Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
here. At the estate's heart is a wonderful 17th-century manor,
Newton House
, made over
with a Victorian facade in the 19th century. It's presented as it was in Edwardian times, fo-
cusing particularly on the experience of servants in their downstairs domain; recordings
start as you enter each room. Other rooms recall Newton's WWII incarnation as a hospit-
al. The
tearoom
serves Welsh set teas, sarnies, Welsh cakes and Bara Brith.
The castle is set on a hilltop in the southern corner of the estate and has fantastic views
across the Tywi to the foothills of the Black Mountain. In the 17th century it suffered the
indignity of being converted into a picturesque garden feature. There are several marked
walking routes around the grounds, some of which are accessible to disabled visitors.
Bus 280 between Carmarthen and Llandeilo stops here.
Aberglasney Gardens
(
www.aberglasney.org
; Llangathen; adult/child £8/4; 10am-6pm Apr-Sep, 10.30am-4pm Oct-Mar)
Wandering
through the formal walled gardens of Aberglasney House, 4 miles west of Llandeilo, feels
a bit like walking into a Jane Austen novel. The gardens date from the 17th century and
contain a unique cloister built solely as a garden decoration. You'll also find a pool
garden, a 250-year-old yew tunnel and a 'wild' garden in the bluebell woods to the west.
Several derelict rooms in the central courtyard of the house have been converted into a
glass-roofed atrium garden full of subtropical plants such as orchids, palms and cycads.
Inside the gardens, a whitewashed and flagstoned
cafe
with an outside terrace sells cof-
fee, cakes and snacks.
Aberglasney is in the village of Llangathen, just off the A40. Bus 280 between Car-
marthen and Llandeilo stops on the A40, 500m north of the gardens.
GARDENS
Sleeping
Fronlas
( 01558-824733;
www.fronlas.com
; 7 Thomas St; s/d from £55/65; )
A Victorian town house giv-
en a chic makeover, Fronlas has three rooms dressed in fresh tones, designer wallpaper
and travertine marble tiles. A similarly well-attired guest lounge has an honesty bar and a
DVD library.
B&B
££
Plough
HOTEL
££
