50 Gems of Mid-Wales has been a pleasure to write. I was asked to select 50 Places in Ceredigion and Powys which are interesting and attractive places to visit. There was, naturally, plenty of choice, here in Paradwys Cymru, the paradise of Wales.
However it is a surprisingly neglected region, stretching across Wales from Cardigan Bay to the English border but I hope the book shows you what a beautiful area it is. You will also find the significant moments in Welsh history, the politics and the murder, the ruined mansions and abbeys, the forgotten battlefields.
50 Gems of Mid-Wales begins in Ceredigion, in Cardigan with Our Lady of the Taper, and then moves up along the beautiful coastline, through Mwnt and Llangrannog and then on to Aberaeron (via Caws Teifi, the home of prize-winning cheese) before heading inland to the marvellous Soar y Mynydd, the most remote chapel in Wales. The book will take you north to Aberystwyth, to the drowned forest of Borth and to Devil’s Bridge.
Then, after the moonscape of Cwmystwyth, it crosses into Powys, to Elan Village and the Alternative Technology Centre. Gregynog Hall is truly a gem but then there are so many of them – the amazing Doom Painting in Partrishow which it has always been impossible to erase, the exorcism charm on the wall in the church in Cascob, the sadness of the workhouse in Llanfyllin and the splendid Judge’s Lodging in Presteigne. Or how about magnificent waterfalls and caves? There is so much to see and do. The book is designed to display and to explain.
If you would like to see more examples from the book then there are two presentations on my Youtube channel
Click on these links and you will be taken there where you can watch them in a new window. The first one is
https://youtu.be/Bd8qTIh0nZQ
You will find the second one here
The book is fully illustrated with over 90 colour photographs and some original artwork.
Here is a link to the book on Amazon where it is still for sale and can be previewed
There is a companion volume, 50 Gems of South West Wales which is also available from Amazon.
Click here for the page on the website where you can find out more about it