See and Do near us
The Pines Caravan Park is set in the Wye valley, a few miles south of Rhayader and a few miles north of Llandrindod Wells. Those who have not visited Mid Wales before will be surprised by how peaceful it is – our roads are quiet, and spectacular and varied scenery abounds. You will find little evidence of a ‘rush hour’ in the local villages, many of which seem to have bypassed progress.
We are situated just 9 miles from the Royal Welsh Showground at Builth Wells.
Rhayader, our local town, is the gateway to the ‘Lakeland of Wales’, the Elan Valley. This large expanse of the Cambrian Mountains has a system of Victorian reservoirs and dams, and is a superb place to explore on foot or mountain bike.
The coastal town of Aberystwyth is worth a visit, as is its neighbouring village Ynyslas which has miles of sandy beaches. These are all within a 60 – 90 minutes drive of The Pines Caravan Park. Aberystwyth is only 37.9 miles away.
The towns of Mid Wales are also interesting to visit, and largely unspoilt by chain stores and excessive modernisation. The Spa town of Llandrindod Wells is the largest centre locally, and has a supermarket, banks etc. The Lake and the Rock Park are worth a visit. Knighton, ‘The Town on the Dyke’ is a major market town with an interesting art gallery, several antique shops and the Offa’s Dyke Centre. Presteigne, a few miles from Knighton, is perhaps the most unspoilt Mid Wales town. It is also home to the Judges’ Lodging Museum, an award-winning recreation of Victorian times in Radnorshire’s old County Court. Builth Wells, in the Wye Valley, is another interesting market town with a bustling town centre. It has a Golf Club, and there are spectacular walks along the banks of the Wye.
Further afield is Brecon and the Brecon Beacons National Park, Hay-on-Wye, the secondhand book capital of the world, and to the north, Newtown and Welshpool.
Mid Wales is home to the Red Kite and you can visit Gigrin Farm, Rhayader (just up the road from The Pines) where these beautiful birds of prey are fed daily together with ravens, buzzards and other carrion feeding birds.
Activies:
Birdwatching is a common pastime and often encourages people into our area. One of the biggest attractions are the Red Kites, Gigrin Farm feeding centre is a favourite place to visit. There are waders and ducks of all kinds on the river and the lakes more information here.
The local area is a notable area of natural beauty and there are wonderful walks all through the area there is a good site here to whet your appetite. The river Wye itself is a Site of Special Scientific Interest for its whole length, it abounds with Otters, all kinds of birds and fish as well as insects, more information here.
There are wonderful opportunities for all kinds of cycling. The wonderful Elan valley, often called the Welsh Lake District is merely 7 miles away (via Rhayader). Bring your own bicycles or rent one locally from Clive Powell Mountain Bikes in Rhayader. Details of local circular routes available here.
Canoeing is a popular activity on the river and there are some specific launching points very close by Upstream at Llangurig (14 miles), Marteg (6.5 miles), Rhayader (3.7 miles), Llanwrthwl Bridge (200 yds), and Downstream, Newbridge on Wye (4.8 miles) and Builth Wells (10.1 miles). There are some rules and regulations regarding canoeing and these can be found here.
