As we approach the end of August, with the warm, sunny evenings gradually shortening, it’s easy to feel a touch of sadness as summer fades and the prospect of autumn and winter looms. Yet, if you’re fortunate enough to reside in a certain part of Wales, you’ll discover there’s plenty to see and do even as the mercury drops and the beaches lose their appeal.

Discover nine of the most captivating train journeys in Wales that will leave you spellbound. Carmarthenshire has long been known as the ‘Garden of Wales’, and it’s not hard to understand why. The county is awash with greenery, stunning landscapes, rivers, and the occasional magnificent castle.

Nowhere encapsulates this array of Welsh wonders more than the Tywi Valley.

This stunning stretch of Welsh countryside extends and ascends on either side of the River Tywi, which spans approximately 75 miles from the Cambrian Mountains to the sea at Carmarthen Bay, reports Wales Online.

The valley has been making headlines recently due to the ongoing construction of a 20km cycling and walking path that meanders through the scenery and along the river, linking the towns of Carmarthen and Llandeilo.

Costing over £18m, largely funded by the UK Government’s ‘Levelling Up’ initiative, the path has already proven popular with both locals and tourists. The most western section, stretching from Abergwili Museum at the east end of Carmarthen to the village of Nantgaredig four miles away, has been open since April.

Another stretch between Dryswlyn and Gelli Aur, further east, has also recently opened, while bridges set to cross rivers were delivered last week and are expected to be installed soon. In the coming months, as the full path opens, different parts of the Tywi Valley will become more accessible than ever, providing a wealth of options for day trips.

For those seeking refreshments during their travels, there are plenty of local pubs along the Tywi Valley Path or within the valley itself for those exploring by car. 

Stacey’s Kitchen has gained quite a reputation, and its popularity has surged due to its location at Abergwili Museum – the starting point of the cycle path.

The Black Ox, also in Abergwili, is a welcoming pub, as is Tafarn y Railway, located in Nantgaredig, which currently serves as the end of the cycle path if you’re heading east from Abergwili.

Nestled between these two locations, you’ll discover the Riverside Diner on the A40 at Whitemill, offering food and hot beverages to savour as you relax by the Tywi. Further along the A40 towards Pontargothi, you’ll encounter the Cresselly Arms, boasting arguably Carmarthenshire’s finest beer garden with ample seating adjacent to the serene River Cothi.

If your preference leans more towards a restaurant than a pub, this corner of Wales hosts two of the country’s most sought-after destination food spots.

The award-winning Y Polyn is hidden away off the B4310 between Nantgaredig and Porthyrhyd, while the acclaimed Wright’s Food Emporium in Llanarthne presents another mouth-watering option if you’re journeying along the winding B4300 towards Llandeilo.

Venturing further north into the hills, The Plough Inn in Felingwm offers a unique dining experience within a charming old pub. If you continue to the picturesque village of Brechfa, you can expect a warm reception at Tŷ Mawr Country Hotel and Restaurant and the recently refurbished Forest Arms, another pub with a splendid rear garden to relish on a pleasant day.

If all that doesn’t sufficiently tantalise your taste buds, you can always make a beeline for the market town of Llandeilo, brimming with independent pubs, cafes, restaurants and shops. The Tywi Valley, however, is not just a haven for food and drink enthusiasts. It boasts breathtaking landscapes that require multiple trips to fully appreciate.

Nestled between Llanarthne and Porthyrhyd is the renowned National Botanic Garden of Wales, which marked its 25th anniversary earlier this year.

As awe-inspiring as the garden’s beauty is, its sheer size spans 568 acres, making it impossible to explore in its entirety even after several visits. The vast expanse is dotted with fields, paths, lakes, water features, ancient walls, stunning buildings and remarkable structures, all enveloped by nature.

Its sprawling design makes it easy for one to lose themselves in this massive piece of land. Approximately eight miles east from the National Botanic Garden of Wales lies another natural treasure – Aberglasney Gardens. At its core is a beautifully restored Elizabethan cloister garden, the only remaining example of its kind in the UK today.

