Summer Day Trips
Following our newsletter article about getting to the National Garden of Wales by train and bus for the day (bus end difficult), some good day trips are given here by members that you can do by train:
1. Hereford to Machynlleth Centre for Alternative Technology
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| Machynlleth Station | Machynlleth | Turf Roof CAT | Hydraulic Ram + our Chair at CAT |
Change at Shrewsbury, bus from Machynlleth. We went (May 2008) on 6.25 to Shrewsbury, then 7.28 to Machynlleth, arrive 8.40 a.m. Lovely journey through Welsh countryside, cost of standard return £39.60. Walk (10 mins) into town to catch the 9.40 bus by the clock tower to CAT (the 30, 34 or 32), arrive at 9.55, bus £2.40 return standard fare. CAT opens at 10.00 a.m. and is half price entry for people who produce a train ticket, i.e. it is £4.20 not £8.40. Return journey take the 17.17 bus from CAT (which closes at 5.00 p.m.), and the 18.02 from Machynlleth station to arrive in Hereford about 8.30 p.m.
2. Hereford to Port Talbot beach (Aberavon beach) - 2 hrs direct train
Much better than it sounds, two miles of golden beach, good swimming sea, long prom with no cars, good for walking and cycling, excellent cafe and facilities. The train goes half hourly to Port Talbot, and hourly retuning, last returning train 22.56, it takes about 2 hours. There is a bus stop just outside the station with buses taking you directly to the beach every 15 minutes. About £22 off peak times return for adults, £30 peak times.
There are other beaches near Cardiff (Cardiff Bay) which take less time, and Carmarthen like Llanelli on the same train service which take more time.
2. Hereford to Carmarthen:
Hourly services, about three hours, late returning trains. Once in Carmarthen visit the excellent County Museum - cross into town on the new walk and cycle bridge which joins the bus station. Take a 280 or 281 to Abergwili, it is a frequent service and about 10 minutes away. Or visit some of the best beaches in the country, about 30 minute bus ride to Llanstephan, famous for its beach and castle. Or across the estuary visit Dylan Thomas' house at the beautiful Laugharne. A good bus service but it takes longer and you will want to stay the night here as there is so much to see.
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| Train from Hereford to Carmarthen | Opening hours, Carmarthen Museum | Llanstephan Bay | Laugharne, Dylan Thomas' town |
3. Hereford to Ludlow,
About two trains an hour, only 20 minutes journey, visit historic Ludlow, excellent shopping, museums and walks into the Shropshire countryside.
Footpath on the Teme, one hour's walk from Ludlow
4. Hereford to Ledbury,
Broadly one train an hour in the day, 20 minute journey. Walk from Ledbury over the Malvern Hills to Malvern and catch the train back. Have a picnic lunch on the hills, tea in Malvern, and a beer in the Weatherspoons pub near Hereford station in the evening.
Train to Ledbury, walking over the Malvern Hills, back by train from Malvern
5. Hereford to Abergavenny
Minimum of one train an hour, 20 minutes journey; walk over Mount Blorenge to the World Heritage Site of Blaenavon and back again. Take a picnic lunch, have tea in Abergavenny and a beer in the Weatherspoons pub near Hereford station in the evening.
Canal basin above Abergavenny, built in 1817
6. It is possible to access the Heart of Wales line from Hereford but there is really only one good connection. That's the 8.56 from Hereford, arrive Craven Arms at 9.28 and then depart 9.36 from Craven Arms on the H of W train towards Swansea. However the return connections are poor, requiring a nearly one hour wait on Craven Arms station, not much fun. You would in fact do better to change at Shrewsbury which is more interesting. The south to north, Swansea to Shrewsbury line arrives in Shrewsbury at 17.10 or 22.13. You can get a train Shrewsbury to Hereford at 17.18 and 17.44 and 22.49. Michael Sullivan reckons its better, if you can, to go to Knighton by car first. For an account of his journey click here.
Another idea is to do a round trip Craven Arms, mid Wales to Swansea and then use the faster Arriva service Swansea-Hereford-Manchester back using a roving ticket for 48 hours.
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Viaduct en route Llandeilo Knighton Swansea Bay Cycle Path
7. Nick Jones writes: I can thoroughly recommend Hereford-Aberysthwyth. The scenery on the Shrewsbury-Aber section is breathtaking, the wonderfully eccentric Cliff Railway still survives (just!), there's a train back at about 5.00 p.m. and there's even a Wetherspoon in the station where yuo can have a beer while you're waiting.
8. Michael Sullivan writes: it is quite possible to 'do' the Vale of Rheidol railway at Devils Bridge, via Aberystwyth . Depart 8.28 from Hereford, arrive 9.15 Shrewsbury and then the 0928 from Shrewsbury will, (for the fortunate traveller who experiences no delays) arrive at Aber. at 1122, thus giving plenty of time for a walk around this town and luncheon before departure to Devil's Bridge at 1400. Arrival back at Aber will be at 5.00pm, and (I suppose it may be a remote possibility that) the return train to Shrewsbury departs at 1731, change at Shrewsbury to arrive back at Hereford at 20.45
9. Hereford to Towyn, depart 9.35, change at Shrewsbury arrive 11.30
10. Hereford to Chester – 2 hours
