Mid Wales ideas for small town with activities

[TriSkiRun99]

I’m after a small town, mid-Wales with activities (climbing, canoe, walking, cycling) for kids 8&13, outdoors and indoor wet weather stuff so we can camp quiet locally but have things to do with in a short drive. Any ideas for August? Thanks.

I think you will struggle to find the mix of indoor and outdoor activities you need. There are activities run on the Gower and Pembs, mainly focused around water sports but when it rains there is little to do. There are a couple of indoor climbing centres in Swansea and a leisure centre with indoor surfing, but nothing like this in rural mid Wales.

Anyone know what Builth Wells is like? We’ve not been before but location wise it could suit us (need to combine holiday with travelling to visiting relatives).

Builth isn’t far from the Elan Valley, which is good for cycling and walking, and is beyond beautiful.

Builth is the sort of place I have been to lots but only as a convenient meeting place for work stuff, so little knowledge of the area really.

Camping at Fforest Fields in Llandrindod is a must. Fabulous site. Plenty of walking and cycling but not sure about canoeing and climbing.

‘Within a short drive’ is your issue, really! You can get to/do all those things in mid Wakes but depending on your definition of ‘short’ ...

I’d look st Brecon as a base, OP.

Thanks lots to think about - mil lives in Wales so it’s the driving lots we want to avoid, and as we live in a holiday beach town it’s nice to be away from everyone else in the hills in the summer hols . Think we going to look along the Wye and see what camping spots look good. The fforest fields looks lovely.

Cycling in Elan valley looks lovely will add that to the list thanks.

Just found these guys also do indoor climbing & ropes course, so I’ll stick that on the list, Llangorse Multi Activity Centre, it’s near Breacon but would make a great day out.

I would also recommend Fforest fields for camping and outdoors. They offer SUP lessons on their lake in holidays, and you can canoe and SUP along the Wye. It's quite hilly for cycling but agree with the Elan Valley.

For indoors, there's a cinema in Builth, a cycle museum in LLandrindod and further afield the Big Pit museum. It's not the best place for indoor activities but TBH most just carry on in the lake!

DP comes from mid-Wales and I'm always surprised how un-touristy it is compared to my part of the country. Agree the Elan Valley is lovely for cycling, I also really like the bike ride up to the Teifi pools & if you like mountain biking then Bwlch Nant yr Arian is great (plus the red kite feeding at the latter). Then there's Devil's Bridge for the falls, & the Vale of Rheidol steam railway is a good wet weather option if your kids like that sort of thing. Silver Mountain experience is another rainy day one.

Thanks lots to think about to plan a welsh hols

Fforest Fields really is fab. We love being able to swim in the lake without restriction, and ds really likes pootling round in a canoe there. You can mountain bike straight off the site, though we usually go to the Elan Valley to cycle as well.

I feel you might find more going on in North Wales, its a bit more populated and nearer the bigger city so we find in general they have more activity type places and more going on in the winter
Some ideas of places here
www.donthibernate.co.uk

The National showcase Cave Centre for Wales is a really good for a
rainy day

Thanks I’ll check them out.

I live in the Wye valley - it is beautiful, but not in Wales - only just!

Great biking and Go Ape in nearby Forest of Dean. Lots of canoing etc from Symonds Yat.

Cardigan is nice and has a castle recently restored. Lots of good unspoilt beaches in Ceredigion, boat trips, dolphin spotting, fish and chips in New Quay where Dylan Thomas based Under Milk Wood.