Beyond this, visitors can wander through 10 acres featuring over 20 different garden styles ranging from formal to woodland, exotic to modern, along with the fully restored ground floor of Aberglasney’s grade II listed mansion.

For those who can’t resist the allure of wide-open spaces, a short trip to Golden Grove Country Park is a must. Nestled within the Gelli Aur Estate, this 100-acre parkland surrounds an ancient Gothic mansion and offers breathtaking views across the valley.

Here, nature trails teem with diverse flora, butterflies, and even birds of prey and deer. Another fantastic way to soak in the Welsh scenery is by visiting one of its many castles. Boasting more castles per square mile than any other country, Wales, and particularly the Tywi Valley, is home to some real treasures.

Dryslwyn Castle, though more ruinous than others, still provides stunning panoramic views across the valley. With free parking available opposite the castle, visitors can enjoy a gentle climb up to the castle itself, with Carmarthen to the west and Llandeilo to the east.

In Llandeilo, you’ll find Dinefwr Castle, nestled within the sprawling 850-acre Dinefwr Estate. Here, you can see the heritage White Park Cattle, believed to be the most ancient breed native to the British Isles, and a Grade II listed house that was home to descendants of Rhys ap Gruffydd for centuries.

Venture into the estate’s woodland, and you’ll discover some of Britain’s oldest trees. Dinefwr boasts over 300 oak trees, some of which are more than 400 years old.

Just a few miles from Dinefwr sits arguably the most celebrated castle in the region and one of Wales’ most renowned fortresses – Carreg Cennen.

The castle belongs to a family who remarkably purchased it by accident. The panoramic vistas here surpass anything else the valley has to offer.

Perched 300 feet above the River Cennen below, Carreg Cennen doesn’t merely overlook the countryside – it dominates it.

It’s widely considered amongst the finest ancient attractions anywhere, with Countryfile magazine dubbing it “the most romantic ruin” in Britain, whilst The Telegraph previously featured it amongst the top 10 destinations for families visiting Wales.

The site also boasts numerous ancient caves for exploration plus a café and shop at the entrance. However, no discussion of Tywi Valley treasures would be complete without mentioning Paxton’s Tower.

You can spot it emerging above the hills from miles away. It was constructed in the early 1800s by Scottish-born landowner and MP William Paxton.

The building was initially named Nelson’s Tower, created as a monument to naval legend Lord Nelson.

Whilst numerous Nelson memorials exist across Britain, today Paxton’s Tower is better recognised as a folly erected by an ambitious outsider eager to establish his social standing. A dark cloud hangs over the picturesque valley as a renewable energy firm, Green GEN Cymru, threatens to erect pylons across Wales.

The subsidiary of Bute Energy has been writing to farmers in mid and west Wales, seeking permission to use their land for this massive project.

The ambitious plan is to construct pylon highways throughout Wales, connecting numerous wind farms currently at different stages of planning.

One such proposed route, dubbed the Towy-Usk route, would stretch from Nant Mithil to Llandyfaelog, passing through Aberedw Hill, Llangammach Wells, Llandovery, Llandeilo, and Llandyfaelog. Another, known as the Towy-Teifi route, would run from Lan Fawr to Lampeter via Llanllwni, Alltwalis, Rhydargeau, and Llandyfaelog.

A third route, referred to as the Vyrnwy-Frankton route, is also in the pipeline.

However, a robust campaign is already in full swing to thwart these plans and safeguard the Tywi Valley from the intrusion of pylons. Campaigners argue that the cables could be buried underground instead.

Green GEN previously stated: “Our investigations show that underground cables require more land and create more ground disturbance during construction. This could also lead to longer-term ecological and environmental impacts.

“Using pylons will allow us to provide a new connection quickly with minimal disruption to the land allowing us to fight back against climate change as soon as we can.”

Despite this, the Tywi Valley boasts a wealth of attractions and with the completion of the ambitious £18m cycle path, it will link various beauty spots like never before, making them more accessible for all to appreciate.