Rusty Boathouse - Fun Days Out

Cardigan Castle overlooks the River Teifi in the town of Cardigan. The site dates back to the late 11th century and was rebuilt in 1244. Rhys ap Gruffydd rebuilt it in stone, and in 1176 the first recorded eisteddfod was held here. After years of decay, it was restored and opened to the public.

Inside the walls you can visit Castle Green House, a Regency-era home with rooms such as the Georgian Kitchen and Miss Wood's Room, and wander the gardens, which are on the Cadw/ICOMOS register of historic parks and gardens. There is also a heritage centre, a children's castle area, an escape room inspired by the history of Castle Green House, and a restaurant called 1176. Paths are wheelchair friendly.

Tip: There is no on-site parking for day visitors, so use the car park at the bottom of Quay Street, a minute's walk away.

Aberystwyth Castle is a Grade I listed fortress on the Ceredigion coast, begun by Edward I in 1277 during the first Welsh war. It was built as a diamond-shaped concentric castle, with a twin-towered gatehouse and towers at each corner, and was finished in 1289.

The castle has a busy past. The Welsh burned it in 1282, Owain Glyndŵr captured it in 1404, and Charles I had a Royal mint in the castle hall, making coins from silver mined in Ceredigion. Cromwell's forces slighted it in 1649, so what remains is a jumble of towers and foundations rather than a complete building.

The setting is the real draw. The sea is only a few yards away, and one source describes waves leaping the sea wall at high tide. Walking the ruins and picturing how big the castle once was makes for an atmospheric visit.

Tip: Bring a windproof layer, as the castle sits right by the sea and the Welsh coast can be breezy and wet.

Carmarthen Castle is a ruined medieval fortress in the county town of Carmarthen, on a high terrace overlooking the tidal River Towy. It began as an early 1100s timber motte and bailey, was rebuilt in stone and was captured, destroyed and rebuilt many times. Owain Glyndŵr took it in 1405, and Henry VII's father, Edmund Tudor, died here as a prisoner in 1456.

The imposing 13-metre-high gatehouse on Nott Square is the surviving landmark, and the castle has shaped the town's streets and property boundaries. Later it served as the site of the county jail, designed by John Nash. Cromwell ordered the castle dismantled after the Civil War. It will suit history fans, and anyone happy to explore ruins and picture how much has happened here.

The National Botanic Garden of Wales is in Llanarthney, in the River Tywi valley. It is both a visitor attraction and a centre for botanical research and conservation. The centrepiece is the Great Glasshouse, the world's largest single-span glasshouse at 110 m long and 60 m wide. It stands virtually on the site of Cockerell's mansion, the new Middleton Hall.

The garden sits on the historic Middleton Hall estate, which is registered Grade II* for its special historic interest. Much of the original waterscape has been restored, with cascades on the western approach to the Glasshouse. The view from the east side of the mansion has also been restored, stretching out towards Paxton's Tower in the distance. Experts say it helps visitors understand what "picturesque" meant to the great landscape architects of the late eighteenth century.

Tip: Look out across the restored eastern view towards Paxton's Tower, which was designed to be seen from the mansion's east side.