The River Teifi rises at Teifi Pools in the Cambrian Mountains above Pontrhydfendigeid, an area of rich wetlands and farmland. On its route down to the sea at Aberteifi (Cardigan) it winds its way through picturesque rural Welsh communities and their churches, with Bronze and Iron Age hillforts and burial cairns close at hand. The river is famous for eel and trout fishing.
Sites of Special Scientific Interest in the area include the oligotrothic and glacial lake Llyn Pencarreg, and Cors Caron – also known as Cors Goch Glanteifi (the red bog of the Teifi riverside banks). Cors Caron is a Special Area of Conservation and an internationally renowned wetland site, one of the finest examples of raised peat bogs in lowland Britain.
The Cistercian abbey at Strata Florida was integral to the development of Welsh culture as a medieval scriptorium and was the resting place of the princes of Dinefwr and the poet Dafydd ap Gwilym. Its impressive Romanesque doorway and surviving medieval tiles are located next to the present church.
The area is excellent for walking and cycling. The Monk’s Trod is an old trackway from Strata Florida to another former Cistercian site – Abbey Cwm-hir in Radnorshire – and passes by the source of the Teifi. The Roman road of Sarn Helen has been used as a routeway for centuries and runs close to the churches at Blaenpennal, Cellan and Llanbadarn Odwyn.
Local crafts, both new and traditional, can be enjoyed in the area, including the famous Rhiannon Gold Centre in Tregaron, as well as potteries and quilters. The Welsh Quilt Centre near St Peter’s Church in Lampeter celebrates and promotes the rich history of Welsh quilting.
The Teifi Valley is home to a growing number of artisan organic food producers. A community-run food hub offers excellent local produce.
Local attractions and initiatives
The Teifi and its tributaries: Discover Ceredigion
