MID


How many shades of green do you want? They’ve lost count in the rural heartlands of Wales. It’s the country’s quietest region where everything is pitched on a human scale. Mid Wales’s resorts and market towns are small and friendly (Aberystwyth, the unoffi cial ‘capital’, has a population of just 13,000). Start at the border then roll along through hills and vales dotted with farms and you’ll eventually come to Cardigan Bay. Wildlife fl ourishes throughout – look out for red kites in the skies and bottlenose dolphins in the sea. And seek out nature reserves in the Cambrian Mountains (a timeless ‘Wild Wales’) and the Elan Valley’s ‘lake district’. There are even more layers of green in the Brecon Beacons National Park, a 520-square-mile expanse of fl owing, grassy peaks. This Great Outdoors of big views and big skies offers all kinds of activities from challenging (serious mountain hikes) to gentle (lovely, lazy canal cruising). Mind you, it’s not all green. Stargazers prefer the inky black skies of Wales’s fi rst International Dark Skies Reserve.


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The Bear Castle


Cardigan Castle Castle


Greystones


The Kestrel Inn Llys Aeron Plas Uchaf


Lasswade Country House The Lion


Penbontbren


Rhedyn Guesthouse Soulton Hall


24 The Great Little Places Guide 2017


Hay-on-Wye Aberaeron Cardigan


Bishops Castle Oswestry


Near Crickhowell Aberaeron


Near Oswestry Llanwrtyd Wells Leintwardine Cardigan Bay Builth Wells


Near Shrewsbury


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