The sights of Carmarthen can be seen in a long weekend but hire a car and the splendours of the region are within easy reach. In town, visit the acclaimed market which sells lots of delicious local produce as well as having a burgeoning alternative fashion range for hippies.
The ruined castle is in the town centre and can easily be visited on foot. For a cultural day out, visit Laugharne, the boathouse home of Wales’ greatest writer, Dylan Thomas. Finally, for those who love castles, one of the best in Wales, Carreg Cennan is not far away.
Carmarthen Mini Guide
Camarthen is a town in Dyfed, Wales, which is the county town of Camarthenshire.
It is supposed to be the oldest town in Wales and legend even has it that Merlin was born in a cave near Camarthen. If you head to the local museum you can see pieces of a tree known as Merlin’s oak. The story was that if the oak fell, the town would as well so the tree was dug up and preserved in order to stop that from happening.
Camarthen is a must see for anyone in the area who wants to soak up the atmosphere of somewhere that has a truly traditional Welsh feel to it. Indeed, most of the town’s inhabitants speak Welsh and you can be sure that rugby is a passion here like no other country – save for New Zealand.
Around 15,000 people live in Camarthen which was built along the banks of the River Towy. Probably the most notable landmark in Camarthen is the Picton Monument which was erected in honour of a gentleman who was killed at the Battle of Waterloo. If you walk past be sure to take a closer look at the fascinating inscription on the monument. There is also another military statue within Camarthen town, that of General Nott who fought in India under Queen Victoria.
This south western Welsh town is situated close to the Brecon Beacons, a national park filled with lakes, mountains and forests which is an incredibly beautiful place to go walking, hiking, biking and kayaking. The Brecon Beacons got their name from the fires which used to be lit by the Welsh on top of the mountains to warn of impending English attacks.
The main roads to go through Camarthen are the A40 and the A48. To the north of the town along the A484 road is the Camarthen golf club.
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