Laugharne, Wales
February 2, 2014 by Helen
Filed under Travel destinations
Traveling through the southern part of Wales you will pass through many small towns that, at first glance, may seem all the same and rather forgettable… but give them a chance.
Stop and look around. Spend a bit of time and you may be surprised.
We were so captivated that we spent a week in Laugharne.
Laugharne (rhymes with “yarn” …yes, I know it looks like “laugh” but there are a lot of silent letters) is a small town along the coast in South Wales. You could drive through it in a matter of minutes but for some reason I was captivated by the scene presented by the castle and town centre, so we stopped.
Laugharne castle and boot sale
A sign in the car park area cautioned that this area was prone to flooding. Rather than being put off by this warning we were intrigued even more (go figure, huh!)
A few years later, when the opportunity to revisit Wales arose, this scene stuck in my mind and we returned to base ourselves in Laugharne.
Our home for the week (Seasons at Laugharne Park) was situated on the cliffs overlooking the area. (No, I really was not that concerned about flooding. Our timeshare property just happened to be up high. Honest.)
Walking allows one to see so much more in such an intimate way, so we walked in the town….
Cars and pedestrian share the road, Laugharne, Wales
We walked by the water, below the cliffs…
Below the cliffs, Laugharne, Wales
We walked above the cliffs…
Laugharne, Southern Wales
We explored The Boat House…
The Boat House, Laugharne, Wales
The town promotes its connection with the Welsh poet, Dylan Thomas. The Boat House is the most famous property but there are many spots around the town that fans of Dylan Thomas can explore and walk in his footsteps. It takes a bit of effort to get to The Boat House (lots of steps) but the view from above is lovely if you do feel like climbing down to the museum and teahouse.
Aside: I wonder, is Laugharne the inspiration for Under Milk Wood?
In the town centre you will find a lovely gift shop, some restaurants, a grocery store, some guest houses, and lots and lots of Welsh charm.
Marker in centre of Laugharne, Wales
The castle sits right next the estuary which apparently can experience high water from time to time. We saw no flooding…only beautiful scenes when the tide was in
Tide is in Laugharne, Wales
and when the tide was out.
The tide is out.
Laugharne, Wales
The most captivating scene in Laugharne? Well, for me it still is the scene that brought us back here in the first place…the castle set at the end of the estuary and at the edge of the town.
Laugharne Castle,
South Wales
If ever again the opportunity arises to visit Wales, Laugharne will be one of my stops.
Note: 2014 is the 100th anniversary of the birth of Dylan Thomas. There is a walk in Laugharne called The Birthday Walk which takes on even greater significance in 2014.
Events celebrating the work/life of Dylan Thomas are happening throughout 2014. Check out http://www.dylanthomas100.org/
Visit other Wales destinations
Llandudno Northern Wales
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Happy Travels!
