Places to See...

The Cammarch is ideally located in the centre of Wales making it a great place to explore the Brecon Beacons, the Cambrian Mountains and the coastal towns of Cardigan Bay. We have miles of stunning country walks, rivers, lush woodlands and valleys all within easy reach and just waiting to be explored.  Below are just a few suggestions:

The Village of Llangammarch Wells | The Mynydd Epynt | Builth Well
Llanwrtyd Wells | Brecon | Llandrindod Wells | Rhayader Red Kite Feeding Station
The Hall at Abbey-Cwm-Hir | Welsh Royal Crystal | Brecon Mountain Railway
Small Breeds Farm Park and Owl Centre | Elan Valley Reservoirs and Dam

Llangammarch is eight miles west of Builth Wells, in Brecknockshire, and is situated at the junction of the rivers Cammarch and Irfon. The community (population 475) comprises the villages of Llangammarch Wells, Cefngorwydd and Tirabad.  The village has a post office with a shop and there is a great little free house pub the Aberceiros which serves good food.

The village has existed since the 1400’s, partly because it is the meeting point of two rivers and it was one of the old Drovers routes. The village grew considerably when the railway appeared in 1863, the Cammarch was built by the people building the line to house its staff and it has been a hotel every since.  The railway is still used today and the views are fantastic so well worth a trip, the line travels from Shrewsbury in the North to Swansea in the South, see www.heart-of-wales.co.uk  

 Llangammarch is one of the Wells towns and achieved popularity as a Barium Spa in the latter years of the 19th century and the early part of the 20th century. There was an old pump house where people could visit and take the Waters.  Locals say that the village had at least another two 200 bedroom hotels to cater for people travelling from all over Wales and England.

 The Cammarch faces St Cadmarch’s Church which was built on the old site of an earlier Church that dated back to the early 1400’s.  It was demolished to make way for a larger Church, its said, to cater for the influx of visitors. For more information about the Church and village visit: www.wiz.to/llangammarch/page1.htm

Llangammarch is overlooked in the south-east by the Mynydd Epynt which rises abruptly to 400 meters plus and we always recommend that our guests experience the beauty of the Epynt as it is an ideal location for walkers, horse riders and mountain bikers.

The Epynt is a military training area and the Epynt Way is a new trail and buffer zone between the military ranges and the surrounding farmland. The views are spectacular with rolling landscape and steep valleys where the Red Kite can often be seen circling on thermals. 

Visit www.dtewalesandwest.co.uk for more information about this fascinating place.

Builth is our nearest town with a shopping centre.  It is steeped in history and is thought to date back to Roman times. Records show that in Norman times a Motte and Bailey castle was built by Philip de Braose.  The castle commanded the ancient crossing of the Wye and therefore controlled the routes south and guarded the entrance to the valley of the Irfon which gave access to the west.  The castle was so important that it was rebuilt in stone by Edward 1 in 1277.  Visit www.builth-wells.co.uk for more information.  Today the town is a busy market town, offering a good selection of independent shops, cafes, restaurant and supermarket. It also boasts a wonderful theatre and cinema, The Wyeside Arts Centre where you can see a mixture of new commercial films together with a selection of arthouse and international films. The theatre has a busy programme of live events from drama, music and comedy and the Gallery showcases the work of local and regionally based artists.  Visit www.wyside.co.uk for more information.

Another major attraction for visitors is the Royal Welsh Showground which is host to the annual Royal Welsh Show, the largest agricultural show in Europe drawing in excess of 200,000 visitors each year for the summer show held in July.  The showground is renowned for its quality of livestock, variety of sheep breeds and magnificent display of Welsh ponies and cobs.

It also promotes food and drink produced in Wales and has its own food hall on the showground. The showground also hosts other important festivals throughout the year see www.rwas.co.uk for the calendar of events from beekeeping, dog shows, antique fairs, horse and foal shows and sales to Wonderwool Wales visit www.wonderwoolwales.co.uk

Another attraction, just a short drive out of Builth is Erwood Station Craft Centre and Gallery.  Here you can see a resident wood turner at work in his studio, or browse the many arts and crafts available all produced by artists from the Powys region visit www.erwood-station-co.uk

Llanwrtyd is our nearest town and is said to be the smallest town in the UK.  It is about 3 miles from The Cammarch, tucked beneath the Cambrian Mountains and is the main route through to the beautiful Abergwesyn Valley. Its fame was built on the sulphur springs although now it is more famous for its amazing wacky events see www.green-events.co.uk which are held annually such as Bog Snorkelling, Man vs Horse and the Wobble Event.  The town boasts some good restaurants and has 4 pubs.

