Machynlleth is one of the most distinguished of Welsh towns and was to be Owain Glyndwr´s capital during the 15th century Welsh rebellion against Henry IV´s England. Part of Owain Glyndwr´s Parliament House, the first and only Welsh Parliament so far, still stands in the main street and is used to house the Owain Glwyndwr Exhibition and
Heritage Centre. The Welsh Tourist Board was housed on these premises until very recently. The newly renovated Royal House, situated by the Town Clock, has now become their new home. Machynlleth is also home to the Mid Wales Museum of Modern Art and the
Tabernacle Arts Centre.
Machynlleth is the heart of Wales, both geographically and culturally, and is well placed for visits to
castles, nature and sandy beaches.
For those interested in history, there is a wealth of things to see. A few miles to the NW of Machynlleth there are the remains of Castell y Bere, set in a dramatic position overlooking the valley of Afon Dysinni. In the hills to the south of Machynlleth are numerous old lead mines. At Furnace, 7 miles SW of the town on the Aberystwyth road, there is a renovated smelter, with a spectacular waterwheel, on the banks of the Afon Einion. Also at Furnace is the
Ynys Hir bird reserve, run by the Royal Society for the Protection of birds. Birdwatching and Wildlife tours can be arranged in the area, visit
Red Kite Safari Tours.
The Dyfi Valley and the surrounding hills are the setting for a wide variety of activities, visit
Dyfi Active for a range of activities available in the area. Situated close to
Snowdonia National Park, Country Craft centres,
King Arthurs Labyrinth and magnificent scenery for walking abound.
Talyllyn Railway,
The Vale of Rheidol and
Corris Railway, to name but a few, are narrow gauge railways nearby.
Mountain biking on
Climachx and the 3 graded mountain bike routes (Mach 1, Mach 2, and Mach 3, and cycling through on the Sustrans 8 route; Guided rides through the Cambrian mountains can be arranged through
Forest Freeride; There is
The Holey Trail bike shop in Machynlleth where bikes can be hired. For the more adventurous, there is
quad-biking where you can go on organised off-road tours.
Clay pigeon shooting at
Dovey Valley Shooting Ground. Fishing is good at times on the Dyfi, when the Sewin run through, while there are numerous lakes well stocked with brown and rainbow trout. On the coast, shore anglers catch bass and flatfish, while deep-sea fishing trips can be organised from
Aberdyfi or Aberystwyth for a wide range of species. The boats in Newquay can also take you dolphin spotting in the summer.
In close proximity are
Machynlleth Golf Club,
Borth Golf Club, the
Centre for Alternative Technology, the National Library of Wales and the sailing centre of
Aberdyfi with it's beautiful clean beach.
