Aberystwyth
Aberystwyth is a university town and Victorian resort on the Ceredigion coast of Cardigan Bay. Visitors can stroll the sweeping promenade, explore castle ruins, or take a cliff railway to the camera obscura. Other highlights include the National Library of Wales and the Vale of Rheidol steam railway heading inland toward Devil's Bridge.
Escape to Aberystwyth on one of our coach holidays and discover the heart of the Ceredigion coast. This charming university town and Victorian resort sits right on the shores of Cardigan Bay, blending a classic seaside feel with a distinct Welsh soul.
You can spend your days strolling along the sweeping promenade, exploring the ruins of the old castle, or taking the cliff railway up Constitution Hill for a visit to the camera obscura and some truly stunning views. If you fancy a bit of culture, the National Library of Wales is a must-see, or you can head inland on the quaint Vale of Rheidol steam railway toward Devil's Bridge.
Take a look at our Aberystwyth trips and leave the driving to us.
Places of Interest
Devil's Bridge
Devil's Bridge is a beauty spot in Ceredigion, near Aberystwyth. It is famous for a striking gorge featuring three stacked stone bridges and dramatic waterfalls plunging 90 metres. Visitors can explore the wooded ravine via a Nature Trail or a stroll to the Punchbowl, often combining the trip with a journey on the nearby Vale of Rheidol steam railway.
Devil's Bridge, or Pontarfynach in Welsh, is a charming village and famous beauty spot located about twelve miles inland from Aberystwyth in Ceredigion. It takes its name from the striking bridge crossing the Afon Mynach gorge: three stone bridges stacked on top of each other from different eras, with the oldest from the medieval period and the others added in the 18th and 20th centuries. Local folklore says the first bridge was actually built by the Devil.
The main attraction is the stunning wooded ravine, where the river plunges 90 metres down a series of dramatic waterfalls. Visitors can explore via two marked paths. A short stroll leads down to the Punchbowl, where the water has worn smooth hollows into the stone, while the longer Nature Trail takes you deep into the gorge for incredible views of the falls. It's a great place to visit, often paired with a trip on the nearby Vale of Rheidol steam railway.
Vale of Rheidol Railway
The Vale of Rheidol Railway is a narrow-gauge steam line running from Aberystwyth to Devil's Bridge in Ceredigion, Wales. Visitors travel through the wooded Rheidol valley and Cambrian Mountains to see waterfalls and forests. The trip features historic locomotives and carriages, ending at the famous falls of Devil's Bridge.
The Vale of Rheidol Railway is a narrow-gauge steam line that runs about twelve miles from Aberystwyth to the stunning Devil's Bridge in Ceredigion, Wales. When it opened in 1902, its main job was transporting timber and lead ore from local mines to the harbor, but as mining faded, it shifted its focus to tourism. Remarkably, many of the locomotives and carriages built by the Great Western Railway in the 1920s and 30s are still running today.
The hour-long trip climbs roughly 700 feet into the wooded Rheidol valley, winding through the foothills of the Cambrian Mountains. Passengers get a front-row seat to changing views of forests, waterfalls, and steep slopes. Once you reach Devil's Bridge, there's plenty of time to explore the famous falls before heading back, while the Aberystwyth station offers a café, shop, and a museum dedicated to the railway's past.
Image Attribution
- Aberystwyth — (Photo by Marc Pell on Unsplash )
- Devil's Bridge — (Photo by Zosia Szopka on Unsplash )
- Vale of Rheidol Railway — (Photo by kabita Darlami on Unsplash )