Cwmtydu - Day 5

Drove north cross-country (thanks to GPS!) to Aberaeron. This is my favourite Welsh town as it cosily hugged the yacht-filled harbour and most houses were painted in pretty colours, a nice change from the drab grey elsewhere. We ate at the brilliant Harbourmaster Hotel on the foreshore. It was stylish and modern and the food delicious. Incidentally it features in our 2008 Pub Guide. After lunch we strolled along the harbour and into the town but not much was happening on a Sunday. It was too early to head back so we continued on through a lovely part of Wales, following a scenic railway line into the lower part of Snowdonia. The afternoon sun was setting as we crossed the River Dovey at Machynlleth and we meandered alongside the plains until we came to the town of Aberdovey and the sea. Whilst I scouted the town for coffee (4pm on a Sunday - are you kidding?) Martin and James explored on the best beach we have come across in Britain. It was wide and sandy and the faces of the buildings were bathed in glowing light as the red ball of sun dropped beyond the horizon . The lights of the town came on and we found a pub where we had our coffee. It was now dark but, not wanting to retrace our steps we did a big loop through the forests and mountains of the Dovey Valley. Avoiding Aberystwyth we drove inland and came south by winding roads and finally back to the cottage in complete darkness.

Photos are here.