there are also tea shops, fish and chips etc and a large shopping centre if that's more your thing.

 

Bala is nice with its little railway and lovely lake, also Llangollen which has little shops a lovely river and a steam railway.

[Lewis]

Slightly biased after living there for 3 years but Aberystwyth is lovely and about 2.5hours drive from Birmingham - I've driven there and back in a day and its manageable if you did want to see the coast.

Devils Bridge is nice to see if you go to Aber too.

 

Harlech Castle was also somewhere I was going to suggest after we went there with school and I seem to remember theres a nice local beach with lots of sand dunes.

 

I've stayed in Betws-y-coed a few times on the way up to Snowdon and school used to own the Vagabond Bunkhouse so we've been back a couple times since - nice to see and maybe you could get the train up with your Mother?