I'm off to Pontrhydfendigaid for a fortnight, anyone nearby want to meet me and my 5 yr old DS?

[anorak]

?

anorak I knew that would be in Wales - just looked it up on the map - we'll ber in Tenby next week, but that's not terribly close to Pontrhydfendigaid

Have to check my map iota!

bump

Yes it is rather far away isn't it?

Hi anorak. I don't think we've spoken on MN as such but I recognise your name. I'll be around and I live reasonably close by. Are you able to CAT me?

Hi, have just seen this and sent you a CAT

Righto. I'll look out for it.

There are a couple of other MNers living in the area who might add to this thread so I'm bumping it for them.

We'll be camping ijn that area (6 miles from Aber) for a few days, week after next

Maybe we can all get together one day.

We're there 14th for three days

Dhs aid would be OK to meet up over that time

If Ivor gets my CAT I will send her my mobile number and then you guys can let me know what you want to do. Cos after 10 tomorrow morning I will be away from the internet.

Your CAT hasn't come through yet, anorak. If it hasn't come through by, say, 9am tomorrow then I'll put my e-mail address on this thread so that we can swop details on an e-mail quickly before you lose your internet access.

Sorry, SFPC, that I'll have headed off on my hols just before you arrive in my neck of the woods. I'll be setting off on the 11th (I think) for about 10 days. I was just thinking earlier of my top tips to give to anorak of places to go (and places to avoid!) If either of you are interested, I'll do a list.

That would be great, Ivor.

I hope to see you in the next few days anyway

bit pissed will post in the morning.

A bit p**d!

I have been thinking of how I'd get you to prove you were anorak if and when I received an e-mail from someone saying they were you once I put my e-mail address on here! No answer to that I don't think, just extra care to meet in a very public place. I'll set the alarm to get up before 9am as I've already told the kids that we'll have a lie in tomorrow and to have one themselves. Oh, how I love weekends during school hols!

I think the CATs are slow because most of the mn team are on holiday.

There's no need for you to post your email here Ivor. I'll send another CAT to you, and one to you peachyclair, with my mobile number in them.

If it doesn't get to you you can show other mners this thread and they will CAT my number to you after I've gone. You could ask kimi, fairyfly, can'tsleepwon'tsleep (sp?), melsy, essbee, christie, kayleigh. They all have my mob number.

Then you can call me and let me know what arrangement's been made! Thank you.

Does that all sound okay?

I have sent each of you a CAT with my mobile number in it.

Hi anorak. It hasn't come through yet. I'll do as your last couple of posts say. I'll give you a ring once I have your number. By the by, a couple of people have my e-mail address and tel no i.e. Twiglett and Pixiefish (sorry, Pixiefish, I'm sure I owe you an e-mail from months back.) Dingle and I have e-mailed before, too.

I'll do a list of places in my next post.

Favourite places:-

Cafe:- Aberystwyth:- Penguin cafe (top of town); Mecca cafe (for coffee and cake). Organic places like Tearoom (near the library) for shop and cafe.

Tea room and even Sunday lunches (may need to prebook):- Rhydypennau Craft Centre, Bow Street. Nice food, reasonably priced. Has a gift shop, toilets, parking, can be very busy at times.

For watching kites feed and going for a walk and a really good play area for kids:- Bwlch Nant yr Arian Forestry Commission visitor centre, Ponterwyd. Has parking, a nice easy walk around the lake with stories to be read along the way. A new visitor centre, toilets, tearoom.

Other lovely places to go walking:- The Hafod Estate. Numerous other places, I'm sure.

Can be nice but gets very busy:- Borth. Has cafes, fish and chip shops, a Spar type shop, amusement arcade (I mean penny machines and stuff), all along the village. Go to Ynyslas and you can do a good circular walk back to the car via the dunes and the beach. I'm pretty sure there are toilets there.

Llanerchaeron, Aberaeron. The National Trust place. Has gardens and the house may be open all the time now, but you need to check first if that's important to you. Tearoom, toilets, parking and small shop.

Aberaeron is really nice but gets very busy and it can be hard to park.

Shopping:- lots in Aber as long as you don't want the big names i.e. M&S, Next, Adams. There is a Woolies, Boots, WHSmiths, Somerfield, Morrisons. Out of town park and ride is the easiest though you have to wait ages for the bus. Keep hold of your ticket for the return journey. Make a note of the stopping places on the way in so that you know where to catch up with it on the way back. Town is awful for parking and travelling through unless you're there early i.e. 9am ish. Do obey the time limits as parking wardens are pretty active.

I'll have brekkie and see if anything else comes to mind. Oh, and these are only my opinions of course, other MNers, please feel free to chip in and add more or disagree!

Ooops, I meant Treehouse (near the library) for fruit, veg, yogurts, milk, etc and it has a cafe.

Thanks for that have cut and pasted and will print just before we leave. We're hoping to get away at about 10.

Thanks- very useful

This is a both a holiday and a bit of a reccy actually, as Aber offers an MA that I fancy.

Aha! Well, I went to college in Aber so I wasn't on the Uni campus but I spend a lot of time there as the Arts Centre is there and that's where they do the tap, ballet and modern dance classes for kids. The Arts Centre has a cinema (see their website for details) and a cafe, bar, shop, toilets, bookshop, visitors parking. I prefer the food in the National Library a bit further down the hill and can't recommend it in the Arts Centre unless you're looking at a bun and tea/coffee only.

anorak- I haven't had your CAT yet, but it will arrive later today or maybe tomorrow, I'm sure.

Another place I thought of. Two actually.

Rheidol riding centre near Capel Bangor and Tynllidiart (sp?) pub (smallest brewery in ? is just outside) which is on the main road there too. We had an evening meal there recently which was very nice.

I forgot to mention the Plascrug Leisure Centre which is really good. I know I talk about food a lot but the food is good and I love their smoothies. (I don't mind doing a bit of exercise, you see, as long as there's something to look forward to (i.e. a cup of tea and a cake) at the end of it.) It's on the way out of town (Aber, I mean) towards Llanbadarn Fawr. There's lots of parking right outside. If you pop in, you can pick up a leaflet about the swimming times during the hols as it's different to the school term and they often have holiday classes using the small pool at certain times. They have a shallow pool for kids (and floats and things) and a big pool which is laned off sometimes for serious swimming. It can be very hot, sitting up in the spectator's gallery, so wear layers so that you can strip a couple off. The changing areas are pretty dated but adequate.