Cilgerran
Cilgerran is on the northern border of Pembrokeshire between St Dogmaels and Cenarth. The village is linear in nature and stretches along the south bank of The Teifi river.
The nearest hotels are in nearby Llechryd or Cardigan. B&B’s and guesthouses aren’t plentiful either but there are a few about. There is a holiday park at Cenarth who have self catering static caravans to rent as well as room for tents and touring caravans. There are numerous self catering cottages throughout this part of Pembrokeshire including some at the nearby Clynfyw estate at Abercych and at St Dogmaels and Boncath. The nearest youth hostel is at Poppit.
Picture: Cilgerran Castle
Cilgerran Castle is a small castle that is approximately triangular in shape. It was built in a commanding position, perched on a craggy promontory, high above The River Teifi. The current stone structure was probably built by William Marshall, son of the Earl of Pembroke in about 1223, after he captured a previous fortified structure from The Welsh. This earlier structure had been captured and recaptured several times in the previous 40 years.
Picture: Cilgerran Castle Keep
The castle changed hands first to the de Cantelupes, and then to the Hastings family during the 14th century. In the 1370s an invasion from France was feared, and Edward III ordered that the now rather derelict Cilgerran be refortified. After 1389, when the Hastings family died out, the castle passed to the crown. It may have been captured and held for a short time in 1405 during Owain Glandwr’s wars of independence.
In the Tudor period, the Vaughan family were granted the castle by Henry VII, and they continued to occupy it until the early 17th century. The artist Turner pained and sketched the ruined castle several times. It is now managed by CADW, the Welsh historic buildings agency.
Today Cilgerran Castle features two wooden bridges that cross the defensive ditches on the south side. Much of the outer curtain wall is missing but what can be seen is mostly a thin modern rebuild as the original wall collapsed due to slate mining below The Castle. Most of the two circular towers remain and much of the inner keep walls. There are some small rooms, steps and passages to explore.
Facilities include toilets and a gift shop.
Other attractions in the village include annual coracle races. This event, Started in 1950, attracts competitors from all over the world. The churchyard of St Llawddog contains a megalithic standing stone or Ogham stone upon which The Irish Ogham script can still be seen.
West of Cilgerran village is Cilgerran Gorge where 3 slate quarries once flourished and which now provide an interesting landscape for Canadian canoe trips that start from the Welsh Wildlife Centre on the Cardigan side of the village. Operated by Heritage Canoes, these gentle paddles along the still waters of the gorge are very popular.
Picture: Cilgerran Gorge
The Welsh Wildlife Centre is a futuristic glass and timber building on the Teifi Marshes Nature Reserve. The lane leading to the centre is the route of the old Cardi Bach railway which continues across the Teifi Mashes as a traffic free walking a cycle path.
Inside the wildlife centre you will find the Glasshouse Cafe with a delightful menu created from locally sourced foods, the Otters Holt gift shop with anything from honey from the marshland bees to a bug box, and the brand new interpretation centre. The interpretation centre houses a suite of interactive cameras that are out on the marsh watching the wildlife go about its business and the tale of how Teifi Marshes has been create