Tresaith is a gorgeous, quiet, coastal village on the Ceredigion coast, West Wales just north of Pembrokeshire. Our family have been going there for the best part of the last 50 years! During that time, it has not changed hugely and remains a bit of a secret. We were so excited to be given the opportunity to buy Cartrefle in the Summer of 2014 and to spruce it up and rent it out for all to enjoy. Tresaith has all of the ingredients of a proper, back to basics, UK beach holiday without the hustle and bustle of Cornwall or other popular UK destinations. It has an award winning, Blue Flag beach with wonderful rock pools and a beautiful waterfall on to the beach as well as many caves and rock formations to explore particularly at low tide. The kids spend hours searching in rockpools and trying to dam up the flow from the waterfall!
The beach is lifeguarded by the RNLI from May to September. Dogs are allowed on the beach all year (to the right only in summer months). Sheep Rock, which is over to the left of the beach, is popular with families who have been holidaying there for years for rock jumping but only when the tide is high enough. The Ship Inn (Pub with Rooms) is in the heart of this small village and serves coffee from 10am, delicious food at lunch and dinner time and has many local ales. It has a terrace with views over the beach. There is a small shop in the village only during the summer months serving ice cream and coffees along with food in the evenings. The Shop rents out kayaks with life jackets and wetsuits on sunny weekends from Easter onwards and throughout the summer.
Cardigan Bay has the largest resident population of Bottlenose dolphins in the UK, they are regularly spotted from the cliffs, the beach and from the windows of Cartrefle particularly on flat calm mornings and evenings. The Welsh Coastal Path passes the door as it travels between Aberporth and Penbryn Beach and this is one of its most beautiful and unspoilt stretches. We love the walks either way. Aberporth is less challenging but still beautiful with a playground, cafe with a view, local shop or the pub in Aberporth when you get there. The walk to Penbryn is steeper but is one of the most beautiful stretches of the Welsh coast. This walk is a firm favourite with all our guests (further details in the house) If you are lucky The Plwmp Tart, Penbryn will be open for the best tea, cakes and fresh crab sandwiches you can by! Check opening times before going and take snacks (bribary) and water otherwise as there are no other options
In terms of provisions, there is a garage/supermarket up on the main road which is a 5 minute drive. This has a reasonable selection of things including all the staples, a bakery, reasonable perishables and alcohol. There is the award winning Llwynhelyg Farm Shop selling delicious local produce a 5 minute drive away at Sarnau. This sells stunning local produce and is packed full of treats! The owners are retiring and looking for a buyer if you fancy a career change. They have a Mexican Takeaway in the carpark twice a week over the summer!
The small, bustling river side, market town of Cardigan is 12 mins by car. It has a market, a Co-op, independent retailers and a few lovely cafes. Our favourite is Fforest Cafe and Pizza Tipi, Teifi Wharf (check opening times) which can be found on the river and serves the best coffee and quiche lunches. Bara Menyn is a favourite as well. This bakes its own bread and serves fantastic coffee. Cardigan Castle has undergone renovations recently and is now open with a lovely garden, cafe and a playgound for kids. If you manage to leave the beach and local area and venture further afield the pretty harbour towns of Aberaeron and Newquay are within a 30 min drive of the house. Aberaeron is famous for The Harbourmaster Hotel on the front which serves incredible food. It is such a pretty village to explore. Newquay is a famous, little Welsh harbour town that is beautiful gets busy in the summer months. It is popular with us for evening sunset dolphin watching off the jetty with fish and chips from The Lime Crab that are delicious! With an hour of Tresaith you can reach the University town of Aberystwyth and Devil's Bridge.
The beautiful beaches and towns of Pembrokeshire and the thrills of Folly Farm, Bluestone, Oakwood Theme Park and Manor House Wildlife Park are also within an hours drive.