Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
1
The Waterfront
Marine Tce, with its impressive sweep of imposing pastel-hued houses overlooking North
Beach harks back to the town's halcyon days as a fashionable resort. When you reach the
bottom of the 1.5-mile prom, it's customary to kick the white bar, although the locals can't
seem to explain the rationale behind this ritual.
North Beach
is lined by somewhat shabby Georgian hotels, albeit with a couple of notable
weight of its cheerfully tacky amusement arcade, offering a stark contrast to the grand
Old
chateau, this Gothic revival building with castellated towers, conical spires and flamboy-
ant gargoyles was originally built as a hotel but was sold to the university's founders be-
GOOGLE MAP
sit looking out to sea from the southern end of the beach, offering views along
the Llŷn Peninsula all the way to Bardsey Island. A stone circle planted in the centre of
the castle is a relic of a 1915 eisteddfod, while the large war memorial in front of it fea-
tures a surprisingly raunchy nude.
The prom pivots before leading along
South Beach
- a more desolate but still attractive
seafront. Many locals prefer the stony but emptier
Tanybwlch Beach
, just south of the har-
bour, where the Rivers Rheidol and Ystwyth meet.
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Constitution Hill
At the northern end of North Beach, Constitution Hill rises abruptly from the shore. From
the wind-blown balding hilltop there are tremendous, long coastal views - 60 miles from
the Llŷn to Strumble Head - and you can spot 26 mountain peaks including Snowdon.
The site has been redeveloped in recent years with new children's attractions, while the
erstwhile Victorian tearooms have been rebuilt.
Camera Obscura
( 01970-617642;
www.aberystwythcliffrailway.co.uk
; admission £1; 11am-4pm Apr-Oct)
One relic of the
Victorian era is a camera obscura, an immense pinhole camera or projecting telescope that
allows you to see practically into the windows of the houses below and spy on friends on
the beach.
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