The Travel Nut

Whilst staying in Llety Cynin for a cold and wet weekend, we managed to find a break in the rain, and go and explore Laugharne – which is about 3-4miles down the road.

It is such a beautiful place to explore. We have very briefly passed through Laugharne whilst visiting friends in Pendine Sands (which is another lovely place to visit, and I will be reviewing shortly!) but we didn’t stop last time, as it was too dark by the time we were leaving.

There are a few shops in the local areas, and pubs offering food and accommodation – but one of the main attractions, you can see from the roadside – Laugharne Castle.

The 13th Century Castle overlooks the Estuary, and commands your view. It’s quiet breathtaking!

The grounds of the Castle were closed when we visited in January (closed between Nov-March), but it was still lovely to see. You can visit the CADW website to get up to date information about the opening times and prices here.

In front of the Castle there is free parking – however there are warning signs to say that the car park does flood in bad weather – so park there at your own risk. It’s not a very large car park here, and I’d imagine it would fill quite quickly during the Summer months (particularly school holidays).

There is a path that leads you along underneath the Castle, and if you follow the signposts, leads you to another of Laugharne’s attractions – Dylan Thomas’ Boathouse and writing shed. (If you don’t know who Dylan Thomas is, PLEASE look him up!).

The path underneath the Castle is wheelchair accessible, however it is steep in places, so please bare this in mind.

Following the signs, we passed the former home of Dylan Thomas (which is marked with a Plaque).

Next we continued up a lane (with more signs), and could start to see a nice view creeping through the trees and the houses.

Next we saw Dylan Thomas’ writing shed overlooking the Estuary. I can see why he would have found the views here inspiring. They are beautiful – even on a grey winters day – and it was VERY grey and foggy when we visited.

Finally the Boathouse. It is not a long walk at all, and even with the children stop starting and playing as they walk (jumping in every puddle possible!), it didn’t take us 15 mins to get there.

There are some very steep steps down to the Boathouse – and as far as I could see, there was no other way down, so I don’t think it’s accessible for the disabled – However, please feel free to check the website, or with the local council to confirm.

Inside the Boathouse there is a tearoom downstairs, which is free to enter. In the Summer months there are tables out the back on a patio area, and it’s absolutely bursting full of people.

You can take a tour of the house upstairs (which is chargeable) if you want to. There is also a little gift shop where you can buy your usual magnets and postcards – and you can also buy books about Dylan Thomas.

It really is a lovely place to visit, and would highly recommend it. We will definitely be returning, and will do so when the Castle grounds are open, so we can explore those at the same time. I will tie this in with a visit to Pendine Sands, which is a few miles down the road.

 

What do you think of Laugharne? Have you been, or are you planning a visit? I’d love to hear your thoughts! 🙂