Centre for Alternative Technology, Machynlleth
Eco Tourism in Mid Wales
Mid Wales is being heralded as one of the best destinations for those of you looking to not only become more eco-friendly with regards to your holiday choices but also to learn more about how to make your everyday life that little bit greener. Here we take a look at some of the places and activities which can boost your green credentials –
Places to Visit
One ideal place to stop first is the Centre for Alternative Technology, Machynlleth where visitors can learn about sustainable living, climate change, pollution and the waste of precious resources.
Also, you know the new BBC idents which they show between programmes to remind you that you're watching the BBC. Well, the one with the red flying kites and sand dunes was filmed at the nature reserve at Ynyslas, near Borth in Ceredigion and is just one of the several conservation sites managed by the Countryside Council for Wales across the region.
There's also an RSPB reserve at Ynyshir, just down the road. Set on the south side of the Dyfi estuary, this reserve mixes Welsh oak woodland with the wet grassland and saltmarshes of the estuary. Spring is a wonderful time to visit the woodland when it is full of birds such as Wood warblers, Lapwings and Redshanks, as well as blankets of spring flowers.
When you also consider other green projects such as the hydro electric scheme of local farmer Tegwyn Jones and the Bro Dyfi Community Wind Turbine – a local co-operative that has put up its second wind turbine – you can see that the green bug has caught all areas of Mid Wales.
Activities
Walking is without doubt the most environmentally friendly activity a visitor can do. Besides numerous walking festivals Mid Wales offers walkers challenging hikes through the spectacular Brecon Beacons; the sprawling wilderness of the Cambrian Mountains; gentle forest and riverside strolls; Red Kites swooping through the valleys around Nant yr Arian; medieval rebellions along Glyndwr's Way and the march along Offa's Dyke.
Cycling is another great eco-friendly way to pass some time. Two new Sustrans National Cycle Network routes pass through the area – the Lon Teifi (route 82) from Aberystwyth to Fishguard in Pembrokeshire connects rural towns along the Teifi Valley while the Lon Cambria (route 81), takes riders from the coastal town of Aberystwyth to the English border town of Shrewsbury (or any bits in between). ‘Cycle Breaks Wales’ also offers numerous routes in the Mid Wales area including Aberaeron and New Quay; Lampeter and Tregaron; and Rhayader, all graded to suit different levels of riders.
Some of the region's forestry mountain bike and activity centres also have a green-feel. Since the £1.6m visitor centre opened in August, Coed y Brenin has been causing a huge buzz, but not just in the mountain biking world. The centre is also a great example of sustainable development with superb use of natural light; ‘passive infra-red detectors’ ensuring that systems such as lighting are only switched on when necessary; wooden construction using locally sourced timber; its own water sources; solar energy; even airflush urinals! Just down the road there's also Dyfi Mountain Biking, a local voluntary community company running and building trails in the Machynlleth area. Nearby Nant yr Arian even boasts a biomass boiler to heat the Red Kite-themed visitor-centre.
Places to Stay
Under the Thatch in Southern Ceredigion is run on sustainable tourism principles and features a diversity of accommodation from traditional cottages and gypsy caravans, to woodland log cabins and converted railway carriages! Tipi Eco Retreats near Machynlleth gives visitors the chance to stay in genuine tipis, each one accommodating a double bed, cushions, sheepskin rugs and a central wood burning 'chiminea'. Meanwhile, Yr Hen Stablau are converted 1840s stables featuring solar power and even organic paint. Cwmbiga Farm, Staylittle has newly constructed luxury eco friendly holiday cottages, located in its own beautiful valley in the Hafren Forest and the Cambrian Mountains.
