HOSTELS AND SCENERY OF MID WALES

Mid-Wales is a sparsely-populated area with lots of moorland and mountain country ideal for walking, and several hostels in delightful locations. The only large town is Aberystwyth, a university town on the coast. The Elenydd is a Wilderness area with delightful small self-catering hostels.

Mid-Wales doesn't have the majesty of Snowdonia, so if you only have 2 days, go to Snowdonia in preference. But mid-Wales is an ideal destination for a day out if you live in the Midlands (like us!), for a weekend from any part of England, or for a restful few days away from crowds. And if you are exploring Wales as a whole, enjoy it as you travel through!

• Llangollen
• Bala
• Dolgellau
• Corris
• Aberystwyth
• The Elenydd and Llanwrtyd Wells
• Go to NORTH WALES
• Go to SOUTH WALES

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LLANGOLLEN

This town, in a beautiful setting of vale and wooded hills, has many cafes, and a cultural centre that holds concerts and exhibitions with a Celtic theme. If you start to feel claustrophobic, make the short but stiff climb to the little ruined castle on an isolated hill, and enjoy the delightful views. The International Eisteddfod, a pageant of choirs in colourful costumes from many lands, is held here in July, but don't hope to find accommodation here that week.

Llangollen is well worth a visit. If you have a car, stop off for a short break on the way to Snowdonia or the west coast. By public transport, National Express buses (one a day) stop here, as does the regular service from Wrexham to Barmouth. Car parking in the public car park next to the hostel is free overnight and cheap for up to 3 hours daytime. There is also a wide range of day walks from the delightful forested hillsides up to the austere moorland of the Berwyn Hills. There are also river-based outdoor activities.

A new hostel in the town centre makes a comfortable resting place. They provide a small breakfast free, otherwise they have good facilities for preparing your own meals, or for bringing in a takeaway from the numerous fish & chip shops, sandwich shops and bakeries.

If you go northwest to Snowdonia from here (2 buses a day), you might like a stopover on the way in a bunkhouse:

BALA

Bala is a bustling small town with a wide main street, several cafes and good fish-&-chips, beside a beautiful lake with a volunteer-run railway that gives a pleasant ride down one side. It is a centre for whitewater rafting and kayaking.

Buses run (several/day) from Wrexham or Ruabon (rail station) via Llangollen to Bala, and there are two hostels. 4km before Bala (but only some of the buses go along this part of the main road) you will come to a bunkhouse by the roadside:

In the town centre itself is:

Farther on, through lovely scenery, you reach the very Welsh-feeling compact stone-built town of Dolgellau, overlooked by the author's favourite mountain, Cader Idris.

You can climb Cader Idris direct from the door of Kings hostel (8 buses a day from Dolgellau, 4 from Tywyn, fewer on Sat & Sun, then uphill walk), as well as explore many other hiking paths. Corris (see below) is also a suitable base.

CORRIS

The central route into Wales via Welshpool and Newtown, by car or train (5 trains per day), brings you to Machynlleth, a small town worth a short exploration, with a Celtic exhibition. You are close here to the Centre for Alternative Technology (Frequent buses, but only one on Sun), a brave effort at self-sustained living carved out of a derelict quarry, and well worth your support.

Corris village nearby is a former mining village with two excellent hostels and a pub. There is a bunkhouse in a former inn, on the main road just where the road turns off to Corris; and 1 km from the bus stop within the village is a delightful hostel strong on energy efficiency and local crafts; you'll enjoy staying here (6 buses a day from Machynlleth and Dolgellau, not Sun). This is also a good base for climbing Cader Idris (6 buses a day, not Sun).

At the head of a small remote valley near Dinas Mawddwy, in a nature reserve with mountain walks from the hostel door, is a bunkhouse:

Aberystwyth, a small university city (5 trains per day from Shrewsbury, and one express bus a day from London, Birmingham and Shrewsbury). Aberystwyth has a low-cost comfortable guest house by the sea near the Town Centre:

MAES-Y-MOR Budget Accommodation: This is a guest house (private rooms only, with TV), but with the benefit of an equipped kitchen and dining area. Individuals pay more than others (£22/night (2009) against £19 if you come with someone else), but this is good value for a guest house.

There is a hostel 5 km inland (on express bus route, and 6 local buses a day), off the main road up a secluded drive:

If you have been exploring South Wales or SW England, you could come to Aberystwyth by bus. Two express buses a day leave Cardiff & Swansea, and one leaves Bristol, for Aberystwyth.

Borth, the first station on the rail line from Aberyswyth, is a disappointing place, but it has a conveniently-placed hostel on the seafront:

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THE Elenydd

In the heart of Wales is the Elenydd, an area of remote hills, streams and forests ideal if you want to get away from it all. It's the nearest wilderness to London (300 km) and offers superb walking, cycling and horse-riding.

Until recently the YHA ran 3 delightful hostels in isolated spots. They chose to sacrifice the hostels by selling them because they would prefer to put the money into bigger and better city hostels. Fortunately a group of keen hostel users, the Elenydd Wilderness Hostels Trust, came to the rescue; they bought and now run two of the hostels, Tyncornel and Dolgoch. Take a look at the website of the Elenydd Wilderness Hostels Trust. If you value the small remote hostels, please support the trust!

Tyncornel has no phone and Dolgoch has no electricity, but otherwise they are very well equipped and comfortable and in delightful remote locations. Do try to support them.

Transport

If you have a car you can get here for a weekend from most parts of England and Wales. The last mile or so to both hostels is along a rough track. By public transport it is more difficult, but here is a possible plan. Take a train or express bus to Aberystwyth, where there is a nearby hostel. From here you can reach Tregaron by bus (6 per day, none Sun). You can then walk over the hills to the hostels. You need to carry your supplies, but the voluntary hostel wardens are most helpful and keep stocks of basic food for sale. From Dolgoch you can walk to Llanwrtyd Wells where there is a hostel with all facilities, and a rail station.

Llanwrtyd Wells is a small town and a good base for walks and cycle trips in the Elenydd. It has a comfortable hostel in the centre, which would make a good base for walking or cycling to Dolgoch. There are no buses here, but there are 3 trains a day (1 on Sun) to Swansea and Shrewsbury.

Newbridge-on-Wye 10km away is also on the edge of the Elenydd. There is a bunkhouse in the centre of the village which also provides an inexpensive base for walking and cycling.

Rhayader is a small town with good bus connections (2 buses a day to Builth Wells and Aberystwyth, buses also to Newtown and Llandrindod). It is an excellent base for short and long walks in wild country, off-road cycling and lots of outdoor activities.

The nearby bunkhouses tend to cater for groups who book the whole hostel, but when groups are not there they welcome individuals. If you are driving from S to N Wales or vice versa, try one of these places for a restful night or two, or for local walks and cycle rides:

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