Just on the outskirts of the town can be found the Cambrian Woollen Mill and Visitor Centre where they boast they have “something for everyone”.  The mill has been weaving since 1918 and manufactures the Welsh National Tartan as well as the Welsh County and Family Name Tartans.   You can visit the museum and working mill or just take a stroll around their Gift Shop and Shopping Studio and take a break in their cosy tea rooms. Visit www.cambrian-mill.co.uk

Brecon is just 30 minutes spectacular drive over the Epynt and is our favourite largest cathedral town.  It has quaint cobbled streets and Georgian and Jacobean shop fronts providing an array of interesting shops to browse and from which you can buy your holiday gifts. 

There are many fascinating things to see in Brecon, including Brecon Cathedral which dates back to 1094 when its was built as a fortification. Some 300 years later a priory was established within its walls by St John the Evangelist so it became known as half church and half castle look at www.breconcathedral.org.uk or visit their heritage centre and take tea in the Pilgrim Tea Rooms.

The Monmouth & Brecon Canal terminates at Brecon and is a great place for a gentle stroll along its banks or to visit the Theatre Brycheiniog.  There are also two museums in Brecon bursting with remarkable exhibits.  Brecon is also host to a range of events including the famous Jazz Festival held in August visit www.brecontown.co.uk to find a list of dates and just to find out what this lovely town has to offer visitors.

Llandrindod Wells is about 20 minutes drive from the Cammarch and is worth a visit especially if you are in the area during August. In years gone by it was a thriving Spa Town but now caters mostly for the business community in the area.  However, the town has retained much of its Victorian beauty for example  Temple Gardens, in the centre of town,  is the focal-point of the annual Victorian Festival with its bandstand, plants and year-round blooms, sculptures, pathways and restful seating.

The annual Victorian festival is held in August when locals and businesses step back into the time of Victorian Llandrindod Wells.  Local people dress up in their top hats, high laced boots and beautiful gowns. There are traditional foods to sample and street entertainment to keep you amused.  Visit www.victorianfestival.co.uk for more information.

Rock Park, famous for its Saline (salt) and Chalybeate (iron rich) springs and wide variety of plant and animal life, including a beautiful selection of trees, is a steeply wooded area and the Old Spa Treatment rooms are still in use today housing the Lifestyles Complementary Health Centre.

Llandrindod is home to the National Cycle Museum where visitors can view a collection of hundreds of cycles in period settings with examples dating from 1819 to present day.  There is also a display of rare accessories and components.  Visit www.cyclemuseum.org.uk

The Cammarch is in an ideal location to discover the beautiful countryside and visitor attractions that Wales has to offer.  Guests can discover a myriad of opportunities to venture out and explore by visiting the comprehensive tourist information point on the second floor.  Below is just a snap shot of some of the more local visitor attractions:

If you know anything about birds of prey then you will know that Mid Wales is famous for its Red Kites and if you enjoy watching these majestic birds then a visit to the Feeding Station at Gigrin Farm is a must. See www.gigrin.co.uk

A short drive further north from Rhayader is the Hall at Abbey-Cwm-Hir, a private house that is open to the public. It is a grade 11 listed and is one of Wales’s finest examples of Victorian Gothic Revival architecture. 

Welsh Royal Crystal is Wales’s only commercial maker of hand made Welsh Crystal with all stages of manufacture are carried out in their factory in Rhayader.   Centuries old handcrafting skills are used in the Welsh Royal Crystal glass making workshops. All crystal pieces are individually mouth blown and hand cut, thus capturing the clarity, brilliance and sharpness of cut associated with quality crystal ware. There is a visitor centre and factory tours see www.welshcrystal.co.uk

Starting out from Pant Station just 3 miles north of Merthyr Tydfil the steam railway travels through the most stunning scenery in the Brecon Beacons.  You can travel in all-weather observation coaches pulled behind the vintage steam train all the way along the Taf Fechan Reservoir to Dol-y-Gaer.  At Pontisticill Station there is the Lakeside Café where you can stop for tea and cakes or ice cream and catch a later train back to Pant. Back at Pant you can visit the workshops where old steam trains are restored and new ones built and then visit the licenses tea rooms and buy a present from the Gift Shop before you leave.  Visit www.breconmountainrailway.co.uk

Established in 1990 in Kington, Hertfordshire, it is a magical place for adults and children alike.  You can explore animals, birds and owls and visitors get the opportunity to hand feed many of the animals that include: goats, pigs, donkeys, sheep, rabbits, owls, peacocks, ducks red squirrels, swans and geese, to mention just a few.  It’s open all year round and in winter and wet weather the animals are displayed under cover.

The 6 dams and reservoirs of the Elan Estate are situated within 70 sq miles of spectacular scenic beauty and they provide a lasting impression on visitors.  The work that goes into protecting and keeping the water clear of pollution has helped preserve the natural habitat of numerous species of flora and fauna.  The dams were built to provide water for the people of Birmingham and the scheme was officially opened in 1904 by King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra.  Visit www.elanvalley.org.uk